Baby Gear Guide

While pregnant, I did a fair amount of research on the different types of baby carriers as there are many to choose from! You have your constructed backpack style, your unconstructed wraps, your ring-type slings with tons of padding, a little padding, or no padding at all, and lastly, the non-adjustable pouch style carrier. It’s enough to make your head spin! (And we haven’t even touched on the different choices of fabrics- stretchy knit, stiffer denim, solid colored, patterned, organic cotton, etc, etc.!)

So, I decided to get two to start with: 1)the Moby wrap, and 2) the Over-the-Shoulder Baby Holder (OTSBH). This review will deal with the Moby Wrap and compare it to the OTSBH where applicable.

I purchased my solid navy blue Moby Wrap at a BIRTH fair at a booth selling attatchment parenting/naturally oriented type products (see Moby-Wraps.com). The vendor was wearing her toddler on her hip using the Moby Wrap and her husband was wearing their infant in one also. He was kind enough to take his infant out and demonstrate how to put it on and how to put in the baby. It seemed like a lot of steps but they said it would just take some practice to get it down pat. I paid about $30 for it.

The construction of this sling is actually quite simple. It’s basically one very long (about 18 feet- seriously!) 2 feet wide rectangular piece of fabric with a logo in the middle to assist you with positioning. It does taper off towards each end. It came with step by step written instructions, with photos to accompany each step. Since I was still pregnant when I bought it, I practiced with a stuffed teddy bear to get the feel for it. The instructions state it takes 3-5 times of putting it on before you feel confident. I would agree with that- probably closer to the 5 times.

For comparison purposes, I had also practiced with my Over-the-Shoulder Baby Holder adjustable padded sling. It was definitely faster putting this type of sling on but has it’s disadvantages (noted below).

I first used my Moby Wrap when my son was just a few days old. He felt VERY secure in there and seemed content, especially once I started walking around in it. I continue to use it several times a week and my 4-month-old 18+ pound son loves it!

Things I like about this sling:
-the baby feels VERY secure
-it feels comfortable on, and baby’s weight is evenly distributed (unlike the OTSBH, which places more weight on my shoulder and back and is only comfortable for maybe 30-45 minutes)
-multiple positions are possible, including a cradle hold, facing out, and facing in.
-the solid navy color goes well with any outfit and my husband can also wear it
-the 100% cotton fabric is light-weight and is easily washable and machine dryable (the OTSBH gets too hot with all the padding, especially outside in the hot climate where I live)

Disadvantages:
-Although I’m definitely more adept at using it than I first was, it still takes a minute or two to get it on and get the baby in, compared to the OTSBH.