It’s official! A 100% recommendation rate, high ratings in key areas, and the ergonomic accolade from Aktion gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR) campaign for healthier backs! The verdict is clear: our Ergobaby Alta hip carrier and Lift hip carrier are both loved by babywearing consultants, parents, their children and by us, of course. They are also the only baby hip carriers on the market designated “back friendly” by the experts at the AGR. But what else makes our hip seats so special and why are Lift and Alta recommended as baby hip seats by so many different experts?
The advantages of the Alta hip carrier and Lift hip carrier
If you have an active baby or toddler you will be familiar with being asked to pick them up then put them down then pick them up and so on and so on. The result: back pain, tired arms or other postural problems. If you keep lifting your little one up and sit them on your hip (without a designated hip seat), this takes its toll on your body: your spine is no longer in its upright position, but bends to the side or forwards and your arms also take the brunt of the increasing strain. And this is usually focused more on one-side of the body.
The ergonomic Lift hip seat or the Alta hip seat can counteract or prevent this. You no longer have to push your hip to the side or push your pelvis forwards. Instead you keep your body upright and place baby on a comfortable, well-padded ergonomic seat. This nestles against your body at a certain angle so that you only have to stabilise your child with one hand or arm, but do not have to actively hold or carry them.
And with the Alta hip carrier, an additional removable back panel with wide shoulder straps means that you can even transform the hip seat into a baby carrier if you need. This is practical if your baby suddenly gets tired or you simply want to have both hands free. The baby hip seat is attached to your hips with just one click using a wide and very comfortable hip belt that adapts perfectly to a wide range of body shapes (body circumference from 63.5 to 137 cm).
With the help of the Lift hip carrier, you can hold your baby or toddler on your front or on your hip. With the Alta hip carrier, you can also use the back panel to carry your baby on your back. Generally speaking you can use the carriers from approx 4 months (Alta with back panel) or 6 months (Lift & Alta without the back panel), but they can be used to support baby held in a cradle position, for example when breast/chestfeeding. All versions have practical and spacious storage options for a dummy, rattle, wet wipe or smartphone.
All About Baby Carriers for Nature Adventures
‘Good’ experiences with the baby hip seat in the babywearing consultant test
With all their features, the Alta and Lift are a handy addition to our popular ergonomic baby carriers. The testers from our babywearing counsellor test, including 10 babywearing counsellors from Germany and Austria as well as 53 parents and 42 children, agree. They used the seats intensively for four weeks and ranked the carriers in various categories. Ergonomics for the child and parents as well as general comfort scored highly. Quality, handling, safety, changing carrying positions and material also scored particularly well in the test. And 100 per cent of those who used it would recommend a Lift or Alta hip carrier to others!
Many of them are happy about ‘even more flexibility’ in everyday life thanks to the use of the hip carrier for babies or toddlers. They mainly used it for short-term or quick carrying. Short distances, e.g. from the car to the home, could be bridged easily and a couple of parents with several small children (under 2.5 years) reported that the Ergobaby baby hip carrier had been a great help to them. A babywearing counsellor used the hip seat with a hypotonic child (a baby or child with low muscle tone). This helped support their upright position. In general, such a hip seat can be an advantage for children with disabilities because it is not so restrictive, gives a lot of freedom of movement while still allowing carrying.
These points are also in line with the suggestion of another babywearing consultant who highly recommends the Lift for childminders or nurseries. Many different children are often carried there for short periods of time and a hip carrier can provide great support. A Lift or Alta can also help parents or grandparents who are not used to wearing a baby carrier on a regular basis to slowly get used to babywearing. Even when putting the carrier on, babywearing newbies are unlikely to need help. It couldn't be easier, according to our testers. Position changes can also be made quickly and intuitively.
Conclusion of the testers and the AGR Expert Council
All these values led the test participants to the conclusion that the Alta hip carrier and the Lift hip carrier are ‘currently the best hip carriers on the market’. The quality is better than models with a Velcro waist belt, for example. It is ‘visually appealing’ and superbly finished. And ‘safe for baby and carrier without much explanation’, according to the testers. But the most important statement: the spine is actually relieved by the hip seat which can make a real difference to wearers.
Yes, of course we like to hear that. Because that was and is exactly what we wanted to achieve in creating these products. And to be on the safe side, we naturally also had the experts from the Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR) association look at our hip seats. And they are known to look very closely. Our baby hip seats had to fulfil the following aspects satisfactorily:
- Ergonomics and comfort for the user
- Ergonomics and comfort for the child
- Handling
- Safety and freedom from harmful substances
- Optional requirements: Stowage options
In concrete terms, this means that the expert commission only awards its seal of approval to products in this category whose design and construction ensure that they are ergonomic and easy to use. All elements of use should be back and pelvic floor friendly for the wearer. In addition, the baby hip seat should distribute the weight ergonomically and at the same time provide the child with a secure and comfortable hold.
Well, both our Alta hip carrier and our Lift baby hip carrier fulfil all of these requirements. As a result, they now carry the AGR seal of approval - just like our baby carriers, our baby bouncer and our strollers. So they officially promote back health for you and your children. If you would like a more detailed insight into the AGR assessment, you can read the details again on the AGR e.V. website.
More flexibility and more ergonomics thanks to the baby hip carrier
If the experts and testers are anything to go by, we can rightly say that Ergobaby Lift and Ergobaby Alta alike are both a great choice for a toddler or baby hip carrier. Especially for those up and down quick carry moments in life. They give you even more flexibility and hopefully take away any physical discomfort or even prevent it from occurring in the first place. If you already have one then we hope you agree and if not then make sure to check it out! We’re certain you won’t regret it.
Advantages of Using Strollers for Nature Adventures
While baby carriers are fantastic for mobility and closeness, depending on the adventure of choice you might want to be a stroller along too.
There are a LOT of baby stroller options on the market. So we understand how confusing it can be to choose the one that’s right for your family. Not only are there a variety of brands, but a variety of strollers that serve different purposes.
There are a few types of strollers on the market:
- Full-sized stroller: This is typically the stroller parents thing of buying for all its versatility.
- Lightweight or umbrella stroller:These compact strollers are perfect for on-the-go adventures.
- Jogging stroller: Designed for parents who want to combine fitness with outdoor adventures.
- Double stroller: Designed for parents with multiple kids, especially twins.
- Car seat carrier: These strollers connect to a specific car seat. We don't typically recommend these as they can be unsafe for baby and uncomfortable for parents who are pushing.
Learn more about the types of strollers and which one would be best for you.
Benefits of Bringing a Stroller
- Storage Space for Gear: Ample room for carrying all your essentials like a diaper bag, beach toys and more.
- Shade and Weather Protection: Built-in canopies to shield your baby from the sun when they are lounging.
- Options: If you have more than one kid, you can stroll with one and carry the other. Or, if you’re getting warm or your little one is getting fussy, you can switch up their position from stroller to carrier or vice versa.
Safety Tips for Strollers
- Ensure your stroller is in good working condition. Make sure buckles are still buckling and that there are no rips or holes that could compromise your baby’s safety.
- Use sunshades or bug nets to protect your little one’s skin.
- Securing the baby properly: always buckle up your baby for safety even if you think they are old enough to go without the buckle.