This week I wore my baby in the same wrap every day. Normally I'm using my Facebook and Instagram pages to show off all the wraps tied in all the carries so I can show you all that is possible in the woven wrap world. Don't you know, it's all part of my evil plan to get everyone to recognize how amazing woven wraps are? Muhahaha!

This week, though, I thought I'd take a small break from variety with the #oneanddone theme. These are some reasons why:

1. ​Consumerism is a big issue in the babywearing world, and also in the "regular" world too. Often the newest and latest things get put ahead of what really matters in this whole babywearing gig: being close to our babies (and having two free hands!). #oneanddone week allows me to pause on the hype of new and focus on my love of the act of wrapping and being wrapped to my baby. (Edited to add the following from a Facebook post): modern babywearing is really columbusing of cultures who did not lose their babywearing traditions... So many cultures don't have a "resurgence" of babywearing because they never lost their traditions as American and Anglo Europeans did, who then had to "borrow" from other cultures to fill in the gaps and move forward. There's no denying that all cultures wore their babies at some point in history, but not all cultures abandoned and forgot their traditions. It's amazing to learn how modern babywearing fits in history and how modern things like consumerism have influenced the practices of today.
2. Confession: I have a LOT of baby carriers. Babywearing is my go-to parenting tool for my littlest, it is a huge hobby of mine, it is my volunteer work, and it is my job as a babywearing educator. Because of those things it makes sense for me to have a lot of baby carriers. I teach with them and I show caregivers that there are a variety of looks and feels when it comes to wraps, just like any other baby carrier. Wraps are not all created equal and explaining that diversity to others is one of my favorite parts of this work. That said, I don't personally NEED all the carriers, and if I wasn't an educator or extreme hobbiest I probably could just use one wrap and be done (okay I'd really want two, a base size and a shortie, but I digress). If I was just carrying this one baby around casually then #oneanddone could be my every week and that'd be totally fine, not affecting my productivity in any way.
3. Challenge, accepted. I love a good challenge, and we haven't done a carry challenge in awhile so why not push myself in a similar but different way? I most recently saw this type of challenge in the Base Love group on facebook (an excellent group focused on body positivity in the wrapping community). I wanted to try to use one wrap all week yet keep myself (and my audience!) interested. I stuck with many of my favorite carries early in the week (Ruck tied in front and Front Wrap Cross Carry variations) but started to branch out to stuff like Ellevill Jordan's later on. I also used a base-1 size wrap which is definitely my least used size and the one that makes me check my list of carries the most often so I can refresh my brain on what to do with it. And that's the point of a challenge right? To break out of the comfort zone!

This gallery of images contains the carries I tied for #oneanddone. Click the image to be taken to a video tutorial for that carry. Here's a full list of what I tied, and you can check out more base-1 carries and more on our Tutorials page:

• Front Wrap Cross Carry tied at shoulder and tied under bum (long tails, usually base-2 carries or shorter)
• Half Front Wrap Cross Carry
• Half Jordan's Back Carry (Wrapping Rachel's version, again with long tails as it's usually a base-2 carry or shorter)
• Twisted Ellevill Jordan's
• Christina's Ruckless
• Secure High Back Carry
• Double Hammock tied at shoulder
• Double Hammock with a candy cane chest belt

Try out your own #oneanddone and tell me in the comments how it goes! [Images all feature me, a white woman with dark hair, wearing by white baby boy in an orange and off white geometric pattern wrap Tekhni Meandros Clementine. All carries are base-1 size or shorter.]

Manufacturer: Soul Slings of India
Pattern and Colorway: Imperial
Fiber: 100% cotton
G/m²: 280
Release date: September 2016
Size tested: 5.85 meters
Stats of (willing) wrappee at time of test: 13 months, ~23 pounds, ~30 inches

Big thanks to Soul for offering to send Imperial over for a run! This was ny first experience with a Soul wrap; our local babywearing group is lucky enough to have one of their mei tais, and they're fanastic and quite popular of course, but now I get to learn just a little bit more about this line with some wrap play time!

The next thing I noticed was the thickness and texture. In hand, Imperial feels somewhat thin and maybe a little flat. There's some texture in the pattern here and there but overall it's pretty smooth and soft. I feel like it deserves the "thin" rating because even though its gsm is relatively high at 280 (high for a thin wrap!), it doesn't wrap that heavy. Bunched passes don't take up a ton of bulk. Even for the length (5.8 meters!) it didn't seem overwhelming, likely due to it being on the thin side.

