Moving beyond the Baby Bjorn

Jackson is getting just big enough that we needed to upgrade his carrier. Since I love baby wearing, I decided to invest in a backpack carrier so I could still wear him as he grew.

Yesterday, my husband talked (or maybe, conned:) me into trying this Kelty TC 2.1 carrier baby backpack, which we got from Babies R Us for $120. Jackson is getting a little too heavy for me to carry him in the Baby Bjorn, so I am looking for something small and cute that would relieve the strain on my lower back.

My husband wanted something that would allow us to go hiking or camping with him. He wanted something sturdy that also had storage compartments on the pack (i.e. big and bulky!!).

Basically, my husband won because I was too lazy to do any research on the topic. He’s a “gear guy” so he had several models picked out and finally convinced me to try it yesterday.

Our family went on an outing to a museum and tried the new carrier. Here are my impressions of the pack so far:

Pros:

I love how Jackson is at eye-level. He can see so much and take in everything, which has to be good for his cognitive development.
There is a space between Jackson and my lower back, so it’s very breathable.
The storage in the backpack is very handy. There is a small pack that zips off the front that I used as a mini diaper bag.

Cons:

Not the cutest color (apple green), reminds me of Kermit the Frog!
It’s so big! I’m so short. Not a match made in heaven.
Even though his head is just a few inches from mine, he feels far away.

I’m not sure if we will use it exclusively for “outdoorsy” things, or if it will be comfortable enough for everyday use. I’ll keep you posted on my thoughts about this product.

P.S. In the video, the leg on the right is Jackson’s, not mine! I wasn’t being a “hoochie mama” for my first vlog! Haha!