Lillebaby All Seasons Carrier Review

Welcome to my love letter to the Lillebaby All Seasons carrier. This is not a comparison post because I have not personally used the other popular structured carriers. This is just my love for the carrier I chose.

One Gear to Rule Them All

Before I start talking about the Lillebaby, I need to express my belief that if there is only one piece of baby gear to purchase for your traveling baby, it should be a carrier! The baby carrier is the most crucial piece of equipment you can own. It allows for hands-free exploration, the ability to go places no stroller can go, unparalleled napping-on-the-go capabilities (see my post about travel and sleep), and it is the absolute easiest way to get a baby or toddler through an airport.

Babies love being held close to their caretakers. Hearing our heartbeat and feeling our warmth is soothing. Having a baby in a carrier is a great way to keep them calm, especially in new and stimulating environments. Plus, once a child is ready to forward face, keeping them in the carrier allows them to explore the environment at an adult level which can be more comfortable and exciting than staring at everyone’s legs at stroller level.

If you are one of those people who think a carrier is uncomfortable, I recommend making sure you have a high-quality carrier with lumbar support (such as the Lillebaby) and that you are wearing it correctly. The most common reason for pain when baby carrying is wearing it too loosely. I promise to make a video about proper carrier placement and safety soon!  

Why I love the Lillebaby

Versatility

Beginning from birth (no insert required), you can wear this carrier six ways, which means it can grow with your child and your needs. Facing in, facing out, nap-time head support, and back carry, the Lillebaby can do it all. I bought this carrier when I was pregnant and used it constantly until COVID hit when my daughter was just shy of two years old. Since we didn’t leave the house for the year after that, I never actually used the toddler/hip carry option because we had nowhere to go, but I am thoroughly confident that if that little life hiccup had not happened, I would have used the heck out of that hip carry.

Breathability

Keeping track of your baby’s temperature is extremely important when baby-wearing, especially for very young babies who cannot let you know they are overheating. The Lillebaby All Seasons provides a zip-down mesh panel allowing for extra airflow in hotter climates. Lillebaby also makes an Airflow carrier made of only mesh for hot-weather-specific climates. However, I prefer the versatility of the all-seasons because I live in a very hot environment but often travel to colder ones.

Comfort

The large bucket seat and hip stable design make this carrier highly comfortable for baby, and the wide adjustable shoulder straps, wide waistband, and lumbar support make it exceptionally comfortable for the wearer. As an added bonus, the shoulder straps are crossable, which helps the fit for more petit wearers. I have worn this carrier for full-day adventures (including hiking) on many occasions and have no complaints regarding comfort.

Durability

I purchased this carrier in 2018 and used it constantly for two years. I have washed it, drug it through the mud, run it over with a stroller (oops), left it in the exceptional heat of my car in the desert sun, lent it to friends, and it is still in perfect condition. All fasteners, fabric, and zips are heavy-duty, and even the snaps on the removable infant/sleep head support have stood up to time.

What I don’t like

Of course, no product can be perfect, and I would be doing a disservice not to point out the one thing I don’t like about this carrier: the method of transitioning between outward and inward-facing. To make the transition, you have to remove the lumbar support to change the inner configuration and then feed the waistband back through the lumbar support pad. As annoying as this is, I can see that it is probably for the best. I know other carriers utilize buttons to change the seat width, and this configuration seems a bit more sturdy to me. All-in-all, it is not that big of a deal to change the configuration. It just means you need to find a safe space to place your child or have somebody else nearby to hold them while you do it.

Final Takeaway

If you cannot tell already, I love my Lillebaby all seasons. This was a baby gear choice I was 100% happy with and have absolutely no qualms recommending it to others!