Let me just start by saying this isn’t a typical review. I can’t properly review a baby carrier without a baby – that would be ridiculous. Yes, I did try various household items in a feeble attempt to replicate the baby; no, it didn’t work (obviously). What I can say though is that I’m in love with the BabyBjorn One Air: it’s a masterpiece.

I always thought baby carriers and slings were for hippies and those annoying people who know everything about soy milk (no offence to those people – we all love milk alternative sometimes don’t we?). When Lis said we should get one, I laughed -literally in her face. I’m a man, why would I need a carrier? I can carry the baby in my arms I thought to myself. What a fool. Anyway, in true wife fashion, she managed to persuade me into looking at some. Very quickly (almost embarrassingly so) I changed my mind. Big time. Either I’m about the become a soy specialist or maybe, instead, I got it wrong – damn it. I WAS wrong. I was prejudice towards baby carriers. A big mistake.

I’m an active person – I’m always doing stuff and the realisation that I can attach the baby to my body, leaving my hands free amazed me. The practicality of being able to move relatively normally was the first factor in my carrier conversion. Secondarily, the moment I put the carrier on, I got a sense of how physically close I could be to the baby (when it comes obvs). I, like many dads, am a bit envious that my wife has been carrying the baby and has a closeness to them. The BabyBjorn isn’t just a practical device; it also allows dads to bond with the baby, creating a closeness and intimacy that just isn’t as achievable without such a well designed device.

When I put it on, one of the first things I noticed about the One Air was that it’s comfortable and versatile. The mesh design is breathable and dare I say it pretty cool – this coupled with the sheer functionality of the carrier made it stand out from all of the others that we considered. The BabyBjorn is adjusted easily and the quality of the Swedish design boast practicality and finesse in all areas. The carrier needs to be comfortable and safe for the baby – a huge deal when considering a product like this. A big, big draw for us was that the Hip Dysplasia Institute endorse the carrier and it meets (or exceeds) the EN13209-2:2005 safety standard for baby carriers…yes I did my research. Worryingly, some carriers available don’t meet these standards, so be aware!

I’m totally converted to the carrier.

Not being funny, but if I’m using a baby carrier, I don’t want to look like a lemon – thanks to the BabyBjorn One Air, I can at least feel like I’m still with it. Once I have a pilot for the carrier I will let you know how it performs on the road test!