The Manduca Baby Carrier

We recently bought a Manduca baby carrier to replace the Babybjorn one that our girl has now outgrown.  It took me a little while to convince my husband to agree to the purchase, as he was impressed by neither its looks nor its price.  He is, however, now a convert.  Some of our friends have also expressed interest in our carrier.

So, what of this carrier?

Weight-bearing  
Suitable for babies and toddlers up to a generous 20kg.

Aesthetics 
Not exactly oozing sex appeal, I'm afraid.  With just a few basic colours and limited patterns, the Manduca, like the Ergo, is not as stylish as the Beco.  Having said that, my hubby, who refuses to be caught dead in a ring sling, is happy to hit the streets with our espresso-coloured Manduca.

Comfort
With much of the weight resting on the hips, this is definitely easier on the carrier.  The straps are broad and well padded, great for the shoulders.  Because the carrier is designed to support the babies' thighs, Nuria is now sitting rather than dangling and has fallen soundly asleep many a time in it.

Design and Functionality
I like that the Manduca offers 3 carrying positions - front, back and hip.  Due to the shape, the baby cannot be carried forwards-facing, but so far, that hasn't bothered my rather nosy baby too much.

When front-wearing, I do find the across-top-of-back buckle a bit too fiddly for my liking.  I am able to unbuckle it, but for some reason, just can't buckle it on my own (hubby doesn't have this problem though).  This, unfortunately, makes front-wearing less comfortable for me than it should be when hubby's not around to help secure.

It would be nice too to have the wearer-transferability of the Beco, but that'll be a bonus, not a necessity.  According to the retailer who'd introduced me to Manduca, whilst the competitor brands of this category are all good for heavy babies too, the latter is just that bit better shaped for chunky ones like mine.

Other useful features of the Manduca include built-in, fold-away baby booster and support for sleepyheads, as well as an extendible body portion.  It also folds down to a fairly small size, making it quite portable.

Price
At £85 from Amazon UK, the carrier does not come cheap.  It is however, comparable to competitor brands here in the UK and is a good £40 lower than what it was being retailed for in Singapore where I first saw it!

Best for: Carrying heavy and chunky little ones

Overall, I believe the Manduca Baby Carrier will be excellent value for money given its sturdiness, particularly in the long run.