Baby K'Tan Baby Carrier Review

This is a wrap-style baby carrier made of stretchy cotton. It is made up of two fabric loops joined together by a smaller loop, which the manufacturer calls an adjustable back support band. There's also a separate sash piece used for some babywearing holds. The sash piece folds into a carrying bag for the rest of the wrap carrier.

The weight range for the Baby K'Tan carrier is 8 to 35 pounds. The instructions list kangaroo hold, hip carry, hug position, adventure position and explore position as possibilities with this baby carrier.

The Baby K'Tan carrier is machine washable and can go in the dryer, too. This is a sized carrier, and five different sizes are available. This carrier costs $55 to $65 on average.

It doesn't get much more comfortable than a stretchy cotton wrap when it comes to babywearing. The fabric of the Baby K'Tan is soft and breathable cotton, and it stretches just enough to be comfortable for baby without being too slouchy or baggy. I've tried all of the suitable babywearing holds with my 4-month-old son, and both of us have enjoyed all of them with this carrier. It's like being wrapped together in an extra-comfy t-shirt.

I really like that this baby carrier is easy to machine wash. It holds up really well in the wash, which is good since my son spits up frequently, and never seems to miss the baby carrier. The cotton is simple to dry, as well. The fabric looks nice but isn't fussy. You can choose from seven different colors, from basic black to a lovely shade of plum that I'm most fond of. You can also buy extra sash pieces for about $8 each, in any of the carrier colors or bold yellow. That allows you to switch up your carrier color when you feel like it. The Baby K'Tan Breeze, which adds some cool mesh to the cotton carrier, is also available in black or white.

Baby K'Tan gives the comfort of a traditional wrap carrier without the need to actually wrap very much. One problem I have with most wrap carriers is that the long tails hang on the ground when you're trying to put them on. In a wet or dirty parking lot, that's not cool! That's part of the beauty of Baby K'Tan, though. All you have to do it put the fabric loops over your shoulders, get baby situated, and tie on the sash if it's necessary for the way you want to carry your little one. You do need to start over from the beginning if you want to change the way your baby is sitting, but that's not unique to this carrier, and getting the carrier put on properly is fairly easy, so I don't consider this a huge drawback.

You can position your baby more upright without difficulty, something that can be hard to do with newborns in sling-type carriers. For babywearing to be safe, baby's head needs to be up out of the carrier, not nestled down inside where fabric or scrunched position could compromise breathing. It's easy to use the loops to get baby into a safe, supported position with this carrier, even with a floppy newborn.

Since this carrier doesn't have the long tails of the traditional wrap, it also takes up much less space in a diaper bag. It folds down about like an unpadded sling does for storage. It's nice that the sash piece converts into a little storage bag that you can toss in your diaper bag. This keeps all of the pieces together when you need them.

The width of the fabric loops allows you to spread the fabric out to give baby a wide seat, and to distribute weight more evenly over your shoulders. Even when I don't spread the fabric out on my shoulders, though, I still find this carrier very comfortable since the fabric is so soft and stretchy. The small adjustable loop on the back can be pulled down to add support where you want it.

Because it's a sized baby carrier, Baby K'Tan is less adjustable than some other types. It is less adjustable than a traditional wrap carrier. You have to choose a size based on your dress size or a men's suit jacket size. The sizing was accurate for me based on my dress size and their chart, but I've heard some complaints that this carrier runs small for other parents. I don't like that the sizing means I need to buy another carrier if my husband wants to use it. Parents of different sizes won't be able to share this carrier easily. The advantage there goes to the traditional wrap carrier.

Although the manufacturer says you can use this baby carrier for babies up to 35 pounds, you may find that you want something with more support once your baby is over 20 pounds. Stretchy wraps tend to be better for smaller babies. It can feel awkward to carry a heavier baby in this kind of cotton, so many parents move to a woven fabric as baby grows. Over time you may also find that the carrier loosens up, so it may not be as snug as it once was, even for a smaller baby.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.