Hi, my name is Rachel! I'm passionate about connecting parents with products that genuinely make their lives easier.
I've worked in the baby product industry since 2014 and I love that I get to use my industry experience, as well as my knowledge as a parent, to review products and also help parents get the most of our of their prams, baby carriers and more.
I'm always open to chat if you have any questions or are looking for a personal product recommendation. So feel free to comment or reach out to me!
Could be a couple of things that will help. It's difficult to make specific recommendations without seeing them in the carrier. Aside from ensuring the panel sits to the back of their neck/head (no higher than the top of their ear) the next big thing would be making sure they are "sitting" in the carrier rather than "hanging" in it. So their bottom is right down deep into the "seat"/base of the carrier, knees up, to form the M position with their legs/hips/bottom. To get this position you want to scoop your hands under their bottom and wiggling them down while keeping their knees up. (Happy to try to make a video of this, but my dolls aren't great for demonstrating knees/hips) This will then support a slight curve in their back so their head comes forward to your chest, rather than flops back.
more helpful than their site/videos, TBH. Would love to see you do a video with the infant insert & Omni Breeze. Can't find a good one to send to clients!
Thank you! Although the Omni Breeze isn't designed to take an infant insert for a newborn. The earlier versions of the Ergobaby carriers did (pre-2017ish) but from the Ergobaby Adapt and Omni 360 onwards the infant insert wasn't needed.
Hey Chloe - I have a video where I talk about exactly this with the Easy Wrap, with a couple of different tips around supporting baby's head. Let me know if this helps or if the wrap still isn't feeling probably supportive ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yVOiVfn5n0w.htmlsi=LJ0-RGk0ETD6oxcG
what I dont understand is, why de geo 3 has a hard ending thata stands up where the kid places his feet. ..it would be more comfortable when there would be a free space for longer legs to lay..right?
Hi there, sorry I'm not sure if I understand the question. Do you mean the leg rest? The leg rest can be positioned up to elevate the legs or straight in line with the frame to have their legs down if they're sitting or straight when they're laying back. Let me know if I have that right or if that's not what you're asking. - Rachel
Doesn’t look safe to me, those first passes aren’t providing any support. There’s no neck support so if baby pushes back they are going to fall through those passes
I got mine three days ago. Regarding how tight to pull the shoulder straps at the sides: apparently the baby's back should be in a C-shape. If I pull it all the way tight, it looks more like a b-shape, where it pulls them forward around the lower back. Am I doing it wrong?
It's difficult to know exactly what's happening without seeing them but a couple of things I'm thinking: 1. Making sure when you're taking out the extra space from around your shoulders not just pulling the straps to tighten. I show this from 5:30 onwards. 2. If that's not it and they're a newborn/young infant maybe position the waistband a little higher to get a deeper "seat. 3. Try scooping their knees up and wiggle their bottom down deeply into the "seat" of the carrier. That will help get them into a soft C shape. (I can have a look through my videos because I dont show it in this one but I should have a video somewhere showing this) Let me know your thoughts. Hopefully one of those things helps.
Thank you for the video. I wonder if you could help me further. i need my hair shorter. What would it look like if I cut my hair just beneath my chin rather than several inches beneath it
I've only ever cut my own hair like this and I mostly keep it long. I think these styles of cuts get risky and less predictable with shorter hair because you'd be over directing the hair more than if you're pulling it down further with long hair. So you'd end up with it a lot shorter at the front compared to the back. What I have done though when I've needed a big chop and went to medium length hair I followed the steps in this Brad Mondo video using 4+ pony tailed sections so it's the same length all the way around. You can probably start at 6:30mins to jump straight to sectioning and cutting ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FAmE16ej9IU.htmlsi=ho7jAw4RxabfBRS2
I may need to re-do this video because 7mins is too long a video in 2024. Because it really does come down to preference and what you're looking for in a baby carrier. Personally I like the Aerloom more, the knit fabric is more form fitting and so it's comfortable and supportive without being bulky. But the Omni is definitely the more popular option so most people prefer the Omni 360, it's a bit more straightforward and less guesswork fitting it.
Mine doesnt lock completely and the handle bar constantly disengages once it is folded. Is that the way this stroller is designed or did i get a faulty one? Thank u and i appreciate ur help!
