Baby / Favorite Things

Babywearing

I’ve mentioned babywearing on here before (just briefly), and now that Prim is 5 months old, I’m still loving wearing her around most days.

I’m definitely no expert, but I thought I’d write a quick post about my own experience with babywearing, in case any of you are mamas or mamas-to-be (or daddies!) and are interested in wearing your newborn, infant, or toddler. 
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For wearing a newborn, I am a full supporter of the Solly Baby Wrap. It’s lightweight, soft and stretchy — perfect for wrapping up a tiny newborn. And, it comes in adorable colors and prints, so you can pick the one that works best with your postpartum wardrobe. (Hmm, yes, which one matches my bathrobe the best..?IMG_5796

I wore Prim in the Solly wrap until just recently (I actually ended up buying a second Solly because I was wearing her so often!) However, once she hit about 12 pounds, it became clear that the wrap was a bit thin and too stretchy to continue to comfortably wear her in the Solly as she got heavier.

I started to research woven wraps, which are specifically designed for infant and toddler wearing because they’re sturdier and more supportive than the wraps designed for newborns. Here’s what I found:

Didymos wraps are basically the gold standard for woven wraps, made in Germany. They come in different weaves and fabric combinations. I was looking for a 100% cotton wrap and liked the indio weaves, but ultimately ended up ordering a different wrap because the Didymos wraps tend to be a little pricier, and since I was just starting out, I wanted to start off with something a little more reasonably priced to make sure I would use it enough to get my moneys worth.

I was also looking at the Didymos wool blend wraps, as these are supposed to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and especially ideal for wet weather. I couldn’t find a wool wrap (I guess it was a little early in the year for them), but I’ve seen that a few wool designs have since been released and plan on getting one to use this winter (because El Nino is coming, guys!)

A bit about the other fabric blends and weaves — hemp blends are supposed to be very soft, but I’ve heard can sometimes be heavy. Linen blends are apparently super supportive (and especially good for wearing toddlers and larger babies), but they can be harder to break in as a result. I liked the stripe weaves, but heard they’re on the thicker side and wanted something a bit thinner to wear throughout the warmer months. The indio weaves are especially pretty, but tend to be pricier due to the intricate weave design.

Storchenweige wraps are also made in Germany and are supposed to be great workhorse wraps like the Didymos. I looked specifically at the Leo wraps, which are the standard cotton Storch wraps. Ultimately I ended up choosing a different wrap simply because, like the DIdymos, the Storch wraps are a bit more expensive (and I read are supposedly slightly harder to break in.)

IMG_5880I ended up getting a Colimacon et Çie (or C&C) wrap, which is a 100% organic cotton wrap made in France. I liked that the fabric was organic and colored with organic dyes, and I read that these wraps are easier to break in and a little more forgiving for beginners (plus they’re really affordable compared to many other wraps.) Based on my own experience, I would definitely recommend the C&C wrap to anyone who is looking for an intro woven wrap for their infant. The wrap has been super easy to break in, and I love that it’s easy to use and care for (many wraps can’t be dried in the dryer, but this one can — bonus!)

If you’re in the market for a woven wrap, Birdie’s Room has a great selection of Didymos, and Wrap Your Baby carries multiple brands, including Storch and C&C wraps. Most people wear a size 6 / 4.6 meter wrap. I ordered a 4.5 meter C&C (as it comes in half-meter sizing, rather than the standard wrap measurements) and generally wear P in a front cross carry (but hope to someday master the back cross carry as well!)