Help Me Choose!

We stock a range of Twin/Tandem carriers for hire and also have the MiniMonkey Twin available for purchase and Try Before You Buy

Please do have a read of our Carrying Twins and Multiples article

Finding the perfect way to carry two children can take some time to perfect. As with any sling, everyone is different and what suits one person may not suit another so it can take a few tries to find something which works!

You can tandem carry in almost any combination

• Two in one woven wrap
• Two in one stretchy wrap (for newborn babies)
• Two in two stretchy or woven wraps
• Buckle Carrier/Meh Dai and a wrap
• Two Meh Dai/Buckle Carriers
• Two Ring Slings
• A Ring Sling and Meh Dai/Buckle Carrier
• Specific tandem carrier like the Weego, Twingo or MiniMonkey Twin

You may benefit from having a chat to us about your options, so we’d recommend a phone consultation and we can talk through the options in more detail! We have all of these options available to hire

A range of conditions may effect your ability to carry, or may effect what options might work for you and your baby.

We have experience working with families and children with a range of additional needs and would recommend booking a consultation to discuss your circumstances in more detail so we can make recommendations on baby carrying.

Newborn babies require extra help to ensure they are supported correctly. Their airway must be maintained carefully as they have low core strength, and the positioning must be respectful of their smaller hip opening and developing bones.

Many buckle carriers are not suitable as they are too wide, or require the use of bulky inserts

For more information on newborn carrying you can check out our What’s The Best Sling For a Newborn article

Our recommendations for newborns are

• Stretchy Wraps
• Woven Wraps
• Ring Slings
• Adjustable Meh Dai such as Hoppediz Hop Tye, Fidella Fly Tai, Didymos Didy Tai
• Adaptable Buckle Carrier such as Integra, Ergobaby Adapt, Ergobaby Omni 360, Tula Free-To-Grow, Mamaruga Zensling, Connecta, Izmi, Boba X, Neko Switch Baby, Boba 4G, Beco Gemini

If you’d like to try a stretchy wrap, why not grab one on The CalmFamily Free Stretchy Hire Scheme?

We have all of these options available to hire, and a range available to buy and on our Try Before You Buy scheme

By 6 months many babies will have long enough legs to sit in most Buckle Carriers without adjustment. Their legs must be able to bend freely at the knee – so this age will vary but is usually between 4&8 months old depending on the carrier. Standard or Baby size buckle carriers usually fit from around 6 months – 18/24 months old

Babies at this stage may want to be looking more at the world and may appreciate facing away or being back carried. They may feel heavy in a stretchy wrap because they are beginning to move and look around.

All types of slings and carriers are suitable for this age, but popular recommendations are

• Woven Wraps
• Ring Slings
• Meh Dai
• Onbuhimo
• Baby/Standard size buckle carriers such as the Ergobaby range, Tula range (except Toddler), Size 1 Integra, Wompat, JPMBB PhysioCarrier and HoodieCarrier, Lillebaby, Beco 8, Neko Switch, LennyLamb Up

Remember! Most baby size carriers will fit to 18 months and beyond and Toddler size carriers are VERY large. If you have a baby 12+ months who is outgrowing the standard size carrier then good options to explore are

• Lillebaby Complete
• Medium Wompat
• LennyLamb Up
• Boba X
• Neko Switch
• JPMBB PhysioCarrier

We have all of these options available to Hire, and many available to Buy and Try Before You Buy

Remember! Most baby size carriers will fit to 18 months and beyond and Toddler size carriers are VERY large.

For lots of suggestions for children age 2 and above head to our What’s The Best Toddler Sling? article

If you have a baby 12+ months who is outgrowing the standard size carrier then good options to explore are

• Lillebaby Complete
• Medium Wompat
• LennyLamb Up
• Boba X
• Neko Switch
• JPMBB PhysioCarrier

Most toddler carriers fit well once baby is in 2-3 year old trousers. As with baby size carriers the legs must be long enough to sit in the carrier and bend freely at the knee.

Once they are large enough then all types of slings and carriers are suitable however it may be that you want a toddler size of Meh Dai or Buckle Carrier, or you may wish for a thicker or different blend wrap or ring sling.

Many toddlers enjoy being back carried and this is often easier on the parent as well

Popular toddler buckle carrier options include

• Beco Toddler
• Toddler Tula
• Toddler Wompat
• JPMBB PhysioCarrier
• Size 2 Integra
• Lillebaby CarryOn
• LennyLamb Up
• Neko Switch Toddler
• Boba X

We have all of these options available for Hire, and many available to Buy or Try Before You Buy

Most toddler carriers fit well past age 3 so you may never need a larger carrier. Preschool sized carriers are usually designed to fit from age 3+. As with baby size carriers the legs must be long enough to sit in the carrier and bend freely at the knee.

Once they are large enough then all types of slings and carriers are suitable however it may be that you want a larger size of Meh Dai or Buckle Carrier, or you may wish for a thicker or different blend wrap or ring sling.

For lots of suggestions for children age 2 and above head to our What’s The Best Toddler Sling? article

Many older children enjoy being back carried and this is often easier on the parent as well

Popular preschool buckle carrier options include

• Beco Toddler
• Toddler Tula
• Preschool Wompat
• Preschool Rose and Rebellion
• Size 3 Integra
• Neko Switch Toddler

We have all of these options available for Hire, and many available to Buy or Try Before You Buy

Many older babies enjoy facing the world and being able to explore the surroundings from a different view.

Facing out is safe for babies with excellent head control which often comes around 4 months. This is to ensure that their airway doesn’t become compromised as this position doesn’t support the neck and keep the airway open.

When facing out in a carrier you should keep an eye on your babies cues to ensure they don’t get overstimulated, and to turn them around if they are getting sleepy.

Facing out positions can put more strain on the person carrying the baby as their weight is pulling away from you. As baby gets heavier alternative positions such as hip or back carrying may be more comfortable. For lots more information on the facing out position check our article Spotlight on facing forward

Popular carriers which offer facing out positions are

• Ergobaby Omni 360
• Ergobaby 360
• Lillebaby Complete
• Beco Gemini
• Tula Explore
• Catbird Pikolo

We have all of these available to Hire, and many available to Buy or Try Before You Buy

If you are looking for a sling for holidays and don’t otherwise carry then Buckle Carriers are often the simplest type of sling to get to grips with quickly.

If you want something which folds up small to fit in luggage we recommend an unstructured carrier such as the Integra or Connecta.

If you are going somewhere hot you may wish to have a thinner carrier or sling, or one made with special fabric. Many Buckle Carriers have Cool version or feature zip open mesh panels. Popular hot holiday hires include

• Thin woven wraps and ring slings such as Calin Bleu or linen blends
• Water ring slings
• Thin stretchy wraps such as Hana or Boba Bamboo wraps, or the mesh Wuti Wrap
• Solar Integra
• Solar Connecta
• Beco Gemini and Toddler Cool
• Izmi Breeze
• Tula Coast
• JPMBB PhysioCarrier
• Lillebaby Airflow or All Seasons

You can also have a read of our Wovens When It’s Warm Weather and Buckles When It’s Boiling articles!

All of these options are available to Hire and many are available to Buy or Try Before You Buy