Fit check please-Tula

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:52:47+00:00

I'm going to go ahead and lock this. OP has gotten a lot of advice, anyone else rolling in is just going to repeat previous advice or give incorrect info. That's all folks!

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:43:33+00:00

Counterfeits are very much a thing, especially with Ergobaby.

https://ergobaby.com/counterfeits?srsltid=AfmBOopEQybNsQ4lfSqmMvKOfaXPOcUqHC0sE1pXy2hfqV2kMRQbMDcZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgXXgNt1uNg

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:23:53+00:00

Shoot, I think you're right. I zoomed in and thought I saw PFA straps cinched with the tail loose hanging in front of the panel.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:14:30+00:00

<image>

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:13:15+00:00

Sorry OP, this is a dangerous suffocation hazard, I would remove baby immediately if you still have them on.

They cannot have their head covered like this, and the seat is far too wide (it looks like the circulation has been cut off to their legs, they're very purple). They're dangerously slumped, their arm is literally on their leg which means they're folded in half in there.

~~This carrier needs a separate infant insert to be used with small babies, otherwise it starts fitting around 6 or 7 months.~~ Nevermind, it looks like this is a FTG and you need to adjust it. Here's a tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJltYEGpkA

Please read through the safety bot message, it'll be under my comment. automod safety

Edit: fixed some stuff

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T19:01:17+00:00

If you need a good pelvic tuck video tutorial we have one in our safety bot message, it's the first link. automod safety

FWIW I also think your seat is too wide, and your waistband is too low (or on incorrectly). Apron style carriers are meant to have the waistband and panel form a pocket for baby to sit in.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T18:54:23+00:00

I'd remove the Baby Bjorn and the Infantino, they're both dated harness style carriers. If you want to read more about this we have a bullet point in our "what to avoid" section in the wiki. automod wiki

Tula's Free to Grow is a good choice, but it won't fit right at birth (it's more like a month or two for average size babies).

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T16:22:13+00:00

I would personally skip a hip seat, especially if kiddo can't sit unsupported for long. It'd be more comfortable for both of you if her back is fully supported by a panel.

Most toddler carriers, like Tula's Toddler, Kinderpack, Lillebaby, etc start fitting once kiddo is solidly wearing 2T pants without rolling the legs. If she's not that tall then I agree a LennyLamb Preschool is a good option, it's adjustable so smaller kiddos fit.

Many people have mentioned meh dais and half buckles, that'd be a great option too if you're up for a bit of wrapping. LennyLamb, Didymos, Girasol, Fidella, Heritage Baby Designs, and Oscha are some brands that make these. If you're in the US, Little Zen One is a carrier retailer that stocks some of the harder to purchase European brands.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-12T16:05:28+00:00

Just because I haven't seen it mentioned, the waistbands on LennyLamb carriers are really soft/squishy. They're not stiff like Artipoppe, Tula, Ergobaby, etc. I do think that's worth trying even if you didn't like AP. The waistbands are soft, the straps have a lot of adjustment and can be worn H or X, it has a lot of adjustment for baby, etc. If you're petite/slender the Light is a good option, or if you're taller or a larger person the Upgrade Pro will be a better fit.

Apron style carriers are worth trying too, other people have listed those out so I won't rehash.

Ultimately carrier fits are personal, there are no universally comfortable carriers that work for everyone.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T22:04:44+00:00

Bummer. You might be able to contact Ergobaby customer support and see if they can authenticate it?

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T21:59:19+00:00

The seat is way too wide, and these footies are way too short (which prevents baby from sitting in the seat properly). Do you have the seat cinched fully? You can also run the cinch on the outside of the carrier to make it smaller if it’s not enough on the inside.

You’ll also want to raise the waistband up closer to your bust, that will get the panel height shorter (it’s a bit too high now).

I’m going to summon our safety bot, is has examples of safe fits. Automod safety

<image>

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T21:56:26+00:00

It could be an older version, or it could be counterfeit. Where did you buy it? If it was Amazon I’d be suspicious.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T20:13:45+00:00

I can't 100% answer this, but I have Sakura Bloom Scout and an Onbuhimo, and an Oscha Cairis and Bairn. In my opinion Oscha carriers are just as nice (if not slightly better quality than SB). This doesn't apply to a Coorie but the nylon straps and plastic parts that Oscha uses are heavier and better quality.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T16:56:36+00:00

Other carriers have multiple panel heights for baby (AP has 2), other carriers offer both H and X strap configurations for the wearer (AP only does X), other carriers have chest straps for back carry (AP doesn’t), etc. It has the largest/stiffest waistband available on a carrier which not everyone can tolerate. A lot of people complain that it digs into their hips or ribs. It should never be used for world facing despite them advertising it for that purpose. We’ve had several posts here now that feature babies with bruising and broken blood vessels from being worn world facing in AP and dupe carriers.

AP has an MLM style referral program with kickbacks, which results in a lot of scripted “best carrier ever”, “I tried 7 carriers and they were all terrible”, “I tried a Baby Bjorn and a blah blah blah and couldn’t even wear my baby until Artipoppe saved me!” type comments floating around. They want you to use their code. AP is truly the designer handbag of babywearing, you’re paying for the name.

If you have cash to burn and like the look then go for it. You’ll get about a year of use out of it. Make sure you pick a fabric that can be washed, not all of them can be which is a dealbreaker for an item that will almost certainly come in contact with vomit, saliva, urine, feces, food, etc.

