Hope & Plum Lark

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

I have 2 summer kids in the deep south. I did a lot of reading on this and ended up with a linen ring sling and a hope and plum lark. Padded carriers and stretchy wraps are the least comfortable in the heat.

Thread: "Artipoppe Reviews"

How old/how big is your baby? Generally you want less (no) padding and less bulk if you want to stay cooler. Minimalistic apron style carriers and ring slings are much better options. Artipoppe has one of the largest/stiffest waistbands available. Integra’s Solar (or one of their other fabrics), Happy Baby’s OG, Sakura Bloom’s Scout, and Hope & Plum’s Lark are all going to much lighter than a zeitgeist. Tons of brands sell ring slings— Hope & Plum, Nalakai, LennyLamb, Wildbird, Tula, Oscha, Didymos, etc, etc. ETA: Artipoppe does *not* safely fit newborns, despite advertising that they do. The panel is too wide and too tall, it’s a suffocation hazard. Most babies start fitting this carrier around 3 months (possibly longer if your baby is petite).

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

For me if I could only use one, it’s the hope and plum lark. After a rough start and a fit consultation baby loves it and the comfort for the parent plus ease of use and practicality (front carry and back carry, comfortable but work horse fabric) are hard to beat. I am also liking a Sakura Bloom Scout in simple silk that I got used but to be honest it’s just not as practical and quick as the lark, given the rings for the waist and need for the chest strap. Edit to add that we live in a Very Hot Place and these are both decent, although a silk or linen ring sling would probably be better for heat. I also have an onbuhimo and that’s been a really good choice for the heat because the high back carry feels cooler and it’s a single layer of fabric. But it’s a bit more niche than the lark and can only be used when baby is sitting independently. If I was going for two I would get the lark plus either an onbuhimo or a silk or linen ring sling.

Thread: "Toddler carrier recommendations!"

If you have been happy with the HBC OG and just need bigger, I would go with the Lark. If you want something more supportive than the HBC because kiddo is so much bigger now, I would yo with the tula. I dont know much about the Becco, sorry.

Thread: "What’s the best baby carrier you’ve used that actually works for everyday life?"

I love my Hope & plum lark! It was surprisingly easy to figure out how to do even a back carry by myself just from watching their videos. It packs down very small, is very comfortable even for 90-minute walks, does front and back carry, comes with free 1:1 video fit check support, and has fun patterns and colors. Some people prefer the thicker-waistband waterfall style of carriers, but those will get hot more quickly and are bulkier. So it’s just a trade-off.

Thread: "Artipoppe totally worth it for me"

I *thought* my baby only liked the Artipoppe carrier — until we tried out the Hope & Plum Lark and the Sakura Bloom Scout (found one used), both of which are much more comfortable for the parent, lighter weight and easier to pack into a diaper bag. The irony is that there are so many options that are literally nicer AND cheaper than the Artipoppe. Also having a carrier that can transition to back carry is very useful as your baby gets bigger. There also is a huge world of options between ergo baby and Artipoppe. I personally thought the Artipoppe was bulky and uncomfortable for me as the parent. Plus no back carry. It worked well for us around 3-5 months and then we sold it.

Thread: "Just buy the expensive baby carrier"

I learned that being short means apron style carriers work better for me. I splurged on the Solly wrap for newborn phase and hope & plum lark for after. 9 months in, best decision I made.

Thread: "Opinions on the Solly Wrap & Mabe Monarch as "starter" carriers? "

The Mabe is a cheap carrier that is mass produced and white labeled with the Mabe branding. You can find the actual supplier selling them for $18 on Alibaba (you have to buy 300 though so you can’t just buy one lol). It doesn’t have safety elastics, has no warranty, and they won’t repair damage (because they don’t manufacture them so can’t lol). The fabric feels cheap and people are starting to complain about the waistband losing shape permanently after a few months of wear. The price is cheaper than competitors because it’s a cheap carrier. You can find the exact same one for cheaper on Amazon - the key difference being Mabe has at least done safety testing, which the Amazon ones have not. I highly recommend looking into brands like Happy Baby, Hope & Plum, and Lenny Lamb instead.

Thread: "Best baby carrier for plus size mom to be?"

Mabe is a) not going to fit your baby until 3 months, b) poor quality, and c) likely not to fit you either I’d definitely recommend a ring sling, half buckle like the Heritage Baby Kin or Lenny Hybrid, a meh dai, or possibly a hope & plum lark (long length), though this also won’t fit until baby is about 3 months. Other options include a stretchy wrap or a woven wrap. I’d recommend checking out @jacethewrapper and @heritagebabydesigns for some plus-sized babywearing content

Thread: "Best Baby Carrier?"

