Wrapy Baby Carrier (review)

First of all, special thanks to Thoughts of Fluff for letting me do my first ever "guest blogger" post. With four young kiddos in tow, I'm not often invited to be anyone's guest. Ever. So I'll be on my best behavior...

Today I'll be reviewing the Wrapy baby carrier. This will be my first time attempting to use a wrap-style carrier and I won't lie: I'm stoked! I've always wanted to try a wrap and I've especially heard good things about "stretch" wrap carriers like the Wrapy. Word on the street is that they are particularly comfy for curvy mammas like myself. Considering my only experience with babywearing involves our two Ergo structured carriers (which aren't particularly "curve friendly") and a ring sling that I made from a tablecloth,  I'm really looking forward to giving this a try.

First Impression

This has got to be the most convenient carrier ever made for a first time wrapper! For starters, it comes in a matching drawstring storage bag so I won't have to wrestle an alligator... Oops! I mean "try to properly fold a hugemongous piece of fabric"... every time I use it.

I predict many years of shoving a Wrapy into this drawstring bag -without folding it- in my future.

The Wrapy also comes with a handy little booklet that includes step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to wrap yourself with it for use as a carrier. Better yet, there are also directions on how to use a single wrapping method to carry your child through various ages (from a newborn to a hefty 35 lb toddler) in several different ways.

There's even a breastfeeding carry! How cool is that?!

I'm dying to try all the different carrying styles but my toddler is currently in the "I'm totally independent and can do everything myself including walking but I'll throw a screaming tantrum if you don't wipe my butt fast enough" phase and the newbie is only a few weeks old. So basically one of my daughters is unwearable and the other can only be worn a couple ways. I also have two boys but one of them is six-years-old and the other is a rock (seriously! He's 40" tall and weighs 40 lbs... that's a pound per inch!!!).

This is what 40 x 40 and stubborn look like.

Seriously though, the Wrapy would make an awesome gift for a first time parent. It's got a lot to offer and a lot to teach a first time wrapper like myself, which is amazing. If you follow their FaceBook page, you can see all sorts of tips for more than just wrapping, too.

The Details

I'm a huge fan of the gender neutral color options (blue, black, gray and red) that the soft, breathable and comfortably stretchy fabric comes in. I chose blue, which is closer to a navy color. My color selection process involves three factors that all of the Wrapy color options meet though: A) I wanted something that matches most of my clothes, B) Something that my husband wouldn't be embarrassed to wear in public and (most importantly) C) It can't easily stain from mustard-ish newborn diaper blowouts. Speaking of which, I'm an even bigger fan of the fact that the entire thing is machine washable AND dryer safe.

It's like the people who made the Wrapy are telling me "Relax Mommy. Don't slave away hand washing and scrubbing the poop and curdled milk spit-up from your carrier. Just throw it in the machine and pour yourself a glass of wine to go with that chocolate and your new book..."

Like most wrap carriers (which are essentially just a massively long piece of fabric) It has a convenient tag to mark the center of the wrap to make the wrapping process easier. The Wrapy also has nicely tapered ends, which I really like. Many of the cheaper wraps I've seen leave the ends square which looks unfinished and bulky hanging down.

All in all, I really like the Wrapy carrier. It's priced extremely competitively for the baby carrier market, offering an incredible value. I honestly couldn't buy enough fabric of this quality to MAKE a wrap carrier for the price that the Wrapy goes for on Amazon (seriously, I checked)! And for such a simple product it was very thoughtfully designed. It's now officially at the top of my baby shower gift list for new mommies who won't realize how badly they need the freedom of babywearing until they're crying over a pile of dirty dishes/laundry while bouncing a screaming infant on their hip. It's the gift of sanity.

And of course, what's a review without a disclaimer?... Lost and Farm was sent the above product to facilitate this review. This did not sway my opinion in any way though. All opinions in this review are 100% my own honest opinion and therefore may differ from your own.

