PortaMEe: A Sling to Sing About

I just returned from a trip to South Africa to visit family, and I may not have survived it without the PortaMEe baby carrier. My husband couldn’t come, so I needed all the help I could get in traveling that far with my 9-month-old girl. She’s become very clingy lately, so I wanted something to carry her in besides her stroller. (I also needed to be prepared for her ride being lost, which has happened to me before at the airport!) Although I like how compact cloth slings are, they dig into me and I can’t freely use both arms, which was going to be a problem when having to haul luggage and a carry-on bag as well as rummage for our passports at any given moment. The PortaMEe ($149) was exactly the answer I was hoping it would be.

It’s a side carrier, suitable for babies from 8 to 35 pounds (an infant headrest is available for the wee ones) and has every feature you could ask for. First, it’s got a lumbar support pad, which — combined with the baby sitting very comfortably on my hip — meant little to no back pain. It’s also extremely easy to get the baby in and out of. With a snap-in waist buckle and another at the shoulder, you don’t have to hoist the baby up to get him/her inside it. The shoulder strap also doesn’t dig into your neck, which was a huge plus for me. There’s a gel insert, which cushions all the tension.

I also love how many compartments there are in this carrier. There’s one behind the baby (where I stored our passports!) and another in the lumbar support pad; at the neck there’s a slot that’s perfect for a PDA or cell phone. You can also carry a bottle, for the baby or yourself, in the detachable bottle holder that comes with each carrier. The PortaMEe is surprisingly lightweight and compact. It easily fit amongst all the toys, books and snacks in my carry-on backpack.

On top of all the practical factors, the PortaMEe looks good. In tasteful color options like black and a rich brown (accented with pink or blue if you prefer a little color) and made of quilted nylon and beautiful faux suede, it feels very luxurious on, which might be why Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise were so happy to receive one from PortaMEe’s working mom founders Robin Stein and Jennifer Gilbert (they even sent this thank you note). Other celebrities singing their praises include Brooke Shields, Christy Turlington and Ed Burns, and Rachel Weisz.

Although I hope I won’t be doing another long journey across the globe any time soon, I’m excited to use the PortaMEe for my everyday trips. I may not bring my baby to a pub in it, like I did over there (hey, it’s Africa!) but I will use it for shopping. It’s by far the most comfortable and easy way to carry my girl that I’ve come across.