The only reason I didn't rate the care on this one as super easy (because the cotton is super easy care) is that there are some floats in the weave on the red side that are a bit long. I never had a pull (whew!) but I could see where these might get pulled easily due to their length.

Wrap Qualities (definitions here)
Grip (glide to stick): medium
Support (light to heavy): medium
Stretch (none to lots): medium
Cush (none to marshmallow): medium
Moldability: conforms well to curves
Flop (none to silky): floppy

I feel bad for all the mediums there - they make a giant understatement of this wrap's lovely qualities. The subtle texture from the pattern lends to a decent bit of grip - not too much as again, everything is pretty medium here, but enough that a knot would hold in place while I finished fiddling with shoulder flips or something. Knotless finishes held nicely in this wrap, like with the knotless tucks in Rainbow's Back Carry.

I preferred using this wrap in a base+ because I enjoyed it most for multi-pass carries. When wraps are on the thinner side I tend to like them in longer sizes anyway, but I think the slightly airy weave makes a wrap that does well with more passes. Front carries like Front Double Hammock and Reinforced Kangaroo were favorites, but I still really liked the classic Front Wrap Cross Carry with bunched passes, so this wrap can totally hold up to single-layer carries just fine. It's a matter of personal preference, not what the wrap can or can't handle which is great. 

Imperial has a nice bit of stretch - not too much but just enough to make it moldable, comfortable, and not sacrifice support. Again, another "medium" on the list that translates in practice to a nice balance. Imperial was nice and floppy when I received it. I don't think it has traveled long - it feels like one of those cotton wraps that breaks in quickly.

Soul has this to say about their practices, "Soul jacquards are woven in an ethical and environment-friendly mill from Southern India, which uses only wind and solar energy to run their entire factory. They are a completely green manufacturing unit and after using the energy they need they have surplus to send back into the grid. Only the best quality baby-safe dyes are used and no child labour is involved at any stage. Our jacquards are finished and converted into carriers and accessories in-house at Soul factory based in Bangalore, India."

Find more information about Soul Slings on their website, http://www.soulslings.com/, on Instagram as @soulslings, on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/soulslings/, and their Facebook chatter groups for the Global Soul Family, https://www.facebook.com/groups/GlobalSoulFamily/, and the Soul Family US Edition, https://www.facebook.com/groups/soul.family.US/. Thank you again to Soul for having me host Imperial!

​I have not been compensated for this review.

Special rainbow sleepy dust in this handwoven ring sling from Anmol Baby Carriers [Image of me wearing my sleeping baby on my hip in a rainbow striped ring sling Anmol Saptrangi. I'm holding the tail of the sling out to the side to show the colorful stripes.]

by Amy Wraps Babies

Manufacturer: Anmol Baby Carriers of India
Pattern and Colorway: Saptrangi
Fiber: 100% organic cotton
G/m²: 250
Release date: Spring 2016
Size tested: Ring sling
Shoulder style: Hybrid
Stats of (willing) wrappee at time of test: 13 months, ~23 pounds, ~29 inches

How fun is this rainbow ring sling? The colors are so great and the turquoise rings were a perfect choice, a wonderfully unexpected divergent from standard metal colors. I'm so glad I got to host this lovely sling so I can tell you all about it!

[Image of the shoulder and corsage position of a ring sling as worn in a hip carry. The tail of the sling has been twisted around in a circle in front of the rings, showing the colorful stripes of Anmol Saptrangi. My baby's fist rests on my chest.]

Weave and Fiber Stats
Thickness (thin to thick): medium-thin
Softness (soft to scratch): medium soft/soft
Density (airy to tight): medium
Texture (raised or flat, coarse to smooth): subtle micro texture
Soap (dry to soapy): leans to dry
Care: (easy to difficult): easy

This ring sling has been a delight to use. It is what I like to think of as a "well balanced" ring sling: It's not too thick that it takes effort to get through the rings but it isn't too thin that it looses support. It's a nice cozy softness - it arrived to me pretty broken in but I doubt it took long to get there. It has a simple weave characteristic of a handwoven with that subtle texture. ​

[Image of the of Anmol Saptrangi rainbow striped ring sling as worn in a hip carry. The baby boy being worn is looking off into the distance. There is a green bush in the background.]

