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Babywearing in Autumn – Tips for Cozy Carries
Embracing Autumn Adventures: Babywearing Tips for Cozy Carries
Autumn is a magical season, filled with crisp air, colorful foliage, and the perfect excuse to snuggle up with your little one. Not that you need one.. As the temperatures start to drop, babywearing becomes an even more cherished way to keep your baby close and comfortable while you explore the outdoors.
In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the essentials of babywearing during autumn, from suitable clothing materials to specialized babywearing jackets, covers, and clever inserts for your existing jacket.
Layering Up: Clothing for Baby and Wearer
When it comes to dressing your baby for autumn babywearing, layers are your best friend. Opt for soft, breathable fabrics like cotton for your baby’s clothes, making it easy to adjust their clothing as temperatures change throughout the day. Remember to consider your little one’s comfort; a onesie, leggings, and a cozy sweater, or leg warmers can do wonders.
For you, the babywearer, the right clothing is essential too. When the sun is out, you might still feel sweating. But as soon as a cloud is covering the sun, you might feel chill. Cotton will warm you to some extinct even if it got wet. For the ultimate comfort for you and your baby, consider wool blend undergarments.
As autumn brings occasional rain and colder days, you can invest in waterproof covers for your carrier. These covers will keep your baby dry and cozy, ensuring your outdoor adventures remain enjoyable, rain or shine. Just keep in mind that rain covers are not breathable.
If you want to learn more about fabrics, clothes, or options, have a look at my online course
Chasing Away the Chill: Fleece and Soft Shell Covers
When the autumn air turns brisk, it’s time to introduce fleece and soft shell covers into your babywearing wardrobe. These materials provide excellent insulation and keep both you and your baby warm and snug.
Fleece covers are perfect for chilly days. They’re soft, breathable, and lightweight, making them a fantastic choice for milder autumn weather. Soft shell covers, on the other hand, offer better protection against wind and light rain. They’re the go-to option for those unpredictable autumn days when the weather can change on a dime.
Depending on the brand, you can even find 3-in-1 covers who hold all this options in one with different layers that can be added or stored away depending on your needs.
Ergobaby Rain Cover
Hoppediz 3-in1 Fleece Cover
Hoppediz Softshell Cover
Stay Warm and Stylish: Special Babywearing Jackets
Now, let’s talk about the ultimate autumn (and winter) babywearing accessory: babywearing jackets. These specialized garments are designed with both you and your baby’s comfort in mind.
Most of the models work for front and back carries, cheaper options usually only for the front. These jackets often feature clever inserts that can be zipped in between the zipper. This ingenious design allows you to adapt the jacket to accommodate your growing baby or wear it during pregnancy. Without the insert, it functions like a normal jacket.
Talk about versatility!
These jackets come in various styles, from classic to sporty, from vests to coats, ensuring you can stay warm and stylish throughout the autumn season.
The many different materials give you all the freedom to choose what suits you best.
If you want to use your existing jacket, consider a clip-in insert for pregnancy and front carry. Just clip the zipper extensions to your jacket, zip-in the insert and you are ready to go!
Of course, using such an extra cover or a jacket is no must. Though having a small baby under your jacket has many advantages, for example that you do not have to undress your baby after getting home when baby fell asleep in the carrier, and you can even keep her in the carrier then without getting too warm yourself, you can of course also carry your baby over your jacket.
I myself use men’s jackets since many years. They depending on the size of my baby I was able to close those over the baby carrier too.
Kumja Clip-in Jacket insert
Cheap Fleece Jacket
3-way Fleece Jacket
Conclusion
Autumn is a splendid time to explore the world with your baby. By choosing the right clothing materials and investing in specialized babywearing jackets with adaptable inserts, you can ensure that you and your little one stay warm, dry, and comfortable during all your autumn adventures. So, grab your carrier, bundle up, and embrace the beauty of this enchanting season together!
Trying, Renting and Buying
In my collection I still do not have many options to try for you before buying.
However, you can try the Kumja Clip-in, the Ergobaby Raincover, and the Limas Fleece Jacket 3 Positions from my collection.
The Limas Jackets are not produced anymore, unfortunately. It is possible to rent them from my library.
The Kumja Clip-in can be easily ordered from Germany and the shipping costs aren’t so high.
The Hoppediz Covers can be ordered through me.