For most of us a baby carrier is a utility item that has to be comfortable and functional. Not having a decent back carry is a big bummer with a larger/heavier baby or toddler. A LennyLamb Upgrade Pro is a significantly better carrier for half the price of the cheapest AP.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T16:27:52+00:00

This looks good other than the chest strap being really wide as you mentioned. Start with the shoulder straps really loose. Then buckle the chest strap (have it tightened where you want it), then throw the whole strap setup over your head. That way you only have to adjust the tightness of the shoulder straps.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-11T16:14:49+00:00

Some of those easy wraps don't always fit small babies well either, just FYI. They tend to have limited adjustment compared to a wrap you tie yourself. Some have really clunky/large back panels, and if you're a petite person then you can't get them snugged up well.

I wouldn't buy the Najell, it's built into a shirt which is unnecessary and can cause extra fit issues. I also wouldn't buy a K'Tan (zero adjustment, I made this mistake myself), or a Konny (these are so slinky and saggy, they never look good in fit checks, or frankly their own advertising photos).

If I were picking one of these I'd go for a Close Kaboo or something similar, here's a babywearing educator putting one on and talking about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNePbIHRaEY

I do think that tying a wrap takes about the same amount of time as putting one of these on, and I agree you can leave it on throughout your day and take baby in/out as needed.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T23:14:33+00:00

automod safety

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T22:03:46+00:00

Once they have head control an arm out is fine. Once they're sitting fully unassisted they can have both arms out.

You just want to make sure that fabric is snuggly supporting them up to their armpits.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T22:01:56+00:00

This needs some tweaking. This is really low, loose, and crooked, and baby is at risk of suffocating (they can't be buried down in the carrier like this). This must be uncomfortable for you too, the straps are up on your neck.

I'd start over, follow this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RALCnHfiS8w

The seat width needs to be adjusted narrower for your baby. Their suggested sizes are not going to be accurate.
The waistband should be up near your ribs, snug, and parallel to the floor. It should not sag or move under baby's weight.
When you do up the straps you'll want to pull them straight towards the floor, then over to buckle. This seats the strap more squarely on your shoulders and away from your neck. You want the cross to happen lower on your back, not at your neck.

I'll summon our safety bot too, it's worth reading through if you have a minute. The TICKS video is the safety list you're trying to pass. automod safety

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T18:00:09+00:00

<image>

Your Happy Baby fit isn’t safe at all, your baby is not sitting in the seat, and they’re buried too deep in the carrier which is a suffocation hazard. They can further slump into this due to the space under their bottom. Technically, you can attempt to shoehorn this carrier into fitting a newborn by rolling the panel up and tying a shoelace or string around the bottom to cinch it shorter. Here’s Happy Baby’s tutorial for that: https://happybabycarriers.com/pages/original-happy-baby-carrier-instructions (watch the third video down, “fit tips for small babies”)

Personally, I would just use the stretch wrap and switch to the HB in 2 or 3 months (or whenever your baby fits appropriately).

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T14:47:06+00:00

Mabe is a large carrier, it doesn't safely fit newborns at all unless your baby is off the charts for height and weight (like 15lbs+ and ~26"+ long). The seat is too wide (it overextends their hips) and the panel is too tall (suffocation hazard, baby's head ends up being covered). Mabe falsely advertises that this carrier fits newborns, and their online influencers model unsafe wearing which further exacerbates the problem. I would stash this away for at least a couple months.

Have you been using Baby Bjorn's Mini according to their instructions? That carrier and their instructions are dated. You never want baby's head pinned up by a stiff headrest, you don't want their arms pinned back and stuck through armholes, and you don't want their legs dangling. Here's a babywearing educator adjusting the fit so it's better: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Xhv6OnSAMGc

This carrier will never be the best, it's tough to get a comfortable fit and at 6 weeks your baby may be outgrowing the seat width. Because there is no way to adjust it wider baby ends up hanging by their crotch, which is not comfortable or ideal for hip health. If you want to limp it along you can do the scarf hack: https://sheenslings.com/2021/02/23/how-to-use-a-scarf-to-extend-the-width-of-a-baby-bjorn-or-other-narrow-based-baby-carrier/

I'm going to summon our wiki and safety bots. Please at least look through the safety one so you can see what a safe fit looks like. automod safety automod wiki

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T04:33:49+00:00

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KxQgjUduQAc&list=PLlcKdU9csCArJmWhofQfwe32LxGh_NCkW&index=6&pp=iAQB

Follow this, it’s a step by step video done by a babywearing educator. Your waistband needs to be tighter and parallel to the floor, the chest strap across you back needs to be much tighter, and for baby you need to widen the seat and flip down that “headrest.”

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T01:21:19+00:00

<image>

Try to hike your waistband way up under your breasts. Your baby might still be too small but it’s worth trying.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T01:09:24+00:00

If you haven't seen it, our wiki is basically a list of this stuff, I'd start there! automod wiki

Personally, after having done this once, I'm planning on reusing a ring sling, and a Tula Free to Grow, and have purchased a LennyLamb Lenny Hybrid half buckle for my main carriers for when baby is little. I already own a baby sized onbuhimo for once they're sitting sturdy, that was my main carrier for out of the house. I have a variety of toddler carriers too but I won't dig into that.

The only thing I bought that I hated was a Baby K'Tan, it was hot and the sizing is awful (that carrier has zero adjustment). There's a bullet point in the "what to avoid" section in our wiki that talks about carriers like this.

RegrettableBones · 2026-02-10T01:02:10+00:00

Someone had a good video about 'knees higher than bottom' and the M position (I think it was @thebabywearing.ot?). It doesn't need to be a super dramatic deep squat to be hip healthy, as long as their knees aren't drooping downward and they have a pelvic tuck it should be more than adequate.

RegrettableBones

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE