Babywearing. One of the greatest ideas/concepts that has ever been invented. Whether you’re a SAHM, on maternity leave, mom of multiples or just a mom on the go, babywearing can be your greatest ally. Cool thing I learned while writing this post: babywearing is in the dictionary and is defined as “the action or practice of carrying a baby close against one’s body in a sling or similar carrier.” I love it!I imagine it will be a very sad sad day when baby girl weighs too much and I can no longer wear her (trying NOT to get ahead of myself though).
It has been helpful to wear the babe in many scenarios: airport, airplane (it was GREAT to have both hands), on walks, to the grocery store, at breweries and social gatherings, when baby is sad or needing to be close to me, when walking the dog, you get the picture!
I’m going to share my opinions on 3 babywearing brands I’ve tried and which ones I like best!
Solly Baby Wrap (winner winner!) This wrap is AMAZING. It looks pretty intimidating but I assure you, after watching the video a few times you become an absolute pro. This wrap essentially feels like you’re wearing a t-shirt and it’s nice and light so babe stays warm and cozy with your body heat. It is not bulky at all.
My favorite part about the Solly is that it can be wrapped before you need to use it. Prime example, grocery shopping. What in the world would I do without this? I wrap the Solly before I leave the house and then plop her into it before I head into the store (Yes, in the winter it’s cold – but she has her hat on and I basically sprint into the store). My friend shared this pro tip with me (she’s much more advanced than I) and it has been a total game changer! I know it’ll be easier to shop (will it really though??) when she’s big enough to sit in the cart but I just love having her close to me. Unless you have a special coat you can’t really use this outside in the winter (which is sad). Another thing I love about the Solly is that baby can only face inwards. This creates such an intimate bonding for the baby and it’s wearer. Overall, the Solly has my heart and I’m trying not to think about the day I can’t use it anymore!
Baby K’Tan: I purchased this wrap first and it got me through a lot at home. It was super easy to use and you can wear baby facing inwards and outwards (when they are big enough). This one is two pieces and there’s no wrapping involved. It’s two loops connected by a smaller piece of fabric and a 2nd piece to tie around both of you when baby is secure.
For me it was hard to get this wrap to feel supported on my back. Conceptually, it’s pretty simple but it gets twisted in the back and it’s hard to keep it in a comfortable position. It’s hard to flatten the main part of the wrap so that it’s comfortable. I also will add that I used this when the baby was smaller and now that she’s bigger it works a little bit better.
ErgoBaby 360 Carrier (this is technically not a wrap) but it’s still of the babywearing genre. We have this carrier too and I use it quite a bit. It’s not my favorite carrier because for me it feels very bulky on the shoulders and doesn’t always feel like my low back is supported. That being said, I use it multiple times a week for outdoor walks because baby can wear her snowsuit and we can go on walks with our pup, Sam or just head out for a quick errand around town. This carrier has 4 positions and when the baby is bigger they can we worn on your back which is fun!
Baby Bjorn: I can’t say too much about this carrier because we haven’t tried it but we saw a couple on vacation with this carrier an it looked SO easy to use and the baby was perfectly situated. So I thought it was worth a mention. If I could do it all over I would probably get this in lieu of the ErgoBaby 360. It seems like it can be use the exact same way as the ErgoBaby 360 and looks like it distributes the weight through the middle of the back (which to me feels like it would be more even). Obviously I’m so concerned about back support because moming really takes a toll on your back and neck. Always looking down, nursing, playing on the floor, you guys know the drill!
These opinions are my own and obviously there are SO many products out there and what works for me might not work for everyone. The point of my post is to advocate for babywearing because I think it’s awesome and I love being able to feel connected and close to baby (while also being productive or active)! When starting the journey of babywearing I would recommend you practice at home and around the house until you’re comfortable putting baby in and knowing all is secure.
There is an entire organization devoted to babywearing. If you ever have any questions about how to babywear, their website has a lot of good info and FAQs!
https://babywearinginternational.org
This is my From Now Til Forever,
Here are the links to the wraps and carriers I talked about in the post!
I use the Moby wrap around the house and will likely use it much more when we are out and about town. My biggest problem is getting him in and out since he’s still tiny and in the newborn hug hold. We have an ErgoBaby, which I like for the ease and speed of deployment, but you’re right about the bulk and the lack of back support. But I love wearing him. It’s great to be hands free and it calms him so quickly.
Thanks for reading!! I haven’t tried the Moby but have heard great things about that one too!
Wearing them is the BEST! Good for babe and good for Mom!