I had my son 4 years ago and struggled to find a carrier which didn't cause me to arch my bach trying to carry the load he was. I didn't find such a carrier then and ended up not baby wearing as often as I would have liked.

This go round, having an older child, I knew baby wearing was going to be something I had to do just to keep up with him. I have purchased many Tulas for friends over the last few years and they are always well received. I spent a lot of time researching baby wearing and stumbled upon Lillebaby. Several friends recommended them and I decided to give them a shot because it is substantially less expensive than the other brands in which I had been interested.

When I opened the package, I was pleasantly surprised at how durable the entire construction felt. The material seemed sturdy and the buckles tight.

As it is suggested you can use this baby carrier on your own without assistance, I wanted to see if that rang true. I read the instructions, grabbed the flannel blanket it suggested for newborns, adjusted the straps, and attempted to use this with my baby (over my bed - just in case). Great news - everything it claims is true. Even with my squirmy, tiny baby I can still get her in alone in under a minute.

The real test came when we took our son and new baby girl to the zoo at 2.5 weeks postpartum after having a C-Section. My incision is pretty much healed, but aches if I over do it. After walking around the zoo with her strapped to my front, and ocassionally pulling the wagon with my big kid behind me, I knew I might feel a twinge.

Not at all! The back support, back buckle, and straps saved me! I will be wearing my baby for a long time thanks to Lillebaby!

Cons: 1) Hot.
2) Feminine (my husband doesn't want to wear it)
3) The lumbar support piece has to come off in order to change it for front carrying. In total it takes 30 seconds but I still wish I could get the support without the hassle. Ironically, I didn't see anything about how to do the adjustments for out-facing carrying in the instructions but about 5 months after owning one I figured it out!

Pros: First of all this is by far my most luxurious, fancy, beautiful, stunning carrier. I was happy to spend the extra $$. I love that it has a pocket. I love Lillebaby carriers and this is the cutest ever. I also have a tan colored one -- the All Seasons, and a black one -- the "air" -- both are supposed to be cooler, but of course they are both super warm. Now it's fall so they're all great... :) I have tried Ergo and the wraps, and I just find this to be the most supportive while also being slightly cooler (I run warm!) and supposedly great for infants without a special addition -- but I had an infantino in the beginning which I also liked. Then I upgraded to a Baby Bjorn which was nice and much more supportive until about 17 pounds... then I had to upgrade :) My baby much prefers this to a stroller and I like to travel light.

One additional random tidbit - l wouldn't buy extra accessories apart from teething pads for the sleeves (since when you wash your Lillebaby it needs a full day to dry)

FYI Lillebaby.com has a great clearance section. Just wish this one were there cuz they had the same model in different colors for about $70 less!

Got a baby bjorn from our registry for the baby shower. That was before I knew better! After 3 months- my back was hurting and I have a tiny baby. Did some research and found LILLEbaby and Ergo 360. I decided to buy the Ergo 360 from babies r us, tried it for a day and back it went. I hated the Velcro, buttons and it was just funky. My baby didn't seem to mind it but then again he didn't mind the baby bjorn. Also, not sure it did the narrow fit but his legs looked awkward. After two days of diliberating between the Lille or a Tula, I chose the embossed teal LILLE. Love at first sight with this thing. It's gorgeous, well made and for the most part easy to use. I love the snaps and clips/buckles as opposed to impossible buttons and velcro. The rain/sun cover- genius and so is the front pocket. My baby loves front facing and this is where I found it tricky. I had to look up a YouTube video for the proper placement going in and also for the narrow seat. Now baby was comfortable like me. I wish the back buckle was easier but I just don't undo it and flip it over my head, flip it back over to put it back on. Trying to put it on with the clip done is tricky but you just need practice. This is very well made and really does what I needed it to do- distribute the weight evenly and less stress on my back. Wouldn't buy any other one again- found my one carrier. However- it does seem to fit awkward on my Husband.... still working on this.

very cute holds up. way cuter in person do not buy if you live in a humid state for summer winters and fall/spring is great

I'm a huge fan of LILLEbaby's Complete 6-in-1 carriers. I have the All Seasons and Airflow as well; the Embossed was my second in this series. Comfort, practicality, ease of use, etc. "” I find all of the Complete the same (all amazing!) with minor differences:

1. Between the Embossed and All Seasons, the Embossed has a more practical pocket if that's important to you. The pocket is always there vs. the All Seasons "disappearing" pocket if you unizip the mid-panel. This also means there's always a place to store the hood.

2. At first, I was worried that this carrier would be too pretty to wear in case it gets dirty. But the fabric on the outside seems like be easy to wipe off spit-up and spills.

3. Loads of folks have said the Embossed feels cooler and is more breathable. I haven't experienced this. For me (California, high 60s-70s) so far, all 3 that I've tried in the Complete line feel the same while front-carrying with baby facing in. It's going to be hot between the two of you no matter what because body heat transfers. For baby's back, I prefer my All Seasons with the middle zipped down and mesh fully exposed for maximum airflow. If you have a lot of things in the Embossed pocket, that's also more layers between the air and baby's back.

The fabric on the inside of the Embossed line is definitely much softer than the mesh and possibly more comfortable for babies. Mine hasn't developed a preference yet. She also has diaper padding.

All in all, a carrier that looks and feels great! I'd recommend it over the All Seasons if style and softness are what you're after, but really all the carriers in the LILLEbaby's Complete line are great.