Moby Wrap Original

I’ll admit that with the birth of our second child, I immediately felt more confident and comfortable in my role as a parent than I did the first time around.
I was excited to have another baby in the house and saw it as a second chance to attempt some of those time-tested traditions that, let’s face it, I just found way too overwhelming when my first child was a baby. This time, I wanted to cloth diaper and make my own baby food and give the practice of baby-wearing a go. So, I talked to other moms out there who have been successful at being traditional, and they pointed me in the direction of the Moby Wrap.
Those other moms were right—the Moby Wrap is indeed a great product. It is comfortable and durable and comes in just about any color or pattern you can imagine. It’s great for home or on-the-go and provides a safe and secure way for me to tote my little one around while keeping up with his older sister. It also keeps baby close and covered which means that other people and their (unwashed) hands can’t get to him as easily as they could otherwise.
Being new to the world of baby-wearing, however, it took a lot of practice and patience to figure out exactly how to get the wrap on. I wasn’t totally sure that I had my little one positioned and wrapped correctly until I checked out the Moby Instructions section of their website. There, they had directions and video tutorials on the different ways my baby could ride, like the Newborn Hug Hold, the Hug Hold (for slightly-older-than-newborn babies), the Hip Hold (for babies with excellent head and upper body control) and the Kangaroo Wrap and Hold. The live demonstration from a more experienced baby-wearer did us some good.
The weather presented some challenges. The summer months are miserably hot in our South Carolina home, and the Moby Wrap actually provides added body heat as well as a few extra layers of fabric. Last time we ventured out in the wrap, the baby and I both became drenched in sweat and he cried and cried until I finally got the message and unwrapped him. So, I’m thinking that baby-wearing might not be a good summertime activity.
I haven’t given up on the idea of baby-wearing nor do I intend to. I may be more confident and comfortable as a parent this time around, but I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to some of the more traditional practices of caring for baby. Overall, I love the benefits of baby-wearing and all that the Moby Wrap has to offer. It is indeed a wonderful product. (And just for the record, I also love cloth diapering and hope that making my own baby food, when we get to that point, will prove to be a great experience too.)
Price: $40
To buy: mobywrap.com