Can I get some experienced advice on a "wrap" carrier?

[sewingsparklz]

Hi. I'm thinking about getting a wrap-type carrier. I have a D ring sling, which I didn't use much after baby #2 because it hurt my back so much. I have an Ergo, too, which I LOVE, but mainly for when the babe is older and can ride on my back. I've seen people with the wrap type slings and wondered if that was what I needed for my kids.

So:
Pros and cons?
Brand recommendations?
Could I buy from Etsy, a homemade one?
Could I make one myself ?

Length/width recommendations? or are they all pretty much the same?

 

Edited by sewingsparklz - 11/22/10 at 6:33pm

[lifeguard]

Try posting over in the babywearing area.

[mama_daba]

i second posting at the baby wearing section

i love woven wrap carriers and some women use them as an aid in labor! i have seen videos where there is a hook in the ceiling really strong in the stud and the wrap is attached so the mom can sort of pull on the wrap and hang on the wrap and it is supposed to help! i know some birthing centers use them for birthing.

[lguse]

Wrapa are awesome, it's great that you're looking into them!

And you're in luck: It's a great time to buy a wrap right now as the prices are quite low on the used market. A Didymos is always great (organic too), but there are less expensive brands which are good too. If money is really tight, then you could make your own, but if you buy used and then sell again, you don't really have anything to lose. Wraps are specially woven, it's not like they're just any fabric.

If you have an average build, I would recommend a Didymos size 6 (about 4.6 meters long). You can do multiple carries with this size.

thebabywearer.com has great forums for this stuff and their FSOT board is flooded with great wraps at great prices.

If you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help

[tracymom1]

I love my my Moby. If you can sew just a little I am sure you could easily make one on your own. Its just one continuous, very long piece of fabric.

[CinCanada]

I used a ring sling, stretchy Moby Wrap & an Ergo with my DD & LOVED them all. They all had their own time & place & were perfect at the time. I used my sling & wrap right from almost day 1 & though the sling had an easier learning curve, I definitely felt it in my back when trying to wear it for long periods. For that reason, the wrap was perfect. The stretchy fabric was more forgiving to learn with & I ended up wearing DD in that almost exclusively from 2mos to may 6 or 7 mos when she got a little to heavy & would have been better in a woven wrap. Overall a shorter time period but I literally wore her all day every day in it. For walks, housework & just to have really nice skin to skin time during the winter months -& the wrap provided enough coverage that I could actually answer the front door with nothing but that on top.

[St. Margaret]

Get thee to the BWing section. And to thebabywearer.com because you can find a great stretchy wrap (I think they are the BEST for tiny babes) for really cheap, used. I got two on there, Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Stretch, and I think they are the best. The fabric is cool and smooth and the tapered ends are great. Plus they are soooooo pretty. DD and I lived in them, all wrapped up all day, until she got to be abotu 6mo, but I could use them for longer, b/c they give less than a moby. I can't wait to wrap up this new baby! It took me months last time to figure out how great they were and that DD would do best in one (she liked to be upright and have her feet free). I was worried about the wrap being too hard, but it's sooooo awesome

[Lit Chick]

Yes - get to The Baby Wearer. I am not using my Moby right now, because DS2 is not a fan. But I bet he'll like forward facing when he's big enough.
A wrap is very versatile. It's my favorite for light housework because baby is so secure. However, they get hot. The upscale woven wraps are excellent, but do not work in my desert climate. Keep that in mind - if you live someplace hot, then get a lighter wrap.

[othersomethings]

I've always made my own...I find on clearance $1 or $2 a yard gauzy (not too much, just a little bit) lightweight fabric. buy 5 or 6 yards. cut in half lengthwise, and voila.

if you want a stretchy moby style, buy 5 or 6 yards of a med weight jersey knit, cut in half lengthwise, don't even have to hem it since it won't fray.

[dejagerw]

I have a Moby and a didymos wrap. I prefer the Moby (which is a stretchy wrap). BTW, check out youtube for videos on how to tie the wrap. It can be tricky at first, so I'd practice without the baby first. But the videos online are helpful.

[Nicole730]

Originally Posted by othersomethings

I've always made my own...I find on clearance $1 or $2 a yard gauzy (not too much, just a little bit) lightweight fabric. buy 5 or 6 yards. cut in half lengthwise, and voila.

if you want a stretchy moby style, buy 5 or 6 yards of a med weight jersey knit, cut in half lengthwise, don't even have to hem it since it won't fray.

Ditto this.

I have a few homemade wraps. I go to the clearance section and find something I like.

I have stretchy and non-stretchy ones. The ones that I didn't buy the exact length I needed, I just over-lapped quite a bit and then sewed around around in a square with an 'x' in the middle.

[sewingsparklz]

This is all great info! Yay! I do not know how to move this to another section...I may not have to though. I'm gonna check out the baby wearer!

[Family4Christ]

I started out with ring slings and once I went to a wrap, I never looked back. I love, love, love sleepy wraps. They are thicker and nicer (IMO) than a Moby Wrap and the ends are tapered, so they tie nice. They are one size and can just be tied around once more if you're really thin.