It’s no secret that my family is a baby wearing family. Most afternoons you can catch us strolling the neighborhood with two kids in tow, Husband with one, me with the other.
Sometimes I sport the newborn in a sling carrier, while other days I choose a stretch wrap baby carrier. No matter which baby carriers we don, we always manage to catch quite a few stray glances, since baby wearing is just beginning to gain popularity here in Costa Rica.
Honestly, I couldn’t cope without my baby carriers. Dealing with a two year-old’s needs and tending to a newborn is a challenge. Going out of the house with both is nearly impossible without a baby carrier.
There are pros and cons to both the sling and the wrap baby carriers when wearing a newborn. Today we’ll explain the ins and outs of the stretch wrap baby carrier and next week we’ll analyze the ring sling. My goal is to help you feel confident in choosing the best baby carrier for your newborn.
Mom’s (and Dad’s ) Comfort
A stretch wrap is downright cozy when baby is properly adjusted. For long periods of time, I always choose the wrap. It is easy to adjust the fabric around your shoulders and tummy to achieve maximum comfort for mom and baby. The wide fabric stretched across your shoulders won’t dig in, even when carrying a larger infant. Baby’s head is gently supported by two soft fabric panels and I don’t feel the need to use one hand to hold the head in place unless I’m bending over.
Baby’s Comfort
Your newborn should feel right at home inside a cotton stretch wrap carrier. He is cuddled tightly against your body, hearing your heartbeat and relaxing with his head secured to your chest and his legs curled up in a froggy position, almost like he was in the womb.
Newborn Sleep Factor
The inherent warmth of baby’s body snuggled against you paired with your movement jiggling him around makes for a perfect sleep environment. My newborns rarely stayed awake for ten minutes when taking a stroll through the neighborhood in the wrap carrier.
Breastfeeding
In the proper position, newborns can be breastfed in the wrap carrier, though I didn’t personally do it often. At such a young age my babies tended to choke when I nursed them while walking. When mama is seated, the wrap is a very warm and discreet option for breastfeeding your baby.
Inserting Infant
Newborns should be carried facing the parent’s body in a wrap carrier. Both my husband and I find it easy to insert the baby after a few tries. Before my first child was born, my husband and I actually practiced the newborn carry by inserting a teddy bear.
Adjustability
If you tie the carrier on too tightly or too loosely in the beginning, it is a pain to adjust, since you have to remove the baby and start all over again. Once the baby is in place, it is easy to reposition the shoulder and front panels. After a few practice rounds, finding the right tension for carrying your newborn will become second nature.
Sag Factor
When properly tied on, the wrap will not sag much with a newborn baby. Tighten the fabric so that it’s snug to your body before inserting your newborn and you should both remain comfortable for the length of your carry.
Climate Control
Most stretch wraps get hot on warm, sunny days. With my daughter, it was the only baby carrier we owned. My husband and I wore it daily in this tropical climate and managed fine. Traveling to Italy in the springtime, the wrap was excellent for keeping cold breezes off the baby.
Price Tag
Cotton stretch wrap carriers tend to sell for $45 on average. You can check out the Moby line here. If you’ve got seamstress skills, save some cash and make your own wrap carrier.
Durability
My cotton wrap has been through multiple launderings, 11 months of wearing my daughter, and 5 months (and counting) of cuddling my son. The only wear and tear is a tiny hole where the brand tag is sewn on- something miniscule that I’ve been meaning to mend. It definitely holds up well!
Ease of Use
It takes some practice to put on the wrap carrier, but once you’ve done it a handful of times it’s a cinch. However, it is difficult to put on without having the tails touch the ground.
Running Errands (in a car):
It’s best to plan ahead and tie on the wrap before you get in the car. When you arrive at your destination you’ll be ready to pop baby in and get to shopping. Otherwise, you risk putting the wrap on in the parking lot, where it’s likely that the long fabric will drag the ground and get dirty.
Sun Protection
Wrap carriers have advantageous wide fabric panels that you can easily pull over baby’s face to keep out the sun. No, you won’t smother him, despite what many passerbys might think. Baby has plenty of air ventilation from the cotton itself and drafts coming in from the sides and at the top of his little head. You can also pop a sun hat on your newborn if you prefer to keep his face uncovered. Moby even makes a stretch wrap with built in UV protection.
