Lenny Lamb Babywearing Coat/Jacket NOT softshell

It's been awhile, and I have so many reviews from this past whirl-wind of a year to share with you all!


First up... my truly adored Lenny Lamb babywearing coat!


After having tried the KinderCoat and not finding it to be exactly what I was looking for, I did some more research on other coats for winter babywearing and stumbled upon the Lenny Lamb winter jacket. I ordered it in a size small from Lenny Lamb and it arrived in about two weeks to my door.

The interior is a soft fleece that isn't overly thick, and the outer material is a sturdy feeling water resistant layer.

The interior (grey) and hood

There were two different panels included, one for front carries and one for back. There is a hood for baby, which is one of my favourite things about the coat. For the first year I owned this coat, I mostly wore it on my own without the panels. I received compliments about the colour many times, even in my place of work. When I became pregnant with our third child, I wore the back carry panel as an option for my growing belly. With a wool sweater or a fleece under the coat, I found it warm enough on even the coldest of Ottawa days. There are great toggles all over the place to pull things tight and keep the wind out.



Demoing my coat sans baby

When Little Miss was born in October, it was still too warm to use the coat. I mostly used my Lenny Lamb fleece or Kokoala panel during this time. However, when the snow and wind came, this coat was invaluable. The wind-proof outer lining was so wonderful for the very cold days of school pick up and drop off for big brother. I would use the baby hood and was happy that the Velcro from the baby hood could hook to the Velcro of the adult hood, which made a tiny wind-proof wall for baby's head, and kept both of our hoods up well.



A very cold and windy day in Ottawa, but we were warm!

When the temperatures dropped to -20 Celsius or more I found we needed an extra fleece layer each to keep warm underneath the coat, but we were toasty as long as we did so. I have now worn this coat for two winters as my main winter coat, both with and without baby. I have worn this coat nearly every day for walks and in tough weather. There have been no issues with the quality of this coat, and it is still looking as good as new. I look forward to using it for back carrying this winter, as I did not use it much for this way of wearing in previous years.

The verdict:

Pros: Affordable, available, well made, comfortable, attractive

Cons: None I can think of.... maybe not cold enough for -20 degrees without an extra layer?

Recommendation: Great coat for wearing in even the coldest Canadian winter days, with an extra layer.

Lenny Lamb Babywearing Fleece

I really enjoy trying various babywearing accessories, and managed to score a great deal on a Lenny Lamb babywearing fleece coat after making a purchase of one of the soft structured carriers (they offer a discount towards future purchases!) As usual, the package arrived quickly, and was not hit with duties (so far I'm four for four with LL purchases!). 

I ordered the size small, as I am usually about a size 6, in a blue colour. I didn't realise it at the time, but it also came with a little dickie for baby to wear to keep their head toasty warm while wearing.

My first impressions were the fleece was very soft, and nice and thick. It doesn't feel cheaply made at all, I was quite impressed with the quality for the price I paid.

My three year old tried to help me out by modelling the dickie. It didn't fit him so well (my children have giant heads). :)

Big guy helping model the front carry.

He also helped me model a front carry for this coat. As you can see, my 98% three year old was a bit long for this jacket, but we squeezed in there anyway.

For back carrying, you just turn the coat around. I took this coat out for snuggly walks with my toddler on several occasions, in early Winter and late Autumn weather in Ottawa. We both wore toques, mitts, and boots and we super warm. I would highly recommend this fleece coat to anyone as a cheap option for a mildly cold weather (0 degrees Celsius-ish) babywearing coat!

The verdict:

Pros: Affordable, available, well made, comfortable.

Cons: None I can think of

Recommendation: Great fleece for wearing in Autumn, Springtime and early Canadian winters.

Lenny Lamb Checked Wild West Wrap Conversion Ergonomic Carrier - Toddler sized

I have never been a fan of buckle carriers, they never seem to fit me well and I always find pressure spots that I can never quite get comfortable. I had been hoping to try a wrap conversion buckle carrier for a long time, as I prefer the floppiness of wraps to canvas in general, but could not wrap my head around all of the options and price of those. I was so excited when I saw Lenny Lamb was coming out with a buckle carrier... at a great price too! There were many colours to choose from, and I decided on Checked Wild West diamond weave, as I love orange and blue together. I purchased a toddler size, as my youngest was a large 15 month old at the time.

