I see many people asking when to move up to toddler size, or saying "my baby is big, should I just get toddler size now? The short answer is usually no, stick with baby size as it will last till your child is roughly 2.
Many people think getting the toddler size early will save them in the long run. It may save money, but it will effect comfort and support for your child.
You can see in the pictures, I have compare the Integra baby and the Tula carriers. My wee man is 18m old and still fits perfectly in the baby size of all carriers. For the Integra, the panel is right up to his shoulders, and the base supports just about knee to knee.
Knee to knee support isn't needed once your child starts walking, around the age of one. The hip sockets will have deepened and this will continue to develop with walking.
( If your child has any physical issues then supporting knee to knee will still be needed. Please get in touch if you need any support)
In the toddler size, the panel is very high, this restricts his view, and he will struggle to get his arms out. Most children this age enjoy getting an arm or two out to wave, point and pull your hair! If he was to push and struggle to get his arms out, it would push and be uncomfortable under his arms. The base is wide and pushing his legs out slightly, he can't freely bend and move his legs. If carried for a longer time, this would rub and be sore at the back of his legs.
For the Tula, I'm using the free to grow on the biggest setting, this makes it a standard size. You can see again how the panel fully supports to the back of his neck and legs are still supported in the M position. Same issues with the toddler size, although the base is slightly wider and the fabric is bunching.
All carriers have a weight limit, but it almost always depends more on the overall size of the child whether they fit a carrier.
So how do I know when to get the bigger size? 🔵The panel height supports to the shoulder blades and no higher, this is a safety risk if your child was to lean back, so time to adjust the carrier or move up. 🔵The base hardly supports your child's thighs and has become uncomfortable. If your child's legs are no longer supported in the M position and they hang down, time to move up. 🔵Comfort for you and your child, if carrying if no longer comfortable and you don't feel it supports your wee one, then time to get a fit check or move up.
You do not need to have all three issues to need to move up. Every child is different and they will also let you know if they are uncomfortable in any way.
If you are unsure then get in touch, you can also pop in the studio to try out a toddler carrier for size.
When did you move to a bigger carrier?
Laurna x