BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Active, Black/Red
by BABYBJÖRN
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List Price: Our Price: $93.99 You Save: $35.96 (28%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $78.99 (click here) Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Active, Black/Red
Customer Review: Best Carrier if used correctly...
Summary: 4 Stars
I have 2 children and another on the way in a few months. I personally have used the Baby Bjorn Carrier (Orignal) for both of them and found it comfortable and easy to use and wear. Upon comparison with others - they are usually unsafe, unsecure or offer no even weight distribution to support the child (i.e.: Slings). If you like to sling a #20 weight around your waist or abdomen then there are plenty of options.
I am also in the military and am used to carrying duffel bags, ruck sacks and the like - proper positioning and weight distribution are key or pain will be the end result. I dispise multiple straps and cheap clips that cannot be adjusted easily and I see now that other companies are begining to copy BB and rid themselves of these. Great ideas are hard to pass up.
I will be purchasing the newer "active" BB soon - it appears that it now incorporates improvements recommended by parents over the last few years. Additional lumbar support is almost never a bad thing.
One key element to take away from all of these reviews: Note the difference in testimonials. A few mention how sore their shoulders were and how uncomfortable and low the baby was positioned after just a few minutes of use while others can go for hours and participate in physical activities w/o any problems or discomfort. The reason is proper useage...if the adjustments are made and the carrier is used correctly, there should NEVER be pain or soreness. If my memory serves me well, I believe it even stated that in the instructions. If it hurts, it isn't adjusted right - period. Take that for what's it worth.
This is a great product from my personal experience of carrying heavy loads, including my babies. I will agree on one point that above 15-20#, it does start to become too heavy for regular use. Our bodies are not designed to carry that much weight forward of our centerline (note back pain and discomfort for pregnant women!). It still, however, was not painful or uncomfortable for me (170 lbs & 5'9") or my wife - (100# & 4'11) on extened trips to the zoo, park, etc. Just put it on, open one side, slide your baby in and clip. Done, secure and ready to go - just readjust the back for each person.
Side note : this cannot be used on airplanes either, as current fight regulations prohibit a child under 2 on a lap from being attached to the person or anything else in anyway - FYI.
I will leave my reviews on the BB Active once we can try it out.
Customer Review: Great carrier, would give as a gift
Summary: 5 Stars
We received this carrier as a gift off our baby registry. I looked at reviews of other models (including the regular, non-active Baby Bjorn) and inspected those available at Babies R Us, so we sort of knew what to expect. This baby carrier is awesome!!! I would definitely give it as a gift. My daughter is now about 23 lbs, and I recently carried her around in the Baby Bjorn through a museum exhibition (sum total with entry, exit, etc. almost 2 hours), and I felt great, and she really enjoyed herself. I was a little nervous since we are nearing the weight limit (26 lbs), but it really worked out quite well, and it was easy to move through the exhibit. Note I am not particularly physcially fit, strong, or tall, and I find this carrier quite comfortable. We have used this for longs walks; in urban areas and stores where strollers are difficult/impossible to manuver; and we plan to use it on an upcoming flight to board the plane. My husband also seems to really like it -- he volunteers to wear it when we go places.
It took me a little bit to figure out how to use the carrier. I read the directions, but you almost need to see it on someone first to see how everything connects (I had only seen the empty store models...). One you "get it", you're good to go and you won't have future issues, but just be aware before you use it the first time that you may need to lay it all out to get it figured out and fastened (practice *without* your baby); don't get your tiny baby all ready and expect to figure it out instantly when you pull it out of the box (although if you can, great!). Also, once you start to carry your baby, the directions advise you to "practice" with your baby to help build up his/her ride tolerance. I did this by carrying ours around the house for short spurts of time. It might help to have someone with you (to help hold the baby while you get the carrier on) the first couple of times you use it, although I did not.
Although our daughter now walks, this carrier is **very** convenient for certain settings, and I will be sorry when we outgrow it!
Note: Some other reviews have mentioned Ergo baby carriers - I learned about these only after I registered for this one (it was not available at Babies R Us), and cannot say which is better, as I don't know others with one. I do know someone with the regular/non-active Bjorn, and from the get-go (<3 mos) she was wishing that she had the active version with more support.
Customer Review: Best carrier I've ever used
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had several carriers and slings for my babies and I've always rejoiced when I could finally get rid of them. This carrier is so different. I bought it on the way to the airport for a week long trip in desperation to use anything other than the shoulder burning one I had. The first day I wore it we went to 2 parks, a zoo, and a museum. I was prepared to be so sore and yet- day 2 came and my shoulders and back almost felt relieved to slip back into it. At the end of a whole week of city & attraction walking I loved this carrier!
