Posts Tagged ‘baby wraps’

How to Adjust Moby Wrap Fit

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Stephanie from Marietta, GA emailed recently about her Moby Wrap. “Help! I just can’t seem to get the hang of the Moby Wrap. It just seems too loose and my baby is not secure. What am I doing wrong?”

Moby Wraps are our favorite way to wear young babies, because you can get such a good tight fit. Babies are held high on your chest, and with the proper fit you can secure a young babies head and go hands free. There is only one tying method for all front carries, which also makes this a great beginners baby wrap.

So lets take a look at how to get your Moby Wrap to fit properly. There is a really good Moby Wrap photo instruction booklet that shows step by step how to tie your Moby Wrap. Step 5 is the most important for getting the correct tightness of the wrap.

how-to-tie-moby-wrap

After you cross the end pieces in the front in Step 5, pull the fabric tight as you bring the ends behind your back. The more slack and the lower on your body that you cross the straps determines how loose your Moby Wrap will be. The amount of slack you need also varies depending on the type of carry you are doing. This step also determines how well you can secure your babies head in various carries such as the hug hold and the kangaroo hold.

Now that you know what to look for, give it a try while paying close attention to this step. Once your baby is in, check the fit, and see if you need to make any changes. Once you master this wrapping your baby will seem like a breeze.

For newborns and young babies, you really don’t need much slack at all. It may seem tight at first when you put your baby in, but stretchy baby wraps will give a little bit after wearing for a short period. Stretchy baby wraps are really easy to learn and we prefer them for young babies.

If you really fall in love with using a baby wrap, eventually you will want to move on to a woven baby wrap. They are more supportive for older heavier babies and more secure for back carries.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Best Baby Carriers for a Bad Back

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Julie from Atlanta recently contacted us for help finding a baby carrier. She has a bad back. With her baby at 3 months old and 16 lbs, she already has a hard time carrying him. She currently has a Baby Bjorn baby carrier, but finds that it is really uncomfortable. So what should she choose?

There are a couple of baby carriers that would probably work for Julie, but our first choice is a woven baby wrap, such as those by Ellaroo. Baby wraps are very versatile and can be worn on your front, back, or hip. Stretchy wraps are more affordable, but for back carrying or using past 6 months a woven wrap is more supportive. They are a great choice for bad backs, and will provide the most comfort while babywearing. You can even tie your wrap around the area where your back aches for extra support.

Woven Baby Wrap

Our second choice is a soft structured baby carrier. They are easy to use and secure with buckles or clips. They generally have padded shoulder straps and a waist belt for lumbar support. All soft structured carriers fit slightly different, but our two favorite are the Ergo Baby Carrier or the Beco Baby Carrier.

Ergo Baby Carrier

Whatever baby carrier you use, it is important to remember to carry your baby high on your body. If you are carrying your baby too low it will hurt your back. It is also a good idea to start carrying your baby on your back as soon as they are developmentally ready. I started wearing my son on my back around 6 months, but you may be able to slightly earlier depending upon the baby carrier you choose and the options for securing your babies head while sleeping.

Do you need help choosing a baby carrier? Email us or leave a comment below. We would be glad to help you choose the perfect baby carrier

Popularity: 23% [?]

Baby Carriers for Back Support

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Do you have back problems but still want to use a baby carrier?  This can be a problem for parents interested in babywearing.  Slings and other one shouldered baby carriers typically are not great for those who have back problems.

So what type of carrier should you use?  A two shouldered baby carrier such as a soft backpack, mei tai, or baby wrap will provide better weight distribution.  The type of carrier that you choose depends upon whether your back pain is in your lower back, hips, or shoulders.

The Ergo Baby Carrier is a soft backpack buckle carrier that is one of my favorite baby carriers for even weight distribution.  Weight is spread between your hips and shoulders.  This helps alleviate stress on your back.

Another option is a mei tai, such as the BabyHawk.  Mei tais can be tied higher on your waist to alleviate rubbing on your waist and hips. 

Wraps are really great at spreading the weight well across your entire back eliminating any pressure points.  They can also be tied higher on your waist to alleviate pressure on your lower back or hips.  For younger babies a stretchy wrap works perfectly, but for heavier babies and toddlers a woven wrap provides the best support.

 

 

 

Popularity: 46% [?]

EllaRoo – May Baby Carrier Give Away

Monday, May 4th, 2009

Margie of Kalamazoo, MI has chosen an EllaRoo Wrap for the May Baby Sling Give Away.  She loved using her Moby Wrap while her daughter was young. Her daughter still loves the closeness of being carried in a wrap, and Margie is looking for extra support from a woven wrap.

She is sure to love the light weight fabric of EllaRoo wraps which makes them easy to manipulate while tying.  The Kristen Wrap is simply stunning with complimentary blue and green hues.  Happy Babywearing!

 Ellaroo Kristen Wrap

 Visit La Stella Blu to find great deals on baby wraps, baby slings, mei tais, and soft pack carriers.

Popularity: 21% [?]