Travel with Kids Product Review: Playtex™ Hip Hammock

I purchased a Playtex™ Hip Hammock® Child Carrier to use when my infant son was around 6 months old.  He was off the growth charts at around 3 months - exceeding the 95th percentile for weight - and I was struggling to carry him around without breaking my arm.  He had outgrown his other carriers and I was hopeful that we would find a suitable replacement.

The Directions for the Use of the Hip Hammock
are straightforward and easy to understand.    

So I went to Babies R Us and found the Playtex™ Hip Hammock® , which I promptly purchased and brought home.  One evening, while I was going from room to room straightening the house, my son tried to crawl after me crying, wanting to be held so he didn't get left behind.  I decided to give the Hip Hammock® a try.  I put it on, adjusting the belts as necessary, picked up my son and put the shoulder strap in place.  I continued my cleaning efforts with my son tagging along.  


I would love to say that this was the perfect solution, but I quickly found that it wasn't.  Although the Hip Hammock® did alleviate some of the strain of carrying a heavy child around, it made him lean forward at a very awkward angle.  I kept trying to help him lean back, adjusting the carrier and position of the straps, but nothing really worked.  Beyond that, sharp pains shot through my neck and my collarbone felt like it might break in two the longer I carried him around.  


Strangely, when I attempted to use the Hip Hammock® with my 2-year-old daughter it went much better.  I assume it worked because she was more able to hold herself upright than my son could at 6 months.  However, the neck and shoulder pain still occurred and we don't really use the carrier for her either.     

The Hip Hammock is a simple contraption designed
to use the hip and shoulder as anchors for the child's weight.   

It is interesting to note that as of this review, the Hip Hammock® is now only available through Amazon.com and not at major retailers like Target or Babies R Us.  There are obviously better choices out there.  For anyone who shops at consignment stores or on Ebay, my recommendation is to be sure there is a return policy, just in case.  It is also important to note that there was a recall in 2005 for model numbers 05300, 05301 and 05302.  

On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate the Hip Hammock® a 4.  It was easy to use and adjust, it was lightweight and did free up my hands.  However, it held my son in an awkward position and caused pain in my neck and collarbone after a short period of use.