Is Tushbaby Worth the Hype? My Honest Thoughts

Parenting is a beautiful journey filled with countless precious moments. However, it’s no secret that it can also be physically demanding, especially when you have a little one who still craves being carried around despite their growing independence. This is where innovative products like the TushBaby Hip Carrier come into play, offering a solution that caters to the needs of both parent and child.

Who Tushbaby is Meant For: Busy Toddlers Who Still Want to be Held

The TushBaby Hip Carrier is designed with busy toddlers in mind – those little explorers who may not be able to walk long distances yet or who simply prefer the comfort and security of being held by a caregiver.

Unlike traditional baby carriers or backpack carriers, the TushBaby allows parents to carry their child on their hip with ease, providing support and freedom of movement for both parties.

It works well for:

• When you’re at home and your toddler wants ‘up’ but 5 minutes later wants ‘down,’
• When you’re at an event or a farmer’s market and doing some walking but your toddler can’t do it all.
• In social situations where your toddler may want to be comforted momentarily then put back down to play.
• When your toddler is getting over the stroller but carrying them over long distances is an arm killer.

Based on whatever your toddler is like I’m sure you can come up with plenty more applications!

While there are several brands of hip carrier out there, Tushbaby seems to have cornered the market with their unique designs and all of the extra pockets.

The waistband is thick, with velcro all along it, which makes it quick and easy to put on and doesn’t involve any changing or adjusting between caregivers. There are several pockets as well, with two front pockets and one side pocket. This way, you can use it as a purse as well as a carrier.

TushBaby Colors, Features, and Pricing

Why bother if it isn’t available in a bunch of fun patterns and colors?! (or is that just my MO?).

Tushbaby has a nice range of patterns, colors, and materials, with your classic black or grey canvas or quilted vegan leather, pink velvet, tweed, and even metallic finishes. They’re getting new styles in all the time (and retiring old ones).

The Canvas carriers (like mine) start at $85, but with the BEMYTRAVELMUSE code you can get 15% off for a total of $72.25, or a starting price of $98 for vegan leather, $115 for velvet, and $130 for tweed. When you consider the price of an Ergobaby or Artipoppe carrier, it’s a lot cheaper but offers some of the same style and personalization.

(use BEMYTRAVELMUSE for 15% off!)

Is Everyone’s Excitement Over TushBaby Warranted?

Since its inception, TushBaby has garnered significant attention and excitement on the internet, and it’s easy to see why – convenience, comfort, and practicality are major selling points.

For most of my mom friends, the TushBaby Hip Carrier has become an indispensable parenting tool. Its ability to alleviate strain on the arms and back while providing a comfortable perch for their toddlers allows them to multitask with ease while keeping their child close and content.

Even last weekend while I was visiting a friend, my toddler wanted ‘up,’ and it was starting to put strain on my arms since I’d been holding him for much of the visit. She busted out a Tushbaby like it was the clear and obvious solution, and our other friend sang its praises as well.

But here’s the thing – their kids aren’t the size of mine.

Personal Experience: Why I Didn’t Love It

I’ll preface this by saying that I seem to be the only mom on planet Earth (or at least in my circle) who doesn’t absolutely adore the Tushbaby, which is why I still reviewed it here taking their opinions into account. I’ll concede that at first, I wasn’t wearing it high enough (which you can see in the photos above on our safari trip with my one year old). It should be more under the ribs and less right on the hips.

But as the parent of a heavier (97th percentile height and weight) toddler, I still found the carrier to be clunkier and less comfortable than traditional baby carriers that distribute the weight more between the back and shoulders. With the Tushbaby, even wearing it higher up as intended, I still felt like I was feeling a lot of strain on my back. It may just be the way I’m built (very long torso!) or maybe I’m still doing something wrong, but it’s just not the carrier for me.

That said, my son still loves the Artipoppe carrier. I know plenty of kids his age are over it by the time they’re 20+ months, but it’s still his happy place. I find the weight distribution better, and it folds down much smaller, so for us, it’s the more convenient travel carrier.

That said, you have a 30 day return window, so it’s not a big deal to give it a try and see if it’s the game changer for you that it is for other parents.

While it may not be the perfect fit for everyone, its impact on the parenting landscape is undeniable, offering a solution that brings comfort, convenience, and closeness while alowing (most) parents to get way more done with a free hand.

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