Laundering
My cotton Sleepy Wrap (now sold as Boba Wrap) has been laundered at least a dozen times on a normal cold wash cycle with like-colored clothing and was line dried. No special laundry care is necessary.
Final Thoughts
Stretch wrap baby carriers are my go-to for long walks and outings where I’ll need both hands to carry items or push my toddler in a stroller. They’re super soft and make for smooth-sailing through airports and double as cushy pillows and warm blankets in the plane too!
Your Turn: Do you wear your baby? What is your favorite carrier or most helpful tip for selecting a baby carrier for a newborn? Please share your mama wisdom and any questions below in the comments.
Learn more about natural parenting. Check out these posts:
I loved my stretchy wrap with my second baby. It was really a lifesaver! I even wore him in it when he was 13 months old and cranky with an ear infection…and I was 4 months pregnant. I’ve made one for a friend and they’re pretty affordable when you do it that way–about $15 per wrap, but you’ll have enough fabric to make two.
With my third baby, I got an Ergo which is categorized as a soft structured carrier. I love how easy it is to put on in the parking lot of a grocery store, and I never leave home without it (it lives in my minivan). It distributes the weight of the baby differently so that you don’t have any back pain, unlike the cheaper baby carriers.
Gabby, I love the Ergo for bigger babies. I got it when my first was a little more than a year old and we still use it daily for walks. Since I don’t have the newborn insert for the Ergo, I can’t talk about how it works for the tiniest of babies. If I knew how to sew, I’d be all about making my own fabric wrap like you said. A friend of mine made me a baby carrier for my son’s baby shower and I love it. Glad to hear another mama is just as smitten with her baby carriers. They’re the best!
I just had to tell you that I LOVE that last picture of you! It looks like its from the pages of a fancy magazine! REally!
Ok, now that I got that out of the way, lol…
I really like this post. All the points you bring up are good ones. My last two have not been fond of any wrap/carrier, they were just too fussy. But I remember keeping my daughter in there all the time. She’d sleep for hours in it! It was great! 🙂
Isn’t it funny how all babies are different? With my daughter it took a few attempts before she would settle in the wrap, but once I took her for a walk and really got moving she fell asleep fast. The first couple of times I put her in while I was doing housework she fussed the entire time. So glad I didn’t give up! Thanks for the photo love. I have to give Husband all the credit for his super “papa”razzi skills there. Thanks for stopping by, Jillian.
I’ve always been a huge fan of woven wraps and ring slings. When I started my babywearing business I thought it would be appropriate to carry stretchy wraps as well but I honestly didn’t think I would like them. I basically wanted to provide it as an option for my customers. The second I put it on I was in love. I never thought I would like it as much as I did. Now that My baby is no longer a newborn I find a woven wrap is more comfortable. Both my kids are “leaners” meaning they like to lean back a lot in every carrier so once they hit the 15-17 pound mark I found switching over to a woven wrap was more suitable. That’s also around the time wearing them on my back became a lot of fun. unfortunately you can’t put a baby on your back in a stretchy wrap. They are still pretty amazing carriers though and you can find one reasonably priced too which is awesome! Happy babywearing!
We are expecting our first, and I know I definitely want to wear our baby. c: Your insight is great!! Thanks for sharing.
Happy to help, Carolyn. It’s so much fun cuddling your baby up close in a carrier, whether it’s to get things done around the house, help him sleep, or to get some fresh air on a walk around the neighborhood. Glad you learned something here. Have a great week and stop by again next week for another babywearing insider scoop.
I did not start using a stretch wrap until my fifth baby, and I wonder how in the world I survived without it with the others! It was wonderful!
I’m so glad I found your post on this! My baby is 4 months old and I swear, the Moby is the only place she wants to be, even now. It was the only thing that soothed her colic when she was first born and now she just loves it and is not fussy at all. Thanks fo sharing!!
Katie
http://www.funhomethings.com
So glad to hear your little one loves stretch wraps too. It’s definitely been a life-saver in our household. It’s literally the only way I can leave the house with both kids by myself- one carried and one in the stroller. Thank you so much for stopping by, Katie. Hope to see you around again soon.
