Although the art of keeping our hands free and attaching our babies to us is as old as time, modern mums now have a choice between a stretchy wrap or a baby wrap and a baby carrier according to their baby's weight.
Baby close relationship for newborns
Like it or not, a baby loves being physically close to their parents. The world is a new and, at times, scary place for them and they often want that same close, warm, safe feeling they had when they were in the womb. What’s more is that additional research shows that physical touch is calming for babies and facilitates the all-important parent-child bond.
While this sounds great in theory, the reality is that there will quickly come a time where new mums and dads need access to their hands in order to get anything done. As a happy medium between productivity and comforting your child, the good news is that there are a wide range of products that can help facilitate such a balance. A stretchy wrap is one such product.
Besides a stretchy wrap, a baby wrap, or a woven wrap for smaller babies, the other one is a baby carrier. So, what are their key points of difference?
How a Stretchy Wrap and a Baby Carrier Differs
Babywearing or physically ‘wearing’ your baby is a suitable practice as old as time and supports the motor, sensorial and cognitive development of a child while still being able to get other tasks done. Despite the practice being widespread all over the world, most stretchy wraps, baby carriers and other hybrid options like ring slings have only come to prominence in the last forty years or so.
Understand the difference between baby wrap, stretchy wrap, and carriers
Although there’s now a wide range of options for new mums and dads to choose from, many generally come up against the conundrum of opting for stretchy wraps or baby carriers. To identify which option is right for you, it’s important to understand how they differ.
In a nutshell, baby carriers and stretchy wraps serve the same purpose: to allow a parent to physically wear their baby while keeping your arms and hands free. That way, they can wrap cross carry the baby safely. Despite having the same end goal, two options differ in design, structure and placement of the baby against your body, in addition to specific functionality.
Stretchy wrap
As the name would suggest, stretchy wraps are made from one long piece of fabric that affixes your baby to your body by “wrapping” it around you both. Once you manage to get your head around the actual process of putting one on, stretchy wraps are great for squishy newborns as the closeness mimics the feeling of being in the womb and can offer comfort to a restless or colicky baby.
Stretchy wraps come in a one-size-fits-all design and are easy to use for new parents as you can tie them on before putting your baby in the wrap. Much like shopping for a breastfeeding cover, the main things to pay attention to is the quality of the material to ensure that your baby can breathe and that the fabric won’t irritate their soft skin for long periods of time in the wrap.
Baby carrier
Although a baby carrier can technically be used for babies of most ages, many parents tend to wait until their newborn starts to grow and want less restrictions on their arms and legs between three and six months. While baby carriers are often easier to put on, one could also argue that this is because parents and bub are both more comfortable going out and about once the fourth trimester has passed.
Which one to choose?
What wearers prefer the most depends on the situation. When choosing between stretchy wraps and baby carriers, many parents opt to use a combination of the two for different settings.
For longer trips or time outside, a baby carrier can help provide more support for the parent doing the carrying. But the downside is that they are much bulkier and more difficult to clean. For ease of transport and their ability to simply go in the wash, stretchy wraps are an item that are always handy to have on hand, particularly if your baby wants to be near you when trying to go to sleep.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to babywearing devices. Different pocket wrap cross carry styles will suit different people for different reasons. While it might take some trial and error, a high quality stretchy wrap can significantly enhance the experience of both the parent and the baby using it - but where can you find one?
A PLACE TO EMPOWER MAMAS WITH INCREDIBLE PRODUCTS
Zoe Sage came from a genuine desire to ease into the transition to motherhood and breastfeeding because - let’s be honest - motherhood is no joke. Owned and operated by a young mother of two, Zoe Sage is all about offering incredible products that actually reduce stress levels instead of increasing them.
From stretchy wraps, silicone feeding sets and our signature Five In One Multi Use Mama Cover, we’ve got the essentials of motherhood covered alongside free shipping over $100, a thirty day returns policy, and of course, flexible payment options like ZipPay and Afterpay.
If you’re on the hunt for baby products that actually benefit you and your family, follow us on Instagram to stay updated on new arrivals, or get in touch with us today if you have a query about one of our items available at Zoe Sage.