The handle bar doesn't lock in exactly, but it also shouldn't be completely floppy and loose either. There should be some resistance. But if you lift up on it then it will release and open up. So in this video you can see when I'm holding it by the carry strap the handlebar stays in place. But then at 2:57 I just pull the handle and it opens up easily. So if it's flopping open while holding the carry strap then it might be faulty. Otherwise it's how it's designed for quickly unfolding. I hope that makes sense. 😂
Also the latch doesn't always engage the first time when folding and needs to squeeze the frame together. Like the front wheels sometimes get in the wrong angle. I tried to demonstrate it for this video but it was behaving a little too well for me and folded perfectly every time while the camera was on.
Exellent video. I'm 71 years old and I thought I might be dead before I worked out what to do. Thanks to you it took 30 seconds. Grandpa's all over the world sing your praises.
How old are they and approximate size/weight? It's totally okay (and expected) for their knees to draw up, so they're in a little M or "froggy leg" position. As long as their feet are on the outside so they can't push themselves up suddenly. (Those little froggy legs can spring) If they're pretty fresh and tightly scrunched it can be a matter of getting them in, scoop their bottom down deep into the "seat" of the carrier and as they relax a bit from being moved around then wiggle their legs so their hips relax out and get their feet free of the carrier. You can also squish the fabric together between their legs if it feels like their feet are getting caught on the inside? It's hard to know exactly what will help without seeing them in the carrier (and I'm better at showing than explaining 😂) I could try to put together a quick video showing some of those tips if it sounds like what's going on?
I know. They're functionally identical. So it's so confusing. It's just the clips underneath the stroller seat that the leg rest attaches to (and also attach the seat to the frame) are closer together on the Aer+ compared to the Aer+. So at least they did design the Aer+ leg rest with both spots to thread the straps through. Which is great, but also just adds to the confusion around what fits what.
Putting it on like this looks much easier (and more safe) than the way Ergobaby themselves demonstrate it (they close it behind the back using both hands while baby is in the front, i.e. no hand holding around the baby, rather than pulling it over your head already closed) 🙏🙂
Funnily enough I learned this "tshirt method" of putting on a carrier while working for Ergobaby (back in 2016-2018) and still is really the only way I'll demonstrate putting on any carrier for new parents. I think it's a shame most brands don't show this as their primary method to put on a carrier. I get that most people (myself included) who work with carriers when you are using a carrier in your own life default to buckling up behind your head, but I think they forget what it's like to use a carrier the first time.
I think it would be good for travel if you're trying to balance size/weight with reasonable performance. It's definitely going to be a better experience pushing a city mini 2 over cobblestones compared to a carry on size travel stroller.
I had the all seasons with my 1st baby 4 years ago. We loved it. 3 things i would have changed about it were that it needed pockets, it wasn't easy to use when i was by myself, and the rain hood could have uv protection. This carrier seems to have some of those upgrades, but it's missing the mesh (would it be too hot in the summer?), and still missing a pocket. I do have a petite frame (im 4'11"), but I loved my all seasons so much anyway. I would like a softer fabric. I've been doing research on carriers and have watched a few of your videos! If you have any recommendations, that would be great! Thank you so much
I have a video with a couple of recommendations specifically for short/petite parents. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kFQffsPK1X0.htmlsi=IUo-0JcvQLSW0BKl If you are particularly short from shoulder to hip and want to be able to carry a bigger baby/toddler my go-to recommendation is the Ergobaby Aerloom. Regarding the Elevate being hot on summer I talk about my thoughts on mesh vs no mesh when I compared the Ergobaby Omni with the LILLEbaby elevate. (From about 0:50 in the video below) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lQ4CPv9AexA.htmlsi=fUwjIk4yHbIamQHA The panel on the Elevate is also a bit bigger, but softer/lighter and more flexible (or for lack of a better work - squishable...) So for a petite parent it can feel like more fabric but it's less bulky and you can put the waistband higher and scoop more of the panel. So it really comes down to your preference.
