LÍLLÉbaby Complete Airflow Ergonomic 6-in-1 Baby Carrier Infant to Toddler with Lumbar Support (7-45 Pounds), 360 Degree Baby Wearing, Inward and Outward Facing (Silver)

I have tried multiple baby carriers/wraps and like most of them for different reasons. Although it is impossible to avoid body heat while wearing baby, I have been looking for a breathable carrier that might be more comfortable in warm weather. There are a couple of carriers with mesh panels to keep baby cool (Lillebaby Airflow and Ergo Performance, for example) but for the most versatility I wanted one that had a zip-open mesh panel to allow for opening or closing the panel depending on the weather. There are only 2 such carriers (that I know of)… the Pognae and the Lillebaby All Seasons. I could not find any direct comparison of the two when I was deciding which to buy, but since I ended up trying both I thought I should spell out the differences between them for anyone else making the same choice.1. COST: Pognae costs ~$90-100 (depending on design) vs. ~$140 for the comparable Lillebaby All Seasons. Win: Pognae.2. MAIN MATERIAL: Both carriers are 100% cotton. The Pognae material is not as soft (feels more like starchy cotton canvas) while the Lillebaby material is softer. The Lillebaby material is a lint magnet though. Win: slight preference to Lillebaby.3. MESH PANEL: The Pognae mesh panel is made of a nice, soft mesh in a single layer. This allows for great airflow when open, and also allows me to rub my baby’s back through it when he gets fussy. The Lillebaby mesh is a bit rougher and the zip-open panel has a double layer of mesh, which is not quite as breathable as the Pognae. Win: Pognae.4. HEAD SUPPORT: In the Pognae, my 3.5-month old’s head barely came above the top of the carrier (about 1-2 inches) giving him good head support but not much ability to look around. In the Lillebaby, the top of the carrier comes to the nape of his neck giving just a bit of head support and allowing him to look around easily. Both carriers also come with supplemental head support: the Pognae comes with a head-support panel that is a separate piece that velcros onto the shoulder straps and adds another ~2 inches of head support. There is no way to store it on the carrier when not in use. The Lillebaby has an additional ~4 inches of head support that folds down and snaps in place when not in use. With this panel elevated, it gives great head support. It also has cinching cords on both sides if you want to bring the head support in around baby’s head while sleeping, for example. Win: Lillebaby.5. SUN HOOD: Both carriers have similar sun hoods which extend from the carrier over the baby’s head and buckle to the shoulder straps. The Pognae has a small pocket that stores/conceals the sun hood when not in use. On the Lillebaby, the sun hood can be rolled up and stored under the flap of the head support when it is folded down. Unfortunately this means the head support must be up in order to use the sun hood; and when the head support is “up” and the sun hood is NOT in use, it is no longer concealed and the roll kind of hangs on the outside of the carrier. On the Lillebaby the sun hood is removable, so if not used often it can be detached and you can avoid having to deal with it. Win: Pognae.6. SEAT: Both carriers have wide seats that support baby knee-to-knee. The Lillebaby also has a “narrow” seat option for smaller babies. In the Pognae, my 3.5-month old seemed comfortable enough, but his legs were definitely spread very widely. In the Lillebaby, the narrow option is wide enough to keep his knees in the “M” position without him doing the splits, and when he gets a little bigger we can go back to the wide seat. Win: Lillebaby.7. STORAGE: The Lillebaby has one cargo pocket on the front, which is only accessible if the zip-down flap is closed (i.e. in the “cool-weather” position). The Pognae does not have any cargo pockets. Win: Lillebaby.8. VERSATILITY: The Lillebaby advertises 6 possible carrying positions (front-carry small baby/larger baby/toddler, outward-facing, hip carry, back carry). It can support a newborn without an extra insert and comes with a little newborn strap for extra support if needed (can be removed if not needed). It has stirrups that can be purchased separately for back-carrying a toddler, if desired. The Pognae does not have outward-facing or hip carry options (which you may or may not want). It can support babies starting at 12 lbs but requires an insert for newborns. Win: Lillebaby.9. HIP STRAP: Both have similar hip straps with elastic bands for extra buckle security. The Lillebaby comes with a lumbar support pad, which I guess is nice if the strap is across your lower back. Since I carry the hip strap low across my hips for comfort, the lumbar pad doesn't really do anything for me. Still, nice to have. Win: slight preference to Lillebaby.10. SHOULDER STRAPS: The design of the shoulder straps is similar, but there are a couple of key differences. The Lillebaby straps can detach and be crossed, giving the option for parallel or crossed-strap positions in front-carry positions. I haven’t tried the crossed straps yet but know this is much more comfortable for many people. The Lillebaby straps are also longer, which is the KEY difference between them that ultimately led me to choose the Lillebaby. At 5’9” the Pognae straps were just too short on me. When carrying baby on my front, the straps came up over my shoulders and ended just behind my shoulders, leaving the adjustment buckles just below my armpits and making me roll my shoulders forward to avoid extra pressure on my arms. After carrying it for a while, I just felt a lot of discomfort in my upper back. I had seen conflicting reviews on the size of this carrier from other reviewers, but had given it a shot after reading that some people >6ft tall had worn it successfully. Unfortunately, it did not work for my frame. Win (for my frame): Lillebaby.In the end, I returned the Pognae and ordered the Lillebaby All Seasons. The deciding factor was simply my own comfort wearing the Lillebaby on my tall frame. I could definitely see someone more petite being happier with the Pognae, however, and in the end there are still some features of each that I wish I could combine into the “perfect” carrier.

