Babywearing enables you to calm and comfort your baby without sacrificing freedom of movement or your sense of style. But the sheer number of babywearing options (wraps, pouch slings, ring slings, padded slings, backpack carriers, hip carriers, back carriers, front carriers, mei tais…and more) can be overwhelming.
Babywearing-pro Mama Luxe adores her unpadded ring sling since it’s stylish and easy to stash in her diaper bag, but I prefer the secure feeling of a more structured carrier. The Ergo Carrier is one of my favorites because it combines the ergonomic benefits of a Mei Tai with the buckles found on more structured carriers. I love the versatility of the Ergo, but it takes up a lot of room in my diaper bag, which means I often forget to bring it with me when I’m out running errands with baby.
I recently had the chance to try the Belle Baby Carrier, and I’m in love. The Belle is a favorite of celebs including Julia Roberts, and it’s easy to see why.
Easy-to-use: I can get the Belle on and off within seconds. All I have to do is secure the waist belt and then buckle the two shoulder straps.
Comfortable:I have a bad shoulder, but I can wear the Belle comfortably since this carrier distributes baby’s weight to my hips instead of my back and shoulders.
Baby Loves It: Babies between 10-25 pounds can ride facing inward or outward. Baby Mwah loves cuddling in the inward facing position, and the fuzzy lining of the Belle is super soft on his skin. In fact, it reminds me of a teddy bear.
Convenient: Since there’s no padding, the Belle doesn’t take up much room in my diaper bag.
Hip and Eco-Friendly: The Belle comes in a wide variety of stylish fabrics like the hip cheetah and cherry patterns shown here. There’s even an organic fabric option with a waist belt made out of yoga mat manufacturing remnants.
Great for Dads: The Belle was invented by two Colorado dads, so it’s no surprise that my husband would enjoy using this carrier as much as I do. (Tip: If you’re planning to share with your hubby, my advice is to buy it in one of the solid organic fabrics. I own the Belle in the chic cheetah pattern. While my husband is happy to wear it around the house, he is hesitant to wear such a wild pattern on his frequent jaunts to Home Depot.)
Want It?
The Belle is available for $89.95-$99.95 at www.bellebabycarriers.com and at Target.com. Mamanista readers get 20% off sales at www.bellebabycarriers.com with coupon code: mommies.