One of the rails is hemmed and the other is left to show the selvedge. This is a nice subtle but tactile way to distinguish between rails. When the bottom rail is the selvedge one it must feel a little more comfortable for baby since they aren't sitting on a hem. Again, a subtle difference yet a nice detailed that wasn't overlooked.

This sling is 100% organic cotton and quite easy to care for - just wash and wear. This medium density weave should also be fairly safe from easy pulls.

The shoulder style on this is nice if you find a gathered shoulder just a bit too wide. There are two side-by-side stacked pleats on the edges making the total width of the shoulder a little more narrow, then there are two very small pleats near the center of the shoulder hem. For me this was a great shoulder - wide enough that I could spread it far and even flip up the bottom rail to give me more range of motion - yet not too wide that I felt overwhelmed by it, which can happen for me with a floating gathered shoulder. Trying different shoulder styles has really helped me narrow down which ones I like.

​Anmol also makes this sling with a pleated shoulder if you need it to be more narrow.

[Gallery of images showing the shoulder style details of the Anmol Saptrangi rainbow striped ring sling.]

Wrap Qualities (definitions here)
Grip (glide to stick): medium low, glides through rings well
Support (light to heavy): passed the toddler test
Stretch (none to lots): medium
Cush (none to marshmallow): low
Moldability: conforms well to curves
Flop (none to silky): floppy

The biggest test of a ring sling to me is how well it glides through the rings, and the Anmol sling passes with flying colors (ha!). It was easy to tighten and there was no "slippy" feeling when I was done. The fabric was easy to work with, didn't seem to "over twist" on itself as I fuddled around with threading it while holding my baby - that was a lot easier just a couple months ago when I did it on a Facebook Live video (captions are in the comments of the original post):

There's definitely some stretch and moldability happening here - the photos I took of my shoulder were always visual proof that. It really does conform quite nicely to curves. The pressure is spread nicely throughout the shoulder and the wrap is cushy enough to not feel like it's digging. It's soft and floppy and really a great tool for helping get this little guy to sleep. On several occasions I wore this ring sling to ease the transition to bedtime for well over an hour. I wouldn't normally plan to wear a ring sling that long but this one did the job well!

[Image is a collage of two mirror images of me wearing my sleeping baby on my hip in a rainbow striped ring sling Anmol Saptrangi. I'm holding the tail of the sling out to the side to show the colorful stripes.]

Anmol is a company based out of India. They are working to improve the quality of life for women there through conscientious labor practices: "Anmol is proud to have teamed up with a women’s collective, comprising of under-privileged women beneficiaries of Mumbai based non-profit – Aadhar Skill Development Trust (ASDT). The word ‘Aadhar’ means support in Hindi. ASDT has been established with a mission to enable the lesser privileged women of the society to enhance their quality of life by becoming self - reliant and gaining greater economic stability. ASDT trains these women in the fields of tailoring, Montessori education, beauty services and manufacturing food product. More information on ASDT can be found here – www.aadharskilldevelopment.org"

Find more information about Anmol Baby Carriers on Anmol's website, http://www.anmolbabycarriers.com/, on Instagram @anmol_baby_carriers, and on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/anmolbabycarriers/. Thank you again to Anmol and to the Rucking Awesome testing group for letting me host!

This ring sling is currently available for purchase from Anmol in either the hybrid or pleated shoulder styles.

Weave and Fiber Stats
Thickness (thin to thick): medium-thick
Softness (soft to scratch): medium low
Density (airy to tight): dense
Texture (raised or flat, coarse to smooth): subtle micro texture
Soap (dry to soapy): leans to soapy
Care: (easy to difficult): easy

Latte Dawn Patrol is a 100% cotton colorway of the Latte pattern, designed to resemble the abstract leaf design often made by baristas with latte foam. The teal color of Dawn Patrol is stunning, one of the best teals I've seen in a wrap, and it simply shines in the sunlight. ​

Latte Dawn is sturdy and strong, more than is needed for a "squish-worthy" wrap - a category in which I would not place this wrap. It is not especially soft, stretchy, or moldable, but that's not what this wrap is about. This wrap is meant to carry our sweet big kids; to keep them close, cared for, and loved. Latte Dawn is a special wrap for all the right reasons.

Find more information about Zee Zen on their website, http://www.zeezen.ca/, on Instagram @zeezenwovenwraps, on their official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Zeezenca/, and the fan chatter group The Zee Zen Zone, https://www.facebook.com/groups/zeezencachatter/. Thank you again to Zee Zen and to the Rucking Awesome testing group for letting me host!

