Features Of The Okkatots Baby Carrier And Why They Were Developed This Way :
The Shoulder Harness clips in front at the parent's chest forming a vest which is then adjusted to fit so there is no guessing a proper fit. Baby can then be carried up against the parent's chest for increased support. The Harness is widest at the parent's shoulders spreading the load over a wider area and making baby carrying more comfortable. The Shoulder Harness fits from approx. 28" - 66" chest.
The Okkatots Baby Carrier has a separate fitted pouch that adjusts two ways to fit any sized baby within the carrying range. When contracted for a tiny baby there is even more support around baby's back
The baby is fitted into the pouch before being attached to the harness. This means that the parent can give full attention to the fit before baby is attached to the harness. This is as easy as putting on a diaper. It breaks down the process of baby carrying into three easily doable steps: Fit Harness to adult, fit Pouch to baby then attach Pouch to Harness.
Top Straps go over baby's shoulders connecting the Harness to the Pouch. This not only provides the following benefits;
- Keep baby's head and body much closer to the parent's body and allow a young baby's head to rest on the parent's chest.
- Form a circle of support so that baby's head has lateral as well as back support.
- Keep baby securely in the pouch if the parent bends over to grab an escaping toddler's arm
- minimize the shift in parents center of gravity
the straps are also designed to allow the parent to adjust the closeness by which baby is held. This means that if baby is restless the straps can be extended allowing baby to see the parents face and interact without removing baby from the carrier. Parents can easily determine airflow around baby and make needed adjustments and assess other needs and then meet their baby's needs.
Once the parent is accustomed to the workings of the carrier it is also possible to place baby into the Pouch while it is attached to the Harness by connecting all buckles except one Top Strap Buckle and the same side of waist strap then sliding baby in. This means the carrier can be used more easily while out and about. Just as there are two ways to put baby into the carrier there are two ways to remove a sleeping baby:
- The Pouch can be detached with baby still in it. Then, once baby is comfortably situated to sleep, the Pouch can be removed by releasing the waist buckle and sliding the pouch from under babyt. This is really helpful if you want to keep baby's body heat in because sudden cold air can wake baby
- If keeping baby's body heat in is not an issue then the top part of the carrier can be disconnected, the Pouch waist belt released and the Pouch pealed down freeing baby to be placed down to sleep.
The Okkatots baby carrier will carry baby facing out. When we first turned a baby around to face out the baby was delighted. There was an obvious change in the baby's temperament. She could kick her legs, loved looking in the mirror, could hold a pacifier, toy or food, could interact with other people almost at their level and could be fed as if in a high chair. Babies just love it!
Once baby can sit, the pouch can be used to strap baby into a shopping cart. The pouch provides a padded seat and back. The waist strap is fed through bars behind baby then attached in front. This not only keeps baby in the seat, it also supports baby against toppling as the cart turns.
Coming soon: a waist belt that can be bought separately, will attach to the pouch and will place more of baby's weight on the parent's hips.