Ann Milligan is a devoted wife, mommy to four crazy kids, a Chicken Soup for the Soul author and freelance writer. Her extremely limited free time is consumed by a chocolate addiction, obsessive internet cat stalking and her blog at LostandFarm.Wordpress.com.

Hoppediz Jacquard Wrap

I have heard a lot of lovely things about Hoppediz wraps, and recently have been lucky enough to try one out for myself. I got to try out the Jacquard sling, which is a cotton and linen blend, in Florenz. This wrap is a 3.7m (size 4), while my other reviews have been of larger wraps (size 6).

Hanging to dry

I took some before and after washing photos, too. Look how much fluffier it gets!

Before washing

after washing

While the lighting wasn't the best for the first picture (before washing), you can see it was much flatter. This wrap is very soft, and feels nice and sturdy, too.

As per usual, I was met with some resistance by Squiggle when I tried to wear her. She is very much a fan of being worn... if you can catch her! I borrowed a baby (and obtained permission to post) for a few pictures. He's a lovely little model, though! I have the "wrong" side out on this FWCC picture, but I prefer the darker side of this wrap.

You can see plenty of carriers in the background, too. This is from a local babywearing meeting. I don't hog my carriers all to myself, I let others use them, too!

I finally wrangled up Squiggle to get a few shots of a ruck with the "right" side out on the carrier.

Ruck - side shot

Ruck - front shot

Back shot - Ruck

 I really love this sling, and I love the simplicity of the black and white while it still boasts a full-coverage floral design. I really like that the design still manages to be simple while covering the entire wrap. The quality of the material is fantastic, and I don't have any doubts that this is a durable wrap. It was also extremely comfortable!

Taken from the Hoppediz page: "Our idea and our aim is to offer a high-quality sling at a fair price to performance ratio, and at the same time to dispense with the prejudice that "carrying is too complicated" using our extensive and easy to understand carrying instructions."

They certainly nailed the quality on the sling, and the instruction booklet that arrived with the sling is definitely easy to read and has numerous carries in it complete with step-by-step instructions!

For more information on Hoppediz, check out their web page. Don't forget to check out all the other neat items they have (jackets, doll carriers, fleece covers to go over baby carriers, etc.)! Honestly, I'm wishing I had one of those fleece carriers right now... this winter is a chilly one!

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was sent the above product to facilitate the review. This did not sway my opinion in any way, and all opinions in this review are my 100% honest opinion. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Thursday Tip: Baby's legs and baby carriers

Babywearing is a great way to keep your little ones close while you do things and go places, but what about when the weather isn't so warm? Those little legs can get exposed to cold weather when being worn!

Project Pomona pants are a great option, as you can unroll the cuff a bit to cover the exposed leg while carrying your baby.

Don't have PP pants and need a solution now? Baby legs under the pants (but over the socks) will keep your little one covered.

I also will put leg warmers on Bobble if he insists on wearing pants with holes in the knees during chilly weather. It helps keep his skin from being exposed to the elements, lets him wear the pants he simply must wear for some reason (toddlers, eh?), and you can even coordinate the leg warmer(s) to match an outfit. He had stars on the last pair he wore with holy jeans.

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Hip Baby Wrap

One thing I love about babywearing is how it allows me to stay connected to my children, even when out and about. It could be absolute chaos all around, but my child can be safely snuggled up to me, and I don't have to worry about something happening to them.

Hip Baby Wraps are a nice, light-weight cotton and available in many colours. I was sent a wrap in the colour scheme "Ocean" for review. It didn't have a size listed, but it was the same length as my size 6 wraps. It was even nice and pretty hanging to dry!

Hip Baby Wraps can help you provide that closeness and peace of mind. In fact, if you're an eco-conscious person, they can give you peace of mind on more than just the closeness of your child as they use non-toxic, eco-friendly dye on their lovely 100%, locally-sourced cotton wraps. Better yet, these wraps are hand made in India, and fairly traded. 

