Do you experience back pain, hip pain, or shoulder pain while carrying your child? This is my honest review of the hip carrier for babies and toddlers called, Tushbaby. I cover the 3 carrying positions that eliminate body pain, engage your core, and explain HOW they give you the support you need. In addition, I discuss the product’s design features, how to carry with correct posture, and if this baby product is worth it.
For a live demonstration of the carrying positions, watch my Tushbaby Video Review until the end to come along on an outing with my little fam and see exactly how I use this hip carrier in public!
I have a Tushbaby discount code for you — Use code KAYLAB22 to save 15% on your favorite Tushbaby, Tushbaby Lite, or other products on Tushbaby.com!
This post includes affiliate links. I do earn a commission for products purchased using these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting PILATESBODY by Kayla, making the content you see on this blog possible.
I get many questions and comments about the baby carrier I’ve been wearing over the past couple of years since becoming a mama – it’s the Tushbaby Hip Seat Carrier.
As a Pilates instructor and a mama of 2 littles, I strive to keep my body healthy and strong to be active with my kids, but also so I can deliver you the best weekly Pilates workouts! (Make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube Channel to get my free weekly Pilates workouts!) Through Pilates, I love teaching new mamas about proper core engagement, spinal alignment, and body awareness for better posture to eliminate body pain that often comes with baby carrying. In my opinion, Tushbaby is the perfect tool for parents that not only aligns with these core values, but also a Pilates lifestyle.
Tushbaby allows mamas and all parents with littles to live stress free and pain free lives! This hip seat carrier will protect your body without sacrificing the short chapter of time we have to hold our babies close. Prioritizing your health in every opportunity you can means Pilates becomes a lifestyle for longevity.
I first heard of Tushbaby when its founders made an appearance on the television show Shark Tank. This was years before I even had the thought of having kids. I remember staring at the TV thinking, “THAT IS GENIUS.” I told my husband I will need that as soon as we start having kids. With my long history of back pain, I didn’t want to take any chances of making it worse. I was happy to invest in the best baby carrier made for back support and keeping my body feeling good. Little did I know, my husband would be wearing it just as much as I do, so I probably should have gotten it in a different color other than my favorite leopard!
Tushbaby states that their carrier is typically best for 0-3 year olds, with the feeding position being the best way to use with children who aren’t strong enough to support their body yet. Once baby is able to support their head, neck, and body then you can start to use the carrier in the side and front facing positions.
You can use the Tushbaby from newborn to toddler years up to 45 pounds.
The built-in Tushbaby waistband fits a 23-44 inch waist. With the addition of the Tushbaby Waistband Extender, it can fit up to a 68-inch waist (24 additional inches with the extender).
The Tushbaby Lite Hip Carrier has the same back and lumbar support as the original Tushbaby Hip Carrier, it is just a slimmer design with less pockets. It also has the same child age range, weight limit, waistband size, and washing instructions. Here are the only differences between the two carriers, according to the company’s product listing:
Storage Pockets:
According to the company, “Every Tushbaby is made with craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and love. We’ve prioritized your baby’s hip health and have gone through rigorous safety testing and doctor-approval processes—an essential step that many brands skip. We’re not going to sit here and bash other brands that have jumped on the hip seat bandwagon, but if you’d like to see a side-by-side comparison, please take a look at our educational infographic…” View their infographic HERE.
Once our daughter Bobbi was born, I had my first opportunity to try out our Tushbaby carrier. To be honest, I was a little skeptical because I tried it when she was too small and she couldn’t support herself upright yet. I thought to myself, “Well, this is disappointing…”
But then, I realized I could use my Tushbaby hip carrier as breastfeeding support! This product was great for placing my baby in a slanted side lying position across the hip seat close to my breast to assist her and myself during nursing and feedings.
I also found out while using the Tushbaby for breastfeeding that it really helped me to maintain good posture during feedings too. It distributed the weight of my baby across my pelvis so I could remain upright and not having to round my shoulders forward in a hunched position. The waistband was extremely supportive for my back during feedings as well.
In short, my opinion is that this baby carrier works great with newborns as a feeding support tool, but shouldn’t be used as intended as a carrier until their core is strong enough for them to support their body, head and neck upright.
When Bobbi was able to support her head, neck, and body upright, I was finally able to use my Tushbaby hip seat as intended! I first used it for a family day at the Zoo — And let me tell you, I was instantly hooked! Wearing this product allowed me to take her out of the stroller and instead carry her through the exhibits. This made the day so much more enjoyable because:
After this experience, we always bring along the Tushbaby when we venture out in public. We simply tuck it into the bottom storage area of our stroller to use any time we need to hold our kiddos for an extended period.
Now that my 2 little ones are in their toddler years, I love using my Tushbaby at playground parks and family outings! Even though Nash is now 15-months-old and walking, he still needs to be carried sometimes. My Tushbaby carrier is a lifesaver because not only am I chasing him around, but I’m also chasing around his 3-year-old sister! When she needs a break or a rest, I am able to carry her on the Tushbaby hip seat also since it is rated up to 45 pounds. She still loves it! As your little one grows, you will just notice the hip seat taking on more pressure from their growing bodyweight. It is still way more comfortable using the Tushbaby with your grown toddler vs traditional holding!
Now, let’s just talk about all of the s#*t we need to bring everywhere we go with our littles, am I right?! Lugging it all around in a heavy diaper bag can be such a hassle sometimes. The Tushbaby makes it easy to just bring the essentials.
The original Tushbaby comes with 5 handy pockets and 1 hideable bottle holder. I absolutely love how I can carry all of the diaper bag necessities inside the pockets and head to the park without worrying about a huge diaper bag, trying to remember which bench or table I set it down on, and keeping a watchful eye on it by having to take my eyes and attention off of my kiddos. We go to some pretty epic parks here in Minnesota, so I love being able to keep it simple with the necessities I need, especially when I’m on my own! I love the motto LESS IS MORE!
