There have been a lot of new Filipino-made carriers out there and one of them is the IMA carrier. As per their Facebook page, IMA is the Capampangan word for mother and IMA is an acronym for In My Arms. The owner of the brand is Jaki Carino-Flora and she said that they started the carrier-making business back in July 2015 with only her mother solely making the carriers. She then launched the first batch in November 2015 and they sold out in a flash! Because of that success they have 3 additional sewers plus her mom who still cuts and sews and her carriers are coveted by most babywearing moms. I asked Jaki what her dream for IMA is and she said:
"Dream ko is for it (IMA) to pass the international standards, become a pride of the Pinoys, and be able to reach out to more parents through visibility in more stores nationwide, para they will be aware of responsible and proper wearing. And hopefully reach the shores of other countries too."
I just put in an order for my own IMA last month and was happy to test-drive this standler carrier. IMA has 3 sizes: standard which is their baby-sized carrier for kids 15-40 pounds, toddler for kids 25-45 pounds and standler for those in between. They lent me a standler carrier in the Camille design and it was a really good fit for my son panel-wise, it was just the right height and width. He wasn't drowning in the carrier and he was spilling out of it either. Since I was one of the last ones to review the carrier, I noticed that the color wasn't as bright in person as it looked in pictures, but it still photographed beautifully. For me though the true test was wearing it for extended periods of time.
I did a fit check at home once I got it and all the normal parts I was used to were there. The only thing missing was the pocket on the waist belt which really made me feel lost as I was used to having pockets on my SSCs (soft structured carrier) for my phone and keys. The straps were a good size and they wasn't hard to loosen or tighten them for breastfeeding. The waist belt was just long enough for me and hubby who are both big in the middle but I noticed it started hurting me after a couple of hours of straight wearing my son. He is now 20 pounds and I noticed that unless there is heavy padding on a carrier it gets unbearable to wear him for over 2 hours now. Structure-wise, I also noticed the hood is much too easy to detach, but that may be because I am one of the last ones to review this certain carrier.
My husband also tried the carrier and he mentioned that it got uncomfortable for him after an hour of carrying our kid. He liked the price point but he said he preferred our other carriers. As for myself, I find that IMA is basically the same as my Tula in terms of using it as they are both fairly simple and straightforward. I liked how easy it was to breastfeed and do a back carry because the buckles and straps slide easily against each other. The longest wear I did was only 3 straight hours, though that might be partly because my toddler now wants to walk around more and partly because my lower back began to ache like hell. But I'm happy to report that IMA became our go-to carrier for the week it was with us.
I would definitely recommend IMA to parents who are looking for affordable SSCs (soft structured carriers) and want a Tula-like feel. I say that in the most flattering light possible as in the babywearing world Tula is the Mercedes of carriers. I would say IMA is the Toyota of carriers as they are affordable but still cool and savvy especially for money-wise mommies and daddies. You can purchase your very own IMA carrier from the website or at 9 months and Beyond.