Braided up

This wrap was very different than other wraps I've had, as this wrap is much lighter. I'm used to the heavier, thicker cotton wraps, or the hemp and cotton blend. Wrapping with this was a bit shocking at first because of how light it was!

Squiggle wasn't the most cooperative that day, but I was at a local babywearing meeting, so I was able to borrow other adorable baby models for you (with permission to share,of course!) :

Lovely little one helping me model a FWCC
(In case you were wondering, it was really cold in there when we first arrived, so I wanted my arms covered!)

I didn't just borrow babies for pictures, though... I shared the wrap and borrowed mamas, too!

I really liked how light this wrap was, and think it would be a fabulous summer wrap. Obviously it works any time of the year, but I feel like this would definitely have the upper hand compared to some of the thicker wraps when it gets hot and sticky outside! Check out their store to see all their colours available!

Hip Baby Wraps were also generous enough to offer a wrap for one of my readers. Giveaway is open to the US only.

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Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was sent the above product in exchange for a review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in anyway, and the review was not required to be positive. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Thoughts of Fluff is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Thursday Tips: Baby carriers & cars

If you are a babywearer, odds are you like to leave a carrier in the car. It's pretty handy having a few carriers you can just leave in the car so you always have something on hand, but it can also be damaging to your carrier if you have something with plastic on it (like a SSC).

If you live in an area that experiences temperature extremes, you might want to reconsider leaving a SSC in your car. The extreme heat and extreme cold can really wear on the plastic buckles, and you could weaken them, lessening their life. Worse case scenario, it could break while you're wearing it.

I live in an area that experiences all four seasons, so I tend to leave my SSCs in my car in spring and autumn, bringing them inside during summer and winter. This isn't too much of a hassle for me since I already bring in my diaper bag during winter/summer to avoid ruining my diapers, freezing my wipe solution spray bottle, or melting my little one's diaper cream/stick.

If you have a a mei tai, woven wrap, or a ring sling with metal rings, I'd recommend leaving these in your car over a ssc. Not only will the temperatures not matter, but in cold weather the wrap or ring sling can serve as blankets for your little ones (just unthread the ringsling).

Vanamo wrap - Kide Tuli - as a blanket

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. 

Vanamo Woven Wraps

It's no secret that I'm big into babywearing. I love wearing my children and will continue to wear them as long as I can, or as long as they will let me. I recently had the opportunity to try out a Vanamo woven wrap from Wearababy; a small, family-run company in Finland. I was sent a Kide Tuli, size 6, to review.

Before washing, taken in poor lighting but a good overall idea of the pattern

While I waited for the wrap to arrive, because shipping from Finland to the states won't exactly happen over night, I exchanged a few emails with Niina, the mother behind Wearababy. She is very passionate about babywearing, having worn both of her children, and these wraps are her dream come to life. The wraps are produced on a small-scale in Finland, requiring lots of hand-work. These wraps only use the best quality materials, using organic cotton, merino wool, and european linen.

When the wrap arrived, I excitedly washed it and hung it up to dry. It is gorgeous!

I couldn't wait to try this out because my husband's (father's) side of the family is from Finland. This shows in my son, Bobble... he looks the part!

Now I promised my husband I'd get a good picture of him. Bobble was not wanting to hold still, and the only other picture I got had his eyes completely closed, so he gets the slightly goofy face picture used. Sorry, hubby! Good thing he has a good sense of humour, eh?

I actually tried to get an action shot with him wearing in this wrap for weeks. I finally gave up on trying to get him wearing Squiggle because she's been super clingy for mom lately (sick plus teething) and hubby has never wrapped before. She simply wouldn't be patient enough to let him try at the moment. Instead, I snagged Bobble for a photo op.

I took the wrap to a local babywearing meeting to let some other moms see it, too. It was a hit! It's a gorgeous design, the materials is a lovely, soft material (this was all organic cotton), and it wraps so nicely!

