Infantino Cuddle Up Carrier review

I tested the carrier out on my 7 month old boy/girl twins, both weighing just over 8 kg but with very different builds.

My little girl is quite petite but adorably chubby, and My little boy is long and strong. I’m not keen to carry both babies in a tandem carrier, but will often take one in a carrier and the other in the pram.

Having twins can make it difficult and rare to get some one-on-one Mummy time, so it’s nice to get a cuddle with them while I walk. At weekends, my husband and I like to take one each and go for a family stroll or London adventure.

We tested this carrier on several north London walks and a bus/tube ride to a city farm for the day.

You can buy the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier from Babies R Us, PramWorld or Amazon

How many seating options does the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier have?

The carrier has 2 carrying options; front and back. With both options, the child has to be facing the parent. The back carry position can be used when your little ones are able to sit up on their own, for us this was at almost 6 months old.

Is the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier ergonomic? Does it support your little one’s hips to sit in the ‘M’ Position?

Yes. By altering the various straps, the design of the carrier allowed both babies to be supported in the “M” position whilst being carried. They were supported from knee-to-knee with a naturally rounded back for a safe and comfy ride.

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Does it follow the TICKS guidelines?

If used correctly, the carrier follows the TICKS guidelines. The Twins were well supported at all times.

Obviously when used in the backpack position, they weren't close enough to kiss or in full view to me but I got Chris to check that their heads never slumped into their chests. The hood should not be used if using the backpack position for this reason.

How easy is it to put on and take off the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier?

I found it extremely easy to put on and take off, in both positions. You just slip your arms through the shoulder straps like sleeves if you're wearing it in the forward position, and pull them on like a jacket in the backpack position.

The back/chest strap could prove to be difficult to adjust without assistance depending on how flexible your reach is. Luckily, I'm able to reach my hand down my back, so this wasn't an issue.

At first I didn't realise that the strap was adjustable, as the instructions are in such a small font and the part about the adjustable strap is even smaller in a separate It was only when my husband wanted to use the carrier that we realised that it had to be adjusted as it was digging into his neck.

I found the instructions a little bit annoying as they have the various steps in 6 different languages rather than just having all the instructions in each individual language.

The font size was also very small, but there are photographs to help with each step. You can however find the manual in your language on their website. www.infantino.com, and I found this to be much more useful.

You can also find a demonstration video on the website of how to use the carrier. Once you have the hang of using it, it takes only a matter of minutes to set it up with your baby in place.

Can you put it on and take it off by yourself?

The carrier can be put on by yourself if you're using the front position, but the instructions clearly state that you need assistance when using the back position.

Depending on how wriggly your child is, it is possible to put the carrier on the back position if you sit on the sofa and put it on. I wouldn't recommend this though as the clips can be a little stiff at times and there is a chance that you might not notice if one of them isn't securely fastened.

The carrier is super light considering how sturdy it seems. Compared with our Baby Bjorn classic sling it is a little heavier but it has a sturdy waistband that the Baby Bjorn doesn't have. We also have a Moby Wrap and it doesn't seem much heavier than that.

Does one size fit all?

It seems to be, there are adjustable straps on the waist, back, and sides so everyone should be able to find a comfortable position to fit for them. I'm 5’4” with a short torso and Chris is 6’1” with a long torso and we were both able to find a comfortable position for us.

Is it easy to clean the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier?

The carrier is machine washable on a cold gentle cycle with a mild detergent. It can be sponge cleaned between washes. This is handy because with my two are teething and constantly chewing on the sides.

So it’s good to know it can be thoroughly cleaned. Back when they were newborn, they were frequent vomiters too.

Is the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier comfortable for your little ones?

Having two babies to test the carrier on was great. Both babies enjoyed using the carrier and were able to nap whilst being held.

However, the shoulder straps sit next to their heads so ended up in their mouths a lot. Saying that though, everything ends up in their mouths at the moment! The only other issue could be that the lining is polyester and so less breathable than cotton would be.

