Baby wearing is an excellent way to bond with your baby and keep them close while having your hands free. I didn’t realise how much I would enjoy baby wearing until Mimi was born. Mimi liked to be really close to me in those early newborn months and we used baby carriers everywhere from around the house, at work and when we went out for short trips. For the first 5 months of Mimi’s life pretty much every day nap was in the carrier!
As you’ll find on The Baby Edit, there are a few different styles of baby carriers on the market. We’ve got sling wrap baby carriers, wrap baby carriers and soft structured baby carriers. No style is better than the other, it’s all about personal preference and what feels most comfortable for you and bub. You can read about the differences of each style on The Baby Edit here.
I’ve tested all styles with Mimi and found the fabric wrap baby carriers were better suited for us in those early newborn months. Once Mimi was around 3 months we started using a soft structured baby carrier (you can read our BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One Air review here). In those early months, one of the baby wrap carriers I tested was the Baby Dink.
What is the Baby Dink?
The Baby Dink is a wrap carrier with a difference because no actual wrapping is required. This news offers sweet relief to many as mastering the art of baby wrapping can feel like an elaborate gym routine in the beginning. The first few times I used a fabric wrap I would have given up if I didn’t need to review the product for this very website! After around 6 tries I did proudly master the art.
The Baby Dink skips this process but still has the perks of a baby wrap, including being super close to your baby. Typically sling wraps and baby wraps are one long piece of fabric, which means you and bub are closer together compared to soft structured carriers that are a little roomier. I really liked the closeness that the Baby Dink offered for Mimi and myself.
Key takeaways after testing the Baby Dink
This baby carrier is super easy to use. You simply put it on like a top. Essentially it’s a stretchy vest. After you slip into it, you fasten the waistband with Velcro. You then pop bub on your shoulder and slip them into the criss-cross shoulder straps before pulling up the rest of carrier to their neck to safely secure them. I felt this process removed some of the guesswork of baby wrapping and also some of the juggle of putting Mimi into some of the other soft structured baby carriers I tested.
However, in my experience, the fit of the Baby Dink is really snug. I went a size up and felt it was still a bit of a tight fit. It feels like wearing a stretchy t-shirt and therefore you’re limited with what you wear underneath the Baby Dink (definitely no winter jumpers!). If you’re considering purchasing this product, I would recommend consulting their sizing guide and measurements on their website and if in doubt go up a size. This is not a one size fits all product, you buy according to your specific size. The Baby Dink range is available in size 4 to 24 AU.
Another thing worth considering with The Baby Dink is who will be using it. If you’re planning on sharing your baby carrier with another parent, carer or grandparent The Baby Dink may not be the best option for you as you cannot adjust its size. (Unless you happen to be the same size as who you’ll be sharing it with, then go ahead!)
A good thing about this product is that it’s super lightweight. You can easily toss it in the nappy bag and use it as you please. Whereas, soft structured carriers are bulkier and you have to plan ahead if you want to bring it with you. The Baby Dink is also made from organic cotton and machine washable, which made it really easy to clean. This product has a lifespan of 0 to 6 months, and we used it from 0 to 3 months.
If like me you want the absolute perfect, comfy fit for you and bub, I love a stretchy, wrap carrier. If you’re not a fan of rhythmic gymnastics routines and want to skip the hassle, I’d recommend the Baby Dink. However, make sure you investigate the best size for you before you add to cart.
The Baby Dink was tested by Emily and her daughter Mimi (from 0 to 3 months). Photography by Bri Hammond, produced by The Baby Edit. Additional photography supplied by Baby Dink. Read our 2022 Best Of Baby Carrier List as ranked by the thousands of Australian families we surveyed here.
This is general information only. If you need personal, health, medical or technical advice when it comes to your growing family, please seek out a professional.