Baby K’tan Review
As some of you know, I am really into babywearing. As a Mom of 4, I have to have a life while still being able to hold my baby and have my hands free.
I have tried a lot of different baby carriers and what I’ve come to realize is that there is really not ONE carrier that is the only one I would need. I personally have 3 to fit all of my needs. I know this seems a little like overkill, but 2 of them are really inexpensive and one is expensive, but is a lot more comfortable for long term wearing.
The expensive one I have that is great for long term wearing is the Boba 3G. I can wear this for hours and my baby feels as heavy as a feather. It’s great for newborns because it doesn’t have any inserts and it has a hood for when they fall asleep, which is a great feature and I use it all of the time!
The second one I have is a sling. I shied away from the ring slings because I was terrified I would put it on wrong and the baby would fall out. I feel much more comfortable with a clip in sling. I use the sling for short term wears and times when I want to pop him in and out frequently. It’s great for him to eat a bottle in and sleep in (in the laying down position). He can also sit up in it facing sideways or forward. It really is quite flexible in terms of what it offers as a carrier. However, it’s not very comfortable to wear and puts a lot of weight on one shoulder. I keep this carrier in the car because it’s easy to tote around and to bring for errands. You can use the K’tan as a sling, so you may not need a separate sling if you have the k’tan. I didn’t have the k’tan when I purchased the sling.
The third one I have is the Baby K’tan. Here are some pros and cons and my Baby K’tan Review. If you are worried about sizing or are in-between, choose the smaller size.
Pros:
1. A variety of wearing positions (including facing out).
2. Easy to use once you learn the basic tying techniques.
3. Fold up into a small pouch and will easily fit into a diaper bag or large purse.
4. Works for newborns on up.
5. Soft fabric is comfortable for Mom and baby and the shoulder fabric spreads out for distribution of baby’s weight.
6. Comes in various sizes and colors.
7. Reasonably priced compared to other carriers
8. Easier to use than a Moby wrap etc.
9. Great for short term wearing.
10. No buckles or snaps to fuss with or to break.
11. Adjustable back loop makes it more comfortable to wear.
Cons
1. Unless you and your spouse are the same size, it will not fit both of you.
2. I can never get the holds completely even so it puts uneven pressure on my back (even in the sales photos they have on Amazon, the baby is a little crooked).
3. As your baby gets older and heavier, the carrier becomes less comfortable (because of the give /stretchiness of the fabric)
4. I got the gray color because it was cheaper. It’s a horrible color for babies as it shows every slobbery mess he makes. Half the time the whole front looks “wet” from just wearing my teething child in it. I would go with black if I could chose the color again.
5. The hip carry does not feel secure to me.
6. There is quite a bit of fabric on you and the baby and it can get cozy warm and sweaty in the summer.
Overall, the K’tan is flexible in what it offers and is worth having on hand, but probably won’t be comfortable to wear all of the time (at least it isn’t for me).
Here are some videos I made about how to tie the Baby K’tan and how to do all of the holds if you are interested.
HUG POSITION
