TOMY baby carrier with no instructions - help please!

[Grumpla]

Hi, I have been given a TOMY baby carrier with no instructions and wondered if anyone had a similar model as I'd like to find out whether it would be safe to use as a back carrier for my four-month-old (with good head control and on the verge of sitting upright)

I'm fairly sure it's not a current model (have looked on the TOMY website) It is brown and mustard coloured, very padded and warm-looking with rucksack-type straps and an additional fleece blanket that poppers on over the carrier. It seems to have a chest strap and waist band which indicates it can be used back or front, but I'm just not sure how I would get him in and out of it by myself...is there a trick to that?

There are many better carriers than this TOMY one TBH. Many people find these and the BabyBjorn ones uncomfortable after carrying your baby for a short while.

The ones where the babies face in and their legs don't dangle but sit in a frog-like position better for the baby and better for the adult.

if you look elsewhere on this thread you will see talk about mei tais and buckle carriers / soft structured which are similar but better.

Thanks, I already have a Close Baby carrier which I love, but can't use for back carries. The only thing really making me want to hang on to the TOMY one is the warm outer blanket thing which seems really snug for the winter but TBH I think I will just look for something else.

MT and SSC are excellent for back carries. you can also get a babywearing coat which covers you and the baby whether doing a back carry or a front carry.

I had a tomy one years ago and it was very tricky to use alone and that was just as a front carrier. With dd3 I got a bushbaby front carrier and then a backpack both of which we've found good. I'm not sure I would perservere tbh.

MT is a Mei Tei right? What's a SSC? Sorry to be a numpty. Just getting the hang of all this sling lingo!

Would it be possible to remove the fleece blanket thingy and attach it to the straps of another carrier?

Also, there are universal sling blankets on the market for about 30 quid new, or less if pre-loved. (Too brain-faded to work out how to do links but some of the other threads here will tell you where to look for pre-loved slings and accessories)

I use the winter MaM cover as I like to be able to tie it over the sling like another sling. I think there is something called Marcobus that fastens around the sling straps with poppers. And I think Baby Bjorn does something similar, which can probably be found fairly cheaply on eBay. There are probably lots of others, too.

I've seen people just tucking fleecy blankets into slings, and someone cleverer than i am could probably rig up their own straps or poppers set up.

Sorry if you've thought of all this but it took me forever to figure this out!

I have some instructions for you. Pick up Tomy carrier, place in garden and burn it.

Seriously tho, those and the BabyBjorn type carriers are all hideously uncomfortable. They always show baby being carried facing too, which is such a bad position for baby to be in, both for you and for the baby as the centre of gravity is pulled away from your body, which means pressure on yoru shoulders/back and much back acheness!!

Deffo get a mei tai carrier or even a wrap. Best thing to do would be to get yourself to a sling meet near you (look HERE for your local one and have a look at all the brilliant carriers available.

Look here for intelligible advice on slings and why the Tomy isn't well thought of.