Latte Dawn Patrol is currently available for purchase at http://www.zeezen.ca/product-page/feedd087-c646-6699-7ffa-5cb7d94e525e.

I have not received compensation in exchange for this review.

#1: Wrap before leaving the house. If you're driving to your destination and you plan on front-carrying in a wrap, pre-tie it on! Then when you arrive, pop baby from carseat to pre-tied wrap seat, re-tighten, tie-off and go! A few good "poppable" front carries are Front Cross Carry (base size), Semi Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (base-2), and Inside Out Coolest Hip Cross Carry (base-2). A Front Wrap Cross Carry can also be pre-tied with a base size wrap, it just requires a little bit more re-tightening than the poppable carries.

#2: Use a short wrap. If you can't pre-tie, a short wrap is a great size to use. It requires fewer passes around you and baby so it is usually faster to get on, plus if you're wrapping in a parking lot your tails won't drag on the ground as much. If baby wants down a short wrap is a little easier to cart around without wearing anyone in it, too. My favorite short front carries are Traditional Sling Carry (base-3 or shorter), Front Wrap Cross Carry tied under bum or tied at shoulder (base-2 or shorter), and Robin's Hip Carry with a ring or without a ring (base-2). For back carries I love a ruck (tied at shoulder or tied in front, base-2 or shorter), Half Jordan's (base-2 or shorter), and Pirate Carry (aka Reinforced Rear Rucksack or RRR, base-2 or shorter).

#3: Use your wrap for other stuff! A wrap doesn't have to just carry a baby. Use the wrap as a high chair or shopping cart cover - it keeps baby away from germs that may have been left behind. (Use caution if you have a particularly messy eater!) Wraps can also be used as blankets for keeping warm or sitting on (again use caution with wet grass and mud!). You can even carry your other stuff in a wrap instead of carrying a baby in it! Use it knapsack-style (think Johnny Appleseed) or rucksack-style with everything strapped to your back.

#4: Navigate inclement weather. Need to wrap in the rain? My best advice - don't! Grab your baby, grab your stuff, and scoot those full arms indoors and wrap in there. When that isn't possible, do the fastest carry you know. Maybe that's one of the poppable front carries in #1 (see above) or maybe it's one of the short back carries from #2. And if that isn't possible, try this tip for braiding long tails that are quickly untied as you go (https://youtu.be/Hh_zg7J72-s)

#5: Know before you go. Parking lot wrapping is not the time to try out a new carry! Have a plan for what you're going to do when you get to your destination and make sure it is one you already know well. This is helpful for speed but also helpful for your nerves! Wrapping over concrete also comes with a certain level of risk so the more prepared and confident you are, the better you can mitigate that risk.

#6: Watch for onlookers and "helpers." This is not my favorite tip, but in my experience with wrapping in public you need to be aware of others around you, especially while back wrapping. People who are unfamiliar with babywearing are sometimes very concerned when they see a baby on someone's back. They may try to "help" without asking which can be a potential hazard for you if a pass is not where you think it should be or your baby's weight shifts unexpectedly. A polite but firm - "please do not touch" is entirely appropriate. Sometimes the helper needs reassurance - "I am experienced at safely wrapping my baby." Conversely, some people are just really interested in what you're doing! To those curious bystanders I say - "Hi! You're more than welcome to watch. Let me know if you have any questions!"

It amazes me how one little baby product has been so transformational for me. Babywearing in general has been extremely helpful, but it's really wrapping that has changed my life.

​Wrapping let me take back my time again.
I started wrapping when my then-youngest was two years old, which seems kind of late in the game. I thought it would be practical because I had been having a really hard time making dinner lately because she wanted to be held - those early evening hours when I had just returned from being at work all day and my husband, her daytime caregiver, had left to go to work for the evening. For her it was a time of transition that required closeness, yet for me it was a time of day that required many chores meaning I had little focus for her. When I wrapped her on my back we could snuggle and talk and sing AND I could get some stuff done. I didn't worry anymore about tripping over my daughter as I moved about the kitchen. Life-changing multitasking.

