Advice with wraps/slings? :)

[fuffyburra]

Hey, I'm very newly pregnant but I've always been curious about wraps and slings. I like the look of woven wraps, but what's the difference between that and the Moby? There's so many different types, it's a bit baffling! I thought you guys would know from experience which is best. I'd be using it for nursing as well as just general use.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance ladies x x

 

[Tulip]

Congratulations on your BFP!

Slingguide.co.uk is a great place to learn about slings. Essentially the moby/sleepy wrap types are of a stretchy, jersey fabric. They're great because you can put it on and then stretch the fabric to put baby into it, which saves wrangling a wriggly baby AND a 5metre piece of fabric at the same time. Wovens are much firmer and allow you to carry much heavier babies in them (stretchy types usually say suitable for up to 35lbs whereas a woven will handle a four-year-old). Either can be used for nursing, you just loosen them a little and readjust babba so they're a bit lower down

I started with a stretchy but LO is now starting to bounce around in it when I walk so I now have a ring sling for around the house and an Ergo for long walks with him on my back. I've been trying a woven too and front carries are great but I struggle to get my little wriggler secure on my back.
IMHO you can't beat cuddles with a newborn in a stretchy wrap on your front. Just know that a stretchy won't last forever

 

[discoclare]

As Tulip said a stretchy wrap like a Moby is good for a newborn but for longer term wrapping you need something with a bit less give like a woven wrap. Or you could start with a stretchy wrap and move to a different type of sling later like a Mei Tai (this is what I plan to do with next baby as I love my mei tai but I didn't find it great for her as a newborn). Other than fabric type I don't think there's any difference between a Moby (or other stretchy wrap) and a woven wrap. I believe you can do the same kind of ties in both of them (someone correct me if wrong). I don't know where you are in the world and how hot it is but you may want to consider that too.

 

[lozzy21]

You can do more carries in a woven as you can put baby on your back in a woven but not in a stretchy.

 

[NaturalMomma]

A Moby or a wrap similar are called a stretchy wrap. They stretch, may sag with time, don't work as well with older/heavier babies, and you can't usually use them with multiple children unless you don't use it for long with the previous child. They also get hot.

Woven wraps are generally more expensive, but so worth the money. Wovens can be used right off the bat with a newborn and up to childhood. I still put my 4 year old in a woven wrap when he's grumpy. You can get woven wraps in thicker or thin fabric, different fabric blends (I always go with 100% cotton, I love that feel) and in different lengths. There are so many different ways you can wrap with a woven and wovens are the only wraps you can use on the back.

 

[fuffyburra]

Thanks guys Super helpful! I think I'll probably start out with a stretchy wrap; as you say, wrestling a wriggly baby in to a wrap would be a whole lot easier then move on to a woven when they get bigger. I just can't imagine anything better than having constant cuddles! x x