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In a nutshell

A comfortable and attractive carrier with easily adjustable harness and a range of positions suitable from birth to 12kg

What we tested

  • Comfort for baby
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Comfort for you
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Ease of use
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Design
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Sturdiness
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Pros

  • Versatile, easy-to-wear, padded straps, good back support

Cons

  • Difficult to put on in the back position

If you’re after a baby carrier to take you from birth to six months, the Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier should tick all your boxes. Comfortable? Yes. Easy? Yes. Attractive? Yes.

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Since several baby carriers have required me to engage in intensive training sessions with a teddy bear before daring to try them with my baby, I was amazed to find this best seller from Bruin, Babies R US own brand, is truly idiot-proof.

The big sell of the Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier, apart from it being easy peasy to use, is the cushioned lumbar support that spreads the weight across your back, and the extra head support for newborns.

What we love

The Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier’s chocolate and cream colourway is a fast track to yummy-mumminess – I found that it goes with everything, and gets lots of comments too.

Compared to the long straps of another brand I’ve tried, I found this carrier’s click-fit buckles incredibly easy to use. Ari always seemed very comfy and secure and she particularly liked the outward-facing position.

The soft fabric is cosy when they’re newborn and it’s nice to have the fleece-lined snuggle wrap to go round them on chilly days. The two enclosed dribble bibs are a nice touch if you can be bothered with that kind of thing. If you’re like me and you can’t be bothered and you want to wash off the drool, the carrier is washable on a cold cycle.

What to watch out for

Getting Ari into the Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier in the back position was difficult and I always needed another person. Once she started to be more independent it became even more of a mission because unlike sturdy purpose-built backpack carriers, I couldn’t stand it up securely while I loaded in a wriggling reluctant little person.

Time flies…and whatever your baby’s weight, this carrier won’t last you much longer than six or seven months. Because it’s so easy to use it’s tempting to try and keep it going a bit too long. Although the Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier is able to take a baby up to 12kg I think that once a baby is sitting up and has good head control it’s time to switch to a backpack carrier.

Who is Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier best for?

Mums of young babies who just want to snap on a carrier and go.

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MadeForMums verdict

The Bruin I Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier is a good all-rounder with everything you need from a carrier. It looks good, offers comfort for you and you baby and has easy to use click-fit buckles. You might need an extra set of hands to help you use it in the back carrier mode though.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandBruin
ModelI Love My Bear 4 Way Advanced Carrier
Price£39.99
Suitable for
Child age (approx)Birth to 12 months
Child weight3.5kg to 12kg
Features
Washing instructionsMachine washable
FasteningClick fit
Number of carrying positions4
Features
  • Adjustable shoulder straps
  • Removable head support cushion
  • Zip-up pocket for carrier
  • Lumbar support
  • Padded supports and leg cushions for baby's comfort
Accessories
Head huggerYes
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