Kari Me Baby Carrier

I had high hopes for this sling but just found the material far too stretchy with dc1 and gave up after she kept slipping down even after a lot of adjustment. Tried again when dc2 arrived but again, I just couldn't get it tight enough, a friend also tried it with her baby and the same happened. I've subsequently tried over slings which have firmer material and it's a different experience. A shame that this put us off slings for so long.

Ideal for a new born, easy to pre-tie and my goodness, it saved my sanity when DD was tiny! Well-made, dependable and comfortable to wear - DH continued to use this until DD was 2, although in general, stretchy wraps can become a bit unwieldy once the LO starts putting on some serious weight so although the material is strong enough to take the weight of a 3 year-old, parents may find it has too much "give" once they get heavier.

I love my Kari Me. It is super soft, comfortable and my baby fits so nicely in it. He's happy in the different positions and goes to sleep so well, it's perfect to just pop him in, move about a little and he's off to dreamland.
When my son reached about 14lbs I found he was far too heavy for me in my Baby Bjorn and my back was killing me after only a few minutes but in the Kari Me I can carry him for hours with no problems as all his weight is spread around my body.

I love the Kari Me - it's the best thing we've bought. Comfortable and easy to use (once you get the hang of it), my DD goes to sleep within minutes of being in it. I'm actually using it far more than the buggy as it's great for trips on the bus and tube, navigating the supermarket, and avoiding annoying other patrons of coffee shops when we meet up with other friends who bring lots of buggies. DD will sleep for ages in it when we get back too, which means I can crack on with chores.

I love this sling. I bought it as I have 3 year old twins, a newborn and no car, so often need to have the bigger boys in the buggy. This sling is simply excellent. I originally bought a BabaSling, which I simply did not get along with. I never felt that my son was very safe in it, as the instructions are awful. Pretty much 'put on, put baby in, off you go'. Also as it is like a bag it doesn't hold the baby close to you.

This one, however, is the total opposite. The instructions are fabulous. I even have them on my phone (just in case). There are many ways to use the sling, including a breastfeeding way and they are all adequately explained. Baby is held close to your body - he and I feel very secure. He is most often asleep when I carry him in this but sometimes bobs his head up for a look around!

This sling is comfortable as well. My baby was big born, and is gaining weight REALLY well! As he is held against your body, it's almost like being pregnant again - you feel a bit off-centre but mostly it's like his weight is yours. It's very comfortable across the back and shoulders - the other one mentioned started to get uncomfortable when my baby was barely a week old and had been carried for less than an hour - with this one, well, so far about 4 hours is my limit but I could certainly go longer.

I will definitely be recommending this sling to others. The only thing that put me off is the price, but to be frank I spent over

After a slow start I love this sling! It took me a while to master it, but it is so comfortable I could wear it all day. I wish I could use it when out and about in the car though - I find I have to re-tie it every time I put baby back in it, otherwise it gets baggy and the fabric twists around, making it uncomfortable.

Totally deserved win by Kari Me. I struggled to carry my baby due to a bad back, but this sling was a god send. The non stretchy (moby)style wrap dug in and the over the shoulder sling was a complete no go. The kari me has to be the most versatile sling about and I was able to carry my baby about no problem. Even my husband was happy to use it. Took a few uses to get used to how to tie it and how tight, but that was the only issue. 10 out of 10. Available in store now too!

I loved the idea of this sling when I bought it as I found ring slings dug into my shoulder, but I found it really hard to get it tight enough - I always felt that the baby was falling down towards my tummy, even when she was only three months old. I was always holding her under the bottom to keep her up. If I went too tight, my poor little reflux baby would feel too much pressure on her belly and spit up on me and layers and layers of cotton jersey then had to be peeled off somewhere very public. Had to give up in the end.

Absolutely fantastic. It can be quite intimidating at first and you think you can never master putting it on but just after a couple of times it's easy to wrap around.
I found it a god-send for my back, you can't literally feel the baby's weight because it is evenly distributed throughout your shoulders and your back. It doesn't dig in anywhere like other carriers do (especially on the shoulders). My DD can sleep in it even when I sit down as it's easier to arrange her legs to the sides or in the front. With Baby Bjorn I have to stand all the time because when I sit down, she's uncomfortable.

It needs to be put on quite tightly so the baby can stay at the same level throughout the day, otherwise you'll find her dangling between your legs. DD can sleep in it and look around to her heart content, as it is nice and snuggly.

Really like this sling. It seems intimidating at first but I only needed some to show me how to use this once and I got it. Even DH is impressed (and it got him so many looks from women when we were out shopping! A baby in a sling on a man is a women magnet!).