In Japan you can, of course, also find many options for covers and jackets. However, when looking for a well-designed coat that doesn’t make you look like a potato sack, you might want to shop overseas.
You can search for the following brands:
Mamalila (German), Viva la Mama (German), Wombat & Co (UK), Angel Wings via Little Zen One (Canada), Greyse (Poland)
Short introduction to the Kumja Clip-in
If you have questions, recommendations, or anything else, feel free to write a comment or contact me!
Carrier Review: Lucky Power Support Carrier
The Lucky Power Support Carrier in detail
After I confirmed during my visit to the Lucky Store in Jiyugaoka that the Power Support Carrier indeed is interesting, I bought an almost like new one on Mercari.
It came in really great condition and I immediately tested it with my dolls of various sizes.
Are you curious what I found?
But let us take a look at the features first!
The Features
The Power Support Carrier was developed by a university department who wanted to create a carrier that really fits the human body well under scientific aspects but also holds the baby in a good position at every age.
They started from a, in Japan, very popular system. A carrier that is put on before baby is put in and where you only have to clip in the backpanel of the shoulder straps. This is called a harness system.
Usually, the babies aren’t sitting well in these kind of carriers. They often lack the knee to knee support and therefore do not support the M-Position.
However, on pictures I saw that many of the models sat well in the Power Support Carrier. But more on that later.
The carrier is completely made of a stretchy mesh material that is airy in summer and embraces the baby well while still giving enough support.
On the back, we have an ergonomically shaped lumbar support which is still comfortable when the carrier is worn on the back. Often, the stiff lumbar support of the Ergobaby carriers is seen as not comfortable when it comes to rest on the belly.
While the Power Support Carrier isn’t stepless adjustable in width, it has three settings to make the carrier fit babies of different ages. The adjustments are well designed, in a way that there is nothing in the way which could be uncomfortable for the baby.
The settings include the changing of the seat but also the height of the backpanel for newborns.
All in all, when it comes to these settings, the Power Support Carrier is the most versatile and best designed carrier I have seen of this system so far. (I haven’t had the Packa Gear Carrier here yet, which uses the same harness system but which’s seat is fully adjustable.)
The Testing
I tried the carrier with three of my dolls of different sizes.
One doll is close to newborn size, another around the size of a 2 or 3 months old baby, and the last one the size of a toddler of around one year.
With the middle-sized doll and the toddler doll, I found what I have already seen on the pictures. The seat was very nice and I recommend the carrier in regards of that.
However, I had, with all my dolls, problems with the fastener at the shoulder straps.
I felt that they were in the way and restricted the view of my dolls (a real baby might not like them directly in front of the face). In case of the toddler, it even was worse. Toddler love to take their arms out. With the harness system, it is difficult to archive and it is not possible to use the carrier without the fasteners on the shoulder straps.
Baby Björn for example, let the head support fasten separately on the shoulder straps which makes it more comfortable for baby in regards of view and arms out. But here we have a problem with the seat..
To adjust the seat for a newborn, it is necessary to flip parts of the seat inwards. This creates a cushion for the baby to let it sit higher, having free airways (not vanishing in the carrier). On the other hand, I couldn’t see how, with this cushion, the M-Position with knees higher than bum should be possible. However, I couldn’t yet try with a real baby and dolls always behave a little different.
For all three dolls I found that the back was well supported and not pushed in an unnatural position.
Conclusion
For a harness carrier, wonderfully designed. If a harness system is wished, I would recommend this one from when baby is bigger and a newborn carrier for the first two or three months.
Downsides: Restricted view and freedom of movement for older babies and toddlers. No nice seat for newborns.
Upside: Tried to incorporate all recent developments in the baby carrier industry. Well designed carrier.
Used Baby Carriers – What to look out for
Many people aren’t sure if an expensive new baby carrier is worth it and looking for cheaper used baby carriers. Or a used option is preferred because of sustainability.
Whatever are the reasons, there are some points to look out for when shopping used!
In this article I want to narrow down what makes a good used carrier and what better not to buy.
Stretchy Slings
Let’s start with stretchy options like stretchy wraps or stretchy simple, T-shirt-like slings.
I name a few here to make clear what I mean with Stretchy slings. I count in: Konny, K’tan, Boba wrap, etc)
A stretchy wrap is made of knitted fabric.
