After 2yrs+ of testing with twin parents from around the world, the LennyTwin and LennyHip Carriers are finally here, and we couldn't be more excited!
A newborn baby cuddles up in the new LennyHip carrier (half of the LennyTwin). Text reads, "How sweet is this cutie in the LennyHip carrier?"
In this video and tutorial, learn more about the LennyHip Carrier. We think you'll love it!
Watch below as Mama & Roo's babywearing educator Amanda demonstrates how to adjust and use the LennyHip baby carrier, a brand new carrier available now at Mama & Roo's!
Scroll below the video for written instructions.
You'll love this carrier for how quick and easy it is to use! Even better, you can combine 2 LennyHip carriers together to make a LennyTwin- perfect for tandem wearing!
This hip carrier is almost like a structured ring sling. If you've struggled with ring slings in the past but always wanted to use them, this may be perfect for you! If you love ring slings but sometimes want an option that doesn't have long tails, you'll love this, too!
This new hip carrier is perfect for tossing in the diaper bag, the car, and anywhere you go. You'll want more than one for the convenience and fun they bring!
Getting started: This carrier can be worn with the panel wherever you're most comfortable - the panel can be completely moved to any part of the waistband. Newborns should be positioned closer on your front. When you're naturally placing your child on your hip in day-to-day life, your child is ready to be placed on your hip in this carry.
To adjust the panel position and width, simply lift the velcro and move the whole panel by sliding it where it's comfortable! You want the panel width to allow your baby's legs to swing freely while supporting from knee-to-knee (for babies less than 1yr - over 1yr, you can support baby mid-thigh to mid-thigh).
Adjust the panel height with pull tabs on either side. You want the top of the panel to be no lower than the base of the neck and no higher than the bottom of the earlobe for babies with little head control. Babies who can be arms out can have the top of the panel just below armpit level. You do not want it low enough that your child can throw themselves backwards out of it!
Now that the panel is adjusted, place the waistband around you. When finished, you want your little one high enough to kiss, so for a small baby this means the waistband will be fairly high. Hold the waistband front up and down as you tighten. When buckling the carrier, be sure to use the safety strap to wrap around the buckle for extra security.
Place your little one into the panel. Make sure their bottom is sitting out in the panel and not on the waistband. This can sometimes take practice! You'll want to lift their bottom up and out while keeping the waistband front straight up and down and the waistbelt around you parallel to the floor. If the waistbelt dips or is uneven, you will likely feel more pulling and discomfort.
Put the stretchy shoulder piece over your shoulder and adjust. You can tighten this piece from the front or back. This makes it great for when you're combining 2 carriers as a twin, as you can easily tighten no matter which shoulder it's on! Like a stretchy wrap, you may find that you need to overtighten this piece to keep it from sliding and stretching too much. You will learn what works best for you over time!
For comfort, spread the black stretchy shoulder piece out over your shoulder, then tighten again as needed.
Made any additional adjustments you need for you and baby's comfort, and you're off!
To take baby out of the carrier, support baby with one arm as you lift the shoulder piece off, then lift baby out. Or, like a ring sling, simply loosen the stretchy shoulder and lift baby out.
There's so much to love about these carriers!
A few general notes/tips for this carrier:
-This hip/twin carrier was created after 2yrs+ of testing many variations with twin parents! But, tandem wearing is tricky, especially when we are using more structured panels like this one
-Some "quirks" to be aware of
- The shoulder strap is stretchy. This was changed from a woven material to allow more flexibility. But, it also means that this often needs to be tightened more than you'd expect, and it may need to be tightened over time, similar to a stretchy wrap.
- The waistband is floppy and may roll if you do a lot of adjusting while wearing. It's important to hold the waistband parallel while adjusting as best you can, and in some cases, it's easier to start over. For example, I find I sometimes have an easier time redoing the carry after nursing in my hip sling
- My best advice for the twin carrier is actually to disconnect the 2 hip carriers and get a good fit that's comfortable for you with just one baby in one of the hip carriers. Then, once you're feeling good about using just one, adjust the other similiarly (perhaps using the other baby as your tester there), and then reconnect them to try them as tandem
Check out the collection below! And don't forget, if you have any questions, we're always just a chat or email away. Use the chat bubble on this page or email us at contact@mama-roo.com and one of the Mama & Roo's moms will be happy to help you as soon as possible!