Do you ever see someone else with something, and want it right away? This happened to me recently, as I saw two moms on my social media timeline wearing Ubuntu Baba carriers that they raved about. It came just after I had tried two slings, without much success, and I was after something more comfortable, and that didn't require me to watch a YouTube video to figure out, or another person to tie it.
I was also after something that didn't make me feel frumpy or cause my nerves to shatter each time I felt the baby threaten to fall out.
So I contacted owner and designer of Ubuntu Baba, Shannon McLaughlin, asking if I could try one out (I ended up buying it!). Shannon, frustrated with the baby carriers that she tried when her son Leo was born, designed the Ubuntu Baba as she wanted an "easy to use, breathable and comfortable carrier that could be used from the newborn days onwards".
She says: "The one thing I really liked about my stretchy wrap, was how the shoulder straps criss-crossed at the back and distributed the weight nice and evenly around my shoulders, it was definitely the most comfortable for both of us, but I didn’t enjoy that I had to have 4 metres of fabric wrapped around us to achieve this. After many different prototypes and assuring my design team time and time again that; “okay, I swear this is the one!” – I finally managed to design my dream baby carrier."
And a dream it is. I feel like I've found "the one" as it ticks all the boxes for me. It's really easy to put on and wear, baby seems comfortable and snug, and I don't feel like the frumpy new mom I might see the rest of the time, nor do I feel like my precious newborn is about to slip out.
The first time I used it was to fetch my son from school, and then head to the shops, and it was so easy to slip it on and off, and my baby continued to sleep through all the transitioning (including lots of cuddles and "pats" from my son's seven-year-old peers).
The Ubuntu Baba carrier comes in two sizes – stage 1 (newborn to about 14 months), and stage 2 (9 months to about 3 years).
Here's more of the technical stuff about them:
Stage 1:
- Grows with your baby from newborn to 12kgs (±14 months)
- Replicates hugging feeling of the womb to promote sleep
- Ergonomic for healthy hips with adjustable knee-to-knee support
- Criss-cross buckled shoulder straps for easy on and off
- Softly padded and supportive waistbelt (gentle on c-section healing)
- Made from breathable organic hemp (perfect for hot summer days
- Silk hood for sleep support and discreet nursing
- Large zipped storage pocket (fits nappies, wipes, dummy)
- Lifetime guarantee + 30 day money back guarantee
Stage 2
- Grows with your toddler from 8 to 20kgs (±9 months onwards)
- Shortening zip inside pocket for size adjustment (baby / toddler size)
- Ergonomic seat for healthy hips and wide knee-to-knee support
- Leg-out padding for extra toddler comfort
- Option to criss-cross shoulder straps over back in the front carry position
- Softly padded and supportive waistbelt (gentle on c-section healing)
- Made from breathable organic hemp (perfect for hot summer days)
- Integrated hood for sleep support and discreet nursing
- Large zipped storage pocket (fits nappies, wipes, dummy)
- Lifetime guarantee + 30 day money back guarantee
The carriers are available in various colours, and can be bought on the Ubuntu Baba website. The stage 1 costs R1250, and the stage 2 costs R1450.