I think it really depends on personal comfort, and body type, etc. Little Zen one has a try before you buy program, which can be really helpful. You can try a bunch of options and see what fits you best and what is most comfortable for baby. I love my Hope & Plum Lark, and got an artipoppe Zeitgeist with my first daughter, and it has lasted a long time and served me well through two kids, although people have strong opinions about it. People seem to love the happy baby OG, Lenny Lamb, and Tula.

Thread: "Best Carrier Option for plus sized Moms?"

I recently got the Hope & Plum Lark, and I really, really love it. It's super easy to put on, and much more comfortable than I expected. I had been using a Manduca XT, and it wasn't bad, just very hot, so I got the Lark for summer, but am already using it instead of the Manduca. As another comment mentioned, they go up to 6X, and I really like that they're a small business.

Thread: "Best Baby Carrier?"

Hands down hope and plum! Ring sling while they’re little and the lark when they meet the safety requirements. They are all women owned and operated, made in America, and heavily promote baby wearing education and safety. Definitely an ethical company!

Thread: "Best Baby Carrier?"

Hands down hope and plum! Ring sling while they’re little and the lark when they meet the safety requirements. They are all women owned and operated, made in America, and heavily promote baby wearing education and safety. Definitely an ethical company!

Thread: "Baby carrier recommendations for plus size mom"

How old/large is the baby? Do you consider an apron style? Hope and Plum Lark would be a wonderful carrier!

Thread: "Meh Dai or stick it out with the Buckle Carrier (H&P)?"

I have the h&p meh dai and the Lark. I love both. Lark makes more sense when we're on the move, because it goes on so quickly. the meh dai takes just a couple minutes longer, and the tails are just a bit harder to wrangle if we're out of the house. however, I find the meh dai is a more customizable fit— it's always a trade-off. ultimately, I love having both.

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

+1 for the sakura bloom scout. It is really easy/ quick to put on, and it packs away very small. The only downside side is that any carrier with metal (SB scout has metal rings) can’t be worn through the mental detectors at the airport. Even with that, I still fly with the SB Scout and just take baby out of the carrier for TSA. The lark also looks like a good carrier but I haven’t personally tried it

Thread: "What’s the best baby carrier you’ve used that actually works for everyday life?"

Thirding the lark. It’s quick, easy, and comfy. I wear it for literal hours without pain and my girl was consistently 99 percentile. I’m obsessed with the chambrays because they’re extra soft so very soft on baby and mom’s skin. Fabric textures on carriers was such a pain for me when I bought cheaper ones. I hate the scratchy feeling.

Thread: "Best backpacks for hiking with baby?"

If you're not a super serious hiker, you may just want to use a standard SSC (soft structured carrier) and small crossbody. I'm also not a super serious hiker but have had my seasons of longer more frequent hikes while babywearing with a toddler, and ended up preferring that set up. I used a Lark, but an Ergo or Tula or LennyLight would work just as well I think.

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

I’m based in Savannah and expecting my first, and I just ordered a hope and plum ring sling! This gives me hope🤞

Thread: "Baby carrier recommendations for plus size mom"

Thank you. Gonna take a look for this one. For reference, my girl is around 6 month old and is hitting 16lb last time I check (about 2w ago)

Thread: "Summer baby carriers?"

Thank you!! I just showed him the Hope and Plum Lark and he likes that its structured like the Embrace. Im getting it for him for the summer as a Father’s Day gift. 100% agree about the frontfacing. He’s not ready for that. Have also heard its not great for the hips and LO will still look out from the sides when I face him towards me

Thread: "The best baby carrier is…"

Carriers are like bras, it’s so individual how they fit and what you prioritize. I prefer apron style carriers, I have to be able to put them on by myself, and they can’t be too bulky as I’m petite. Fx ergobaby omni was super bulky and impossible to use solo but for other people it’s amazing. For newborns I’ve used and loved the ergobaby embrace. Once they outgrow that I have a hope & plum lark and a sakura bloom scout and I love them both. I’ve had a babybjorn one that worked well with my older child until she got heavier but newbie hates it so I sold it. But I could get it on easily solo which I liked.

