Izmi toddler carrier review

Izmi toddler carrier review

*collaborative post*

Using a sling was one of the best parenting decisions I ever made. Life with a newborn is so much easier when you babywear and there is no way I could have coped without one after I had my second baby. Babywearing isn’t just for babies though and slings and baby carriers are a great tool to have in your parenting arsenal even when your child grows into a toddler. Alex grew out of his baby size buckle carrier when he was about 18 months old, I have desperately been searching for a new sling and was so happy to be asked to review the Izmi toddler carrier. If you are planning on toddlerwearing and are looking for a suitable toddler carrier, here is my review of the Izmi – I hope it helps!

Izmi toddler carrier review

izmi toddler carrier

What is the Izmi toddler carrier?

The Izmi toddler carrier is a soft structured buckles carrier. You can use the Izmi from when your child is around 9 months (or 17.6lb) , right up until they weigh 60lbs. There are 3 different ways you can wear your toddler in this sling: front carry, back carry and hip carry. The Izmi is ergonomically designed so your child is positioned safely for their growing back and hips and is well supported.

Is the Izmi toddler carrier easy to use?

I found the Izmi so simple to use. So far I have tried it using front and back carries and, whilst a back carry is more difficult to do on my own, I find it so easy to pop Alex into this sling.

izmi toddler carrier

Front carry –
To carry your toddler on your front with the Izmi you can either cross over the arm straps or use the additional sternum strap to clip the sling in place. I have been using the sternum strap fastened across my shoulder blades, as I find this method much quicker.

Firstly, fasten the carrier around your waist and tighten the strap so it is tight but comfortable. Next, pick up your baby and hold them against your body, let their legs spread around your waist in a natural position. Then all you need to do is pull the fabric up so it covers their back, slide your arms into the straps and tighten them so your baby is close to you but not squashed in tight. With one hand supporting your baby, reach behind your back and clip the buckle closed; once it is fastened you can pull the strap tighter if you need to. It feels a little bit fiddly the first time but once you have all your straps adjusted to fit you, getting your toddler in the Izmi carrier really is as simple as fastening two buckles.

izmi toddler carrier

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Back carry –
The back carry is a bit more difficult to master but I definitely find it the most comfortable way to wear a heavier child. Alex loves being up on my back where he can see everything, when he is strapped to my front he has less of a view of what is going on around him.

To use the Izmi for a back carry, fasten the waist strap and pull it around your middle until the back panel of the carrier falls down your side. Sit your baby on your hip and smooth the back panel up their back, keeping baby’s legs in the hip healthy position (how they would naturally fall when resting on your hip). Once you have the back panel in position, hold the two arm straps (I always find it easier to lean forward a bit here) and scoot the sling and your toddler around on to your back. Once your little one is on your back piggy back style, supporting them with one hand, put your arm through the strap and then swap your hands over and do the other arm – it is like you are putting on a rucksack. After you have got your toddler in position on your back, simply fasten the sternum strap and tighten so it is comfortable.

This is how I use my Izmi, I am not a trained babywearing consultant and you should always follow the official instructions and practice without your baby in the carrier before you attempt the carries properly with your child. For full instructions and diagrams on how to use your Izmi toddler carrier in all the positions, you can download a user manual from their website (this also comes in the box when you buy your carrier). You can also watch some quick and easy to follow video tutorials on the Izmi website.

I find both the front carry and back carry really easy to do and for someone you doesn’t know how to wrap, I would say a soft buckle carrier like the Izmi is a great option.

* * Remember, when using a baby and toddler carrier, to always check you are following the TICKS safety guidelines **

izmi toddler carrier ticks guidelines

Is the Izmi toddler carrier comfortable?

