[Roundtable Discussion Report] What is POMULU really like? User moms talk about its appeal!

POMULU is a 2-way hip seat developed to support families raising children. It is a useful childcare item that combines the best of both a shoulder bag and a hip seat. We held a user roundtable to find out how POMULU has taken root in the lives of users.

During the roundtable discussion, we asked questions about points that people who are thinking about purchasing POMULU are sure to be curious about, such as "What made you decide to purchase POMULU?", "How do you use POMULU?", and "What do you put inside POMULU?"
Four moms who use POMULU spoke frankly about its appeal!

■What made you decide to buy it? "2-way function as a hip seat and pouch bag" "Design that is easy to use for everyday use"

--First of all, please tell us how you found out about POMULU and what made you decide to buy it!

Okamoto-san: I found out about it through an advertisement when I was looking for a crossbody baby carrier. I already had seven baby carriers so I was hesitant to buy it, but I thought it would be nice to have something that could hold things. I entered a POMULU giveaway and happened to win. My child always comes in on his own, as if he's walking through a noren curtain, asking to be picked up (laughs).

Okamoto-san and her child love POMULU so much that he whines, "Don't take POMULU away!"

Sugihara: I first learned about POMULU through Twitter. My child gets rambunctious when I put him in the stroller, and as soon as I put him in a wrap-around baby carrier, he demands to be allowed to walk, so I was looking for a simple baby carrier. When I tried it, it was much better than I expected. I liked how smooth it was to get him in and out of, and how stable it was so I could keep one hand free.

Osumi: In our case, a regular baby carrier was bulky when taking our child to and from nursery school, and as our child got older, he got better at escaping. We were looking for a slimmer item that wouldn't make our child feel confined, and that's when we found POMULU.
The deciding factor for me to buy it was the design, which makes it easy to use on a daily basis. Right now, I'm pregnant, so my husband is the one who mainly uses it, and it doesn't feel strange for him to have it.

Isobe: I happened to stop by the POMULU booth at an event held at Solamachi Skytree some time ago. I was given the opportunity to try out the product at the fitting session that was being held there, and that's how I first learned about POMULU. Of course, I brought this baby with me, and when I put him on during the fitting session, he fell asleep right away! I thought, "This might be good," and that was what made me decide to buy it.

--Thank you everyone! I'm happy that I was able to share POMULU with you all through this chance encounter. I hope to hold more try-on events in the future.

■What's inside POMULU? "I'm amazed it can fit a long wallet inside!" "From valuables to a diaper set."

--Next, could you show us what's inside your POMULU? What kind of things do you carry around in your POMULU?

Sugihara: My child has already weaned, so I don't carry a milk kit with me. So, apart from diapers, most of the contents of the POMULU are my own things. A long wallet, coin purse, and mobile battery. I also have a glasses case and a handkerchief.
I was especially impressed that I could fit a long wallet inside. I don't think a regular baby carrier would fit that. It can also hold a few diapers and even baby wipes. I sometimes put snacks for my kids in it too.

Osumi-san shows us the contents of the POMULU. It even fits a mini water bottle inside!

Osumi: We have a few different ways of using POMULU, but today I recreated the pattern that dad has been using most recently. I put diapers in it, and an eco bag because I often stop by the store on the way home. I also have a lot of keys, but it fits everything. I also put handkerchiefs, tissues, a mini water bottle, and baby wipes in it. I also put my maternal and child health handbook in it.
I stuffed it all the way in (lol), but it spreads out and my son didn't seem to mind it when I put it in, so it's a relief. It opens wide, so it's easy to put things in and take things out, which I like.

Isobe: My child isn't even one year old yet, so I have a lot of luggage, and I mainly use the stroller bag, with the POMULU as a place to store valuables. I also prefer long wallets. I store my wallet and small items like my maternal and child health handbook, oil blotting paper, mirror, eye drops, lipstick, and comb in a small pouch before putting them away. I also have handkerchiefs, diapers, diaper bags, wet wipes, pens, Suica, coin purse, keys... I use the "Lumbar Support Cloth" often, so I keep it in a place where it's easy to take things in and out.

Isobe currently uses POMULU to store valuables.
POMULU will become even more useful as your child grows!

--Everyone seems to be putting a lot of stuff in it. It might be that putting some luggage in it makes it easier to hold and gives it a sense of stability.

Isobe: It's also convenient that you can put your important things in it, just swap out the wallet, and leave it with your husband in case of an emergency. I think more men than women prefer long wallets, and POMULU can fit even a bulky long wallet.

■When do you use POMULU? "On a regular basis," "When going to places that are difficult to reach with a stroller," and "It's also great for taking photos of your kids!"

With POMULU as the common topic, the discussion was a great success.

——When and how do you use POMULU during the day?

