I didn’t know much about babywearing aside from seeing Alan in The Hangover toting a baby in a sling. Up until then I literally thought they where rare looking contraptions that where not really necessary. How wrong was I!!!! My baby has wanted held non stop from he was born and to feel the closeness of me all the time which is lovely but then you can’t spend every waking minute of the day carrying your baby in your arms, so I needed to find something to carry him. We have a local Sling Library that meets once a month and where you can try out various slings and also hire them before purchasing if you wish, so I decided to head along and see what all this babywearing was about and believe me it’s a whole new world. Who would have thought there would be so many different types of carriers in a huge assortment of shapes, sizes and colours. After having a chat with one of the Sling Library girl’s we decided the Stretchy Wrap would be the ideal solution for us at present until he was around 6 months old.
The stretchy is literally a huge long piece of material that you guess it, is a bit stretchy! Now don’t be alarmed at the wrapping and tying involved it really is a lot easier than it looks. With a few practices you will be whipping that thing on in no time and getting out and about in the world handsfree. I cannot recommend this sling highly enough for all new mums, whether you have other kids or just the one baba at home it is a necessity. As my baby also has reflux he loves being in a upright position all the time so it is perfect for keeping him like that and also when your very tired at night and your baby won’t settle and you are absolutely exhausted and sleepy you can just through it on and know that they are safely tucked up inside it. My baby always falls asleep when he is in it so its great for calming him should he be a bit unsettled. If at first you find your baby tries to fight against going into it or cries just leave it for another time when they are more settled, the last thing you want is your baby thinking it is some sort of torture device. Best thing you can do is have a few goes at putting it on beforehand to become a bit more confident and if you have a doll or teddy about the house try putting it in the sling although ideally you need it to be weighted as it will sit up high on your body. Just make sure you follow all retailers instructions and if in doubt there are plenty of tutorial videos online as there are safety features you need to be aware of when wearing your baby.
So now that we had decided on the right choice for me it was down to business on deciding which one to order. There are tons of different wraps available in so many different colours but for me first time round I settled on a plain black one as most of my clothes are black (for slimmer appearance right!!!) so I ordered a Moby wrap as it seemed to be the most common known one and a Hana Baby.
The original Moby wrap is 100% lightweight natural cotton fabric and weighs in and around 2lb in weight which makes it quite bulky when initially wrapping but when it is on and the fabric distributed you do not feel it heavy at all, it retails for around £40 in most places. 
The Hana Baby wrap is made up of bamboo fibre, organic cotton and elastane which gives it a little bit more stretchiness and I found keeps my baby tighter to me and less likely to loosen as I am walking about. It like the Moby has a UV filter and is three times more breathable than cotton so it helps to regulate your baby’s temperature. Bamboo fabric is thermo-regulating which means it keeps the baby cool in warm weather and warmer when it is cold. 
I found the Hana Baby fabric really light and comfortable to wear and I like how once it is on it does look like a piece of clothing and blends well to whatever you are wearing. I have to say after trying them both out for a few weeks the Hana Baby is my favourite as I found it a little easier to put on and wrap, I loved the stretchiness of the material and my baby did feel so much more secure when out for a brisk walk or out and about shopping reaching for items on shelves etc. It retails for around about £45 but I do know that Amazon have great discount at times so its worth maybe doing a little bit of research before purchasing to get that better deal. I would advise though never to go for any cheaper wraps as they may not be safe for your baby, the stitching could go and the fabric could have some toxic material. You really need to make sure your precious little bundle is safe at all times.
During our hospital stays lately the wrap has really been a life saviour as I am able to put my baby in it and walk him around the ward and hospital grounds without having to take him in and out of a pram and he has loved the closeness and security of being so close to me. 
I really cannot be without my wrap it is always in my changing bag or in the car. If you are out grocery shopping on your own you know how little room you have in your trolley once you set the car seat into it, trying to tuck groceries all around the seat can be a challenge so with the wrap I just put him in it and away we go. It really is great for out and about at the park or outings as you can put all your necessities into a backpack and your handsfree and ready for your adventure without having to negotiate a pram everywhere. Anyone who has to travel with a young baby will really benefit from this as most airlines will make you checkin the pram or buggy and put it in the hold, so the wrap is a nifty way for navigating around the airport without having the strain of balancing a baby and your carry on for a few hours prior to boarding.
So if there is one piece of baby equipment I can recommend you purchasing to make life simpler it is the stretchy wrap!