The only two downsides are the edges have gone all curly, but I think that is due to the nature of the material. I suppose I could iron it... Second is if you try and get it on outside it drags on the floor, but you just have to be organised and put it on before you go out.

Definitely recommend this though, and I have had 5 different slings!

I loved this and found it really easy to use, and very useful even when pottering about the house doing housework / laundry when DD was at the stage where she wouldn't let you leave the room without her.

Having had a bruin contraption with clips and straps that was a total nightmare and tried others baby bjorn things I can honestly say that this beat them hands down.

Fantastic

Tried a Wilkinet (Courdoroy contraption with lots of straps) with baby #1 and #2, would be ok as long as you had six arms and a very compliant baby. Put me off slings.

While expecting #3 someone demonstrated the Kari-me and we thought it looked worth a try. Relatively cheap so we bought one.

The Kari-me is just a length of really stretchy material that you wrap around yourself and know in a particlar way. With this one method of tying you can carry baby sideways, facing you, facing out etc. depends on how you 'load' baby into the sling.

So baby was in it literally from day 2 onwards. We use it every day (2 energetic dogs to walk) and have only used our buggy a handful of times in a year. The Kari-me is the best baby purchase we ever made. In fact we bought a second after a couple of months so that we always had one to use while other was in the wash.

Baby is 12 months now, still in the sling. The only thing is that I am now looking to carry her on my back and although the Kari-me can do this, I need another person to get the baby on.

Incredibly comfortable for adult and baby - we both love it - really easy to use (can look frightening until you actually try it).

Very very highly recommended.

Didn't have this for DS1 but with DS2 have used it since he was born (now 8 months old). Would not set foot outside without it, and it seems to calm my son down just seeing me tie it on! Also great for getting them to nap during the day - baby falls asleep easily, I can continue to entertain / be aggravated by DS1, and swiftly transfer to cot. It could probably use a wash but I don't like to break the spell!

I sooo would not be without it.
I breastfeed so it's super for out and about....Love it...!

I (and our 4 month old!) love this sling! Having used a babybjorn with our first baby I wish I'd had this one then. It's really comfortable for both me and our son, I use it daily for long walks and long periods of time, with no backache. You have to put it on tighter than you think you'd need to as the weight of the baby as you wear it naturally loosens it. I thought it looked really complicated to put on when I first saw it but it's easy when you've done it a couple of times.I would definitely reccommend this sling

I absolutely loved my Kari-me and it would be definite "must have" were we to have a second baby.

I used it on a daily basis from when we got it at 3 weeks, up until my daughter turning around 6 months. The main reason we stopped using it was because the weather suddenly got very warm and she was getting too hot in it so we switched to a different sling.

I love this sling! It's just a piecee of material so it's very light and easy to carry around when not in use!!
My babe loves it too as it's very soft and practically molds to the baby's body.
givingbirthtoababy.co.uk

I luurrved my Kari-me sling. It was such a special bit of kit. My friend came and tied it on me when I had my first screaming 3 week old and it all got better then! I used it for months and months. I lent it to other friends who all loved it and then used it again for my second baby. Was a bit baggy by this time! Another friend's very special baby is in it now. It almost makes you want to have another baby, to use it again. (but not that much!)

Complicated at first but once you get the hang of it, this is an extremely comfortable and versatile sling for both wearer and baby. The only downside is the complicated process of putting the sling on and folding it origami-like into the different holds.

my baby, despite being extremely clingy, refuses to be swaddled and hated this at first - as well as the baby bjorn we also tried. then one day at 5 weeks we tried it again and he loved it, fell asleep within 2 min - and has done ever since. given that he hates being in this pram and wants to be held and rocked all the time, this is a godsend - i have two arms again! it is really warm though with all the fabric, i have to strip us both down to very thin layers otherwise he gets heat rash. he still hates the baby bjorn...

This is one of the best baby things we ever bought.
I bought this for baby no.2 as the Tomy carrier we had for our first child was really difficult to get on and extremely uncomfortable.
It is now in use for baby no.3 (although does still get the occassional outing used to carry our 2 year old on our backs!!!)
Husband, babies and I all love it as it is so comfy and once you've practised a couple of times it's really easy to put on - although would say that I still haven't mastered it single handed when used as a back-pack for 2 year old.
Only slight issue with it is that you can't ever go out anywhere without someone stopping you to comment on how comfy the carrier looks!

i love my kari-me sling. after a couple of practice go's it is easy to put on and baby feels safe and snug. my dd falls straight to sleep every time i put her in it! the only drawback is in this heat it makes us both very hot so can only be used for short periods!

this is GREAT. DS spent most of his early life in this and was really comfortable uptill about 7-8 months when he got a bit heavy for it( found the fabic was not distributing the weight very well and got a sore back) but up untill this point was my favourite piece of baby kit. takes a bit of practice to get the knots right but once this is sorted you are up and running. the only thing i would say is that if your baby is not keen on being swaddled this may not be the one for you and it holds them close and is a similar feeling.

