Ergobaby Omni 360 Buckle Carrier Review | Accessible Babywearing

As you’ll probably know, I’m a huge fan of woven wraps. As a sling librarian (and soon to be babywearing consultant), I felt it important to try out a variety of other slings. I want and need to know my library stock inside out, so that I am able to best support the babywearing community in Nuneaton, as well as disabled parents from further afield. Having reviewed the Tula Explore, I felt that the next logical sling to test out would be the Ergobaby Omni 360 – Ergobaby’s 4 position carrier.

At the moment the UK is in lockdown because of COVID-19. Elise doesn’t want to be worn, so I have chosen to use a demo doll

The thing I first noticed about the Ergobaby Omni 360, when peer supporting at Happy Sling Lady’s library sessions was the lumbar support and storage pouch. I have to admit that these rather put me off the Omni 360. I can’t quite put my finger on why though.

The Ergobaby Omni 360 is designed to be an all-in-one carrier, that can be used from newborn up to preschooler. This review will primarily focus on it’s use with a toddler. For reference, I was using this sling just before Elise’s 2nd birthday, when she was 15.3kgs. Primarily, I have been using the Omni 360 for back carrying, since Elise is now too tall for me to carry her on my front when using my wheelchair – I can’t see over the top of her head!

The first time I used the Ergobaby Omni 360, I was struck by how comfortable the waistband was. The lumbar support stopped the strap of the waistband strap from digging into my stomach and the storage pouch offered a cushioning that supported my lower back as I sat in my wheelchair. As I have to change my posture slightly when back carrying, to correct the change in my centre of gravity from Elise’s weight, I have really benefited from the additional support the storage pouch provides. Who knew it would have a dual purpose! I have to admit that I didn’t realise initially that the storage pouch was removable. Had I known, I would have taken it off and not discovered the additional lumbar support it provides me with.

I feel like this waistband is going to be a love it or hate it scenario for wheelchair users. It’s either going to provide people with added support, or put their backs at an odd angle and be uncomfortable. There’s no way of knowing which side of the fence an individual will fall, without trying the Ergobaby Omni 360 on. A sling library is a great place to do this. Many are free to attend and some retail Ergobaby slings. If in doubt, ask! By purchasing through your local sling library, you’re supporting a small business and your local community. Plus, you’ll receive ongoing support from a trained professional, that you wouldn’t get when buying from a large retailer or department store.

Despite getting a perfect placement of the lumbar support on my first wear of the Ergobaby Omni 360, I have struggled with this since. My hEDS affects my proprioception – my ability to determine where things are in relation to my body. Getting the lumbar support central has been a real challenge, particularly with an on the go toddler, as I don’t have time to think or readjust.

Taken pre-social isolation. I tried a different setting on my camera, which didn’t work out so well – this was the best photo I got.

With Elise on my back, tightening the straps was a little hit and miss. Again, my first attempt went really smoothly, but I have struggled subsequently – until it came to taking photos. Then I managed it perfectly! The last time I used the Ergobaby Omni 360 out and about, I had to leave one of the straps untightened because I couldn’t safely reach the strap and pull it at the required angle without risking injury. The few attempts I did make, ended up with increased pain in my wrist (another hEDS challenge). She was quite safe, but it wasn’t very comfortable and once she got down to walk, I didn’t want to attempt to get her on my back again.

While there are similarities between the Ergobaby Omni 360 and Tula Explore, one of the main differences is that the Ergobaby allows the user to wear the straps in both rucksack style (same as the Tula) and crossed straps. Being able to cross the straps of a buckle carrier allows the child’s weight to be distributed differently and makes hip carrying an option. The chest strap has the ability to be moved up or down on the padded shoulder strap, allowing the wearer to position it for optimal comfort.

It’s worth noting that the padded straps on the Ergobaby Omni 360 are longer, compared to most other buckle carriers. When carrying Elise, this wasn’t a problem. With the toddler demo doll (more like a larger baby), I noticed that the straps felt a little loose when done up as far as they could go. With Elise being taller than the demo doll, I didn’t need the straps done up as tightly to get a snug fit. With the demo doll, I wasn’t able to get the straps as tight as I would like them. For reference, I’m 5ft, 3inch.

The Ergobaby Omni 360 has a couple of different added safety features for it’s buckles that are worth noting. The buckle on the waist has an added elastic loop. Putting one half of the buckle through this before fastening means that, in the extremely unlikely event that the buckle fails, the waist strap will not come undone. This gives the wearer the chance to remove the child safely from the carrier. This is a feature that many buckle carriers have.

There are two buckles on each of the shoulder straps. These allow the caregiver to wear the carrier with either ruck straps or crossed straps. These buckles have a secure locking mechanism that requires the user to lift up the centre of the buckle in order to release the clips.

I found this style of safety clip easier than Beco’s old trilock clip. While the old style Beco clips require the wearer to push down on the safety mechanism, the Ergo safety clip is pushed up. I find that my thumb hyperextends when pushing down on the Beco clip’s mechanism. To the point where I don’t have the stability to push hard enough to release the clip. With the Ergobaby Omni 360, I am able to avoid hyperextension by putting my finger nail under the safety mechanism – pushing my thumb the opposite way.

As well as the standard ways of using the Ergobaby Omni 360, I found that I was able to use this sling as a sort of seatbelt, to secure Elise on my lap. I’m going to create a video to show how this works, as I don’t think it’s something that I can describe very well.

Having Elise on my lap, in this forward facing, but more seatbelt than wearing, was surprisingly comfortable! I have difficulty with having Elise sit on my lap while we’re out and about as the combination of my wheelchair tackling bumps in the pavements and her weight put significant strain on my hips and increased my pain levels significantly in a short space of time.

Using the Ergobaby as a seatbelt of sorts put minimal weight on my hips, distributing more of the weight around my waist and lower torso. For me, this was comfy as the padded straps sat above the top of my wheelchair’s backrest. If I had a higher backrest, I don’t think it would be comfortable for me. However, other wheelchair users with a higher backrest height might find it works perfectly for them. We are all different.

The Ergobaby Omni 360 is a fantastic carrier that gives a variety of wearing options. At £154.90 it’s an investment. As it’s designed to last the full length of a family’s carrying journey, it can be a worth the money. The Omni 360 comes in a variety of colours, with a handful of designs available too. In addition, there is a mesh version. This gives some additional ventilation for warm weather babywearing.

The Ergobaby Omni 360 can be purchased from a number of sources, including ergobaby.co.uk, directly through me (wherever you live in the UK) or from your local sling librarian. If you’d like to purchase through me, send an email to whentaniatalksbabywearing@gmail.com.

Have you tried the Ergobaby Omni 360?