Pros:
- Super fast to get on- pop pop click click
- You don't need two people. One hand holds baby to your body and you snap around her. I've actually successfully done this while she's sleeping! and in reverse at the end of the day.
- No trying to drop/squish baby in- or the get the bowed baby leg straight and into a hole. Packing baby in is as easy as just holding baby close.
- In restaurants we would time it so baby was asleep and I would just sit down with her still attached. I would turn my torso to the side and enjoy. (nothing hot though just in case)
- She's so cozy. She takes the best naps in this so close to Mommie or Daddy.
- She's so secure. There are 6 connections between the parent suit and the baby holder. I've never had anything pop open, but even if it did she wouldn't fall out due to the other 5 points.
- No lugging the stroller around. I can maneuver with this like a regular person.
- It's superficail but I find this carrier is flattering to wear, for both me and my husband.
- Looks good yes, but also adjusts easily to different people and I know I can get it back to 'my' settings.
- I washed it and it actually looks just as good as before.
- And lastly, no more burning shoulders!
Cons:
- Technically, none. I just wish those droll pads weren't sold separately.
This carrier just comes together and works. People stop and admire baby but they also note the carrier. I even wear it at home when I'm doing light house chores. It's so much easier to have 2 hands while I'm carrying baby about. It's the most I've ever spent on a soft carrier- and worth every penny. I'm purchasing another for my sister- it's that good.
Customer Review: Good while they're small, not when they're older
Summary: 3 Stars
All front carriers do the same thing: help you carry your child while keeping your hands free, and keep your child close to your body for their comfort. There are many that do the exact same thing, so the real questions become a) how comfortable is it, and b) how long can you use it (will you get your money's worth).
This is my third carrier. The first was a hand-me-down from a friend and I was never able to adjust it to fit right. My second was an Infantino Smart Rider. I figured since it was Infantino's top carrier it would be comfortable, but my back hurt so much I couldn't use it more than 15 minutes at a time, and my son fussed the entire time. I loved using a carrier, but I hated how much it hurt and I didn't know if getting a better carrier was worth the money if maybe my back would hurt no matter what I used. I bought an almost brand new Bjorn Active carrier for $32 at a children's resale store.
THE GOOD: it is a MUCH better carrier than the Infantino. I used the Bjorn from the time my son was 4 months until around 9.5 months without back pain. It was easy to use and my son always seemed comfortable in it, and he was content to ride either facing me or facing out (though as he got older he preferred facing out).
THE BAD: my son is now 20 pounds and he is already too heavy to use in the Bjorn, even though he is not near the maximum weight limit (26 pounds). I can only use it for 5 minutes before my back hurts, and I am disappointed by this. I thought the carrier would be good for longer, and I would have been very upset if I had spent the money on a new carrier and only gotten six months of use. I am now looking for yet another carrier, and this time I'm looking for something that will truly be comfortable so I'm considering an ERGO baby carrier (can carry up to 40 pounds and the weight is carried on the hips).
BOTTOM LINE: if you think you'll only want to carry your child for a few months this carrier will do a good job, and you'll be more comfortable with this than with a similar carrier. But if you're looking for something that will work for an older baby, keep looking and find something that comfortably holds more weight.
Customer Review: Does not fit everyone, returned the product
Summary: 1 Stars
We received this as a shower gift since I had coerced my wife into putting it on the list. I thought it would be great to be able to carry our son around while I walked the dog or did stuff around the house.
So fast forward to our son being born. I try it almost right of way since he was at the minimum weight quickly. It was easy to put on, and easy to put my son into it, and it appeared secure for him. The bad is that everyone on the box or the website pictured appears to have the lumbar support in their lumbar region. For me, being taller then most at 6'2" and wearing a size 52 jacket, the lumbar pads were in the thoracic region. And when I put my son into the carrier I felt very top heavy, and i immediately felt all the weight in my lower back. Took it off, messed with it, read up on the website, read others comments on it looking for any tips on how to adjust it to fit me better. NOTHING. So after wearing it with him for 30 min over 3 tries I gave up and it was returned. The construction of the unit is top notch, it does appear to be made to last over many uses.
In the end, after looking for a specific carrier that was designed for taller people I found the Ergo carrier. Slightly more expensive, definitely more difficult to put on, but there are straps that actually sit on my hips, and the length of the shoulder straps is enough that he site next to my abdomen and not up near my chest/neck/face. It is definitely harder to put on initially, they send a dvd, and there is videos on the website, but once you do it a few times it will be a cakewalk. In addition its able to convert to a side hip holder and a backpack. If your taller then 5'9" i would look at this carrier since the baby bjorn definitely did not fit correctly.
Tips for Babybjorn to update their product, 1: more adjust ability in the waist and shoulders so that it fits more people. 2 add videos to your site to let people know if there is any better ways to wear the unit, since the printed instructions are useless.