Product name: Maya Wrap Sling
Brief description of product: an adjustable ring-sling to carry newborns to 3 years old
Store/Site of purchase: Peapods , an online & brick-and-mortar store in St. Paul, MN
Price: $44.95
How long have you used this product? going on 3 years with second baby
Fit/Sizing: wonderful! adjustable so that I or dh (or a friend!) can get a perfect fit, comfy for baby and babywearer. I am 5' 7", my size MEDIUM has a generous 'tail' of fabric after I put it on. This tail can be used to shelter baby in the cradle hold, offer privacy while breastfeeding, or as a handy towel/burp rag!
The Maya Wrap Sling allows the wearer to adjust each 'rail' of the sling independent of each other; this makes baby's fit in the sling ultra-secure and customized.
A baby can assume any number of positions in this sling, including a cradle hold, the kangaroo carry (approx. 4 months and up, legs crossed in front and facing forward), sitting on wearer's hip, facing towards wearer, and even on wearer's back, approx. 8 months and up.
Performance: versitle, great for discreet breastfeeding (sometimes hands free breastfeeding.)
With an older, heavier baby, wearer's shoulder will get fatigued after prolonged wear. This sling is a mostly hands-free sling. The Maya Wrap Sling has a steep learning curve; it takes time to get used to using this sling but once you do--it's so great!
Workmomship: well-made, heavy-duty construction
Customer Service/Communication: Since I purchased my sling from a store, I had the advantage of a live person showing me how to hold my baby in the sling. There are online videos at mayawrap.com, too.
Would you purchase this product again? yes, or a similar sling style made by a WAHM (if I wanted a fabric style other than the crunchy Guatamalan styles Maya offers.)
Additional Comments: If a mama can buy just one sling in her baby's lifetime, I think the Maya Wrap Sling is the one to choose, for price, quality, versatility, and comfort.
The sling can be swapped from shoulder to shoulder. It is possible to have baby asleep in the sling, and then gently lower baby into a carseat/onto a bed, and then wearer can sneak out of the sling.
It is nice to have baby facing out in the sling, then cuddle down a bit for a nurse, fall asleep and un-latch from the breast, all while staying in the sling, without mama having to do any fooling around--taking baby out of sling or taking off sling--all while walking through a museum or grocery store!
Washing the sling gave me grief, at first. The brightly, red and orage colors bled like crazy when wet in the wash and were crocking; that is, rubbing off onto dd's clothing while she was in the sling. The solution is to wash the sling solo a few times, in warm water to get the extra dye out of there. I have no problems with washing my sling in warm water w/ regular detergent and drying warm in the dryer. The metal rings clang around loudly; I try to wrap a dishtowel around the rings to minimize the banging in the dryer (and of course, line-drying eliminates this problem.)
I give it (How many thumbs up out of five?): five thumbs
Brief description of product: an adjustable ring-sling to carry newborns to 3 years old
Store/Site of purchase: Peapods , an online & brick-and-mortar store in St. Paul, MN
Price: $44.95
How long have you used this product? going on 3 years with second baby
Fit/Sizing: wonderful! adjustable so that I or dh (or a friend!) can get a perfect fit, comfy for baby and babywearer. I am 5' 7", my size MEDIUM has a generous 'tail' of fabric after I put it on. This tail can be used to shelter baby in the cradle hold, offer privacy while breastfeeding, or as a handy towel/burp rag!
The Maya Wrap Sling allows the wearer to adjust each 'rail' of the sling independent of each other; this makes baby's fit in the sling ultra-secure and customized.
A baby can assume any number of positions in this sling, including a cradle hold, the kangaroo carry (approx. 4 months and up, legs crossed in front and facing forward), sitting on wearer's hip, facing towards wearer, and even on wearer's back, approx. 8 months and up.
Performance: versitle, great for discreet breastfeeding (sometimes hands free breastfeeding.)
With an older, heavier baby, wearer's shoulder will get fatigued after prolonged wear. This sling is a mostly hands-free sling. The Maya Wrap Sling has a steep learning curve; it takes time to get used to using this sling but once you do--it's so great!
Workmomship: well-made, heavy-duty construction
Customer Service/Communication: Since I purchased my sling from a store, I had the advantage of a live person showing me how to hold my baby in the sling. There are online videos at mayawrap.com, too.
Would you purchase this product again? yes, or a similar sling style made by a WAHM (if I wanted a fabric style other than the crunchy Guatamalan styles Maya offers.)
Additional Comments: If a mama can buy just one sling in her baby's lifetime, I think the Maya Wrap Sling is the one to choose, for price, quality, versatility, and comfort.
The sling can be swapped from shoulder to shoulder. It is possible to have baby asleep in the sling, and then gently lower baby into a carseat/onto a bed, and then wearer can sneak out of the sling.
It is nice to have baby facing out in the sling, then cuddle down a bit for a nurse, fall asleep and un-latch from the breast, all while staying in the sling, without mama having to do any fooling around--taking baby out of sling or taking off sling--all while walking through a museum or grocery store!
Washing the sling gave me grief, at first. The brightly, red and orage colors bled like crazy when wet in the wash and were crocking; that is, rubbing off onto dd's clothing while she was in the sling. The solution is to wash the sling solo a few times, in warm water to get the extra dye out of there. I have no problems with washing my sling in warm water w/ regular detergent and drying warm in the dryer. The metal rings clang around loudly; I try to wrap a dishtowel around the rings to minimize the banging in the dryer (and of course, line-drying eliminates this problem.)
I give it (How many thumbs up out of five?): five thumbs