Although the Izmi is a buckle carrier, it is not as heavy and rigid as some of the others I have come across. As a safety conscious mum, I am so happy that the Izmi has been ergonomically designed by a babywearing consultant and I know it has been expertly created to keep baby and parent comfortable and safe. It is so important that you use a carrier that holds your baby in a natural position and doesn’t result in them sitting in a way that can damage their growing hips, pelvis and spine. I love that the Izmi is so comfortable for Alex but my own comfort isn’t jeopardised because of this.

izmi toddler carrier

The Izmi toddler carrier is soft, the body is 100% cotton, and although the straps are not padded, they are wide enough so you can spread them comfortably over your shoulders for better weight distribution. I am quite petite so I have most of the straps pulled as tight as they will go around my arms and shoulders. I do wish I could tighter the straps a little bit more without it being too tight for Alex as I do find that sometimes the right strap starts to slip a bit, never enough for Alex to fall out but enough for me to have to tug it back in place. I do think that this is just because I am small, if my shoulders were a tiny bit broader I would have no issues with the fit of the Izmi at all.

Alex has fallen asleep several times in the Izmi so I am going to speak for him and say it is really comfy for toddlers. My boy has always loved his sling cuddles and being close to his Mummy, I am so glad I have found a carrier that has enabled us to carry on babywearing and enjoying these special cuddles together.

Where to buy the Izmi toddler carrier

If you like the sound of the Izmi toddler carrier and would like to buy one for you and your little one, you can find them on the Izmi website for £80.

Wondering if the Izmi toddler carrier is worth the money? I say 100% yes! We were gifted our carrier but I would definitely pay £80 for it, slings are like prams and if you want a good one then you need to be prepared to pay that little bit extra. The fabric is soft but tough and I can see us getting a lot of use out of our Izmi, it is the perfect way to get around with your toddler, especially if you love exploring the outdoors like we do.

DSC_0475

Do you use a carrier with your toddler? What sling do you use? Have you tried the Izmi toddler carrier yet? I would love to hear your thoughts.

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Izmi toddler carrier review

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read
Everything you need to know about babywearing
5 reasons I love babywearing
3 useful resources for parents new to babywearing
5 tasks made easier by babywearing

Disclaimer: We were gifted the Izmi toddler carrier in return for this honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

 

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9 Comments

  1. July 12, 2018 / 7:42 am

    Thank you for such a thorough review! I loved carrying my twins when they were little (one at a time). We used a connecta, but they’ve outgrown the baby one now and I’ve been thinking about whether to get a toddler carrier. Do you get much use out of it? My two always seem to want to run everywhere!

  2. July 12, 2018 / 10:50 am

    This sounds great for both mummy and toddler. Also £80 seems quite reasonable for something that will get a lot of use and make your life easier!
    Joanne recently posted…The truth about maternity leaveMy Profile

  3. July 13, 2018 / 9:15 am

    I love this! I live in London and when I had my 4th child I knew that I wanted to use a sling or carrier but I didn’t know many people personally hat did. I wish I had searched for more reviews like this to stop me from making unnecessary purchases before finding a sling that worked for us. The Izmi carrier looks super comfy and you’ve explained it very well xx

  4. July 13, 2018 / 10:01 am

    Such a lovely review Wendy and lots of useful tips for anyone wanting to try our toddler carrier. It’s also lovely to hear how it fits in with your outdoorsy lifestyle!
    Many thanks,
    Katia @ Izmi xxx

  5. July 13, 2018 / 4:50 pm

    I didn’t baby wear my son as he hated. But there were times I really wished he had. This sounds like a great carrier!

  6. July 13, 2018 / 6:07 pm

    Thanks for the awesome review. It definitely ticks all the features one would for in a Baby Carrier. It looks very comfortable on both you and Baby.

  7. July 14, 2018 / 4:57 pm

    I carried my older boy everywhere (we had a Manduca) and we both really enjoyed it. My younger boy absolutely hated it, it was like trying to reign in an octopus.
    Jenni recently posted…Edinburgh, one year on.My Profile

  8. July 14, 2018 / 11:09 pm

    I’m not yet a parent, but when I am I decided a while back to invest in something like this. I think they are amazing in so many ways, even more so than just for ease!
    Stelle recently posted…I graduated!My Profile