​Wrapping became more than just a method to make dinner.
There was also more than just a transition between day and night going on. My daughter had recently weaned. Our last nursing sessions were in the middle of the night and they were really the only time we got to spend together since I was gone all day. She weaned so naturally - just started sleeping through the night and that was it. Even though I could accept and was ready to wean, I felt like we lost so much time together. When I wrapped with her and we had that physical closeness, I felt like we were getting the oxytocin and all the good feels we had from nursing back except now we were totally awake and standing. Wrapping not only helped to preserve my relationship with my daughter but it changed it - it made me listen to her while she was worn and helped me remember she still needed my ears when she stood on her own. Wrapping ultimately led to me being a more present and aware parent.

​Soon the very act of wrapping became a comfort.
Once I didn't have to think about what pass went where and in which order and how many there were... I could just enjoy the act of wrapping amazingly beautiful fabric around myself and my precious child. The way the texture of the fabric feels in my hand. The glide as I place a pass over my baby's back. How it stretches when I tighten it around me. The thickness or thinness of the bunching in my fist. The ritual of all these things is soothing for me. It gives my mind something positive and beautiful to focus on. After my son was born and I finally had an excuse for front carries, the emotional comfort of wrapping was a tool I used again and again...

​Wrapping helped me cope with postpartum anxiety.
After my second son was born I started to have more intense anxiety than I did with the previous two kids. When I wrapped I wouldn't have to work at dismissing thoughts or trying to stay positive - my thoughts either had to focus on wrapping or they were distracted by the lovely textile I was using. Even after I tied off, when I was wrapped to my baby everything seemed a little more easy, a little less overwhelming. I felt that much more confident about my skills as a parent of all these kids when I wrapped. Without wrapping this baby I don't know how different my life would be. I would certainly not be getting much done around the house. And how different would my mood be, and my level of anxiety? I can't help but think wrapping changed my life there.

​The community I've found through wrapping has changed my life.
The people I've met as a wrapper have taught me so much! I've learned a TON about wrapping from my local and online communities. It feels like the last of "old knowledge" - the kind that is passed from woman to woman through generations. Receiving and sharing knowledge makes me feel connected and empowered. Not only have I learned more about wrapping and other babywearing modalities but I've also learned about related topics as well: most of my leaning about social justice and my privilege had come from my babywearing circles. I've been introduced to concepts like ableism and I have been making changes in my words and behaviors - and influencing changes in my children's words and behaviors. Changing my life and changing the world, one small act at a time.

Self-esteem
I'll be the first to admit: wrapping looks good and that makes me feel good. And on some days when I have really need that pick-me-up, wrapping really has changed my life. When I wore my babies in other carriers of course I felt more in control and it gave me a confidence boost for sure, but nothing like I feel when I tie on a wrap. Transforming that simple rectangle of fabric into a safe, secure, and beautiful carrier for my most precious cargo will never cease to make me feel like a ruck star (nice autocorrect I'm going to leave that one!). Even on the days when I can't work in a shower and I'm wearing clothes from the floor, being able to put on that pretty wrap has a life-changing effect on my self-esteem.

Wrapping has changed my life because it has become my greatest tool - my method to soothe a baby while being productive, to calm and distract my noisy mind, to help me become a better parent, a more involved and aware community member, and it changed the way I feel about my postpartum self.

​

This week we celebrate all things babywearing and postpartum during Postpartum Week, helped out by the fabulous Lalu Wovens who has provided wraps for us to use for the week. For more on what we're doing this week, see the Postpartum Week page - amywrapsbabies.com/postpartum-week

**Image of Amy, a thin white woman, standing in front of an old fence and wearing her baby on her back in a blue feathery pattern wrap Lalu Volare Indigo Bunting tied in a double hammock. Text over the image reads quote How wrapping changed my life by Amy Wraps Babies, end quote.

Great carrier or the greatest baby carrier? Here are 10 reasons babywearing with a woven wrap is the best by Amy Wraps Babies. Image is photo with text. Text is -quote- Ten reasons for babywearing with a woven wrap, Amy Wraps Babies. -end quote- Photo is a white baby boy sleeping on a white caregiver's chest while secured with a multi-colored woven wrap Tekhni Chloris Chroma in front of grey wood shake siding.

