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Soft Structured Baby Carriers

Suitable from birth:

• Pikkolo Baby Carrier
• Beco Gemini Baby Carrier
• Connecta Integra Baby Carrier
• Wilkinet Baby Carrier
• Catbird Baby Mei Tai

For older babies and toddlers:

• Patapum Baby Carrier
• Patapum Toddler Carrier

For exact age recommendations please see the product details for each carrier.

All our prices include first class P&P within the UK!

What is a Soft Structured Carrier?

Soft structured carriers are more conventional looking than ring slings and wraparound carriers. They have an approximately rectangular section which holds your baby securely against your body and straps to attach the carrier to you. Some tie on and some fasten with clips. They are generally easy to use and distribute the weight of your baby evenly, much like a rucksack or backpack.

Pikkolo Baby Carrier

Age range: newborn to toddler
Weight range: birth to 40lb (18kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, upright facing out, hip, back

The pikkolo is a unique blend of mei tai and soft structured baby carrier. It has an unpadded waist like a mei tai but features side-release buckles instead of fabric ties. Some of its great features include:

Pikkolo Accessories

There is an optional Pikkolo Babywearing Support Belt available which increases your comfort when carrying heavier babies and toddlers in the Pikkolo Baby Carrier.

Pikkolo Baby Carrier Fabric Information

The Pikkolo is brushed 100% cotton canvas (excluding trim) and can be machine washed if necessary.

The Pikkolo is currently available in the following fabric choices:

metro black	cafe au lait	whitney
pascale	apriana	leaf

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Beco Gemini Baby Carrier

Age range: newborn to toddler
Weight range: birth to 35lb (16kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, upright facing out, hip, back

The Beco is another fabulous soft structured carrier from the US. Famed for their beautiful fabrics the Beco Carriers are also one of the best and most versatile baby carriers around. The Beco Gemini is a 4-in-1 carrier that adapts perfectly to the changing needs of you and your baby as they grow. Some of its great features include:

The Beco Gemini features a supportive waistband and wide padded shoulder straps that can be worn backpack style or crossed on your back in a front carrying position for better weight distribution.

The padded headrest can flip up for neck and head support (for a sleeping baby for example) or can be cuffed down and fastened with snaps. If your baby likes to face out, the headrest also serves as a padded spot for their head or chin to rest against.

The seat width can be adjusted to make it narrower for newborns, or for older babies in a facing out position if you prefer.

The Beco Gemini Baby Carrier is not only a versatile and practical carrier, it also looks great and comes in some gorgeous fabrics as well as plain black.

View close up image of the Beco Gemini and its features

Beco Baby Carrier Fabric Information

The Beco is brushed 100% cotton canvas and can be machine washed if necessary.

The Beco is currently available in the following fabric choices. Click on the swatch photo for a larger image.

Metro Black

Espresso

Serenity

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Connecta Integra Baby Carrier

Age range: newborn to toddler
Weight range: birth to 35lb (16kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, back

The Connecta Integra Baby Carrier is a UK designed, soft structured baby carrier. It is very versatile yet simple to use. The softness of the Connecta fabric makes this a great choice for a newborn yet it will last as it adapts well to carrying older babies and toddlers too.

• Suitable from 3.5kg-16kg – birth to toddler
• Wear on the front or back
• An integral sleep hood gives provides support for a sleeping baby
• Based on traditional chinese ‘mei tai’ but fastens with buckles for ease
• Wide base supports anatomically correct position for baby and optimum comfort for wearer
• Wide well padded shoulder straps
• Quick and easy to use
• Distinctive and innovative fabrics and designs for a contemporary look
• Wide 50mm webbing used throughout for comfortable front carries as well as back
• High quality low profile contoured nylon buckles with dual adjustable waist
• Accessory strap included that can be used as a chest strap, to narrow the body of the carrier to use with a younger baby, and to hold the carrier together when folded
• Uniquely shaped and contoured body
• Body can be rolled at the bottom to shorten if necessary
• Fits up to a UK ladies size 22 approx
• Conforms to BS EN 13209-2:2005

The Connecta Integra features a integrated sleeping hood that is a seamless addition to the top of the carrier. It also has the clever ability to tuck right away inside the carrier as shown below, which also creates a handy pocket for soft small items when the hood is not in use. You simply separate the front and back layers of the carrier and tuck the hood away inside.