Okamoto-san: Whenever I go out, I always carry POMULU with me to store my valuables. It's especially useful when I'm at a playground, where I can leave my large belongings in a locker, but I have to carry my valuables with me. I can also carry my son in it. Of course, I always use it when I go out alone.

Sugihara: We mainly use it when we take our baby to and from nursery school. Sometimes I do it, and sometimes my husband does. We recently switched from a baby carrier to this, and we've really noticed how much more mobile we are.
On my days off, if I'm not going on a trip, this is usually enough. If I'm going on a trip, I'll bring a different bag, but I still take POMULU with me.

Okamoto-san: My family also went to Osaka for a three-day, two-night trip, using only the POMULU without a stroller. It's not bulky, so it was easy to move around, and it's quite difficult to find elevators in unfamiliar places, so I'm glad we decided to go without a stroller.

The Okamoto family's first trip with POMULU

--It seems like you have as much trust in us as you do in strollers... (laughs)! I'm so happy!

Osumi: I'm currently pregnant and my stomach is already in pain, so I can't use the POMULU at the moment. Instead, my husband uses the POMULU to take our child to and from nursery school on weekday mornings, and he even takes it to work as a commuter bag (laughs).
When I was using it, the POMULU was all I needed on days when I had to go to the pediatrician. Because it came with an eco-bag, I would sometimes stop by the supermarket on the way home, hold my son in the POMULU in one hand, and carry the eco-bag in the other.
I use it almost every day, sometimes while waiting for attractions at theme parks, and also just take it with me when I go to places that are difficult to get to with a stroller.

——I see, I see.

Osumi: Currently, people with strollers on the Shinkansen have to reserve space at the back. But sometimes that's not possible. In those cases, there's no other option, so I leave the stroller at home and go in the POMULU. My husband actually wants to use the POMULU, but the stroller is a pain, so he says, "No problem, let's go in the POMULU." The mobility is completely different, after all.

Isobe: Right now, I'm still on maternity leave, so I use it most of the time. It's my main bag during the day, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, so it's like a triple set consisting of me, my baby, and POMULU (laughs).
Photography is my hobby, so I often use POMULU to hold my son in one hand and take pictures with the other. With my son on POMULU, I can even take pictures with flowers in the background.

--It's true that it might be a little difficult to hold the camera in one hand without POMULU.

Okamoto-san: I also take pictures of my kids while holding them in the POMULU. They look so adorable. The angle when you look down at them while holding them is especially cute. If I hold them in front of me, I can't get any good shots, but if I hold them in the POMULU, I can capture lots of happy moments.

■What are the best features? "It gives you peace of mind that it will not fall," "It can be used by siblings," and "It's great for putting your child to sleep!"

Mr. Isobe was worried about his child's sleep problems, but he was amazed to see his child sleeping soundly with POMULU!

--Please tell us your favorite points about POMULU!
By the way, Staff H thinks the best thing about it is that if you put pocket tissues in the small pocket on the front, you can easily take out one tissue at a time. POMULU is also great because you can go to the toilet with it on (lol), ride a bicycle, and even sit down without it bothering your stomach.

Okamoto-san: I can't point out any specific points, but I think there's no inconvenience. It's true that when you use a baby carrier, it can be a bit of a hassle when you go to the toilet, and the cord can get caught in the bag, but when you say that, POMULU is easy... I thought, "Ah, that's true." There really isn't any inconvenience.

Sugihara: My favorite feature is definitely the waist support cross. This stabilizes the hold, so I don't have to worry if my child leans back. There are many different baby carriers out there, but this one is different from the usual baby carriers in that it's casual yet still provides safety, which is great. I'm really glad I got this.

"Even if you lean back, you can rest assured!" says Sugihara, explaining the appeal of the "Lumbar Support Cross."

Osumi: My biggest selling point is that it can be used for a long time. We are expecting our second child soon, so we will have to keep our two-year-old, who moves around a lot, in check while also keeping our little one in mind. It's convenient that the two-year-old can be put in the stroller with POMULU, and I'm happy that it can be used by his siblings afterwards.
Also, as I mentioned earlier, I like how it spreads out. Even when changing diapers on the go, if the set is in the POMULU, you can just take it out and do it right away. It saves time and reduces the hassle.

Isobe: My child is a very fussy sleeper, so the best thing about POMULU is that he sleeps soundly. When he sleeps, his ear touches my heart, so I think he can hear my heartbeat and feel reassured. My husband, who is quite a worrier, also liked the fact that it comes with a lumbar support cross.
Also, because I'm petite, regular baby carriers are very uncomfortable to wear and can make my dresses all messed up. But with POMULU, that's not such a problem.

--Thank you so much for all your kind words! We will continue to work hard to update POMULU to make it an even better product.

Thank you everyone for participating!