I am the mom of 4. I would have LOVED these wraps when my kids were babies. I used something else that was not as comfy for me or the babies. These wraps are perfect for any mom. I am going to share this!
Tammi, I’m so glad you’re able to help other mamas out there by passing on the information. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without my baby carriers. They get daily wear here and it doesn’t look like that’s stopping any time soon. Thank you so much for stopping by today.
Great tips. I wish I had this info when I started baby wearing. I have several carriers now and love them all for different reasons. My youngest is 19 months and lately the mei tai carrier by BabyHawk is our favorite. I recently bought a BobaAir for a friend’s shower. I’m kind of jealous of it. It’s super light weight so perfect for our humid climate and it folds up and stores into itself.
Thanks for joining the Mixer this week!
I’ve heard good things about mei tai’s as well. A friend of mine just stitched her own mei tai, and I’ll definitely ask to check it out soon. I hear you on lightweight carriers for humid weather. It definitely reduces sweat factor 🙂
I have a very small daycare in my home and will have a newborn (about 2 weeks old). Im toying w using a carrier for when hes fussy ( like the wrap u mentioned). I have back & lower hip problems tho and wondering if ill be able to wear him. Also i dont want him getting used to being carried all the time ( im not sure if the mom carries)… any suggestions?
Tina, if you’re unsure about investing in a wrap, maybe you could borrow one from a friend to see how you like it. With a lightweight newborn you probably won’t experience any back pain at all from carrying- this could change as he gets heavier. If you wear your cuddly baby throughout the day off and on, you probably will not find he gets so used to being held that he won’t be calm lying on the floor or in a baby seat. I usually wear my baby to do dishes or make lunch- about 15 minutes at a time, certainly not all day long. We also wear him for going on walks. If you have any other questions, be sure to email me. I’m more than willing to give you all the insider info I’ve got!
Thx – thats exactly what Id do w a wrap! Im tbinking especially while hes so tiny id use one. I have fibro in my upper shoulders and lower back and i think it would help.me.when im needing to take kids to summer a actvities and the water park… i like the UV option and also that the fabric is breathable.
I love my carrier (I have a baby k’tan), and I cannot imagine life without it. When my daughter was a tiny newborn, she loved to go shopping all cuddled up in the carrier, and it made my life so much easier.
I’m one of your SITS tribe members. Glad to meet you!
Oooh definitely pinning this one! We have the Baby Bjorn and for the most part it’s great but I don’t think it breathes very well and my daughter got pretty hot in it during the summer. I want a second option for baby #2 🙂 I swear wearing my first one is how I lost most my baby wight too! Thanks for sharing and thanks again for linking up to Weekend Wind-Down. Now following all your social media platforms! 🙂
Nicole, you make a great point! Wearing your baby is a great way to burn a few extra calories every day, even if it’s just a stroll around the block. The wraps do get warm in the summer, but they’re still totally doable. When it’s uber sunny, I sometimes grab the ring sling instead- post coming soon 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by today.
Good article. I’d just like to point out that the stretchy wrap is not being worn correctly in the pictures. The front panel should be pulled up over baby’s entire back to give proper support.
Gah, you’re right! It was probably a hot day and we didnt even realize it wasnt pulled up. Thanks for pointing out this mistake. Since he wasnt too tiny in these pics I probably didnt pay as much attention as I should have. Had he been a real newborn, this wouldve been really dangerous.
I love that you wrote this. I wear my baby wrap around the house and love it, but you’ve given me the confidence to actually venture out with it! It seems like a no-brainer for running errands (and way less bulky/heavy than the car seat)!!
Sure is a winner for getting out of the house, Niki. Glad you love your wrap too. It is a great staple for keeping baby happy around the house as well as while running errands. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Jelli, it is really awesome. I like your article very much. Overall points are very useful. I think it is an amazing choice to wrap our babies. It protects them very well and also feeling more comfort. I will definitely share about this wonderful baby wrap with my other friends and relatives. It will definitely help them. Thanks for sharing a wonderful article with us.
After looking at different kinds of carriers I had been leaning towards wraps, but this article helped me make up my mind. I like the fact that it provides extra support and is snuggly for my child. Thanks for the review!
Happy to help!