I was surprised at how secure even Bobble was in the wrap. He is still pretty heavy from his recent health issues, and wiggled around like mad. Even though he popped the seat in the ruck carry shown here, the other passes held so nicely that you would have never known (if you didn't see it)!

Both children love the wrap, as do I! Here's a bit more about Wearababy:

Taken from their website:

"Our ambition is to offer high quality and special woven wraps to meet the needs of a demanding customer. The fabrics and weaving patterns are carefully designed to make the first-class baby wraps. We do not want to make compromises with the manufacture - only the best materials and production methods are used.


Vanamo collection offers both joyful and brightly colored wraps and classical looks for elegant style. You can find a suitable baby wrap for different taste, mood and occasion. The quality of threads, weaving pattern, density and thickness of the fabric all have an effect on the functionality of the baby wrap. Vanamo collection provides many types of baby wraps that differ in the materials, weaving pattern and thickness."


             

Squiggle naps well in this gorgeous wrap, too! I know the above ruck is a bit loose, but she was already asleep when I wrapped her and I was trying not to wake her. Don't worry, she was definitely secure.

Wearababy sells more than just woven wraps, though. You can find gorgeous ringslings, mei tais, SSCs, children's clothes, etc. Check out their shop here.

Braided up



Speaking of their gorgeous ringslings, they also sent one for one of my readers!

Not the greatest picture of the sling, but I didn't want to take it out of the bag since I have cats, so it stays sealed, sadly. (I wanted to try it out!). It is a gorgeous, cotton Karpalo ringsling with a red weft.

There is a stock picture of the sling from the wearababy page.

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Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was sent the above product in exchange for a review. This did not change my opinion of the product in anyway. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Starfish Cove Baby Boutique: Natibaby Kurpie Sunset Woven Wrap (hemp blend)

Starfish Cove Baby Boutique, a lovely natural parenting store, sent be the gorgeous Natibaby Kurpie Sunset Woven Wrap in a size 6 to review for them. Starfish Cove has a great selection of baby carriers. For more about Starfish Cove Baby Boutique, please check out my intro post for them here.

Tail of the wrap ("right" side)

Tail of the wrap ("wrong" side)

I received this lovely wrap a few months back, but right before Bobble ended up in Children's for a week. After things settled when we returned home, I got to work breaking in this wrap. The hemp is very durable, but thicker than wraps I'm used to (which were just a thin cotton). 

Bobble excitedly displaying the Kurpie Sunset before we ended up at Children's. He isn't quite grasping the idea of holding still.

It was much softer after the wash, and even softer still after a few braids.

My go-to carry is a front-wrap cross carry (FWCC), though I do use a ruck more now that I am better at it and the kids are old enough to get in my face when worn on the front!

The design of this wrap is beautiful. I love the colours, too. The background is a gray/blue material, accented by orange, yellow, and red. The "wrong" side is every bit as gorgeous as well.

Don't forget to follow Starfish Cove Baby Boutique on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr to stay up to date on their stockings and see what else is new!

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was sent the above product in exchange for a review. This did not influence my opinion in any way. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Je Porte Mon BeBe Little Wrap Without a Knot (review)

Last spring I received a beautiful Je Porte Mon BeBe ring sling for review: the Little Wrap Without a Knot. I know you might be wondering why I am just writing the review if I received it last spring, but I wanted to have time to test it out. I was not extremely well versed in ring slings when I got it, having only used one for a few weeks with Squiggle when she was just born. I wanted to make sure that I was using it properly before I even started to do a review. Can't say a product is good or bad if you don't even use it properly!

I also would like to mention that I was in the middle of writing this review when we ended up taking Bobble to children's for his kidney issue, and the fact I had this sitting as a draft honestly slipped my mind. I was more concerned with my children and their well-being. I did, eventually, remember I never finished this post, so here you are!

