Sometimes a stroller isn't allowed or appropriate. Sometimes you want the freedom (and cuddles) that babywearing provides. Lucky for us there are TONS of babywearing options out there, from wraps to slings to mei tais and soft structured carriers (SSC's). But what about tandem babywearing, i.e. wearing two babies at once? We just got our hands on a carrier that, in my opinion, blows all other tandem wearing options out of the window. I give you, the TwinGo!!
Photo credit: TwinGo
The TwinGo carrier is a 2-in-1 SSC that works together or apart. This means, for example, mom and dad can each wear one baby, or one caregiver can wear one child on the front and one on the back! What makes the TwinGo really stand apart from its competitors is that you can remove one set of shoulder straps when wearing the front and back configuration, cutting out a lot of unneeded bulk!
On our maiden voyage with the TwinGo, my husband and I each wore one of our twins in the front carry position... for 6 hours straight (only breaking for boob and diaper time)!!
At almost 4 months, they're weighing in at about 14 pounds a piece and by the end of the day we were relieved to take them off but in no way, shape, or form would I say it was painful for anyone. The TwinGo shoulder and waist straps are well padded and designed in a way to distribute the weight extremely well, and the carrier holds the baby from knee to knee, which is ergonomic for their hips and spine.
Some features that really stand out to me as exceptionally awesome include:
- A large pocket on the front of each carrier, so you could do without a diaper bag. The carrier also folds in on itself INTO that pocket, so for packing or storing they are compact and easy to work with!
- Sleep hoods (blue and orange come standard, and they have custom designs as well)
- Safety elastic for buckles
- 2nd set of shoulder straps remove when tandem carrying
- Color coding (they use blue for the "base" carrier and orange for the "attachment" carrier)
- Extra accessories including infant insert, mei tai straps, teething pads, and panel extender
This is how the 2 TwinGo carriers pack up - into their own pockets!! Just unzip and unfold and you're ready to go!
Here's a quick demo of how the carrier unfolds out of its own pocket. This was my first time and you can see how genuinely impressed I was, haha!!
The TwinGo can accommodate a total of 70 pounds in tandem mode, or up to 45 pounds in single carrier mode. Because you cannot wear a child in the back carry configuration until they are at least 4 months old and have good head neck control (and many babywearers would suggest waiting til they can sit independently), our babies are not quite ready for this mode!! But, I have a feeling I will be rocking that setup a LOT!!
We haven't worn our toddler in over a year, so I don't think wearing him in this carrier will be something we start doing now (it's a different case if you start when they're little and your body strengthens as they grow), but just to test it out I threw him on in the back and one of the babies in the front. It actually wasn't that bad!! As I mentioned above, the TwinGo is well padded and designed to distribute weight across your hips. So in a pickle (like if we were out and my toddler just couldn't possibly walk any more, I could totally make this happen!
Looking at the photo below, I'm horrified to see that I didn't have my baby situated in there correctly - she was a bit askew with one leg not pulled out all the way. BUT, this is a great time to mention there is an extra safety strap that buckles in place for the child in the "attachment" carrier when tandem wearing (the safety strap is built into the shoulder straps for the "base" carrier and also the "attachment" carrier when wearing it solo). So, god forbid I actually went on my merry way without realizing my baby wasn't seated correctly, the safety strap should keep her from slipping out the side... So YAY for safety measures, and a good reminder that practicing at home with a spotter is key, as is always triple checking every time that everyone is in there safely before you take off! TwinGo's instructions include great visuals and flagged safety checks to confirm that you have it on correctly, and don't miss their "how to" demo for the dual carry!
Looking at the photo below, I'm horrified to see that I didn't have my baby situated in there correctly - she was a bit askew with one leg not pulled out all the way. BUT, this is a great time to mention there is an extra safety strap that buckles in place for the child in the "attachment" carrier when tandem wearing (the safety strap is built into the shoulder straps for the "base" carrier and also the "attachment" carrier when wearing it solo). So, god forbid I actually went on my merry way without realizing my baby wasn't seated correctly, the safety strap should keep her from slipping out the side... So YAY for safety measures, and a good reminder that practicing at home with a spotter is key, as is always triple checking every time that everyone is in there safely before you take off! TwinGo's instructions include great visuals and flagged safety checks to confirm that you have it on correctly, and don't miss their "how to" demo for the dual carry!
Stay tuned for my review of tandem babywearing our twins in the TwinGo, coming in a month or two! In the meantime, you can check out TwinGo and if you like, buy it on their site or on Amazon (for about $215).
Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
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