TULA Free To Grow Carrier Review
Thank you Reiko for the beautiful photos!
Been asked a lot about my baby carrier when I posted it on my Instagram stories :)
So I’ve decided to share about it here on my blog, so everyone can read about it anytime! I love baby wearing because it makes life so much easier and especially being a mom you can never have enough hands to get things done around the house especially when your baby is having a bad day so it’s definitely one of those fussy & clingy episodes lol.
During the 2nd month (You can read lil penguin’s updates HERE) we decided to bring her out for walks for the first time and I personally thought it’s going to be a struggle because each baby has their own pattern/ character and what works for your other babies might not work for the current one but thankfully she’s quite well behaved outside *hallelujah*.
I was (and still am) a wrap user but mostly at home and prefer to use my TULA carrier when I’m going out. How times has changed, carrier designs are getting so advanced that the current generation’s design doesn’t even require infant insert! That’s one lesser thing to spend on as infant inserts are usually only used during the early stage of a baby’s life as most carriers previously were designed for babies 6 months & above. That’s why I’ve gotten the cloth wrap 2 years ago, but now it’s my back up spare incase as massive tsunami poop bomb *choi touchwood* happens and I need to wash my TULA carrier lol. Well on the bright side IF it does happens, i can always dump my carrier into the washing machine (with laundry net) without worrying because it’s all fabric anyways.
When getting a baby carrier there are a few factors I have to consider such as:-
A lot of people would go for more famous brands like Ergobaby as they are considered a pioneer brand in the baby wearing industry, but to me as someone who prefers designs (can’t be minimalist la, my life so dull liao so need nice patterned stuff to compensate for the dullness lol) found Ergobaby’s selection abit limited for my liking and please don’t ask me to get the hello kitty one haha the danna wouldn’t even want to use it.
So I’ve decided to share about it here on my blog, so everyone can read about it anytime! I love baby wearing because it makes life so much easier and especially being a mom you can never have enough hands to get things done around the house especially when your baby is having a bad day so it’s definitely one of those fussy & clingy episodes lol.
During the 2nd month (You can read lil penguin’s updates HERE) we decided to bring her out for walks for the first time and I personally thought it’s going to be a struggle because each baby has their own pattern/ character and what works for your other babies might not work for the current one but thankfully she’s quite well behaved outside *hallelujah*.
I was (and still am) a wrap user but mostly at home and prefer to use my TULA carrier when I’m going out. How times has changed, carrier designs are getting so advanced that the current generation’s design doesn’t even require infant insert! That’s one lesser thing to spend on as infant inserts are usually only used during the early stage of a baby’s life as most carriers previously were designed for babies 6 months & above. That’s why I’ve gotten the cloth wrap 2 years ago, but now it’s my back up spare incase as massive tsunami poop bomb *choi touchwood* happens and I need to wash my TULA carrier lol. Well on the bright side IF it does happens, i can always dump my carrier into the washing machine (with laundry net) without worrying because it’s all fabric anyways.
When getting a baby carrier there are a few factors I have to consider such as:-
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Safety factor
- Ergonomical
- Nice design (not necessary but it’s a bonus factor)
A lot of people would go for more famous brands like Ergobaby as they are considered a pioneer brand in the baby wearing industry, but to me as someone who prefers designs (can’t be minimalist la, my life so dull liao so need nice patterned stuff to compensate for the dullness lol) found Ergobaby’s selection abit limited for my liking and please don’t ask me to get the hello kitty one haha the danna wouldn’t even want to use it.
TULA has quite a number of designs and for some like me who doesn’t usually wear printed clothes, this carrier does compliment my clothes very well!
Had a hard time selecting a design because all of them look equally nice, and their patterns aren’t the “in your face/ garish” baby kind of designs, might say it’s “classy” enough for adults to use it without feeling embarrassed especially for men. In fact I asked the danna to pick a design because I was getting too excited until couldn’t decide which to get haha.
Had a hard time selecting a design because all of them look equally nice, and their patterns aren’t the “in your face/ garish” baby kind of designs, might say it’s “classy” enough for adults to use it without feeling embarrassed especially for men. In fact I asked the danna to pick a design because I was getting too excited until couldn’t decide which to get haha.
About TULA
Founded by two adventurous parents, Ula and Mike, Tula bloomed organically in Ula’s hometown in Poland. After learning about the many positive benefits of babywearing, the couple searched for a comfortable, ergonomic carrier that also spoke to their personal styles and desire for high quality. However, their search came up short.
With a passion for craftsmanship and design, they consulted with family, friends, babywearing experts, pattern makers, and chiropractors on their journey to making the first Tula carrier. It was elegant, easy-to-use, and most importantly, allowed families to keep their little ones close while doing what they love.