We LOVE love love our Kari-Me!
DD is 4 months, and we had a Tomy carrier which was fiddly with the buckles, clips and velcro, plus she had to first be bundled into a fleece. The Kari-Me is plenty cosy enough without a coat or cardi, we just pop a hat on her when we're out and about.
Very easy to put on, and doesn't need adjusting for different people to wear it.
The only down side I can see is the price because you are just paying for a piece of fabric really! Still, well worth it anyway.

We were given this a present, and it is one of the best we received!

The fabric is high quality and the colour is gorgeous (we have the same teal green as the picture).

It took a few practice sessions to get the knack of the knot, but it is easy to use, my sister, my mum, my husband and myself all use this with ease, and it's great for my bad back. My daughter (7 weeks) sleeps comfortably while we are out and about or while I'm doing jobs at home. I'm looking forward to her turning round and facing the world soon!

Top marks!

I love carrying my 4 month old son in this sling. It's great for his nap times and he loves facing outwards when I am out and about. Sometimes I use it around the house when he wants to be close to me. I originally bought a sling with straps and buckles and didn't get on with it. The Kari me is very easy to use. It will last until my son is a toddler. One of my best baby purchases.

I got this sling on the recommendation of another MNer because we were at the end of our tether with a really, really overtired, colicky, miserable baby who cried all night every night. He hated the Tomy front carrier we'd been given. The sling made a huge difference to life in general for us - it was pretty much the only place my son would sleep in the daytime, and knowing he was so well supported I could leave him in there for longer periods happily and get on with life. It was also really comfy for me, which is important if you've got to lug a baby round all day!

I found it remarkably easy to get to grips with after the first few tries. It's so convenient because you can wear it all day and pop baby in and out as required.

Definitely good value for money, especially as often they can be found second hand (mine was) - we used it for the first 6-8 months most days, and now the wee lad is 15 months it's still in use regularly as a back carrier, although we're looking for something with more structure as he's getting heavier.

Overall highly, highly recommended and we will definitely be using it from birth if we have another. :)

Tried a couple of slings and this, once you have the hang of putting it on, is brilliant. Practice the knot at home and work out for you the best way of getting baby in but when you have that mastered then the Kari-me is comfortable, easy to keep with you, very cosy for baby and toddler and doesn't put huge strain on your back. I love it!

I give this sling top scores, except when the weather is hot. It's particularly comfortable when they are little. When they get heavier and facing outwards you have to be careful to place the fabric correctly between their legs. Also in hot weather the fabric is so insulating that I think it's best not to use it. But, despite appearances, it's very easy to put on and comfortable for you and the baby (it spreads the weight so nicely across your back). Also, as a word of warning, don't buy second hand as after a while the lycra loosens and it may not be supportive enough.

Why did I not discover stretchy wraps until I had my third baby?! This sling transformed my life in the first 4 months of DD3s life; I used it daily.

It took me about 5 minutes to learn how to tie it, then about 3-4 days of using it to refine my technique to the perfect tie for me. Thereafter, I would get dressed then tie the sling and in she would go. I found it particularly good in wet weather as I could tie it at home, then just pop her in when we arrived in the car park wherever without the sling trailing in the wet. Judging by the maount she slept in it, DD3 found it as comfy as I did.

Having tried the baby bjorn and my baby being too fat for it after about a month I bought the Kari me. All I can say I wish I'd bought it sooner. It was so much better on my back. As I say my son is heavy and I really felt it with the baby bjorn but not with this sling it's wonderful. It's a bit daunting when you first see it and look at the instructions but I literally put it on once with the instructions and then could do it straight away - believe me I am not technically minded so it must be easy! It's comfortable for you and for baby only slight difficulty is trying to get it over babies legs without bending them too much sometimes but small price to pay

I love this sling. It's the best thing since unsliced bread.

It's comfortable to wear because it spreads the weight across the whole of your back.

It's extremely flexible - I've worn it 5'5", my husband has worn it 5'10" and my father has worn it 6'5" and every single one of us has found it comfortable and easy to use.

