Baby Carriers, Baby Wraps, Baby Slings Reviews, Info.

Baby Wraps vs Ring Slings. Which Baby Carrier Is Best For You

Baby Wraps vs Ring Slings. Which Baby Carrier Is Best For You

A baby wrap to be a long piece of cloth (between 9 and 18 feet long, and between 20 and 45 inches wide) which is used to carry a baby. For the most versatility and comfort, I recommend a woven wrap that is 12 to 15 feet long and 25 to 30 inches wide. The average mother (somewhere around 5 1/2 feet tall and dress size 8 to 14) will be able to do nearly all of the wrap carries with a wrap that is 12 feet long. The Front Wrap Cross and Back Wrap Cross carries require more cloth than the other carries. For those, a mother on the larger end of average would nee at least five yards. With practice, you will have less slack inthe cloth. So, after some time you will need less cloth to do the same carries than you needed before.

Ring slings are great, and some of the structured carriers are good too. One warning: there is some concern that carriers with a narrow crotch which leave the baby’s legs to dangle can be damaging to little spines. Many of the widely available structured carriers are of this type, so please examine the carrier you choose carefully and do some research.

Carrying your baby is so beneficial to you and your child that the carrier that you like to use is the best carrier for you. However, there are a few features of the baby wrap SPOC (simple piece of cloth) that make it a useful tool, even if you already have and like another sling.

1) Easy to improvise. Once you learn a couple of basic carries, you will never get caught without a sling so long as you can find a length of fabric. Carry your baby on your back using a sweater, tie on a toddler using a scarf, nurse hands-free using a generously-sized baby blanket.

2) Affordable. For as little as $1/yard you can make a great wrap. $5-15 is all it takes to make a 5 yard wrap (which most people find is long enough to do all the carries on this site), and if the fabric is wide enough to cut in half lengthwise, you may get two slings for that price. For as little as $30, you can buy one ready-made. If you’d like something more expensive, don’t worry. Hemp silk wraps are available for $200.

3) Easy laundering. No special care is needed (beyond appropriate care for the fabric you choose), and because there are no rings, no buckles, and no padding or layers, it will dry quickly (even on a clothesline) and won’t ding up the washer or dryer.

4) Two shoulder carries. For many, this is the big selling point. Ring slings are great for babies, but some parents feel a bit lopsided if they wear the baby in a sling for an extended time. With a long wrap, you can distribute the weight to both shoulders and also your waist.

5) One size fits most. Ring slings can usually be shared between several people, unless they are very different in size, but it’s much harder to share pouches and more structured carriers requiring adjustment of buckles. Howver, the wrap that fits you can almost certainly work for your husband, sister, dad, babysitter, or anyone else who takes care of the baby. Perhaps four yards is enough for you to do the wrap cross carry, but not your husband. No problem! He can use the same wrap to do a hip cross carry, or a one shoulder carry, or a strap carry. With a wrap carrier handy, he’ll have no excuse to leave you holding the baby. Unless of course you buy a pink wrap with lace ruffles on the end. Then you are on your own.

6) Easy to make. Sewing a ring sling isn’t hard, but sewing a wrap is ridiculously easy. In fact, you don’t even need to sew it at all.

Most Popular Baby Wrap Technique:
The Front Wrap Cross

Try these great baby wrap techniques, too!
Back Wrap Cross - No Chest Belt
Back Wrap Cross - With Chest Belt
Newborn Back Carry
Nurse a Medium Baby Hands-Free Nurse a Newborn Hands-Free
Nurse a Toddler Hands Free
Rucksack Back Carry
Tibetan Back Carry
Source: Wearyourbaby