My son is 30lbs and only 15 months old so we needed a carrier that would carry him for travel and this is perfect. He can face forward or backwards and it’s breathable. It also has great back and should support.

Lets start by saying that my husband and I love love love this baby carrier. We've spent a lot of effort and time to find one that's 1) comfortable for our baby 2) easy to use 3) versatility 4) long term good investment. We brought our 5 month old baby with us to Baby R Us to try out all the carriers in person before ordering one... we were there for 3 hours! This review will only focus on LILLEbaby, BOBA 4G, and ERGO 360...basically our top three contenders. Please note that I didn't try to breast feed while trying these on so I cannot comment in that aspect.BOBA 4G ($125):Pros:-Very easy to use. I can get baby in and out quickly. Only requires two clicks. 1st clip is located midline low back and 2nd clip is located between shoulder blades. Since the 1st click is located midline lower back, it feels like the support is more evenly distributed. Also, I think this would help if you plan on using it during pregnancy.-Our baby seemed to enjoy it. She didn't fuss at all when we tried this one. Walked around in it for ~10 mins and she fell asleep.-$125 seemed like a good investment considering that you can use this till baby is ~45 lbs-Pocket located in front, on the belt. Enough space for phone/credit cards...-Two small shoulder straps that can be used for keys/purse-Infant insert included in price.-Hood can be detached-Padded shoulder strapsCons:-Limited versatility. Only acts as front and back carrier. Baby cannot be frontal facing out (which is our baby's favorite position)-Can get really warm. I guess this is a good thing if you live in a cold place. We only see ourselves using this during the summer or inside therefore this is a huge negative for us.ERGO 360 ($159):ERGO 360 is highly rated by a lot of people and I am sure it works wonders for them. My review on the ERGO 360 is based on our baby and our experience with it. I still recommend trying it on in person. You might have a different experience than us.Pros:-Versatility for sure. You can wear baby in 4 different positions (front facing out, front facing in, hip, and back)-Baby can wear till ~33 lbs-Has a hood. Not sure if it's detachable. We didn't try to take it off.-Padded shoulder strapCons:-Baby hated it. We tried it on 4x and she cried all 4x. Again, this is OUR baby so I cannot say that it's uncomfortable for all babies...-Difficult to put on/take off. It seemed like forever trying to get her in and take her out of this carrier. Perhaps it seemed much longer since our baby was crying? Again, this is subjective.-The giant belt is velcro. It was really loud to take it off. Huge turn off since it can definitely scare my baby.-No baby insert. You need to purchase it separately.-It's pricey compared to others.-This one also can get really warm.LILLEbaby Airflow ($125):Pros:-Versatility. Up to 6 different positions.-Mesh fabric so a lot of air flow. This is important since it will not get as warm/hot compared to others.-No need to buy baby insert-2 front pockets. one for the hood and the second one is big enough for phone, doggy bags, credit cards..-padded shoulder straps-very easy to put on and get off. two clicks like the Boba 4G. First clip is on the side and second clip is on the upper back between shoulder blades. I don't mind the side clip but I am not sure if it would be comfortable for pregnant or really skinny people since it sits pretty close to the hip bone. the second clip had a mini pad underneath to prevent it from digging into your back from prolonged use.-Our baby loves loves loves it.-It has a lumbar support pad that can be detached.-Can be used till ~45 lbsCons:-Doesn't have straps for purse/keys.I mean...if BOBA 4G mated with ERGO 360..LILLEbaby would be their ideal child...only carrying their best genes!!! Seriously though, I highly recommend taking the time and bringing your baby to the store to try out the carriers. Who knows, you baby might be completely crazy happy with a $20 carrier and a complete disaster with a $100+ carrier.