Baby Wearing Help

Updated on September 01, 2016
K.T. asks from Saint Petersburg, FL
8 answers

I currently have two wrap carriers for my son, a Moby and Baby K'Tan. I have looked at tons of videos on baby wearing and tips and instructions for these wraps in particular. I am confident while wearing and my son usually sleeps rather well in them. However, I am still seeing some issues that worry me. Number one, his head does not seem snug with any support offered at the top of the wrap no matter how I seem to wrap it. I am planning on going down a size with the baby k'tan as they are specially fitted and I feel that's the only issue there but the Moby is used and I'm wondering if there is too much stretch already in the material. I get very cornered with wrapping him too tightly in the moby as well. Which brings me to my second concern. When taking him out of the wrap after an hour or so I have noticed his feet very red or purple in color and look like they're pressed too tightly into the bottom of the wrap. I have also noticed fabric lines on his feet before where it looks obvious that he was wrapped too tightly. I feel this is also an error in my wrapping 😟 He is currently 17 days old and weighs a little over 7lbs. Should I continue wrapping him? Do I need to take a wrapping class? Should I invest in a new wrap, sling, or carrier?

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Featured Answers

S.R.

answers from St. Louis on

I used a Maya wrap for all my babies and it worked amazingly and I was able to tighten or loosen it in any area I needed to obtain a comfortable desired snugness. The fabric is very breathable and strong. I used it from the day I started walking around with them to their toddler years.
I think it's wise to test out different baby carriers to see what works best for you and baby, ask around to see if you know anyone who would let you test drive their Maya wrap or any other sling/wrap/carrier.

3 moms found this helpful

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M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Did you know there are baby wearing groups all over the country? I found one in my town. I went with my baby to one of their meetings and they were great. They had a bunch of carriers to try out, and they taught me how to do the moby properly.

If your location is correct, Tampa isn't too far and they appear to have a big active group: https://m.facebook.com/TampaBayBabywearing/. If you are not near Tampa, google babywearing and your location.

It was like Le Leche League for baby wearing :). My group even had a lending library so I could borrow different types of wraps for a month to try them out before buying. Look for a group in your area.

ETA: It is a lot easier to troubleshoot in person, but over the internet, my best advice is this - are you doing the hug hold or the kangaroo? If you are doing the hug hold, maybe try the kangaroo (google to know what I mean). When you do the moby in the kangaroo hold, the material in the front middle should be under the baby's bum only, not his feet. That's what supports his weight. You tuck the feet under the side wraps gently to keep him from wobbling, but his weight should not be on his feet. The stretchiness of the fabric shouldn't matter - I made my own moby-type wraps out of material that had very little stretch at all.

For the head support: as comfortable as I was wearing my baby, and I did it all the time, I always kind-of kept one hand on them. I would take it off for a minute or two when I needed both hands. But it was some kind of basic instinct to have a physical hand on the baby even though all the weight was supported by the wrap. So when tiny, my hand helped steady any head wobble. And once he was bigger, he had enough neck strength that I didn't worry about it. Also, for safety reasons, your baby's head should NEVER be at an angle or fully covered by the wrap. Your baby's head should be in the center of your chest above your breasts. If he's in the right place, you should be able to kiss the top of his head by simply bending your neck.

ETAA: I also used and loved ring slings and my Snugli carrier. Find a group and try them all!

4 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

As a breastfeeding and (semi) co sleeping mama I was never comfortable with a wrap or sling. I just never felt like my babies were comfy or safe, so I used an old school snugli/baby bjorn type carrier, and when they were older, a baby backpack type thing, from Land's End I think.
Go with your gut. Try a few different carriers until you find the one that works for YOU.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Loved my Baby Bjorn! And it was great as he grew. Do they still even make those??

2 moms found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My daughter uses the Moby wrap. She arranges it so baby is lying more sidewise.That way the head is supported and at that age baby curls his legs over his torso in the position he was in in the womb.

1 mom found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Chicago on

We were so exhausted from a colicky baby that we couldn't figure out the baby wrap.

Dr. Sears used to sell a babywearing product which was like a cross between a wrap and a Bjorn. I don't know if he still does, but you could check out his website: http://www.askdrsears.com

1 mom found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Houston on

I never could get the hang of the wraps and I tried several. I had the best luck with the Ergo and used that until my son was two years old. I would recommend seeking out a specialty store or a support group. I didn't have discolored feet with my son so not sure about that issue. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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R..

answers from San Antonio on

I hope you figure it out...I never did. My son hated being wrapped...turns out sensory issues.

My daughter loved it but her feet/legs turned an awful blue/purple color that worried me and so I stopped carrying her in a wrap.

I will be checking back to see what others tell you...I was at a loss and couldn't find help.
Good luck!!

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