Also what specifically did you struggle with when putting it on yourself? I'm happy to troubleshoot what wasn't working for you so you can confidently put a carrier on all by yourself. My experience (10 years of teaching parents how to use baby carriers face to face) the least helpful thing someone can do when you're learning how to use a carrier is help you put it on. It genuinely makes it harder and kills your confidence. Because it feels like if it's this hard with help how on earth can I do it myself. But putting on a carrier is the same as dressing yourself vs someone else dressing you.
The upper cot adapters do position the cot further forward to fit the seat underneath - shown at 1:30 and 2:42 But these are only for the cot in the upper position. They don't work with the seat. The Geo3 isn't for everyone as a double. The benefit of the configuration being so close together is weight distribution over the centre of the frame so the Geo3 feels like a single pram to steer/push even with two kids. But the compromise it is a tight fit.
Would you say this is a good carrier for a short mama (I’m 5’1”) and a newborn?! I’m due next month. I have a structured carrier for when she’s bigger, but was looking into a hybrid “wrap” style for when she’s so small. I’ve tried regular wraps and find the long fabric so cumbersome and honestly, I just don’t have the time or patience for it! LOL.
This is a great option for petite parents if you're feeling like a structured carrier is too bulky especially if you're feeling overwhelmed by a regular stretch wrap!
You can still use the carry strap with the leg rest on. I don't particularly remember it being difficult to pick up with the leg rest on, aside from maybe obscuring the view looking straight down at it to find the strap. But there's still a gap for it to come out and pick up. Personally I wouldn't use the carry strap often anyway, only if I needed to carry it for a distance but for just picking it up to put it in the car it feels more natural and comfortable to pick it up by the frame. So I don't think it'll impact daily use anyway. I will have another play with it though with the leg rest just in case I'm remembering it wrong.
Great question. I haven't had any hands on experience with the Babybee Miles. Looking at online reviews, videos etc of the Babybee Miles it does look like a sweet stroller. I like the fold mechanism with the standing fold (similar to a Joolz Aer+ or Bugaboo Butterfly) it also has a better harness buckle design with the four pieces individually buckle to the centre. From reviews there's some concerns with the quality of the wheel material getting dents from stones etc from first use. It's normal for travel stroller wheels to wear quickly because of the light material. The main thing I'm not 100% sure with the Babybee Miles is the backrest height vs the head space under the canopy. Babybee have listed the backrest as 48cm high. Baby Jogger tour 2 backrest is 42cm but head height under the canopy is 64cm. And from pictures it doesn't look like there's as much space for a taller toddler on the Miles as the Tour 2. So for myself having had very big babies and tall toddlers that's probably the biggest thing I would need check if I was comparing those models. Also generally with more affordable prams/strollers that have included extras (like the seat liner and belly bar with the Miles) and a lot of features, tend to have a lower build quality (because ultimately you get what you pay for) I hope that helps!
Thank you! I have bought the miles to try it. My deal breaker is that I have swollen wrists from carrying my baby and the canopy is stiff. I needed two hands to fold it. I wanted a travel stroller that is light and can be used one handed. I have returned it - they do have great customer service. I did buy the BJ City Tour 2 when it was on sale at Amazon. Not perfect but ticks all my requirements. Thanks for your review. It is quite extensive. Only thing I want to add is that if I add a universal seat liner, I won't be able to access the "carrying handle" after folding. I did repair my pram to add 2 holes instead as buying a custom one is too expensive 😊
I've seen with the baby jogger prams if the seat liner isn't too thick you slide the seat liner through the carry strap when you first put it on the seat (then do the harness straps etc ) you should still be able to use the carry strap. Hope that helps!
Although it would depend on the seat liner. I think the ones I've seen used on them (not just the tour 2, but the 3 wheel range because it's a functional pull-to-fold strap) are the "outlook" brand. Because it has Velcro flaps and a narrower section at the sides to accommodate waist straps.
Does anyone know if the front wheels are interchangeable between the two models?! One of mine is broken on the Joolz Aer but the replacement wheels are out of stock everywhere online, although I've found some Aer+ wheels!
Hi Erin, unfortunately it doesn't look like Hauck is available in my country (Australia). Looking at images/videos online it looks a lot like a Valco Runabout. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing if the price is right, but just a bit outdated. Style wise and also the mechanisms look a bit clunky. Also I can't see a slow down hand brake, which to me flags as an issue because it wouldn't be considered a running pram in Australia without it.