It arrived within two weeks from Poland, which I thought was super speedy. I tried it out for a long walk with the little man on my back. It took me a little while to figure out how to adjust all of the straps, as there are PFAs and the buckles pull both to the front and the back. Plus, I was used to the Tula waistband which is more structured than t

his one, so I had to find a good spot on my waist to set it. Once I finally figured it out though, I was very comfortable. My son was able to sit up nice and high, and I had the shoulder straps on one of the tightest settings (I am 5'4 and size 6 or so, for reference).

The material was super floppy right out of the bag, and it didn't seem to get stuck on my son's back like the canvas of the Tulas did when I was pulling the panel up over him on my back. It was very soft, and the colours were so vibrant.

I had trouble figuring out how to put the carrier on for a front carry with the straps crossed, but when I figured it out I found it much more comfortable than other SSCs I had used without crossable straps. My son had some great naps in this carrier, and at no point did I feel digging from the straps on my back as I was accustomed to with other buckle carriers.

Even preschooler approved

I had some friends try this carrier out who were very petite and the straps did not adjust tight enough for them, so this would be something to keep in mind if you are tiny.

I sold this carrier after using it for most of the Summer. So far it is my favourite buckle carrier, but I am still a WCMT/wrap lover at heart, and found myself using those options over this lovely carrier.

The Verdict:
Pros: Affordable, beautiful, comfortable, crossable straps, folds up small
Cons: Does not cinch very small for super petite adult wearers
Recommendation: I recommend this carrier to almost anyone looking for a comfortable and beautiful SSC. As long as you aren't super petite, this carrier will likely work for you!

Cloth of Kin Secret Rainbow Alpaca Silk Blend (Size 6)

I saw a beautiful rainbow coloured wrap posted on the swaps one day and was too slow to snatch it up. It was a Cloth of Kin Secret Rainbow in linen weft, and I lusted over that wrap for several months before I finally had the opportunity to try one for myself. I traded with a lovely mama for her size 6 CoK Secret Rainbow in alpaca silk grey weft. When I received it I couldn't believe how ridiculously soft it was, more than kitten belly soft, it was absolutely divine. I wrapped my son with it for a short time in a ruck, and the bounce was lovely, though I did notice a bit of sag, as I wasn't used to wrapping with such a bouncy wrap at the time.

I used this wrap in double hammocks for longer walks mostly, and found it very warm and comfortable. This blend is on the warmer side, even though it is very thin, so I found it a bit awkward to wear in the summer heat in multiple layers.

I was very impressed with the weaving, as I had not heard the best things about the quality of Cloth of Kin wraps before this time. There were some small skips in the weave, but nothing major that could be seen without really looking for it. The colours were so beautiful, really having to been seen in person to appreciate. I also really enjoyed that this blend was machine washable, which made the fibre fluff up even more.

Being alpaca, it did shed a little bit, which wasn't a big deal for me, but did bother the mama who I traded for it from, as she had wool allergies and found this to be a trigger.

The Verdict:
Pros: Soft, beautiful, warm, affordable handwoven, Canadian weaver
Cons: Sheds, not the most supportive
Recommendation: This would be an amazing newborn wrap, in fact, I have a custom in the works in the same blend because I loved this one so much!

Topatop WCMT Didymos Waves and Hoppediz Montreal

After having tried a Topatop WCMT previously and loving the ease of use and overall design, I knew I would likely purchase one again at some point. I ended up choosing a full wrap conversion made from Didymos Waves for the panel, straps, and waist, as well as a reversible panel of Hoppediz Montreal print.

