How to Choose a Stretchy Wrap for Your Newborn
What is a wrap?
A wrap is a continuous piece of fabric that when tied in a variety of positions allows you to carry your baby. There are two main types of wrap: stretchy and woven. Stretchy wraps are suitable from birth and can be used with premature babies during Kangaroo Mother Care. But it is important to remember that although we tend to group this type of wrap together, not all stretchy wraps are equal. Each brand of stretchy wrap has different qualities, such as the size of the wrap, the stretch, elasticity, size of tapers and even the thread used. This makes finding the right stretchy often as difficult as finding the right woven wrap or another type of sling.
Getting Started With Wraps
Stretchy wraps are extremely popular as an introduction to wrapping. The basic skills of learning to wrap with a stretchy wrap can easily be transferred across if parents decide to progress to a woven wrap. Stretchy wraps can also be used for carrying older babies on the caregiver’s hip.
The Importance of Safety When Choosing Wraps
Now we need to talk about safety. As with any sling, it is crucial to remember the TICKS guidance. Carrying your baby in a sling is a very enjoyable experience and has many benefits for both the baby and caregiver but it is crucial that it is done safely. The nature of a stretchy wrap means that it will stretch and unfortunately this can mean that a baby on the wearer’s back leans backward and falls out. There are many wrap manufacturers out there today, but the quality and durability of wraps vary considerably. Make sure that the wrap you buy uses natural dyes (you don’t want your baby chewing on something toxic Oexotex standards as a minimum) and that the manufacturer adheres to sling safety standards. Many slings are manufactured outside of the UK which ultimately means they don’t adhere to the same safety standards as those made in England.
Some Things to Consider When Choosing Wraps for Your Newborn Baby
What is the baby wraps made from? This is important because you want to make sure that your baby is safe and comfortable. Once again, aim to make sure that natural and safe dyes have been used in the production of the wrap and that the material used meets fire retardant and safety standards. Many of the imported and cheaper slings don’t meet these standards, so this is the first thing you want to check.
Do you know where the wraps were produced? i.e. do you know for certain that it wasn’t produced in a sweatshop and that it was ethically produced?
How much elasticity do you need? Traditionally stretchy wraps are 100% cotton but some are only 95% cotton and 5% spandex. It is not just the mix of thread used to create the fabric but also the weave of the fabric which is important. When considering different types of stretchy wraps we should remember that how much a wrap stretches is different from how much elasticity it has. The stretch of a wrap is the pull from A to B, and the elasticity is the pullback (A to B to A). It is the elasticity of wraps that offers the wearer and baby support. The more elasticity the more supportive the wrap will be and the longer it will last.
Does the wrap come with reliable safety and wrapping instructions? Now you may think you can find videos on YouTube and yes you can, but they are generally of variable quality. Make sure that your wrap includes detailed wrapping instructions on a variety of holds with images for you to follow.
Want to find out more about the YogaBellies Baby Wraps?
The YogaBellies® Baby Wrap is produced in the UK and made of beautifully soft, 100% cotton and is suitable for babies from birth to 35lbs. Each deluxe wrap comes with its own storage bag & a matching baby hat, as well as an instruction booklet & safety information. Each wrap features a care label on one end of the wrap & a company label as the middle marker.
The super-comfy stretchy wrap carrier by YogaBellies® is one of the leading wraparound baby sling brands in the UK, designed by the award-winning YogaBellies® Perinatal Yoga School. Our baby wraps are hand-finished in the UK and have been UK/EU safety tested and they were deemed to conform to BS EN. 13209-2:2005 stringent safety standards for soft baby carriers.
The nature of design and textile quality allows the weight of the baby to be evenly distributed across the mother’s back eliminating the back/shoulder pain issues associated with other overly structured baby carriers. Joy and Joe baby carriers allow mothers to position their babies in an ergonomic position that won’t predispose babies to hip dislocation.
YogaBellies® also prides itself on its exceptional customer service ensuring that mums and dads are well supported and empowered to graciously and safely carry their precious ones into the future with comfort and style.
The YogaBellies Baby Wrap comes in four colours: fuchsia, aqua, slate and deep purple and measures 56cm wide & 586cm long.
The YogaBellies Baby Wrap will is now available for sale on Amazon UK.
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YogaBellies®
I’m an inclusive, not scary, totally normal yet heavily qualified yoga instructor and founder of YogaBellies® and the Birth ROCKS Method. I’m trained in self hypnosis and meditation and what I love is helping women (ALL women) enjoy yoga without having to whisper all the time and wear fancy activewear that cost a month’s rent.
I believe Yoga is for everyone.