Straight to woven wrap for summer newborn (and novice mama)?

[EmmaJane]

So, with DD1, I never got the hang of a ring sling, kinda used a Hotsling every now and then, but got an Ergo at about 4 months, loved it, and stuck with it until DD was two and a half.

New baby will be coming in May. I think I want to get a wrap. It seems like people usually get stretchy ones for little babies, then maybe woven later on?

But I'm wondering if I should just get a woven wrap to start with--especially since I just found one in linen. My house isn't air conditioned, and it gets really humid here -- am worried about overheating. Are stretchy wraps hot?

But then I'm also wondering, is woven too difficult to start with? Especially since I may be extra un-coordinated, given how much trouble I had with slings... and we have the Ergo to use when new baby gets big enough, in the fall. So I might just be using the wrap for the first 4 months anyway, and never need the extra support from the woven.

Any advice?

[Kiara.I]

It might not be that you were unco-ordinated, it might be that the ring slings weren't well-designed. I've got a ring sling kicking around in the bottom of the carrier box that I got for free, and cannot bring myself to give away because it is so awful. (Heavily padded rails, completely not adjustable.)

So don't let that deter you! There is nothing wrong with using a woven wrap from day 1, and you're right, you might find it cooler. Is there any way you can borrow a wrap from someone, and try tying it a few times (stick a teddy bear in for bulk)? That should answer your co-ordination question pretty easily.

Or, learn to wrap your older child. That way you'll REALLY know if you like it.

[baturay]

I would get the woven wrap first. I love stretchy wraps, but there's nothing wrong with starting with a woven wrap from the start. It'll save you from getting used to a woven wrap after having used a stretchy one. And if you get it now, you can start practicing with a doll or your older child. I use both woven and stretchy with my son when he was a baby...and still use my woven wraps daily.

[Materfamilias]

What about a mei tai?

[pixiepunk]

i don't think there's any difference in terms of heat factor - a woven (even linen) is going to be just as warm as a stretchy wrap IMO. and i don't particularly like either for use when it's really hot. if you think you're likely to use it mostly with a newborn and it'll be summer and you want to wrap, i'd suggest a gypsymama breeze wrap - it's gauze, beautiful, easier to learn to wrap with than a woven and way more light weight than a stretchy or a woven. or you could get to a fabric store and buy 5 or 6 yds of cotton gauze/crinkle cotton and cut it in half length-wise. you don't even need to hem it, it won't fray. cheap, cute, effective. you could do the same with a cotton jersey if you want to try a stretchy wrap, it won't fray either.

i do personally find a mei tai easier to deal with and less hot than a wrap. and knowing that you loved the ergo makes me think a mei tai would be a good choice.

[Devaskyla]

I think wovens are cooler. And there's no reason you can't get one right away. The main reason people suggest stretchy wraps to beginning wrappers is because they're a lot more forgiving, you don't have to wrap quite so carefully. Stretchy wraps have the least problem with pressure points, regular wovens are next & gauze has the most. Pressure points aren't as much of a problem with newborns, though, imo.

[Ellp]

I had Dd#2 in a Gypsymama wrap right from the newborn stage, and she was born in the middle of June. I say they're perfect for newborns and for newbies as they're so lightweight and cool.

Also, like PP have already said, once you get used to a woven wrap, there's no learning curve if you decide to go with a stretchy. If you get used to a stretchy though, going to a woven will be harder.

[Quirky]

I'd probably start with a mei tai or a Gypsymama Bali Baby Stretch, myself. I'm on the hot and sweaty side by nature, and when I had my August baby in DC and tried out my new Didy Indio, it felt like I was swaddling myself. Or upholstering myself. Both of us hated it.

I quit on wrapping for quite a while until using a GM, which is much lighter-weight and easier to deal with IME, helped me get up my nerve to wrap again.

But wrapping is quite warm compared to other types of babywearing, and wovens are going to put putting three layers of fabric over you and the baby.

[baturay]

There are single layer carries, so you can do carries where it's just one layer of wrap over you and baby.

[EmmaJane]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the pretty pretty linen... and I'm going to try to practice a lot with toys, and chase around a friend w/newborn who used a wrap at least some of the time w/her first.

Trying it out with with (a) squirmy oversize 3-year-old on top of (b) gigantic projecting belly seems, uh, intimidating, and not immediately relevant...

... thank you, everyone for your suggestions! Baturay, do you have links for directions for the single layer carries?

[baturay]

Here's one that is called the Kangaroo. Here's another for facing out when they are little.

And also, this page has a lot of carries you can do with a wrap. With a lot of these, you can chose to not spread out the outer rails. You can scrunch them up, so that you are still getting the support, but not the fabric spread across...making it less layers when worn.

For back carries, I like doing the one that's called rucksack and that's also a single layer back carry.


Happy wrapping!

[sugareemoma]

My vote is for a GSW right off the bat. They are the best wraps, I love my Storch and will be getting a Diddy linen for the summer. They are worth the investment because they last forever and can be used with toddlers. I am going to get a natural linen this summer, the lighter color will keep heat from the sun from being absorbed as much, the weave will allow more air to pass through than a strechy would --my DD is to big for a stretcy but you would soon realize they don't breath much-- and the linen fabric wicks moisture away unlike cotton or silk. I can't wait to see what limited edition linens Diddymos is putting out this spring!

[MoonStarFalling]

If I did it over I would nix the moby. It was HOT. Couldn't wear it even in the house with the a/c on. A woven wrap is so much cooler IMO. I wore dd all over Florida with no problem. Linen sounds like the perfect choice.