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The BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance has been wonderful to soothe my three week old Baby, who is suffering with wind after feeds. One of her favourite ways to be comforted in these early weeks is to be gently rocked in the BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance. Rocking is not only soothing and fun, it’s surprisingly good for Baby’s development. When my newborn rocks herself – she is practising her balance and motor skills.

In true BabyBjorn style, the design is both comfortable and highly functional. It’s ergonomic design allows the seat to mould to Baby’s body. The BabyBjorn Balance supports Baby’s neck and head too.

The BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance has three seating settings, suitable for various stages and various activities: Play, Rest and Sleep. It is important to note the maximum weight for each position varies. For the ‘Sleep’ setting the maximum weight is 7kg, for the ‘Rest’ setting the maximum weight is 10kg and for the ‘Play’ setting the maximum weight is 13kg. So the BabyBjorn Babysitter can grow with your child and when a child is old enough to sit up for themselves, it converts to a comfortable chair.

At the moment Baby is seated on setting A, which is ‘Sleep’ and most suitable for newborns. Settling Baby in the BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance means that I get a chance to rest my arms and get a chance to relax, rock and interact with Baby.

The materials used in the BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance are soft and durable. The cover is reversible, easy-to-remove and clean, and the safety harness unbuttons easily. The soft padding around the frame gives a snug feeling. The frame rests firmly on the floor with anti-glide strips which also protect the floor. The BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance has floor measurements of 39x79cm and I’ve found it wonderfully space efficient.

It folds away neatly to be stored flat or standing and is great when space is an issue, and it is available in tasteful colour schemes which integrate with the grown up parts of the house.

Accessories available for the BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance, include the BabyBjorn Wooden Toy, which features brightly coloured wooden figures that spin around. Another neat accessory is the BabyBjorn Cozy Cover which is made from soft terry cloth which is warm and comfy for Baby. To find out more about the full range of BabyBjorn products visit the BabyBjorn website.

Every Saturday morning, Dad carries Baby to her swimming lessons at the local pool. Last Saturday Dad decided to make the walk more comfortable by carrying Baby in the BabyBjorn Active.

Designed to carry a heavier baby for longer periods of time, the BabyBjorn Active has an innovative lumbar support and wide padded shoulder straps to better distribute Baby’s weight. That said, the BabyBjorn Active can be used for carrying a newborn with a minimum weight of 3.5kg/8lbs and can be used for carrying a larger baby up to a maximum weight of 12kg/26lbs. The carrier has been ergonomically designed to provide excellent support for Baby’s head and neck too.

Similar to the BabyBjorn Original Carrier, the BabyBjorn Active comes in two pieces, an outer shell and a harness. The main difference from the Original is a lumbar support on the Active harness, which both Dad and I found more comfortable for longer walks with Baby. (As an aside, it was easier to put on because the lumbar support made it immediately apparent which way up the harness should go).

To put on the BabyBjorn Active, slip your arms through the harness straps with the lumbar support against your back. Adjust the position of the sliding buckle at the bottom of the outer shell according to Baby’s height. Then fasten the outer shell onto the harness. There are cute cartoons on the inside lining of the shell – to guide you through all the steps for putting on the BabyBjorn Active.

While it is recommended for newborns to face inwards, when Baby is a little older the head support can be folded down allowing Baby to face forward and look around.

Baby thoroughly enjoyed herself facing forward and observing her surroundings while on her walk with Dad to the swimming pool. I’m sure Baby senses the feeling of closeness with Dad while in the BabyBjorn. Another advantage for Baby is the experience of motion and movement that she gets while in the carrier with Dad walking.

I think it is no coincidence that later the same day, when she woke from her afternoon nap, Baby took her first five consecutives steps on her own. After all, she was observing Dad’s walking technique and the benefits of movement earlier that day!

The BabyBjorn Active is available in Black/Silver, Black/Red or Black. To find out more about the BabyBjorn Active Carrier visit the BabyBjorn website.