1. What size of baby will the babyTrekker fit?

A. The babyTrekker will fit infants from 8 to 40 lbs, or approximately newborn to 3 years old.

2 .What colours are the babyTrekker available in?

A. The babyTrekker is available in navy blue, sand, and hunter green.

3. What positions can you wear the babyTrekker in, and at what ages?

A. The baby can be worn on the front facing inward from birth up to 40 lbs. The baby may face outward around 3 months, or when they have good muscle tone in the neck and back. This is also an age when the backpack position may be started, and the baby may face in or out, depending on preference. Some babies prefer facing out on the back.
The nursing position may be started as soon as your baby is nursing well.

4. The waistband buckle is against my body……..was it sewn on incorrectly?

A. No. You need to place the waistband against you so that the buckle is on the outside, and the carrier is hanging straight down from the bottom of the waistband. The only thing between you and the baby is the waistband. This ensures that in the unlikely event of the buckle coming undone, the baby’s body would hold the carrier on while you did the buckle back up.

5. Can I wash my babyTrekker?

A. Yes. Wash in cold or warm water, with one cup of vinegar or ½ cup of salt for the first wash. Dry on warm for 15 minutes, and then hang overnight. If the cotton is dry in the morning, but the foam is still damp, you may dry it in the dryer until it’s completely dry. This method preserves the colour and the longevity of the carrier. You may iron the pocket and and straps if you wish.

6. Is the foam and the cotton safe for my baby?

A. Yes, the foam has not been treated with fire retardant materials, so it is safe for your baby. The dye on the cotton is vegetable dye, with no preservatives.

7. I have heard from various sources that upright carriers are not good for newborns. Does the babyTrekker affect my baby’s spine and hip development?

A. The following is a quote from Dr. Klausdieter Parsch, a Pediatric Orthopedic surgeon, from Germany. Dr. Parsch affirms that a carrier like the babyTrekker will not harm your baby’s spine, neck, or hips.

“Precondition for the use of a baby carrier is first and foremost the physiological positioning of the spine, the hip joints and the legs. Especially for the new born baby and small child with undeveloped muscular tone this means the provision of a so called “human position.” That is, a flexion of 90 degrees and an abduction of 45 degrees. This facilitates the maturation of the hip joints. The physiological position for legs provides, in this early phase of development, a simple prophylaxis against secondary dysplasia of the child’s hip joint. Baby carriers can be recommended if the “human positioning” of legs can be guaranteed in the first three months of life. The spine in a small child must be protected in a similar way. The support of the back in a sitting position must be guaranteed. As the muscle tone in a child becomes co-ordinated within three months, the positioning of legs in a carrier in this older age group is secondary and will not have an impact on the further development of the hip joint.”

In plain English, the babyTrekker provides the correct seating and hip angle for the “human position” as needed for hip and spinal development in the infant and toddler.

8. The carrier comes up high in front of my baby, when he is faced out. What can I do?

A. First, make sure that you are wearing the babyTrekker correctly. The waistband should be around your waist, not your hips. Men with longer torsos may need to put the waistband about 6” above their belly button. You may also consider the roll down position, as on page six of the manual.

9. How do I know my baby is safe when wearing the babyTrekker?

A. When the baby is under 3 months, or 16 lbs, the safety straps of the carrier must be used. This prevents baby from slipping out the leg hole. If the carrier is fastened securely, with the straps tight enough to hold baby close and high, then baby cannot come out of the carrier. The babyTrekker provides head and neck support for growing babies.

10. How do I know if I need a regular or large babyTrekker?

A. You need a regular babyTrekker if you are 6'5" in height or less, and have a waist span of less than 45". You may wear the large if you are either taller or larger. The large size BabyTrekker fits adults up to a 60" waist and 6''7" in height.

11.What are the short term and long term benefits of wearing my baby?

A. Studies have shown that wearing your baby in a carrier reduces infant crying significantly. Babies in developing countries who are carried continuously cry for minutes a day, compared to western babies who may cry for hours every day. For babies just born, the transition to the world can be traumatic. They move from a warm, quiet, environment where food is available 24 hours a day and a steady heartbeat provides a soothing background, to a noisy world with too much stimulation. Some may experience physical deprivation from being carried in hard plastic buckets, or left lying alone much of the time. Being away from mother goes against a baby’s natural mammal instincts for preservation that have been developed over thousands of years.
A baby carrier provides the warmth of your presence, and the comfort of
instant food. Emotionally, babies who are carried learn that the world is a place where their needs are met, and so they are free to be interested in learning about their world. They develop confidence and self worth. Physically they strengthen the muscles in their necks, backs and hips as they are carried.
Parents also benefit from wearing their babies. Because our babies don’t come with individual instruction manuals, we need to listen to and learn from them. When we wear our babies every day, we as mothers and fathers become attuned to our baby’s needs and can anticipate them and prevent needless crying. The bond that develops between parent and infant increases our confidence as parents, and will continue to help our parenting throughout our children’s developing years.
The benefit of the babyTrekker over other baby carriers is that it provides maximum comfort for long periods of time, while offering a variety of positions. You may clean the house, cook dinner, or rake the lawn while being close to your baby. As you move from chore to chore, your baby sees the world from a safe, secure perspective. The other children in the family also benefit, because your hands are free to tend to their needs.

12. What if I have trouble wearing one of the positions?

A. Our staff is here to help, via telephone (1-800-665-3957) or email judy@babytrekker.com. If office hours are over when you contact us, we will call or email you back the very next day. This support is also offered if you purchased your carrier second hand.