Thread: "Ergobaby va Baby bjorn"

Certified babywearing consultant here. The ergobaby Omni 360 has an adjustable seat which is what you want with a carrier. The baby Bjorn Mini is an older style carrier with a narrow seat and at this point your baby has actually likely outgrown the width of it. You really want baby to have support from knee to knee and have the carrier holding them so that their knees are higher than their bum in a spread squat position all the way until a year old. After a year its okay if the support isn't quite knee to knee. I'd actually add in a few other recommendations which many parents tend to enjoy instead of either of the ones you've listed. Lennylamb lennylight, tula free to grow, tula standard, Happy baby original, and once baby is a little older the hope and plum lark. Check out r/babywearing for lots more info on safety and picking carriers. 😊

Thread: "Just buy the expensive baby carrier"

Been eyeing Lark but ended up buying Lennylamb light and is my fav!

Thread: "Thoughts on the new Solly Soft Carrier?"

At that price, get the Lark they are copying. 😅 Editing to add: you could get an almost perfect lark AND an almost perfect ring sling for $285 😮‍💨

Thread: "What's the big deal with the Happy Baby Carrier?"

It packs up tiny compared to a lot of other carriers and it's super fast to put on so they're great to grab in a pinch or use on errands. They'll fit in a flat rate bubble mailer no problem for example. Theres a few other pretty packable carriers too, like the hope and plum lark, but these also come in a bunch of colors.

Thread: "Mabé, Tula, or Momcozy?"

It is a lot of hype 😂 some people love it and the basic quality is fine but there are carriers that are just as good (or better) someone did a good summary in another comment about the referral program. Plus for me no chest strap for a back carry is really limiting! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGJ5fVNxIdR/?igsh=NjFzaG10eDhlOXRq Hope and plum lark, integra, oscha bairn are all great apron style cross back carriers! (None of these are newborn carriers though. Well neither is artipoppe but they like to pretend it is.) If you are new to babywearing I would follow the creator I linked and letstalkbabywearing. I also personally love the hope and plum social media presence but they are one particular brand.

Thread: "What’s the deal with wildbird and mabe"

I got a wild bird sling and hated it. Got the hope and plum lark and it's great.

Thread: "Best Carrier Option for plus sized Moms?"

I (like many other plus size moms lol) looove hope & plum. the meh dai or ring sling are safe from newborn on, whereas the lark is safe from about 2-4 months for most babies. I agree that a lot of carriers that are “one size fits most” still fit awkwardly on larger bodies!

Thread: "Best baby carrier for plus size mom to be?"

Im plus size and have tried a lot of different carriers! Woven wraps and stretchy wraps are great options. Woven wraps last from birth till toddlerhood (or beyond). Stretchy wraps work well for newborns but don't work great much last that. For soft structured carriers id recommend hope and plum! Super size inclusive. Super comfortable and quick to put in! I do want to note that their baby lark doesn't work well for newborns, baby has to be 10 lbs and be tall enough for the head panel. But they are currently working on a newborn carriers, that they've said they are hoping to release by Christmas, so depending on when you're due that may be an option! Ive also been looking at trying heritage baby and gojiberry, as ive heard good things about them and they seem to be size inclusive! Meh dai carriers and ring slings are also a good option! Hope and plum has them (as well as stretchy wraps) that are size inclusive. I haven't personally tried their ring sling, but I have tried their meh dai and love it!

Thread: "Summer Carrier Recommendations? "

Lightweight natural fabrics like cotton, linen and hemp seem to be the best. Little Zen One has an awesome try before you buy program! [Try Before You Buy](https://www.littlezenone.com/pages/try-before-you-buy-program) I just ordered a Happy Baby Original from them and a lightweight cotton woven wrap by Didymos. Integra Solar and Hope and Plum Lark also seem to be highly rated summer carriers.

Thread: "What’s the best baby carrier you’ve used that actually works for everyday life?"

Seconding the lark! I can get it on and off super quickly and easily, which is good because we use it off and on a million times a day. It's never hurt my back or shoulders either

Thread: "What’s the best wrap/carrier for a newborn baby?"

hope and plum sprout comes out this month! i’d purchase that 100%!!! we have the lark

Thread: "Just buy the expensive baby carrier"

Does the lark have enough back support?

Thread: "Which one is better for a newborn"

A ring sling and a Hope & Plum Lark! It was an investment but I liked how similar it is to the Embrace.

