Babywearing…It’s a {Great} Thing
I first put the Moby on when I was around six months pregnant. My sister-in-law bought it for me and I thought it was the most confusing thing in the entire world. Not to mention, how could a piece of fabric keep my most precious possession safe? I was beyond skeptical, but so many people raved about the Moby that I decided to give it a whirl once the baby arrived.
Our first outing was to the market when Julia was around two weeks old. Getting her in the wrap took some effort, followed by a frustrated baby, and then a napping baby. It was so much work getting her in it that I pushed it to the side and vowed to try again later.
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| She was so little! |
In the meantime, my husband used his Ergo when we were out and about. (By the way, the first time he wore it he said, and I quote: “This is just like being pregnant.” After I picked my jaw off the floor and laughed so hard I had to catch my breath, I shot him “the look” and he immediately took his statement back. He later complained that his hips hurt. Poor thing…it is just like being pregnant. *HA!*)
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| When in Italy… |
Now that Julia can hold her head up, hates being put down, and is up for longer periods of time, I figured I’d give the Moby another shot. I have things to do and I can’t physically hold her all the time now like she wants. (Thanks for reminding me about it, Amanda!)
I was excited to try the new hold with her legs dangling out. Thankfully, putting the wrap on for the hug hold was about a million times easier than the newborn versions. The best part is how much she loved being in it! She was giggling and looking at everything! I was afraid she’d hate it since she wasn’t facing out, but she had no issue turning her head and looking out at the world.
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| I mean, seriously, look at that face. She loves the Moby! |
We’ve only used the wrap for about a week, but we really love it. We’ve gone to the market; I’ve been able to cook, go out to dinner, and get things done around the house, all while wearing her. She mostly stays awake in it—too excited to see everything—and only fell asleep once, but I think that may change the more she’s in it.
I only have one gripe: It’s ridiculously hot.
The material is so thick and heavy that we both sweat a lot when using it, which is a problem seeing as how we’re moving during the summer and we’re not exactly going to cool locations. I know any carrier I use will be hot (that’s my husband’s number one gripe about the Ergo), but there must be something similar to the Moby, but a little more breathable. It’ll be fantastic to use in the fall/winter or if I’m inside, but I need something for those moments when I want to be hands free (like in airports, markets, the store, etc.).
A few of you left suggestions for alternatives on Instagram, but I’m looking for more of your favorites so I can research and find the best one for us. So if there’s a cooler, more breathable version of a Moby, please let me know, or share your other favorite baby carrier with me. I’d like to order something soon so it’ll be here in time for our move!
haha I just laughed out loud at your husband's comment! My husband would say the same thing. In fact, after spending four hours in Babies R' Us working on our registry, he said his back, hips, and feet hurt and he needed to put his feet up. Um, take a look around this place bc I'm pretty sure someone's giving birth in aisle 6. MEN!
However, I will say that we have a Moby and Bjorn on our registry and we are really excited about it. I need to do a little more research on Ergo vs Bjorn but we started there.
I love this post! I love baby wearing and actually wrote a post not too long ago on why I loved it and some of my favorite carriers.
For wraps I love the didymos wraps (they're from Gernamny I do believe). They're a little bit more expensive, but FANTASTIC wraps. Since you are a "beginner" wrapper I would definitely get a 100% cotton wrap. It might sound hot, but they really are very breathable and they're very simple to wrap. After that I would also look at a 100% linen wrap. They're not great for beginners, but once they are broke in they are also VERY VERY wonderful. They are a little pricey, but you might be able to find something on thebabywearer.com website. It's kind of like a forum for FSOT. I must say that this type of wrap is 1000000 x's better than a moby. The moby is very stretchy and it gets to be a pain when carrying a bigger baby. You won't have that problem with a cotton or linen wrap. I would stay away from silk or wool. We live in the Mojave desert so I'm well aware of the heat. Obviously with the wrap you can wear Julia on your front or your back.
Another option would be a Mei Tai. There is much less fabric with a mei tai carrier. You can also wear her on your front or your back. I have a mei tai and I favor it over a wrap any day. It's similar, but with less fabric making it much easier to put on and take off and I love the way he feels in it. I never have any back pain and I just cannot say enough good things about it.
For an soft structured carrier (ssc) I would recommend the brand Angelpack. Again, you can wear on your front or on your back. If I'm not wearing Dominick in my mei tai I will wear him in my angelpack. Angelpack is one of the best brands out there even though it's not a really commercialized brand. If you wear on the front you can criss cross on the back for more support or do the regular over the shoulder. You can also do the same if wearing on the back. For an SSC it even has some pretty awesome designs. I have never felt any back pain and my hips have never hurt while carrying Dominick in this carrier and he's 20 pounds. We do a lot of back carrying now, but totally worth it! My mei tai and angelpack are my two favorites.
If you have any babywearing questions please feel free to ask!:)
I have a Sakura Bloom sling (link below) and love it! I think it's less fabric than the Moby so it would be cooler. You should check it out! 🙂 We've been using it since our baby was about two weeks ago.
http://sakurabloom.com/
I'm looking at the Tula or the Pognae for something lighter than the Ergo. I have a woven wrap, but I think I like the soft structured carriers a bit more. Evie LOVES being worn in her Ergo and it is such a lifesaver!
You may want to check out the website thebabywearer.com. Lots of great information and recommendations.
You may want to check out the website thebabywearer.com. Lots of great information and recommendations.
i had a moby wrap with my Sofia and after she was a bit heaveier/bigger around the 9-12 month range i stopped using it. It just would stretch out too much after prolonged wearing and just wasn't that comfy for me unless it was just wearing her around the house to get something done quickly. This time around I am going to try out the BabyHawk Mei Tai. I had a few slings that I never found the right fit for me ..they were all either too big or too small. So i never got to try a proper sling that would fit me and her in it comfy./ wish there was a baby store you could walk into and try them all on with your kid lol. Maybe in the states you will find one?
So cute!! Penny fought and fought the Moby, so we hardly used it. Now she tolerates the Ergo… but only for so long. She just doesn't like baby wearing!
I hate the moby, and so does Jag. But our sling is ridiculously hot, so I'm thinking about getting the K'tan Breeze.
Unfortunately babies are just HOT. They're like little heaters! Great in the winter, not so great in the summer. i know they make an Ergo Sport, which is supposed to be made from more breathable fabric and like the other people suggested, the woven wraps would be a lot more cool than your cotton Moby. They are like wearing a big blanket in addition to the bambina. That picture of you and Julia is adorable!!
Oh my gosh – her smiling face in that last picture is just so sweet!