Toddler wearing - the first couple weeks

Well I have had a couple weeks to work with my new carrier the Beco Gemini. And I have to say this is a pretty cool carrier!

Since the weather is warming up here I have been walking to go pick Hannah up from daycare after work. This has given me lots of practice of having to put on the carrier. I have used it in both the front and back position (not facing out as she is too heavy for that in the front position). So here are a few things that I found out.

The Good Stuff!
It feels very durable and I can cinch Hannah quite close so my center of gravity isn't shifted too much. If I don't feel like doing a back carrier that is fine cause it works just as well in the front position. Also found out back carrier is not as hard as it seemed...in fact I feel like quite a pro when other mom's see me swing Hannah on to my back with such ease (well, now isn't that just tooting my own horn :D...but with as much practice as I have been getting in I should be a pro at it lol)

My Not So Favorite Parts...
I am not in favor of the way the shoulder straps look when it is in back carry. I know this seems trivial but still a slight con for me. It seems to bulge a little and the outer edges seem to pop out (see the pictures I have attached). The other not so favorite part...the fact that I have to have it tight which causes some ummm fat distribution into some not so flattering ways. I have found that if she is in back carry I can pull a longer shirt out over top the waist band which hides some. After googling this topic it seems to be a consensus that most if not all soft structured carrier cause this "muffin top"/"fat redistribution" problem.


So here are some pictures from a recent walk over Easter weekend at the farm. Hope you enjoy!

Getting ready for the walk (I think I might need to cinch her in close...I think I did as the walk progressed)

 Looking at the sheep and the new lambs!

Playing in a big puddle!

Hannah is watching the farm dog jump into a Juniper bush...she thought it was quite funny.

If anyone has any tips on using the Beco Gemini I would really appreciate it! Especially if you see something in the pictures that could be improved by adjusting some straps etc.


Lots of Bunny-Hugs!
Cecette

toddler wearing - indepth pictures of my new beco gemini

Here are some pictures of my new carrier the Beco Gemini

 Here is the box it came in with examples of the four types of carries.

 Here is the colour I got!

 So here are some shots of different parts of the carrier, I haven't been able to measure the different parts of the carrier but hope to post that soon.

Here it is with the "hood" up

The "hood" down.

With the waist snapped in (I believe this is used for forward front carry when the baby is small).

The inside of the carrier.

Another shot of the inside of the carrier

The front of the carrier with the straps unbuckled

Here is a close up of the waist band

Close up shot of the shoulder strap (gives you the great option of crossing the straps in the back when you want more support)

Close up shot of on side of the carrier.

Close up shot of the clip from the hood to the carrier.

Another picture of the clip from the hood to the carrier.

Close up shot of the buckle on the shoulder straps (note the button, this is a two handed system so the buckle can not be taken apart with one hand.)

Chest buckle.

  
How the chest buckle is attached to the shoulder straps (it is adjustable just by sliding in up and down).

The waist band buckle.

Here is a close up of part of the waist band.

And finally, the convenient little loops to roll ends of the straps into.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures of what the Beco Gemini carrier looks like! I have been able to use it a couple times (came in really handy when Hannah was sick and did not want to be put down). However, I haven't used it enough to give it a proper review. I hope to get a chance to soon, seeing as the weather is starting to get a little warmer here on the prairies. KMFX!!!


Lots of Bunny-Hugs!
Cecette

toddler wearing - the shopping trip for my first SSC

Before I went shopping for a carrier there were a few suggestions that I picked up from thebabywearer.com.
First - take a happy baby (well fed and well rested)
Second - If it is not a floor model it may be stiff if you have to use it out of the box
Third - Yes some carriers have wonderful bells and whistles but the most important thing is the fit, if it doesn't feel right no amount of bells and whistles will help this.
Fourth and finally point if you don't like it take it back and find something that does work.

Now I tried my best to follow the wonderful advice they gave but the hardest was the first. I had to drive an hour and a half which made for one well rested baby (she slept the entire way) but then it was lunch so I had a well rested but very hungry baby, sigh. So we went for lunch (with one of my best friends that I haven't seen in a very long time...so that wasn't too bad). But when we were done I had a full but tired baby, sigh. But I drove 1 1/2hrs!! I really really need this baby carrier! So we went anyways and it was slightly successful...I did end up with a baby carrier but I am not sure if it is "the one". I managed to try on three, the Beco (butterfly II and gemini) and freehand. Hannah co-operated...mostly. I do feel quite happy with my choice but if it doesn't work out I do have 21 days to return it.

But drum roll please....I chose....

The Beco Gemini!!!
I had a really hard time choosing but I loved the fact that there were four ways to wear this carrier. That way if Hannah doesn't take to a certain carry I have several others to use!

So now I have a carrier the next step is to actually use it, keep your eyes open for a review soon!

Lots of Bunny-Hugs! Cecette

toddler wearing - a journey begins

Well I have finally joined in on the baby/toddler wearing...well I did have a wrap that my mother made for me (which I LOVED but since Hannah has gotten heavier I am finding that a wrap does not work for me...or my back).
I know that baby wearing (or toddler wearing) has many benefits (please visit thebabywearer.com they have great information plus explain all the benefits of baby wearing) but I have to say my initial reason to start toddler wearing was actually quite selfish.
It all started with a very unsuccessful trips to the grocery store. Hannah usually enjoys the grocery cart but since starting daycare she seems to wanted to spend every waking moment near or more specifically in my arms. So the entire trip consisted of placing baby in the cart, baby screams (making her most pitiful face possible...lip out and everything), mom tries to entertain baby with whatever possible (cause for some reason she forgot all the toys at home), baby is content for about 2 seconds and demands to be picked up, mom gives in because people are now staring (I live in a small rural town and I can guarantee that almost half the people there know my husband or his parents), mom carries baby on hip while trying to pick out groceries (lots of falling fruit and other food some because mom others do to the now longer reach of baby), so she circles back to placing baby in the cart and the baby meltdown cycle continues.
So after this trip to the grocery store it got me to seriously thinking about getting a baby carrier...the other benefits of toddler wearing is just icing on the cake!
So I started to look at thebabywearer.com and stumbled upon the soft structured carriers (SSC) forum and there I learned about the literally hundreds of SSC out there. For me I narrowed it down to the ones that I could go to a store and try on with my daughter. I thought this would be a safe place to start for my first SSC...maybe I will venture into other online carriers in the future...oooo like the Olives and Applesauce carrier (if you haven't seen these carriers you really need to google them cause they are soooo cute! But hopefully that will be another post kmfx!)
I narrowed it down to the Boba, Beco (butterfly II & gemini) and Freehand. So I found the carriers now it was just getting Hannah to try them out. I will let you know how it goes!!!

Lots of Bunny-Hugs!
Cecette