There is always space in my luggage

Not long ago, I joined an online contest which asked me to pick 3 things I would like to fit into my diaper bag. "That's a little crazy", I exclaimed. Who in their right sense would only take 3 items, especially when you are travelling with a baby! If possible, I would take the whole house because you never know what the baby might need.

I am awed at how some mummies can manage with a tiny handbag. They don't even need a diaper bag as all their "essentials", could fit into their handbag! I on the other hand, have a huge diaper bag in which things can go missing because it holds so many essential items, like diapers, wet wipes, water bottle, spare change, napkins, snacks, tot seat, and my most prized possession, baby carrier.

The one thing I could not leave behind is my carrier because life is much simpler with it.

Piggyback in Original Ergo at 8 months old

Before receiving a demo travel carrier, it was a challenge to fit the Original Ergobaby because it is very bulky due to its heavy padded shoulder straps and waist belt (but it gives maximum comfort). Even after folding it into a neat and tight pack, it still took a lot of space in my diaper bag.

Stowaway is almost half the size of the original Ergo

However, that's not the case with the Ergobaby Stowaway. This carrier offers an amazing combination of comfort and compactness. Its shoulder strap and waist belt are padded (but not as heavily as the original ones) enough to make it comfortable to carry your baby, yet it can easily fold into its own front pouch! I was most impressed by that.

Comparing the shoulder straps

I highlighted the word pouch because this is simply a fantastic feature. Imagine, you no longer need a separate bag to store your Ergo. It's almost like a kangaroo and its pouch. No more worrying about dirtying my Ergo or searching frantically for my carrier cover (which I always misplace).

Stowaway, Travel Carrier

The pouch which is about the size of a clutch bag, comes with a handy strap which allows you to clutch it onto your diaper bag, stroller and even wear it on your wrist. It is so much lighter than all the other Ergobaby carriers, even Ergobaby Performance.

Light, compact and useful.

We just returned from a wonderful beach retreat and I thank my lucky stars this test carrier came to me on time because when you travel with 3 prima donna, luggage space becomes a big issue.

Thanks to the handy strap, I clipped this carrier to my jeans because I didn't want to catch myself rummaging through my diaper bag each time I needed to don on this carrier.

I had it on me for the whole (1 1/2 hours) ferry ride to our destination. Although it's not as comfortable as my original carrier but it still helped a lot. I could easily move in the fast swaying ferry and getting off was not a problem at all.

I wore it everywhere I went, especially during my stroll along the beach. I loved how it felt like I was wearing a t-shirt and we didn't feel terribly uncomfortable in it despite being out in the sun. I even used it when I was splashing water at my older girls. Amazingly, it took a very short time for the carrier to dry up when it 'accidentally' got wet.

No 'sweat' affair strolling along the beach 

Who would have thought that such a compact carrier could still offer you so much -large stuff pocket, adjustable hood and you can use this from newborn (requires infant insert) to toddler (3.2 - 20kg).

Like other Ergobaby, you can carry your baby in 3 positions, front-inward facing, back-piggyback and hip-forward facing carry. It is also designed with breastfeeding in mind! You can easily breastfeed in the front carry position without unbuckling the straps. All you need to do is lower baby to the breast and even walk and continue doing whichever activity you were doing. I've managed to shop while breastfeeding her and it's so discrete that you can throw away your nursing cover (you could also use the adjustable hood as extra cover but trust me, you'd do fine without it). My own husband didn't notice I was breastfeeding her until he offered to carry her (it's manly enough for men). The benefits are endless.

When not in use, I would turn the Stowaway into a mat for her to lie on (during nap time) whilst at the beach. It can also be turned into a pillow when folded.

Stowaway turned into a mat for her to nap comfortably

If you decide to own this compact and comfortable carrier (or any other Ergobaby carrier), please purchase it from an authorised dealers because counterfeit carriers can be extremely harmful to your baby.

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any form for this review. I am doing this review on my own accord to highlight Bloom and Grow's excellent customer service.

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