Some receive their stretch from the knitting technique alone, some use a small percentage of spandex (like 5%).
Everyone knows it. After some time and washes, T-shirts tend to get out of form and sock’s cuffs get loose.
The same happens with stretchy wraps and simple options.
When using such a worn out wrap, it lacks bounce back and it will become difficult to wrap your baby securely. The simple loop options can even become really dangerous because, when worn out and not holding your baby firmly to your body anymore, there is a high falling and suffocation risk if used hands free!
If you can’t inspect the stretchy option before buying or don’t know how often the wrap was used before (some people try a long stretchy wrap only once or twice before giving up), I strongly advice to buy any of these wraps and slings new!
Interested in how to tie a stretchy wrap?
Mastering the Stretchy Wrap Online Course
¥4.500
5/5
Please visit my courses website to book this course!
Fullbuckle Carrier
The rucksack-like fullbuckle carriers are a better choice to shop used. An example for a full buckle you all know is the Ergobaby carrier. But there are plenty more brands!
If of good quality, they won’t tear and carry one, two, three, and even more babies without any problems.
However, even here you have to be cautious!
Because these fullbuckle carriers look sturdy, some really old models are out there, circling from one family to the next.
Even though they hold for a long time, fullbuckle carrier can tear too.
The most vulnerable part is the big buckle to close the waistbelt. Which is extremely important for safety. If the buckle breaks and completely opens while baby is in the carrier, it can fall. Most baby carriers have a safety loop next to the buckle on the waistbelt to prevent this.
Conditions that speed up weathering of the plastic parts, including all buckles, is sunlight and heat.
A buckle carrier, left in a car exposed to direct sunlight will break faster and easier. Who reads the manual of their carrier carefully will notice that this is a point mentioned in many of them.
I once owned a carrier that carried five babies happily before the buckle broke. However, when buying used, you usually don’t know how often it changed family already and how it was cared for.
This is another point to mention. Many do not know how to best care for a carrier in regards of cleaning.
Especially when it is made of natural fibers like cotton, it is necessary to wash it regularly, just like a common piece of clothing, which it basically is.
Drool pads are very helpful. Not only to keep the carrier clean but also to prevent the fabric of the carrier from aging. Baby’s saliva is damaging the fibers and having drool pads makes a daily wash needless.
Dirty fibers and sunlight can be factors for fabric and yarn damages.
OUTDATED CARRIERS
Another point I would like to mention are outdated carrier models.
Have you ever thought of baby carriers as a product under constant development in regards of safety and comfort?
Research is progressing and we know more and more about the needs of our babies. While in the middle of the 20th century people thought that carrying a baby upright will damage the spine, we now know that the upright position is actually the most natural and best position for our babies.
These new research papers are also used by many baby carrier manufacturers. Unfortunately not all..
That’s why there are outdated baby carriers on the used market that are not the best and most comfortable way to carry a baby. The carrier manufacturers just never invested money to update their models. Because, you know, they are selling.
You might wonder why these outdated models are selling? Well, because not all parents are as informed as you 😉
Some used models are sold as they are, without notifying the buyer that, for example, an infant insert for newborns is needed. Most of the modern carriers have an adjustable seat to make them fit newborns. The old don’t.
You can read more about safely carrying a newborn here.
Baby carriers where the seat is so narrow that your baby’s legs are dangling straight down and all its weight is lasting on your baby’s groins will probably not damage your baby. But it will also not sit comfortable and the worldwide advised spread-squat-position (frog position) is actively helping your baby’s hip development.
Still, you are finding the narrow-seated baby carriers everywhere on the used market.
So, what to do now with used carriers? Should you avoid buying used?
HOW TO BUY USED BABY CARRIERS
No! Of course not!
There are real diamonds on the used market! Some of the carriers in my collection are also used!
Especially in Japan, people are very well communicating the condition of the items they sell used. There is only few scam and wrong information.
When buying a carrier used, look at the description carefully. Also, don’t buy when only product pictures of an online shop are attached.
It is necessary to see pictures of the real product to check the condition.
If the carrier looks old, the colors aren’t vibrant anymore and the carrier looks dirty, it might carry your baby safely, but it mustn’t.
Good example for a used carrier on Mercari
Once I got a model that was only used once or twice and did look like new. But it came to an unbeatable price!
