Manduca - frequently asked questions - FAQ

Everyone you ask whether the Manduca can also be used for newborns will tell you something different. Even the experts don't agree and your midwife will contradict your pediatrician. In forums and information platforms you have repeatedly discovered different statements about when you can start using a Manduca baby carrier. Who else should new parents ask? Their mothers still know very little about carrying, because when they were young mothers themselves, carrying was still considered something very exotic. But it's all very simple, because you can really trust your gut feeling. But nobody wants to rely on that exclusively. So here are a few facts:

• Newborns (<3500g) sit safely in the orthopedically correct squat position when using the integrated seat reducer (First) or in the tightest hip belt setting (XT). With the Manduca First, the legs remain inside the carrier
• Babies (from around 3 months) sit in the spread-squat position even without the seat reducer (First) and can now be carried either on the hip or on the back
• Toddlers (up to a maximum of 20 kg) receive sufficient support in the back area thanks to the integrated back extension. With the Manduca First, the EX-Tend can be used to widen the hip belt. The Manduca XT already has this integrated.

You should definitely open the back extension at 3-4 weeks, or at the latest at 6 weeks, depending on the length of your baby's upper body. At this age, the back panel should always reach far into your baby's neck. This is the only way to ensure that your baby's upper body and neck are adequately supported. In the following weeks, your baby's legs can already protrude from the sides of the Manduca child carrier and no longer have to remain inside the carrier. This is particularly recommended for babies who otherwise try to "pull themselves up" and "stand up" in the carrier.

1. You are probably right: your baby is in exactly an intermediate stage, almost too big for the seat reducer, but the thighs are not yet long enough to fit in the Manduca ® carrier without the seat reducer. In this case, continue to use the seat reducer - in combination with the open back extension! This way, your child will still sit a little higher and will not have to force its legs into the splits. The legs will already be hanging out of the sides of the carrier, but no pressure will be exerted on the thighs or the backs of the knees.
2. Unfortunately, there is no general formula for when your child will fit in the Manduca ® child carrier without the seat reducer - this varies greatly from child to child and depends on the individual size and, in particular, the length of the thighs. Most babies fit in the Manduca ® child carrier without the seat reducer at some point between 3 and 5 months. Many babywearing consultants recommend clothing size 68 as a guideline!
3. Please always check whether your baby's bottom completely fills the Manduca bag. There must be no folds, otherwise the baby will be held in the back of the knees and over-spread. You must use the respective position of the seat reducer until your baby fills the bag.
4. If you are not able to cope with all these tips, the new Manduca accessory, the SizeIt seat reducer, is guaranteed to help you.

Both the Manduca First and the Manduca XT baby carriers have an anatomically shaped and tapered hip belt, which ensures a perfect fit. The 3-point buckle and the elastic band on the hip belt provide the necessary safety. The main distinguishing feature of the two Manduca models is the width adjustment for different baby sizes. For newborns, the Manduca First has a newborn insert integrated, while the width of the hip belt in the Manduca XT is adjustable. For larger babies, the ZipIn and Ex-Tend accessories for the Manduca First are recommended. This is integrated in the Manduca XT (Ex-Tend) or is included in the delivery (ZipIn). Since both carriers are suitable for newborns and toddlers, it is a matter of taste which Manduca you prefer..

Features:

• Anatomically shaped, conical hip belt for a perfect fit
• Three-point safety buckle on the hip belt (padded)
• Two-way buckles on the hip and shoulder straps (padded)
• Suitable for everyone (three-way adjustable shoulder straps, variable hip belt)
• Padded leg cutouts for your baby
• No padding in the child's back, thus optimal adaptation to the body
• Thickly padded shoulder straps ensure optimal wearing comfort
• Embroidered logo
• Integrated head and neck support
• Invisibly stowable hood, infinitely adjustable
• Particularly deep Darts in the buttocks area for an orthopedically correct M-position
• Light weight and pack size, fits in any backpack

Safety:

Generally, only selected materials are used for production: All fabrics are manufactured according to our own specifications and dyed according to the manufacturer's instructions. 

Back-friendly and simply comfortable:

In the Manduca baby carrier, you carry your child very close to your body, without annoying layers of fabric or a frame, almost like in a sling. The ergonomic design and the anatomically shaped hip belt transfer the weight from the parents' shoulders to the hips, just like with a good hiking backpack. You can either cross the softly padded shoulder straps on your back (front carrier) or use them in backpack style (front and back carrier) - just as you like!

The Manduca really grows with you:

Even newborns are held safely in the Manduca First and XT models and can be carried in them from the very beginning. At around 3 months, you can also carry your baby in other carrying positions, such as the hip carrier, or on your back. A hidden head and neck support is only unfolded when needed and supports your child's head if it falls asleep. The cleverly integrated back extension of the Manduca child carrier guarantees sufficient support in the shoulder area even for larger children (up to 20 kg).

The Manduca simply always fits:

Small women benefit from the three-way adjustable shoulder straps, larger parents from the variable hip belt, which can be worn on the hip or waist due to its special anatomical fit. If the belt is not long enough, a hip belt extension is available as an accessory.

Both the Manduca First baby carrier and the Manduca XT are manufactured in Europe, specifically in our neighboring country, the Czech Republic. This ensures the shortest delivery routes and supports generally sustainable production. The material of both models is organic cotton. The safety buckles are from Duraflex and the high-quality foam is from ZoteFoams.

That's just the first impression. Before you put your child in the Manduca ® child carrier, you should adjust the carrier to your own height. The long nylon straps on the two-way buckles of the shoulder straps and the hip belt are used for this. You can simply stow the overhanging ends of the nylon straps in the belt loops provided. You usually only have to make this rough adjustment once. In everyday life, you only work with the short nylon straps, which are intended for fine-tuning.

Yes, definitely! Please take another look at our instructions for use, which are included with every Manduca ® carrier. At the beginning, you should always have a second person with you and/or practice on a soft surface and/or in front of a mirror until you are familiar with the movements. There are various other ways to get your baby onto your back on the Internet and in practice. In our instructions, we have limited ourselves to a single option, which we consider to be the easiest and safest option. Just try it out.!

With a little experience and practice, you will soon be able to open the 3-point safety buckle with the three fingers of one hand. All of our test parents managed to do this after a short time, and I'm sure you will too! Alternatively, you can simply leave the Manduca ® child carrier on and let the back panel hang down like an apron when you have taken your child out of the carrier. Many parents do not take the Manduca ® child carrier off completely when they take their child out. We are aware that the 3-point safety buckle is a little more complicated to open than a standard buckle. But it was more important to us that the hip belt buckle could not be opened accidentally, for example if your own jeans button accidentally presses the release button when bending down or a whining and jealous sibling hangs on to mom's "skirt hem" or the hip belt...

As both the Manduca First and the Manduca XT support your baby's natural squat position, there is no reason not to carry your baby in it for a longer period of time. With every movement you make, the baby is gently rocked in the Manduca. Your baby feels your heartbeat and your breathing gently massages the baby's tummy. This prevents colic. So why should there be a reason not to carry Babs in the Manduca for a longer period of time? Trust your baby. It will let you know when it doesn't like it any more, is hungry or has a full diaper.