Here is what I put inside my Tushbaby storage pockets:
* The Tushbaby Lite only has 3 pockets (large storage zipper pocket, front snap pocket, side mesh pocket) and no mesh hideable bottle holder, but does come with the 2 side loops.
When you use poor form and no core engagement with prolonged baby carrying it puts your body in a constant stance of popping out your hip(s). This causes poor posture and misalignment of your pelvis, which often leads to disc issues and the possibility of chronic back pain.
When you are baby carrying with incorrect posture, you are also putting an immense amount of stress on your bicep muscle by holding a constant contraction. This fatigues this muscle overtime, sending signals into the shoulder and neck, causing other muscles and body parts to begin to compensate for the tired muscle.
With the help of Tushbaby, your body form issues can be completely eliminated! The carrier evenly distributes your child’s weight across your body because it is placed high and tight above the hip bones. This placement, along with its thick, wide waistband, allows you to carry your baby standing upright keeping good posture, body alignment, and pain-free. Watch my Tushbaby Video Review as I demonstrate for you 3 holding positions with the baby hip carrier!
Now, let me show you how this Tushbaby hip carrier actually works! Let’s first start with how to put it on with 3 easy steps.
Now you are ready to learn 3 ways you can wear your Tushbaby hip carrier! Before you start placing your baby on the carrier, make sure your Tushbaby is comfortable and secure. And remember, there are no straps securing your baby to the carrier so you must hold them at all times. I will cover how you can use your baby carrier in the feeding position, side carrying position, and the front carrying position.
Child Age: ~ 0 to 36 months
The feeding position will have the seat slightly forward on the hip bone depending on your specific nursing or bottle-feeding position. Tushbaby eliminates the forward rounding of your shoulders and neck pain from the constant tilting of the head to look down at baby’s latch and adorable face. In the feeding position, the carrier supports baby’s weight so you can keep your shoulders relaxed and your neck aligned.
In my review video, you can see I lie baby down in a side lying position right on the hip seat and nuzzle them into place close to the breast. This allows me to hold myself nice and upright and my arm is gently supported by the hip seat in my feeding position. The support of the hip seat is holding baby’s weight across my pelvis. This is super good for posture and support because while feeding over time, the shoulders are constantly rounding forward causing a lot of stress in your upper back and neck.
Child Age: ~ 4-6 to 36 months
This is the most commonly used Tushbaby carrying position. However, in my experiences with my kids, I personally prefer the 3rd position (front carrying) because it feels more supportive to my body — as these tiny humans quickly grow, they grow heavier just as fast!
For the side carrying position, you’ll want the seat positioned just above the hip bone on whichever side you prefer to hold your child on. Because I’m right-handed, I like to keep my right hand free so I place my Tushbaby on my left hip above the hip bone. The Tushbaby allows you to easily switch sides during a holding session and allowing you to learn how to be comfortable on each side.
I show you a demonstration of the side carrying position in my Tushbaby Review Video, be sure to check it out! — In the video, as my son Nash is positioned on the hip seat, you can see how I am able to hold my weight evenly, my core is engaged, and the support from the hip seat is holding most of his weight. Because he has the motor skills to hold onto me, I am able to go hands free for a quick moment if I need to reach or grab something. Nash is getting to be a big boy so the Tushbaby is angled to support his weight when he is sitting on it. If I wasn’t wearing this product and I was carrying him on just my hip, you can see how my pelvis would be taking all of his weight, making it pop out and misalign which ultimately causes poor posture, chronic back pain, and disc issues.
Child Age: ~ 4-6 to 36 months
Lastly, the front carrying position! Now that my little guy Nash (who is not so little anymore) is getting bigger and more active, this is my favorite Tushbaby carrier position. It helps take the weight off of my spine and pelvis, keeps my posture upright, and I can choose to face him inward or outward on the hip seat. He prefers facing out these days, and this makes it so easy for me to pick him up to place on the seat and then plop him back down on the ground for activities on repeat because that is what 15-month-olds love to do — keep busy!
In my Tushbaby Review Video, you can see that when he is placed on the hip set my core is immediately engaged. This allows me to lightly rest my arms and hands around his belly so he is secure and protected. His bodyweight is pulled forward on the hip seat which in turn makes the waistband support and stabilize my back and pelvis so I’m still able to keep my spine upright. I am standing up straighter than I would traditionally because the hip seat is supporting through my back with the waistband.
I also love the forward facing position because there is no possibility of your hips popping out to the sides. Most significantly to note about the front carrying position is your arm and shoulder alignments. Without the Tushbaby, holding your baby in a front position would pull the shoulders and head forward, resulting in the rounding out of your upper back, and creating thoracic and cervical spinal pain.
In my honest opinion, I believe it is SO worth it! Not only because it makes caring for your baby and/or toddler easier, but it eliminates body pain by keeping you in good alignment and posture. It is so easy to put on, carry baby with, and is made of high quality materials that are machine washable.
Now, I know you might be thinking, “Not another expensive baby product that I’m never going to use.” Most baby products have a short life span, but NOT Tushbaby, as you can use it with your child from their newborn to toddler years. And, this game-changing product is not very expensive, especially when you can use my Tushbaby discount code: KAYLAB22 to save 15% on Tushbaby.com!
Mama’s, I hope you found my honest Tushbaby Review and Video helpful! Let me know in the comments below your favorite holding position and please subscribe to my YouTube Channel for tips on keeping your body feeling well and moving well through all stages of your life!
Hi, I'm Kayla Brugger. Certified Pilates Instructor & Minnesota Mama of 2.
