With the Baby Carrier One, Baby Björn answers one of the most common requests parents have made of baby carriers: let me load my child into back-carry mode without the need of another adult. Yay! The day has finally come. We now have a soft-structured baby carrier that can truly serve as our one and only carrier from birth to toddler, providing for infant mode, front facing in, front facing out and back carry positions.
While the Carrier One bears many similarities to older Baby Björn models with well-padded shoulder straps and a comfortable waist band for distributing weight, note that Baby Björn really had to rethink the design of the soft-structured carrier to pull off the ability to swing a child from front to back mode without the need for help. Given this, you’ll want to really familiarize yourself with the carrier before use. Yes, this means reading the instruction manual. Otherwise, you will likely put your child in some position that upsets the both of you.
First thing to note is that you need to put the carrier on by pulling it over your head, more like a sweater than a vest. For both front and back carry modes, start with the carrier in front of you.
Next, you’ll see that the carrier has a mesh fabric that sits between you and baby. Put your baby between this mesh and the outer later. By sandwiching baby between two layers, you are now able to swivel baby from your front to your back without fear of his slipping out of the carrier.
Finally, take time to study the buckles and clasps, as this new model redesigns both the waist buckle and the connectors that secure the head support to the shoulder straps. While it took me awhile to adjust to the new design, I do see how they can be easier to use and more secure than the previous clasps.
Now, to get into the carrying modes. Carrier One can be used with newborns, starting at 8 pounds and 21 inches long. No additional inserts needed. Just use the correct zipper position to raise baby up to a position close to your chest and take a moment to secure the extra leg straps. Like other Baby Björn carriers, the Carrier One provides great head and neck support for infants.
Newborns will start in front facing in position. For infants under 27 inches, unzip the seat so that baby’s legs can hang down in what Baby Björn terms “normal position.” Once baby is over 27 inches, you can zip the seat so that his legs are supported in “wide leg position,” which wraps baby’s legs around you and better distributes weight across your baby’s bottom. At 27 inches, you can also change the height of the carrier by unzipping the interior panel, exiting infant height.
If your child is like mine, chances are it won’t be long before baby wants to turn around and see the world. Starting at about 5 months when baby is strong enough to hold his head up, you can switch to front facing out mode. To do so, be sure to unzip the seat area and return it to normal mode. Like previous Baby Björn models, you can turn down the head support, making it easier for baby to look out.
Now, this is where it gets fun. Starting at 12 months and going up to about 3 years, you can move your child to your back. For back carry mode, start with baby in front facing in mode and zip the seat to wide leg position. Then, maneuver one arm up and one arm down to wiggle the carrier around to your back. Check out the video on the Baby Björn site to see how it’s done. While this will probably take you a few tries before you can do it without thinking about it too much, it really is fantastic that they’ve made the transition from front to back so easy for one person to do alone. In back carry mode, the adjustable back yoke becomes a sternum strap that helps you customize the fit to best suit your body.
Like other Baby Björn products, Carrier One is made with quality materials. Its 100% cotton lining meets high Oeko-Tex Standards and is machine washable. Just remember to separate the cotton carrier form the mesh interior when washing and be sure to drip dry both pieces.
Learn more about the Baby Björn Carrier One at babybjorn.com.
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