Travelin' wth Tots Review and Giveaway! Scootababy

Let's just start here: I love this carrier! It should be noted that I am not lacking in babywearing experience and I tend to be pretty picky, too. As a nanny, early childhood teacher, and a mom, I have spent time wearing Bjorns, Snuglis, Ergos, Becos, Moby Wraps, Hotslings, okay, I'll stop there. Suffice it to say, I have worn enough babies to be able to spot a good carrier and the Scootababy is fantastic!
Actually it is hard to say which one of us likes the carrier more-me or my little guy. Max's most favorite position in the world is my left hip and this carrier holds him there safely, comfortably and without the usual backache that I end up with after too long with a baby on my hip. Plus, I have full use of my hands which is very important especially with an older child to attend to.
Some of the things that I like best: The waist strap fastens in the front, making it super-easy to put on and to adjust. The waist strap also has padding almost the entire way around. I will admit that there is a bit of adjusting that needs to be done each time and skipping those couple of minutes of shifting and adjusting can make for discomfort for either mom or baby. There is also a bit of a learning curve to mastering proper wear of the Scootababy. For instance after several tight squeezes pulling the shoulder strap over our heads, I found it that is was much easier when it was loosened almost all the way in the front- It is so easy to tighten once everything is in place, though, that this is not a problem at all. The top section of the shoulder strap is made of super soft fleece which is easy to stretch over the shoulder for proper weight distribution. Most of the rest of the carrier is made of sturdy, but comfortable denim (made in the USA!). The website does offer a warning that because it is dark denim it may bleed when it gets wet, so a hot pre-wash is recommended.
The Scootababy can be worn on the right or the left side and is a one size fits all carrier--the website notes that it can be adjusted to acommodates waists from 19 to 47 inches.The Scootababy is meant to be used for infants who can fully support themselves (including those big old heads!) when they are in the seated position--usually about 5 months old for most babies. As you can see from the picture at the top, Max's little head just barely clears the top of the carrier which means we have many months left for the Scootababy. The weight limit is 40 pounds and I have no doubt that it would be just as comfortable with a heavier baby!

And now for the Official Review (Based on a Four Star Scale)

Functionality ***1/2 The Scootababy is easy to use and and collapses enough to be able to shove into the bottom of the stroller. It has a little too much structure to the crammed into a diaper bag, but that has not been a problem so far.

Style *** - The Scootababy comes in seven different patterns. I especially love the San Francisco and the Piccadilly Circus which are shown on the sides (as mentioned previously I am a sucker for polka-dots!)

Price **- Well, here it is- the drawback of the Scootababy. The standard price ($119) is probably a little hard to justify for many families, given that there are so many carriers out there and this one can be used only in one position and only for a somewhat limited time (5 months to 40 pounds) On the other hand, it is very well-made and the styles and patterns are pretty classic so I can definitely imagine using the Scootababy with more than one child. Plus, it is almost the holiday season, so it would make a great gift or wish list item!

Overall Rating *** - Expense aside, I am a huge fan of the Scootababy and would encourage any one with a hip loving older baby to give it a try!

The good people at Scootababy are giving away one of their carriers in our airline travel giveaway. Keep reading our daily "Travelin' with Tots" posts and be sure to check back next Friday, November 14th for details on how you can win one of our two travel giveaway packages, each valued at over $300!

Click on Read More...below to find your giveaway question!

Here is your Travelin' By Plane giveaway question: Tell us your favorite Scootababy pattern choice.

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