Today, Tula is an award-winning brand recognized not only for unique designs, but also for our commitment to promote connection and bonding worldwide through babywearing education and community.
1st Time TULA User
For someone who isn’t used to the buckle system it might seem intimidating at first, like there are so many straps here and there, if you are not careful you might get tangled, etc. But my first advice is to NOT PANIC,lol practice buckling and unbuckling a few times without the baby first until you are used to it. Then when you are ready, place your baby in and pull the harnesses to adjust the tightness of the carrier accordingly. I did struggle abit in pulling the harness so I got some help from the danna to adjust it for me. Not as easy as stated in the manual lol or maybe my chicken leg arms don’t have enough strength to pull (I need to use both hands, if one tak leh budge lol). But once adjusted, I didn’t need to adjust anymore, it’s just buckling at the waist and at the back only!
So struggling abit at first is normal especially when you are new to it, but once you got a hang of it, everything seems like a breeze. I can place the baby in and out within seconds compared to my first time! I find it easy to wear her while standing up and sitting down for removing, not sure if other moms feel the same as well lol.
Back strap
She really likes it because I noticed she sleeps rather well especially against my chest because it’s warm and snuggly there lol and my arms are free to do anything (YASSSS!) especially if I need to do grocery shopping for dinner.
You'll never suspect there's a baby hiding in this picture lol. Shhhhh!
Jean busy deciding what to have for lunch while i'm busy updating IG 😂
Safety Measures
The waist buckle comes with an elastic band for extra safety measures incase you accidentally forgot to check whether the buckle is secured properly. That happened to me a few times because I was rushing out and buckle it absentmindedly without hearing the "click" sound (super dangerous!!) but luckily after awhile I felt lil penguin’s position is abit lower than usual, that’s when I noticed my buckle is being held on by the elastic band! It’s a real life saver, so make sure to always insert the elastic band in before buckling.
And each strap has elastic bands attached to their ends allowing me to fold in unnecessary extras so that it doesn’t get tangled while storing/ using. It’s really useful in making your carrier look neat too and you won’t have problems like accidentally sitting or stepping on your straps.
The danna doesn't mind the floral prints, now that's macho!
Ergonomical
Baby carriers that grows with your baby, this is the utmost important factor because I stressed many times how expensive it is to raise a child now compared to 20 years ago, and to get an item that only last them a few months seems rather pointless. TULA carriers there are few kinds, if you have a newborn best to get “FREE TO GROW” series like mine. If your baby is a few months old or toddler stage you may explore other carrier types from TULA, you’ll definitely find something suited for your needs.
- Tula Standard Coast Carrier
- Tula Toddler Carrier
- Tula Half Buckle Carrier
- Tula Explore Baby & Toddler Carrier
For my FREE TO GROW carrier there are six snap buttons (3 on each side) on the waistband supporting the baby’s butt that allows me to adjust the width accordingly, right now at this early stage it’s snapped on to the first button (innermost section). The carrier provides an ergonomic "M" position seat supporting optimal development for the baby’s body. This is very important as babies’ spine are still soft and any wrong support positioning may hinder their growth, that is why it’s very important to get a certified baby carrier rather than a random cheap one.
It's Super Comfortable!
Not only the baby’s comfort comes first, as I’m the one wearing it especially the whole day I’m glad that the supportive shoulder padding cushions my scapula (shoulder blades) well and it also distributes the baby’s weight evenly. I hardly feel like I’m carrying anything at all!
It’s like all of a sudden the baby is light as a feather lol, but when I carry her in my arms she weighs like a large boulder! The difference of proper weight distributions on your arms & shoulders.
At this rate I don’t mind getting a few more designs just to match different seasons in Japan, think I’m overdoing it? Hehe, but really the designs are so nice and I feel happy just wearing it because it compliments my outfits well! My conclusion it’s worth getting TULA baby carrier if you are looking to have a carrier that matches your style & personality.
Remember, being a mom doesn’t mean you have to forgo looking good ;)
Dressing up does make your day feel better when you look in the mirror, especially after a long sleepless night with your baby haha.
Also since you are already investing in a baby carrier, might as well get one that looks nice, so even if you are lazy to dress up your carrier can hide it 😂 that's like #arisafashionhack101 on super lazy days.
Stay fashionable mommies!
Yours Truly,
I am a fan of tula ftg myself! Chosed it because much nicer looking than the other carrier brands. I mean, if u are going to wear your baby, u would at least want to wear something nice lar right.. your print is very nice.
ReplyDeleteExactly!! haha, definitely worth the investment :)
DeleteThank you and i'm glad to find another fellow mom who loves this series as well!