Holding babies close in cloth is an incredible tool that has been used by humans for as long as recorded history (1), and the benefits of it are well-known (2): it's nicer on the caregiver's body than carrying baby in arms alone, it leaves us hands-free for multitasking, it helps stop my baby's crying (and hopefully yours too!), it promotes attachment and facilitates breastfeeding, and babies worn by their caregivers have shown to learn more easily and be better able to regulate their little body's systems that slowly transition to life outside the womb over the fourth trimester and beyond. (3)

No matter how you choose to safely carry your baby in a cloth carrier, to keep baby close and loved is the ultimate goal. In my babywearing journey, I've used every major type of carrier and so many different brands and I can tell you without a doubt, for me and in my experience, the best baby carrier you can buy is a woven wrap. Actually I'd take that even further - a woven wrap is the best, most useful piece of baby gear I've ever owned. The title of this article might as well be "Woven Wraps: The Most Versatile Baby Product Ever." Here are some reasons why:

1. Woven Wraps Fit Perfectly.
A piece of woven fabric molds itself to a body's unique shape every time it is tied on. Pull a little bit more here or make a twist there and the fabric can be completely customized to my body and my baby's body. An extra pass can reinforce when we need more support for wiggly days, a little gather and tuck can put padding on my shoulders in just the right places. Don't like waist belts? Chest clip is a bother? Backpack-like straps don't stay up? All these can be avoided with a woven wrap. Whether I put up a newborn or a preschooler, one piece of fabric can fit me and my "wrappee" like a glove every time. Which brings me to...

2. A Wrap is the Most Versatile Baby Gear you can buy. Or make. Or that exists. Period.
I could go on and on about this one... A woven wrap is a baby gear item, no, a baby care tool, that will serve you well from the moment your baby is born (or before!) and well through toddlerhood and maybe even the preschool years if you're both willing! I have used one wrap throughout my entire wrapping career: it wrapped my belly during pregnancy, it carried my newborn just a wee few hours after he was born and it carried my three year old daughter that very same week. I have used one wrap to do every thing - run errands, to work around the house, to be hands-free at parades, to show off in professional pictures... All while holding my baby in front carries, hip carries, carrying my baby on my back - carrying two babies at the same time!! And that same single piece of woven fabric fits me, my husband, my mother, my friends, our babysitter. It could fit virtually any body. It is the single most versatile baby carrier one could possibly own.

3. Woven Wraps have alternative uses.
Not only is a woven wrap versatile for carrying babies, but it also doubles - triples - octdruples? It's a blanket or pillow of course, but it's also a hammock, a swing, a high chair and shopping cart cover and padding, a nursing cover or sun shield... The tags make a great baby toy and it is even a soft lovey for baby to snuggle (or sometimes for me to snuggle too!). Short woven wraps are used for support in labor and deliver and even as tools for parenting special needs children beyond their "wearing" days. (4)

4. A successful wrap job makes me feel awesome.
When it comes down to it, a woven wrap is just a long rectangle of fabric. It has no "cheats," not a lot of room for error. Conquering that fabric - transforming a practically featureless item into a safe and secure carrier for a person... that's pretty awesome. Babywearing in general helps me feel more capable - it empowers me and gives me confidence to be the best parent and caregiver I can be. But when I wrap up that fabric around my baby and me... that takes my "mama power" to a whole 'nother level.

5. Woven wraps have variety of beautiful looks.
Even MORE versatility here. Not only are there are so many different wraps out there, in countless colors, patterns, and fiber blends, but there are also dozens and dozens of different ways to tie woven wraps! Trying all the wraps could keep one busy for ages, but even if you only had one or two you can absolutely get a whole bunch of different looks (and feels!) and keep the variety going with all the different carries. Wrapping has helped me feel more "put together" - even on my most "blah" days when I'm really feeling like a frumpy mom, a nice wrap is a really great pick-me-up and a well-tied wrap job... even better. Wrapping has made me feel like I haven't lost my personal style even through there's baby poop and split snacks on my yoga pants.

6. The wrapping community is amazing.
Community is a huge part of being a babywearer and a wrapper - there are local babywearing groups in nearly every major city and online groups for fans of any brand you wish, plus groups for wrappers to talk about theory, fibers, groups for weavers, special needs - really a group for anything related to wraps that can be thought of (I've listed many in the Support section under Communities). The wrapping community is so generous with their knowledge, kindness, and stash. The people I've met through wrapping (through babywearing in general but specifically wrapping) have taught me so much, well beyond mechanics, especially on topics of social justice. I am a better person because of the wrapping community.