View an image of the Connecta Integra with the hood pulled out
View images demonstrating how the hood tucks away when not in use

Connecta Integra Fabric Information

All Connecta Integras are constructed with two full layers of 100% cotton drill fabric in the body with an extra layer of light padding for softness and support. The padding is 100% polyester.
The Connecta Integra Baby Carrier is machine washable.

Connecta Baby Carrier Accessories

There is an optional Connecta Lumbar Support Belt available which increases your comfort when carrying heavier babies and toddlers in the Connecta Integra Baby Carrier.

Black	Ironwork	Disco Dots
Carnival	Birds of Norway

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Wilkinet Baby Carrier

Age range: newborn (or prem baby) to 18 months
Weight range: birth to 26lb (12kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, upright facing out, back

The Wilkinet Baby Carrier is a well-padded fabric carrier with a unique wraparound method of tying. The Wilkinet provides excellent support for both mother and baby and can be used for carrying 5lb newborn babies up to heavy toddlers, although many parents find it is most useful during the first year. Our son virtually lived in the Wilkinet Baby Carrier for the first few weeks of his life as hated to be put down. I don’t know what we would have done without it, or how we would have eaten!

The Wilkinet Baby Carrier has been around for over 25 years. They are manufactured in the UK and the quality is fantastic. Many families use their Wilkinet for several babies, and then pass it on to friends who do the same.

The Wilkinet Baby Carrier is not the quickest of carriers to put on but the instructions are easy to follow. Once on, it provides a very secure and totally hands-free carry.

Wilkinet Baby Carrier Sizing

We stock the standard size Wilkinet which is suitable for most people.
Extra long straps are also available, please contact us if you want the larger size.

Wilkinet Baby Carrier Fabric Information

The Wilkinet is 100% cotton twill and is machine washable. It is available in a choice of 3 colours: Navy, Black and Red.

Wilkinet Baby Carrier Accessories

Also available to buy at Little Possums is the useful Wilkinet Showerproof Cape. This fits over the baby carrier to keep your baby dry in wet weather.

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Catbird Baby Mei Tai

Age range: birth to toddler
Weight range: birth to 35lb (16kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in (newborn with feet tucked in), front facing out, hip, back

The Catbird Baby Mei Tai is a really beautiful but practical tie on baby carrier based on a traditional Asian design. This mei-tai is suitable to be used from birth, although a newborn will usually need to have their feet tucked in rather than outside the carrier. The Catbird Baby Mei-Tai may be used for carrying on your front, back or hip. For more information on the carrying positions please see the manufacturer's website. It's a lovely versatile carrier and is lightweight and compact.

The body of the Catbird Baby Mei Tai is generously sized so it gives good support even with bigger babies and toddlers. The body of the carrier is unpadded so it is compact and cool to wear in warmer weather. The Catbird Baby Mei Tai has a straight top edge with a sleep hood that can be used to give head support for a sleeping baby. The sleep hood can be tucked inside the body of the carrier when not in use.

This is a lovely comfortable carrier which gives excellent weight distribution, even with heavy babies and toddlers.

Catbird Baby Mei-Tai sizing

The Catbird Baby Mei-tai is a one-size fits all carrier. The straps are long enough to fit most people so this is a good carrier if you and your partner are quite different sizes.

Catbird Baby Mei-Tai Fabric Information

The Catbird Baby Mei tai is 100% brushed cotton with light padding in the shoulder straps The padding is 87% cotton, 13% polypropylene. The brushed cotton is lovely and soft while still being very sturdy.

The carrier is made of plain coloured brushed cotton with a contrasting patterned panel. This can be worn on the inside if you just want the plain fabric showing but is normally worn on the outside.

This carrier is currently available in the fabrics shown below.

Cho Cho Blossom	Mocca Rouge	Astrid
Whitney

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Patapum Baby Carrier

Age range: 5 months approx to toddler
Weight range: up to 40lb (18kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, back

The Patapum Baby Carrier is a comfortable and very affordable lightweight pack-style carrier. The Patapum has a wide waistband and rucksack style straps with a chest strap to stop the shoulder straps from slipping. Ideal for carrying heavy toddlers, the weight of the child is felt mainly on your hips so you can carry them for long periods in comfort.

Your baby is held with their legs wide apart with their back well supported. This is the optimal position for healthy growth of the pelvis and spine. It is suitable for babies from around the age of 5 months up to 40lb. The manufacturer recommends up to 18 months but it is perfectly possible and safe to use this carrier for longer (2-3 years depending on the size and weight of your child).

