Wraps

tngrl3

Hey ladies I have been lurking on this board since I got pregnant as I have always wanted to have a med free birth. Just feel like my body is made for this and it is best for baby. I have learned lots from reading your advice and hope to pick up some more wisdom in the coming months  

So I have a question about wraps/slings. I want to wear my baby as I know I will be tempted to hold LO lots and I feel like this is a good solution and good for baby as well. I have done a little research, but there are tons to choose from! For those of you have used them, which are your favorites and which do you not like and for what reasons. Also does body build have anything to do with the best type of wrap? I am 5'4", average build, but have a short torso. Thanks for your help ladies! 

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You're right, there are tons of carriers to choose from and not all work for every person or even every baby. Your best bet is to find a local baby wearer group and try some out. If there's not one, then maybe a store that sells different types and brands. We've even had a carrier show & tell at our local LLL group meeting. 

Ive only used a Moby wrap and wasnt much of a fan of the stretchy type wrap. It never felt secure once LO was  10-12 lbs. I moved on to an Ergo and my son lived it. We wore him all the way up to 2.5 years when on vacation. My daughter, however, hated it with a passion of 10000 burning suns. She much prefers the ring sling in the hip carry (for older babies) over pretty much anything else.  Wish I could have predicted that and had the RS for the newborn stage too.  

Jcrab

I have only tried the Moby and Ergo but like them both. I am 5'2" with a shortish torso FWIW. The AP board can give you more details.

sschwege

Jcrab:

I have only tried the Moby and Ergo but like them both. I am 5'2" with a shortish torso FWIW. The AP board can give you more details.

Same here (only I am 5'6).   

Celyn

My least favorite are ring slings and pouches.  I just don't find myself feeling completely hands free with either of those.

For newborns, I really like stretchy wraps.  There are instructions for DIY in babywearing bio listed in my sig

At about 16 pounds, I like to transition to something sturdier than a stretchy wrap, like a hanamuguri (x-sling) or mei tai.

At a year, I usually go to a mei tai or a buckle carrier for back carries.

KateLouise

There are lots and so much of it is personal preference.

I love all of my wraps for different reasons. I love my thin wraps (vatanai and a linen didymos) when it's hot, although I find the linen more supportive than the vatanais.

I have some 'workhorse" wraps: hoppediz, storchenwiege, neobulle which are all sturdy and hard working.

I love my old weave girasols for being soft and snuggly with my newborns.

I love my pouch sling for nipping into shops for quick errands when getting out the pram would be a hassle.

I don't think your build would affect what type of wrap you wanted but rather the length of wrap. Also the types of carries you want to do will affect what length you need. I'm tall and busty. I like a size 4 for doing a quick ruck tied in front, and a size 6 for doing a double hammock or a front wrap cross carry (FWCC)

People generally like a 4 and a 6 or a 3 and a 5.

If you check out thebabywearer you'll find lots of well priced wraps, which are generally broken in making them softer to use. The good thing about wraps is that they resell easily so if you decide you'd like to try something else it's not such a big deal. 

My general rule of thumb is that if I love the colourway/pattern then I'll reach for the wrap. If I'm ho-hum about it, it stays in the cupboard. 

The wrap in my siggy is a vatanai maruyama in a FWCC. 

Ziegeficker

I don't have any personal experience with any wraps or slings, since I'm a FTM and still pregnant.  But I do already own a Moby, which was highly recommended by a few good friends who have babies.  I also enjoyed reading the recommendations and reviews of various products on Lucie's List and found many of her comments helpful for getting what I think I'll want onto my registry.