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

I use a linen ring carrier daily with my 1.5 yo

Thread: "Lark vs happy baby OG"

Want to second this! I go for the lark when baby is going to nap because the extra panel height supports his head really nicely (5 months, 98 percentile for height).I feel like I can be way more hands free when he’s sleeping in the lark bc of that extra inch or so at the top of the panel

Thread: "Overwhelmed With Carrier Options and Plus Size"

I will say you absolutely get what you pay for when it comes to ease of use and comfort. However, if you’re on a budget, I’d suggest looking second hand on marketplace, Craigslist, or at a consignment shop like Once Upon a Child. You can find many high-end carriers for a great price. That being said: I LOVE my Ergobaby Omni and Mabe carriers. Both are very easy to use and are plus-size friendly. Hope & Plum is specifically a size-inclusive baby carrier company. These carriers are absolutely beautiful! They’re a small business, handmade in Minnesota, and fit up to size 6X. They do have a higher price tag, but truly if there’s anywhere to splurge when it comes to baby gear, a quality carrier is the thing!

Thread: "Plus size baby wraps"

not wraps per se, but the two baby carriers I know of that are great for plus sizes are the [wildbird aerial carrier](https://wildbird.co/products/owl-aerial-carrier) or anything from [hope & plum](https://www.hopeandplum.co/)

Thread: "Artipoppe or Happy Baby for 7m old"

I would look into the Hope and Plum Lark or an Integra (Solar if you’re going to be doing water activity’s, regular linen if not) The artipoppe is not nearly as packable or portable and a huge waste of money. You can buy 3 nicer carriers for the price of their 1

Thread: "I’m honestly overwhelmed.. what’s the best baby carrier you’ve actually used?"

I’ve tried SSCs and ring slings. My favorite is the Hope and plum Lark. It’s easy as a SSC but not bulky like others (I have Lillebaby). I find it very supportive, personally. I really wanted to like ring slings but I just couldn’t work with the way it limits shoulder movement.

Thread: "Which one is better for a newborn"

Also why is the ergo embrace not great for 3 mths +/ 15lbs + babies?

Thread: "What’s Your Holy Grail Carrier for Babies?"

Love love love my Lark. Once I got it I pretty much only used other carriers when it was in the laundry. My husband used it equally. It's a great grab and go carrier and easy to go in and out of. Best suited for home or out on the town. It's comfy for hours. I love woven for at home though and for the little baby days. I like a ring sling but it's only for if I need a little support but don't need to use my hands. museums, family events,browsing a shop, a short walk It's nice to have the baby out and up high. I would not choose it for a long day of walking like the zoo but I always keep one in the car, stroller, or diaper bag.

Thread: "Opinions on the Solly Wrap & Mabe Monarch as "starter" carriers? "

I loved my solly baby for the newborn days! My baby would take 2 hour plus naps in that thing. I was so sad when he was too big for it. Perfect for on the go with a newborn. We just got the Hope and Plum lark now that he’s bigger and I am LOVING it. Great company, super comfy, and more lightweight than some other padded carriers. Where we live it’s warm so this was a must for me.

Thread: "Best soft structured carrier for plus size women?"

The hope and plum lark comes in a larger size!

Thread: "What's your favorite baby carrier?"

Hope and plum lark has been my favorite since my baby could fit in it (comfortably fitting in 3-6 month clothes) So cute, so comfortable. Made in America. Will work up to 45 pounds I believe.

Thread: "Best carrier style for mom with back issues?"

I came here to suggest the lark! I have back problems (different from OP but did require a spinal fusion at 21) and this is the only carrier I will use. The bulky backpack style ones were never comfortable enough for me. Plus the difficulty of clipping the buckle between your shoulder blades when you are in pain. I would say back carrying with the lark will be your most comfortable option!

Thread: "Holy Grail recommendations?"

I would say we used the Snuggle Me sleep lounger A TON during the first 3 months. I didn’t realize how essential it was to have a safe place to put my baby that could also move room to room. Once she had a little better head control, we used the Baby Bjorn bouncer chair every day until about 9 or 10 months when she started crawling and just didn’t want to be contained. I baby wear a lot and still do sometimes at 16 months so baby carrier is essential. I really like my Hope & Plum Lark.

Thread: "Ring sling recommendations"

Hey I have 2 hope and plum ring slings and I love them their hemp blend would be good for a 13 month old. Here is a Reddit post about it vs the wildbird the other day. https://www.reddit.com/r/babywearing/comments/1ibr8xq/the_hp_ring_sling_is/ Carriers preference can be very personal so here is a video from the babywearing ot talking about a few different brands. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCvDTT9R9kX/?igsh=MWZvN3FoeWF2d3J6ZA== Just be aware starting at 13 months baby may seem a little heavy at first even though if worn properly the weight is spread across your back. Totally doable but don’t want you to be surprised!

Thread: "Am I looking for a unicorn? Hot weather, quick to put on, works with front and back carry. "

Same. I’ve tried at least 6 carriers with my kids and the only one they have liked is the lark