The fabric is durable 100% cotton, apart from a soft polyester jersey which is used on the inside of the waist and shoulder straps for extra comfort. There is no padding in the body of the carrier so it is cool for you and your baby and packs up small for travelling.

The Patapum Baby Carrier is machine washable if necessary although generally we recommend spot cleaning rather than regular machine washing. The design is simple and and is very unisex so this carrier often appeals to the fathers!

The latest version of the Patapum Baby Carrier comes with a detachable sleep hood made of soft cotton mesh, which snaps onto the body of the carrier and can be used to support the head of a sleeping child. The sleep hood can be rolled up and tucked through two elastic loops when not in use.

Another handy new feature of the latest version of the Patapum Baby Carrier is that the carrier can be rolled up and secured to the waist band with a row of poppers, so it can be worn around your waist a bit like a bum bag when not in use. This is ideal if you are using it with an independent toddler who likes to do a fair bit of walking.

Patapum sizing

The Patapum Baby Carrier only comes in one size which will fit most people as the waist and shoulder straps are very adjustable. The waist strap is now fully adjustable to fit a maxium waist of 55 inches, eliminating the need for an extension strap. If you are small waisted the straps can be rolled up and secured by an elastic loop so you won't have long ends hanging down.

Patapum Fabric Information

The main body of the carrier is 100% cotton, with polyester jersey on the inside of the waist and shoulder straps. The Patapum Baby Carrier is available in black, navy, khaki, red, indigo, sand and chocolate.

Patapum Accessories

The Waist Pouch is available to purchase on our Accessories page. This is a handy pouch which slides onto the belt of the carrier, an ideal size for a wallet, phone and keys.
We also recommend the Wilkinet Showerproof Cape as this works well with the Patapum, especially in the front carrying position.

Patapum Baby Carrier photo instructions

We've made some detailed photo instructions so you can see how easy this carrier is to use.
Instructions for the back carrying position
Instructions for the front carrying position

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Patapum Toddler Carrier

Age range: 18 months approx to 3 years
Weight range: up to 40lb or more (18kg approx)
Positions: upright facing in, back

The Patapum Toddler Carrier is a soft pack style carrier which is specifically designed for carrying heavy toddlers and older children. Suitable from around 18 months of age this carrier can be used up to a weight of 40lb or more.

The upper weight limit for this carrier should be determined by the comfort of the person wearing it. It is safety tested to over 60lb but most parents find that it isn't comfortable to carry a child who is much over 40lb for long periods of time.

Similar to the Patapum Baby Carrier this carrier has well padded straps and a wide waist belt to distribute the weight effectively. It is designed for use on the back and comes with a detachable cotton mesh sleep hood to support the head of a sleeping child. This can be rolled up and secured with two elastic loops when not in use.

The cut of this carrier is larger so an older and taller child will be well supported with the fabric coming high up their back. This is an ideal next step up for people who are finding their baby carrier no longer comes high enough for an older toddler to feel secure.

The method for getting this carrier on and off is very similar to that used for the Patapum Baby Carrier. Please refer to our instructions for the back carry in a soft structured carrier.

The shoulder straps are attached to the waist band rather than to the body of the carrier, this means that the weight is distributed onto your hips very effectively. There is an extra side strap going from the body of the carrier to the shoulder straps to keep your toddler centred in the carrier.

Patapum sizing

The Patapum Toddler Carrier comes in one size which will fit most people as the waist and shoulder straps are very adjustable. This new version has a fully adjustable waist up to 55 inches, for those with smaller waists the ends can be rolled up and secured with elastic loops.

Another handy new feature of the latest version of the Patapum Toddler Carrier is that the carrier can be rolled up and secured to the waist band with a row of poppers, so it can be worn around your waist a bit like a bum bag when not in use. This is ideal if you are using it with a child who likes to do a fair bit of walking.

Patapum Accessories

The Waist Pouch is available to purchase on our Accessories page. This is a handy pouch which slides onto the belt of the carrier, an ideal size for a wallet, phone and keys.

Patapum Toddler Carrier Fabric Information

The main body of the carrier is 100% cotton, with polyester jersey on the inside of the waist and shoulder straps. The Patapum Toddler Carrier is available in black, navy, khaki, red, indigo, sand and chocolate.

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