patapum or sutemi

[luvmy2grls]

Which would be best for me? I am small 5'2 120lbs.. my baby 19 lbs now but of course I want it to last a while, she will be a year fri.

I am trying to get a structured carrier cause she is sagging in my wraps and mei tais now that she is getting a bit bigger and its starting to bother my back and shoulders. I cant put out the money for an ergo and Dhs told his parents I wanted a patapum for xmas when they asked what I wanted.. but now Im wondering if the sutemi is better or if I should stick with patapum?

Opinions please?

[loree]

Do you have a NINO group near you?? Just wondering because then you might find people that have both & will be able to try them on.

I am going to guess either will work for you. IMO the Patupum straps are smaller than the Ergo and fit a lot different than the Sutemi. For me, the Sutemi was the most comfortable of the three, esp. when DS got to be heavier. Some people don't like the look of the Sutemi (the way it accentuates your boobs) but comfort won out for me.

Loree

[minkl]

i found the sutemi difficult and less secure to get Ds into. i also don't like the boob fit. I use the ergo by choice.

[yamilee21]

luvmy2grls, I noticed you are in Queens - there is a big local NINO group with meetings in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, although I think the Queens one may have been yesterday, so there won't be one for another month. Lots of members have Sutemis and/or Patapums, so you would definitely be able to try them out. Here is a link to our meeting calendar; you could also join our forum: http://slingsinthecity.com/forum/.

I actually have both the Sutemi and the Patapum, the older Toddler version. The Sutemi is my favorite for front carries, which, sadly, are becoming uncomfortable for me now that my toddler is getting so tall. It is not a strain to do a front carry because of his weight, the problem is that his legs get in the way! I am only a little taller than you, so I imagine that could be a problem for you as well. The Patapum is great for back carries; I cannot use it for front carries at all, but other people do. I think it comes down to which carry you plan to do - if you are still nursing and plan to do mostly front carries or short-duration back carries, go with the Sutemi; if you are still nursing and plan to do mostly back carries, go with the Patapum. (If you are not nursing, then the crossing straps is a non-issue and you should definitely go with the Sutemi.)

If none of the babywearing meetings work for you, and you really want to try out the carriers, PM me - you could try mine or I can give you the contact of the local retailer of both, who is also in Queens.

[luvmy2grls]

thanks for your responses.. I am now leaning towards the sutemi.. the only concern I have is that in all the pics the baby seems lower in that carrier than in the patapum. Is it just the way the models have them on?

I pmed you yamilee about the meetings.. I have been trying to get to one but they are during my oldest daughters school time slot.. my friend goes though.. Maybe i can try to arrange for her to go home with her friend to play that day. I really want to get out and try them out.

[samantha546]

I don't have much experience with the Papatum but when I checked it out, I wasn't that impressed with it. I loved my Sutemi until I got an ERGO. But I still recommend the Sutemi for those that would like something less expensive. The back carry didn't bother me with the boobs and like pp said, it's great for a front carry!

[yamilee21]

Originally Posted by luvmy2grls

...the only concern I have is that in all the pics the baby seems lower in that carrier than in the patapum. Is it just the way the models have them on?

I think it is just the models - the only time my son is ever that low is when he is nursing. I usually have him as high as he would be in a mei tai or wrap.

[luvmy2grls]

There is a chance I might end up with the ergo.. my husband sent all three carriers to his parents in an email and mentioned that I like the ergo the best.

They may say its outragous for a carrier though (they aren't farmiliar with prices of carriers) but they may not. If they wont do it I think I am going to go with the sutemi.

[yamilee21]

If they say it is outrageous, first show them these prices for the Baby Bjorn, which can only be used for babies up to 25 lbs; then show them the Ergo, being sure to point out how it can be used for much heavier children.

(Not to slam the Bjorn, for any Bjorn users out there, but it is a fair comparison in terms of price.)