A little bit about JPMBB! JPMBB is a Paris based company that is family owned. They sell baby carriers (wraps and slings), clothing (shirts, baby legs), doll wraps, and even babywearing coats!

I absolutely loved the material this was made of. It was super soft and cozy, and it does have a stretch to it. Not an extreme stretch, but one just slight enough to where I felt it helped provide a better seat for my munchkin since it was more contoured to her body. I also liked that there was a well-padded piece of material to slide over the rings once baby was securely in the carrier. That's one worry of mine is that my little one might somehow get their fingers pinched in the ring. With the rings covered, it wasn't really an issue.

sliding towards the rings

Rings covered

I couldn't get many action pictures since many of the times I babywear tend to be when I need my hands and nobody else is around to help. It's a bit hard to do a selfie and give a full shot of the carrier!

Above you can see me with Squiggle back when I first got the JPMBB sling on the left, and then again over the summer (right).

 I had a friend take one more recently... of course I had to be stifling a laugh when she took the picture, but at least you get a good pic of the carrier.

I can't get over how easy it is to use once you realize how to get a proper seat in a sling. This took some practice for me, and became more difficult as Squiggle got more determined to be independent and try to run off. Still, as you can see below, I can carry my 26lb 17 month old daughter in a ring sling comfortably. 

This is super easy to store in your car or diaperbag (even your purse!), so you can always have a carrier on hand. What's more, since this has rings and not a plastic buckle like soft structured carriers have, you can leave it in the car during all sorts of temperatures without worrying about the safety due to degradation (of the plastic buckles).

Check out this great info video JPMBB has on how to carry in a (their) ring sling, too!



I would definitely recommend this ring sling to any expectant mother that is looking into baby wearing. This material reminds me so much of the (slightly) stretchy wrap I had with Squiggle as a newborn, and it was fabulous. JPMBB makes wraps, and I bet they would have been fabulous to have from birth!

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff received the above product from JPMBB in order to facilitate this review. This did not influence my opinion in any way. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Shopping With Two Children

Occasionally I venture out without my hubby, both kids in tow. Bobble has reached that age where he doesn't want to hold still, nor does he want to listen too much. Sometimes, I just don't feel like chasing him through a store. My solution? Wear him!

Actually, wear them both!

I probably did this backwards since the rise over the back is shorter on the Ergo than it is on the Action Baby Carrier, but it worked. I didn't have to chase anyone, I got a good work out in, and I got my shopping done.

If you're curious, yes... these two combined were a bit more than half my body weight.

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was not reimbursed for this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

Zapped

This past week has been pretty rough in this house, thus the lack of posting after the scheduled posts were done. Bobble has childhood asthma, and that acted up while we were visiting family, resulting in a 3am ER visit for a breathing treatment. He caught what Squiggle had.

Squiggle has been super needy, crying at everything. She cries if I hold her, she cries if I put her down. If I wear her, if I don't wear her. If I nurse her, if I don't nurse her. Everything makes her cry. She had bronchitis, an ear infection, a stomach bug, and is cutting 3 molars. I'd cry, too. She won't nap unless I lie with her or I hold her right now, and that makes doing anything very difficult... especially blog writing. Since she cries for everything right now, babywearing is the ONLY way I have gotten ANYTHING done. Unfortunately, she only is content while babywearing if I'm moving. Sorry, readers, but I'm not going to try and walk around holding a laptop in one hand and typing with the other. I'm sure you understand!

Sooooo, I've barely gotten sleep in the last week, but I'm here. I just am lacking the ability to write much since I have the above going on.

I hope you've enjoyed the recipe posts as of late. I think I'm going to start doing a new recipe on a weekly basis instead of the near daily frequency I have for the last couple of weeks.

Are there any particular types of foods you would like recipes for? Leave a comment at let me know!

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff is responsible for the content of this post. Post contains affiliate links.