It is a bit daunting when you first take it out of the bag but a couple of practice runs and it's on and baby in within a matter of seconds.

My daughter loves it she can watch the world go by while I get on with housework, shopping etc.

We've used cuddly, tummy to tummy and facing the world so far. It's fabulous for calming when baby is fractious.

I like this sling, it's very soft and comfortable. I find it makes your clothes ride up at the back but I think this is more a case of just getting used to how to wear it. My son loves it and falls asleep every time in it. It's very good for holding him in the upright position after his feed and for when he has hiccups. But I find it a bit of a pain to tie and untie.

I think this is the best sling!

I had a Baby Bjorn with my first born and because she put on weight very quickly I found my shoulders ached after no time at all. Whereas with this one I've worn it for four hours whilst out on my feet and my back & shoulders have been fine!

It does take a little to get used to putting it on, and when you first unpack it, it looks very daunting to see such a vast amount of fabric. But after one or two goes I got the hang of it and find it very easy now.

It is very hot wearing it, and I also have trouble finding things which go over it. My daugher was born in late December and I'm struggling to keep the rain off her at times - but because she's so close to me, I know she's warm at least.

It does seem expensive, but it's cheaper than having to buy a double buggy which was my other option. I find it very handy to strap the baby to me and stroll out with my toddler in the normal buggy.

You must prepare yourself to get lots of comments, everyone seems to think you've put your baby down your t-shirt.

I'm really enjoying using this sling. DD is a big baby, 10.7lbs at birth. I needed it to get DS to nursery, about a mile and a half walk there and back, so DS needs to be in the buggy. It is really comfortable and supportive, and DD loves it. It is the best way to get her to a calm and long sleep. She has often been a fractious baby in the evenings especially and this has been a wonderful help. It also means I have some free hands to do things around the house or things with DS. It has been a great help in this hard early days with a new baby!

This was a brilliant sling from 0-3 months - I used it every single day, several times a day. It's really soft and really easy to tie (most carries use the same tie). We especially liked the 'cuddly' carry (baby lying down across your tummy) - people can't tell that you are carrying a baby, and are really surprised! DS would sleep for up to two hours in it, which was a godsend in the early days. He'd almost go to sleep at the sight of it at the start (well, not quite, but he'd be asleep within a couple of minutes of going in). We stopped using it when he reached perhaps 14 or 15 pounds, partly because of the weather (it's not good when it's hot as they cook, as do you), partly because the stretch started to pull on my back as I walked. The fact it didn't last us long is why I've given it a lower value for money score, but that said, I still think it's worth the money.

This is a brilliant sling. I had a Baby Bjorn with my first child and it really gave me back ache, also my son was too heavy for it by 6 months. The Kari Me is a soft fabric carrier providing maximum comfort and support for both carrier and baby. Kari Me is made from 90% organic cotton with no buckles or straps. Kari Me does not place stress on the baby's spine because of the extra support given by the carrier's stretchy fabric along the carer and baby's bodies.

It can be used by all body shapes so can be adapted for both mum and dad. It allows the baby to be close to the carrier, encouraging bonding but also allowing the baby to spend more time in the "quiet alert state" which is optimum for learning.

It is so comfortable and easy to wear. My daughter is now 9 months old and I can carry her for hours with no discomfort. People stop me in the street all the time asking where I got my Kari Me. I absolutely love it !

An absolute life saver for the first six months - can't comment after that, but I am still using it.

Seems complicated to tie but once you've done it it's a doddle.

I have tried lots of slings and so far this is the best for early months.

This was my absolute favourite sling when baby was first born. As a fabric sling it is soft and comfortable for baby, but it is also incredibly comfortable for the wearer too, as the baby's weight is distributed across the whole of your back. I was able to breastfeed my newborn in this, leaving me with both hands free to eat my lunch, for example, and liberating me from that permanently-pinned-to-the-sofa feeling. So far we've used the cuddly, tummy-to-tummy, side, and facing the world positions. The only downsides of this sling are that in warmer weather it can be too warm, and that it takes two people to use the back position. Now that baby is a bit bigger, I've also used my Kari-me over the top of my hippychick hipseat, which works really well. In terms of ease of use, do be prepared for it to feel as though there are reams of fabric to wrap around you, but once you get the hang of it it's really easy to use - although I did find I had to re-tie it every time I took baby out of the sling, which was sometimes a nuisance. Also be prepared for people to stare, because this sling is something of a head-turner! Once it's on it does look a lot like you've just tucked baby into your t-shirt, and people often wouldn't notice that I was carrying a baby until they were really close. In short, highly recommended for versatility and comfort.