7. Woven Wraps are from long and rich cultural traditions.
Babywearing is not a trend. Babywearing is not a trend. Babywearing is not a trend. Humans have been carrying babies in cloth for as long as we have been using tools.(1) Babywearing was an essential skill for our ancestors and we are lucky that it has been maintained in many cultures (5) while the West has been overcome with devices for putting one's baby down. When I wrap my baby, I feel connected to all the other caregivers who have come generations before me and wrapped their babies securely to themselves in cloth. It is a connection that further empowers me and motivates me through caring for small children.

8. Ritual in the use and care of Woven Wraps.
There is a wonderful ritual that comes along with each part of wrapping. Except for times that wrapping must happen in a hurry (errands and tantrums come to mind), we have a routine of selecting the wrap (together if my wrappee is old enough) and thinking of just the right carry for that wrap and that situation. Even when rushed, the act of pulling the pass of fabric around us and tightening it strand-by-strand is a soothing ritual for us both. We both go from tense or upset or rushed or doubtful and as we are bound together we both soften as our closeness soothes each other. That feeling somehow carries over into the care of my wraps as well. From folding them and ironing them, checking for flaws and fixing the occasional pull - caring for wraps better than I care for my or my family's clothes! Caring for my wraps is a ritual in and of itself that in some way extends from or mirrors the love I feel in caring for my children.

9. Wrapping as Therapy.
​ This could be a completely separate post, and maybe it should be to fully tell my own story. For now, let's keep it general because there are so many people who can give an account much like mine of how wrapping helped bring them up from postpartum mood disorders, or struggles with relationships, special needs children, high needs and sensory issues, or securing attachment again after developmental leaps or time apart. (6) The physical bond that babywearing gives us, in any kind of carrier, gives us an emotional attachment that can be so healing, both for the caregiver and the baby (if I had unlimited space here we could talk more about the amazing therapeutic benefits for children, too!). For me personally, add in the rituals of wrapping and the perfectly customized fit of a wrap and it takes the therapeutic benefits of babywearing to another level.

10. Wrapping as a Practice (and Challenge).
Wrapping is kind of like yoga. One is always a student, never fully a master, and often ends the practice sweaty. At times we may achieve the most perfect Double Hammock ever, and that same afternoon execute the sloppiest ruck with a sagging seat that just won't snap into place. With all love and admiration I have for wrapping, I acknowledge it is mentally and physically challenging work. No matter how many times I tie on a carry I am still working for it every single time; the fabric never just pops right into place like with a more structured carrier. The challenge is part of the appeal though - learning how to manipulate that much fabric, learning mechanics and new carries, and learning terms of the wrapping lexicon. It has given me something to work on, goals to make and meet, which again has been highly therapeudic and a most welcome distraction to some of the struggles of parenthood and caring for small children. Wrapping is not the easiest way to babywear but the easiest thing is almost never the best thing for me, personally. For me the work is worth it, it is part of the reward, because I find encouragement in watching my skills continue to improve, I find therapy in the rituals, I find physical comfort and convenience from my favorite baby gear item.

Need some help with your wrapping skills? Amy is now available for online babywearing sessions! 90 minutes for less than $25 now through Mother's Day - reserve now but schedule whenever you're ready. Makes a great gift! More info here

Additional Resources
(1) Babywearing history (global, written by Australian) - http://www.slingbabies.co.nz/Site/History_2.ashx
(2) 10 Reasons Babywearing Rocks - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-canvasser/10-reasons-why-babywearing-rocks_b_5936984.html
(3) Dr. Sears - http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/fussy-baby/baby-wearing/benefits-babywearing
(4) Gena Kirby Rebozo for Labor - http://genakirby.com/; Rebozo Me Mommy - http://genakirby.com/store/products/rebozo-me-mommy-e-book-pre-sale/
(5) Please see more resources on cultural appropriation in babywearing and social justice in the Resources section.
(6) Babywearing International - http://babywearinginternational.org/category/babywearing-saved-me/

For more on getting started with a woven wrap, see the Beginners page.

All the posts and articles from the old Amy Wraps Babies Blog are now available in an archived site: amywrapsbabiesarchives.wordpress.com. Each specific link is listed ALPHABETICALLY below.  For a list of archived posts by category, see the Archives page.

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A Quick Ring Tie-Off with The Loop Method: Tying off a Woven Wrap with a Sling Ring - http://amywrapsbabiesarchives.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/a-quick-ring-tie-off-with-the-loop-method-tying-off-a-woven-wrap-with-a-sling-ring/

Back Wrap Cross Carry Sweetheart - https://amywrapsbabiesarchives.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/february-14-bwcc-sweetheart/