Customer Reviews

Playtex Hip Hammock Standard Black/Black

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I am a mom of three children; ages 6, 2 and 1. At first I was a bit apprehensive to purchase this product. All the people who reviewed it either loved it or hated it. I am SO glad I went ahead and decided to buy this! It's hard enough trying to tote around 2 toddlers....let alone run errands with all three kids! I usually end up holding my two year old's hand while my one year old is smashed under my arm and sliding down my hip....all this while carrying bags. It's very difficult, especially when my husband has to leave on business. The hip hammock is wonderful because it is so light and compact! It rolls up nicely for travel. It also is a breeze to get on and off....not like the traditional carriers with all the straps and buckles. I did not find it uncomfortable to wear at all. I went shopping for over an hour with it on and my neck didn't bother me. If it started feeling a little heavy I just hugged my baby to me and it released the pressure. I don't think this product is meant to replace a baby sling. I think some of the buyers who gave it a bad review were expecting it to be like a sling. I think this product is mostly meant to aid you in holding your toddler on your hip. I wouldn't recommend it for little babies. My son is 1 and it's the perfect product for us. He'll continue to fit into it for another year. I wish I would have known about this product sooner!!!!I absolutely LOVE it and would recommend it to anyone with a toddler. Especially if you have mroe than one child!

I couldn't wait for this item to return to the stores. My mother thought I was nuts because I kept searching online and baby retail stores for the improved item. When I saw it in a particular store, I grabbed it, made sure it said improved, and purchased it! I love this item!!! I am the type of person who hate strollers, especially heavy ones so my first carrier purchase was the baby bjorn carrier. My son was born in the fall and I didn't get much use of it. The last time I used it was when he was 5 months (15 lbs)and it was approved for up to 20 lbs. I thought my back was going to cave in. Joey, now 8 months loves the hip hammock and I do too. You have to make sure the straps are tightly fitted around your waist and shoulder, otherwise you will experience a little shoulder pressure. However, unlike the leading front carriers, the baby's weight is distributed on the hip which is the best way to carry such weight.

The reason why I gave this product 4 stars instead of 5 is because after adjusting the straps, they hang long and get in the way. I fix this problem by attaching an adhesive velcro on the back side of each strap to keep them secure. Other than that, I am so happy I was able to purchase and make use of this product, Joey and I absolutely LOVE IT!

I used to use the Baby Bjorn, which is great, but once my baby passed 20lbs, I moved on to the Hip Hammock.

Love it because:
1. Baby (9 mo, 23 lbs) sits comfortably and securely in the hammock. Baby sometimes even falls asleep in it.
2. I feel comfortable too. I feel the weight of the baby is distributed between my hip and my neck/shoulder. Yeah, my neck feels some pressure after a while, but not enough to bother me. (Don't know if I will change my mind about this when my baby gets older/heavier)
3. Perfect for when baby wants to be held but you have things to do. Also great for when going to places that aren't stroller friendly (crowded places with narrow aisles and/or only stairs, like the baseball stadium, some places in new york city, my local bakery which has stairs to the front door and no ramp)
4. Rolls up compactly. (Very nice! compared to the Baby Bjorn, which sort of just fell in a messy heap)
5. Good price.

Some areas needing improving:
1. I'm a small person, so once I have the baby strapped in, the straps, which are quite long, dangle and are kinda annoying. I guess I could tuck them all in, but I don't want to have to do that every time I use it.
2. The strap frays where the shoulder adjuster is located. I've been meaning to get a needle and thread to reinforce the edge of this strap which started losing a lot of thread, but who has the time? I just cut it and tied it. So far, OK, but I'm afraid it will start fraying again. However, considering how nicely priced this is (compare to the Baby Bjorn, which is very well-constructed, but costs twice as much), I figure you get what you pay for and I consider this issue pretty minor.

Overall, I'm happy with it, even with the long fraying straps, because it's useful and makes my life easier.