I didn’t find them to be any sweatier with this carrier to my Moby wrap or Baby Bjorn which are both 100% cotton.

Is the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier comfortable for parents?

Yes, it's really comfortable for me. The thick waist band helped to shift the babies weight onto my hips so that it wasn't pulling at my neck/back.

The shoulder straps are thick and also padded enough to not dig in. I carried each baby for over an hour at a time and had no problems with it digging in or pulling.

How does it compare to other carriers you have used?

Compared with the Moby wrap and the Baby Bjorn classic, it is much simpler to put on and with its thick waist band, and it is more comfortable than the Baby Bjorn.

Having tried out my friends Ergobaby Carrier, I found the main differences were that the Ergobaby has an adjustable hood and zip pockets for your belongings, which is of course a benefit.

At half the price of Ergobaby though, the Infantino is more value for money and just and comfortable and functional.

What do you think of the design?

I liked how it was simple yet stylish and the teddy bear hood was a cute little addition. The hood however became too small for Joseph’s head and wouldn't stay up over Arabella’s so it is more for style than function.

Is the pocket big enough to carry all your essentials?

Not at all. The pocket is designed for the carriers hands to rest comfortably and not really for storing anything in.

At a push you could probably put your phone or your oyster card, but with no zips to fasten, you would risk anything falling out. I quite liked having a place to put my hands whilst also clasping round my little ones as I walked.

Would you recommend Infantino Cuddle Up carrier to someone with a child of a particular age?

It says on the box that it’s suitable from 0m+. You could only use it from birth if your little one born on the top percentile at 12lbs.

Being twins and born on the smaller side, my little ones were 14 weeks old when they reached this weight, so I would probably recommend it from 3/4 months old. Unlike the ErgoBaby, there is no insert available for babies under 5.5 kg (12lb).

It is however, suitable up to 18 kg (40lbs) if you can still bare to carry your child at that point. This would be ideal for throwing in your backpack on a day out when your child is older but occasionally gets too tired to walk and you don't have your buggy to hand!

How durable does it seem?

The shoulder straps and waist band seem very robust. The clips however, can be difficult to unclip. I needed to use two hands. I think over time, these clips could potentially break if used very regularly (I have a backpack with similar clips that have broken with excessive use).

There is also an elastic strap that sits under the wearers armpit. This could potentially wear quickly and snap. For the price though, some wear and tear would be reasonable to expect.

Is it easy to store?

Yes, it folds up quite small and can be stored easily in a drawer. Definitely not as compact as our Moby wrap but not much different to our Baby Bjorn and certainly a lot more compact than a buggy.

How effective is the sun shade?

The hood is an effective sun/wind shelter as long as it fits the child's head. If it is too big, it falls down easily, and if it’s too small then it’s merely just a cute accessory.

It can't be used in the backpack position at all though, due to risk of suffocation. An adjustable drawstring hood like on the Ergobaby would be better.

What's in the box?

• Ergonomic carrier
• Detachable hood
• Instruction manual

Who would it be most useful for?

This carrier would be most useful for parents who want an affordable carrier that’s perhaps not for every day use and rather for occasional outings. There are a lot of carriers on the market that have pockets and hoods but these particular styles are unique to this product.

I had a few people asking me where it was from purely because of the cute teddy bear hood. I have discovered since becoming a mum that anything with ears is a sure fire winner for cuteness.

Is the Infantino Cuddle Up carrier good value for money?

It really is! The price is £39.99 which is great value for money. Everything is included in the price as there are no additional extras available. If you wanted to use the carrier day in and day out then the stiff clips might wear quickly.

Made for mums verdict:

An affordable, comfortable and easy to use carrier that is great for days out when you don't want to take the pram.

With a weight range of 12-40lbs it has the potential to see you through from birth to 3/4 years of age.

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