However, just to clarify, the most modern models are not sold much cheaper than in shops. You might safe 10.000 Yen on them but they are still more expensive than older models. Also, the selection is limited if you are searching for international brands. Ergobaby and BabyBjörn are dominating and I do not recommend BabyBjörn without reservations.
Other carriers often found on Marketplaces are said stretchy options. I saw one handed down Baby K’tan at a friend and it already completely lost its flexibility and therefore became just too big. It was a completely useless baby carrier if wanting it for a hands free option. My friend is now using it as a simple option at home but always has one hand at the child when using it.
Modern Tula, Lillebaby, or European brands are rare but there is a small used market for woven baby wraps.
Here you can find used carriers from my collection.
Best is to search Marketplaces like Mercari right for the brand name you are interested in and not just “baby carrier”.
Browsing Facebook groups though, might be the way to find the cheapest offers. But here you will really have to be cautious because of outdated models.
If you just do not have the money to invest in a modern carrier, even if buying used, you can get in touch anytime. I have used carriers for those in need. They come with a free short introduction on how to use the carrier in the best way. Because, even outdated carriers can be used in a good and comfortable way for everyone if you know how 😉
3.5 – 20kg – What’s behind the Mysterious Weights on Baby Carriers
Can I carry my baby only from 3.5 – 20kg?
Most baby carrier brands write that their carriers are from 3.5 – 20kg (7 – 45 lbs).
So does this mean that I can’t carry my smaller baby?
My own baby was born at 2800g. I thought he didn't fit in any common baby carrier and I felt very insecure!
What many do not know is the real meaning behind these numbers! And here I am taking the chance to explain them.
The mysterious 3.5 – 20kg of baby carriers
When selling baby carriers in the USA (and some other countries), baby carriers have to be safety tested. These tests include, for example, material tests (fabric and seams durability), tests for harmful substances, falling risks, and sometimes suffocation risks.
The material tests are done with dummies of different weights. They include how long the seams and fabric holds the dummy while copying typical carrying situations.
Each “step” in weight costs money and most carrier brands opt for the common 3.5 – 20kg. Only few are testing lower.
Safety Testing
These tests are, by the way, not compulsory in Japan or Germany! If you want a carrier that was tested, you should look out for these norms, or ask the brand if the carrier you like is tested:
PD CEN/TR 16512:2015
The European testing standard
ASTM F2907 – 22 (replaced ASTM F2907 – 19 in 2022!)
The American testing standard for woven baby wraps.
ASTM F2236 – 16a
The American testing standard for soft structured carriers.
I couldn’t find the exact standard for Japan but it starts with SG.
Why 3.5 – 20kg kilograms?
And why 3.5 kg? Most baby carriers are made in countries where the average birthweight is around 3 kg or higher. And many parents won’t start right away with carrying their baby. There is a good chance that most babies are at 3.5 kg or above when the carrying journey begins!
I am not sure why the 20 kg became a standard though. Maybe because they suggest that you can use their carrier for a very long time and is strong enough to hold any baby. In reality though, it’s unnecessary to have a normal carrier tested until 20 kg.
My child was still 20 kg with 5 years but he didn't fit in a common carrier already with 2 years and much less kilograms. Everyone who is going beyond a certain age or weight and carrying on a regular basis will automatically get a bigger (toddler size/preschool size) baby carrier for having a better fit and more comfort.
Fitting smaller babies
But back to our small babies born with less than 3.5 kg.
Some carriers are already fitting a smaller baby, even though the carrier says “3.5 kg”. On the other hand, babies with 3.5 kg might not fit in such a carrier yet.
Of course, carrier brands try to design their carriers for the widest range of babies but it is just not possible to fit all in the same way. We are all different in body proportions, as are our babies. Especially carriers that are made for also fitting toddlers often don’t fit small babies well.
The best way to find a carrier that really fits your newborn, is to try many different ones.
You will soon see the difference, especially when trying a “one size fits all” vs a carrier that was especially designed for newborns in mind.
Of course, I have carriers for every fit in my collection which you can try. Just send me a message!
A last word on the numbers and safety tests. In case you are using a carrier with a baby under or over the given weight and something happens, this will be in your responsibility and you won’t be able to sue the maker.
If you are not sure about if you can use your carrier with your baby under the 3.5kg and if you should take the risk or better not, you can always consult with a babywearing professional!
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