I was very skeptical about purchasing this product. I read about the old recalled hip hammock on almost every web site. I have tried every sling that you could possibly image. They all were very uncomfortable. I felt as if it was choking me -ALL OF THEM. As I was walking around in the store, the hip hammock caught my eye. (Since there wasn't a lot of variety in hip slings & the fact that I tried them all) so I wasn't sure. The new ones have an "IMPROVED" sticker on the outside of the box. I figured it wouldn't be on the shelves if it were recalled so I decided that I would give this one a try...and am I glad that I did. It is very easy to use and it doesn't feel like I am choking. I LOVE IT! ~ My boy is almost 6 months old and he is a big baby. I'm glad I can carry him and still get things done. He loves it too. Highly recommend this product.

I had the baby bjorn carrier for my first son and I loved it! I started to use the bjorn again for my second son who is over 20 lbs. and not even 8 months yet. I used the bjorn on a trip to disney and even though my son (aka "tubby") loved it....my back was killing me. My husband didn't see any problem with the bjorn and was skeptical of me spending money on a new carrier. I on the other hand think it is almost impossible to use the bjorn and deal with my crazy 3 year old at the same time.
When I finally broke down and bought it and put it on he was pretty impressed with it. It is a little confusing to get adjusted the first time but after that it is a piece of cake. It was getting pretty hard to jam my son into the bjorn...plus he is only one pound away from the bjorn weight limit.

I would still recommend the baby bjorn for smaller babies but this product is awesome for a curious little one as they are getting bigger. As for the reviews that say it cuts into your neck... It's padded...how bad can it hurt compared to holding the baby on your hip with no help/support.

Oh yeah...I have the regular model and I don't see any reason why you would need the deluxe one. This is so attractive and comfortable...why waste the money on the deluxe one?

i really like this carrier.
in reviews that i read before purchasing this product, some people had complained that the hammock didn't provide enough support.
i haven't found that to be true.
i am five foot one, 110 pounds.
my son is 22 pounds.
the hammock provides enough support to enable me to have both hands free much of the time.
after a little while, the weight starts to get heavy on my neck and shoulders, then i simply "hug" my son with one arm as the instructions suggested.
my son loves the hammock, it allows him to stay by my side as i do house work or go for a walk or run errands.
it feels secure most of the time, although i do have to hold on to my son when i bend forward.
the fabric does feel a little bit chintzy for the price of the hammock.
but all in all, i am very happy with my purchase.

My son was 20 lbs at 6 mos., so we had to stop using front carriers :( I bought the Combi as well as this one and this one is much more user friendly (SO easy to get on and off by yourself) and much more comfortable. I've read reviewers saying it's uncomfortable...well if you have a big baby...it's just going to be uncomfortable! They're heavy! But this is the best one & it's nice to give your arms a break! The neck strap is well padded and easy to switch from one side to the other (for relief) w/o taking the baby out. It's compact enough to keep with you. And if you're baby just needs to be close to you or held sometimes...it's a MUST HAVE! We took a trip last week and it was PRICELESS! One tip: read the instruction manual and you will enjoy this product a ton more!

For all the reviews that have written that this product has been recalled, that is incorrect. It was the original Hip Hammock and all those that were in the stores were removed from the shelves. So unless you have an older model that was bought before 2/2005, you should have nothing to worry about. This product is great when your baby outgrowns the front carriers like the Baby Bjorn. I have had no problems with it and it is easier than using a sling with older babies.

I have a 20 pound son and a large dog, I often have to take the dog out and when the weather is nice I am able to take my son along. He loves being in this carrier. I find it to be comfy for me and my son. I took him shopping for about 30min the other day and it was great. I tried the Combi urban carrier and it really hurt my neck. This one is just right.

My 19 pound 6 month old and I both love this carrier. It feels almost exactly the same as when I hold her on my hip minus the tied up sore arms.