I Tested the Tush Baby Carrier with My 23-Pound Baby and My Back Is all the Better for It

I had prepared myself for most milestones with my baby. But when the “I’d rather push the stroller than ride in it” milestone came, it came fast and it came furious. We couldn’t go anywhere without the BOTH of us pushing the stroller for a majority of the ride. My back hurt, my neck hurt and I finally learned what a rotator cuff was because I pulled mine. Cue: Tush Baby. I had heard about Tush Baby while cruising the “Big Baby” sub-Reddit thread for baby carrier suggestions, and it seemed unanimous that Tush Baby was the way to go. So, me and my 23-pound baby put it to the test.

Once it arrived, I was surprised by how small and compact the box was (simple and pretty packaging, too!). Out of the box, I was impressed—the fabric (ours is chambray) and materials are high quality and the entire thing is machine washable which, as a new mom, is make or break in my book. It’s easy to put on. You just snap it around your waist, a huge improvement from other baby carriers I’ve tried that take me quite literally 20 minutes (and a few YouTube videos) to figure out. But there’s no going around the fact that it’s…kinda bizarre looking. This is not your chic Soho mama cashmere baby carrier. This is basically the minivan of baby carriers. It ain’t pretty, but it gets the job done.

My son likes to be held while doing laundry, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning, dishes, grocery shopping, you name it. This has proved challenging. But he was curious as soon as I put the Tush Baby on, and my to-do list wasn’t getting shorter, so we took it for a spin. First stop? Laundry. I live in an apartment building, and we have to climb up a few stairs, go down an elevator and through three doors just to get to the laundry room. It’s a tedious journey especially with a 23-pound baby and a basket of clothes. But almost as soon he hopped aboard, I knew this was a gamechanger. I could feel the relief in my entire body. It also made it possible to engage him with my activities. This is a huge bonus for me because I want him to learn about the world around him by interacting with it and by having him right on my hip he can see everything that’s going on.

Do I feel like the cool mom I thought I’d be sporting a tiny seat resting on a big, thick fanny pack? Not really. But do I care? Nope! Will it help me meet mom friends at the playground? Hmm, not sure. But it’s definitely a conversation starter! It’s a light, easy-to-use product to keep in your stroller or backseat for when your baby feels like coming along for the ride. I say go for it and maybe we can be mom friends at the playground who wear tiny little seats on fanny packs together!