I haven't tried it, but it would connect to the hood. It just wouldn't have anything to secure at the end of the cot. But the hood of the cot extends so far it's nearly completely covered anyway.
They're going to be pretty much the same in terms of breathable/lightweight for summer. They're both mesh carriers so both a good for summer/warmer climates. I don't think there would be a noticeable difference between the two.
They're approved for newborns within the Australian safety standards. To meet the safety standard the seat doesn't need to be flat or straight. The angle of the backrest needs to be at a low enough angle (because of positional asphyxiation) and there's a couple of other things like a head barrier at the top of the seat. The bucket seat shape with their legs not being flat is similar to the position they'd be in a car seat. Pram/stroller carry cots and bassinets are a nice accessory though and definitely a preference for a lot of parents. I think it's a shame baby jogger didn't continue having the "bassinet kit" design like the earlier models, because it was a nice affordable way to get a flat cot for the city select.
Hi there, it's very reasonable question and I've been ask a few times over the years demoing carriers. But the velcro isn't actually holding the weight of the baby, it's just holding the position/width of the panel. The centre of the panel is sewn onto the waistband. In the widest position the Velcro is holding baby's thighs up but I can't imagine the Velcro ever coming undone from the weight or even them pushing their legs down etc. I hope that helps!
The belly bar needs to come off to fit it into the bag for travelling. But for everyday use, putting it in the car etc you can leave it on..it just sticks out so it's not as compact.
@@ParentingCentral ok, so it does fold with the bar, but not as compact? Is there a video that shows what it looks like? I searched the internet and couldn't find one.
I'll see what I can find, if not I'm sure I can make a quick video. Also I just realised I only half answered your question. With the wheels it could depend how pedantic the airline is being about the exact dimensions. It can be a couple of cms depending on the airline - but taking the wheels off can help get it over the line. Although best tip for getting on board with a stroller is to line up and board the plane as soon as possible. If you hang back until most people have boarded, no matter the dimensions of the stroller, the flight crew might still decide to take the stroller off you because it's too much hassle if you can't find a spot in the overhead lockers.
@@ParentingCentral Thank you! Have you had a chance to evaluate the Zoe Traveler? We are debating between that, the Baby Jogger Citi Tour 2 Eco, and splurging on the Joolz Aer +. I haven't been able to find many reviews at all on the Zoe Traveler and our main concern is it's ability to handle uneven surfaces/cobblestone when traveling.
@momoney2321 I'm not familiar with it exactly, it looks like it's just in the USA? But just looking at the pictures online it looks like a stroller that would be mass produced and rebranded for a few different independent brands. Especially when it doesn't look like it's available in stores. Although with those types of brands they're usually small owner-operated business, which has pros/cons compared to big global brands like Joolz, Baby Jogger, bugaboo, etc I did also find this video review - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0y0_TrJti30.htmlsi=F7i0RmHl1jggFveJ With uneven surfaces/ cobblestones you're probably not going to get a great performance from any travel stroller. If the performance at the destination is a priority I think it's worth considering a mid-sized stroller and checking in as luggage. Although the Joolz Aer+ does feel noticeably nicer to push compared to the city tour 2. So there is better, but it's never going to feel great with little wheels over big bumps.
The city go capsule is going to detach the same way on the city mini GT2. The latch at the back of the capsule releases it from any stroller and from the base in the car. If you want a demonstration though I think I can arrange that too.
Either option is going to be checked in as baggage so it's not going to make a huge difference one way or another specifically while flying. The city tour 2 double is more compact so might be more convenient when travelling. Especially if you're going to a city where you might be going to restaurant, on busy/narrow footpaths, or travelling on public transport etc. But the GT2 double gives you better performance so if you're on a more adventurous holiday it might be a better option. I hope that helps at all.
That's interesting. I've never noticed those instructions or seen anyone use the Easy Wrap with legs in. I imagine it would only be with a very fresh, "scrunched up" newborn. But you'd still essentially put them in the same way and want to make sure their knees/hips are in an open position so their feet aren't curled underneath their bottom. And make sure you start putting their feet are on the outside of the fabric well before they reach an age/stage where they start to push off with their legs.
This was really helpful - would love to see a video for an older baby - do you have any additional tips? I've been wearing my 7th month old and often my back will really hurt after wearing him. I've adjusted my straps now after watching this video and it already feels better but would be happy to hear if there's anything else to keep in mind. Thank you!
I'm glad it helped! When you say your back hurts, so I can get an idea of where the pressure might be coming from, would you say the pain is more in your hips, lower back, shoulder blades or upper shoulder/neck? And are you just doing front carry parent facing at the moment? Otherwise I appreciate the suggestion I can definitely do a video around how things can be adjusted as the baby gets bigger. Especially because the bigger/heavier they are the more those little pain points become bigger!
@@ParentingCentral yes! as he gets bigger it DEFINITELY gets more painful! But right now mostly doing parent-facing and the pain is mostly in the upper shoulder/neck but sometimes also lower back. Otherwise love the carrier - it's great when baby gets a little tired and wants to be held but I still want to be able to do things around the house!
One thing that can give you shoulder/neck pain with lower back pain is the waistband not being tight enough. I have a video where I've demonstrated how that can make the waistband tilt forward ( the video has the Ergobaby omni, but it works the same with the LILLEbaby.) Skip to 3mins in because not all of it will be relevant. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4wvqSOazuYw.htmlsi=c7_yP1O5Dk0Jk-it Another thing for shoulder/neck pain can be if the cross strap is too high. Most people will find it more comfortable around the middle of the shoulder blades (unless someone has very very petite/narrow the shoulders or very broad/muscled shoulders)
@@ParentingCentral thank you so much! I've made the changes and I think it definitely helps - we'll see how it is in a couple of days once the previous pains wear off!
Really helpful video, thanks! However, I've tried in both newborn and bigger positioning (and the "in-between" version from your other video) and my daughter, who is 8 weeks, 4.3kg, doesn't have her neck supported at all. The front panel comes up really low in all 3 positions so her head flops around. Do you have any advice on how to better position her? I feel I must be doing something wrong!
I'm not quite sure what's happening there so it's difficult to give specific advice. Feel free to send through pictures to either mail@parentingcentral.com.au Or send a picture to the Parenting Central Facebook page. Ideally a front and side view to get a good idea of what exactly is going on (you can cover faces for privacy) But generally my first thought is maybe baby's bottom isn't "sitting" right down into the "seat" of the carrier. You get them in and settled then (gently) grab their bottom / thighs and wiggle them downwards to get a really deep position (and scooping their knees up at the same time) Next is making sure the shoulder straps nice and tight/firm to pull up the panel up and support baby. The only other thing off the top of my head is that in theory if the waistband is positioned too high then you're losing too much length of the panel scooping down and up under baby's bottom. But I'm hesitant to suggest that without seeing it because 90% of the time I feel like parents have the waist band too low (on all carriers) so I'd discourage lowering it as the first thing you try because if you watch the "in between" demonstration video I show how lowering the waistband lengthens the panel - but you can see in the video why that would be a problem with a small baby. I hope that helps?
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply! It indeed turns out I hadn't wiggled her down far enough 🫣 I managed to pull her bum down further and now the panel covers the back of her head properly 🥰 thanks again for the advice!! Really invaluable for stressy new parents like me ❤
The Joolz Organiser isn't really the best for tall drink bottles because it's not super stable if it's top heavy. There's a good chance it would fit in the Joolz cup holder though because of the taper bottom on the Stanley cup. And the cup holder is pretty stable/secure so it's fine if the bottle is tall. But I just don't have a Stanley cup or similar to test it.
For jogging/running the Baby Jogger summit X3 would be a better choice compared to the GT2 or elite 2 because it has air tyres, better suspension and some features specifically for running/jogging - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bkCedPtw4yQ.html
The recommended minimum weight for any baby carrier, including the Ergobaby Embrace, is 7 lbs (3.2 kg) so baby might be a little bit small. But if you want to send a picture of baby in the carrier to mail@parentingcentral.com.au I'm happy to still have a look and see if there's anything I can suggest.