I ordered a c-form hood and an in-between size when I placed my order. Alina gave me an estimated date of shipping the carrier, and I did not hear from her again until after that date had passed, when I followed up to see if it had been shipped, and requested tracking information. She provided me with tracking information which did not work, and I waited for nearly five weeks, and several follow-up requests to her with no response, before the carrier arrived. The only time she responded was when I asked for a refund if I did not have the carrier to me by a specific date, which it arrived before.

When I opened the carrier, I noticed it had a flat hood and was the regular size, not an in-between. I contacted Alina and she refunded me for the extra I had paid for the hood. I decided to keep the carrier, as I had waited so long to receive it.

Customer service and mistakes aside, Topatop is a well made product for the price charged. The wrap straps are comfortable, the cinching mechanism is perfect, and the waist strap is very comfortable. I have used this carrier from the time I received it until past 18 months with my youngest, and have always been able to get a comfortable carry, even for extended periods of time. I plan to keep this carrier in our collection until our babywearing days are over, as it is that versatile and comfortable.

The Verdict:

Pros: Comfortable, affordable, beautiful, versatile

Cons: Long shipping time, poor customer service

Recommendations: If you can find one of these on the second hand market and are looking for a great WCMT to try, buy it! It is well made and comfortable, and the price makes it easy to justify. If you are patient, try your luck at ordering a semi-custom from her wide selection of wraps on hand. 

Anaira WCMT - Inda Jani Fular Sara

I have always loved the comfort of a wrap conversion mei-tai, but have never been able to bring myself to chop a wrap up to make another carrier out of it. As such, I usually end up purchasing my WCMTs second-hand, or pre-made from a store. I found a beautiful looking Anaira conversion of an Inda Jani wrap (now called Antama I believe), Fular Sara, on the website for 5 Minute Recess and the beautiful photos persuaded me to buy it.

It arrived quickly, and the package was huge! This wrap was a serious fatty, I would have been interested in trying it out in wrap form. The weave was diamond weave, with very thick looking threads, but the weave was quite loose. This made it super pull-prone, which you may know by now is one of my pet peeves. I was able to overlook it for awhile though because the was such a deliciously comfortable carrier.

Adorable package.

The carrier was heavy in hand, but super stretchy and mold-able when worn. I wore my son, who was about 16 months at the time, for extended periods of both front and back wearing. We wore this WCMT to the beach, on hikes, and even adventures with dinosaurs!

Dinosaur walks

 I ended up being bitten with the WCMT bug, and became overstashed, so I sold this carrier, but I miss it sometimes. It was so very comfortable.

Forest adventures

The Verdict: 

Pros: Affordable, beautiful, comfortable, stretchy

Cons: Heavy and bulky, not very portable when not in use. Super pull prone. Anaira no longer works with Inda Jani wraps, so you would have to find one of these on the second hand market. 

Recommendations: This was a great price for a great WCMT. If you are interested in trying one, and don't mind a little extra bulk, this was a really comfy bet!

Natibaby Nepal - 33% merino (Size 6)

After my first foray into wool with SweetPlace, I decided I had to try more. I saw Natibaby Nepal as one of the BOGO offers on Natibaby's website and snapped it up. The blend was 33% wool, which was slightly higher than the previous one I had tried.

It arrived and I gave it a wooly bath in the tub, then ever so not patiently waited for it to dry. Despite Natibaby's recommendations, I would not wash these in the washing machine. Felting is scary. Save your wraps. Once dry, I wrapped my youngest in a dh with it and noticed immediately that it was longer than a size 6, which is what I had ordered.

I had a lovely local seamstress chop and hem the wrap to a 4.5m, which is my favourite long length. She made some adorable elephant stuffies for the boys out of the scraps.

I found this wrap amazing for back carries, but a bit too rigid for long-term front wearing. It didn't have the same amount of bounce that SweetPlace had. It was very soft, and I loved the neutral stripe pattern. It was a bit more slippy than SweetPlace also, which I found nice mostly, but was sometimes challenging overtop of a winter coat. There was no sag at all in this wrap, which was lovely for longer wearing of my big guys.

The Verdict:

Pros: Soft, supportive, neutral

Cons: Handwash, a bit slippery

Recommendation: This would be a great first foray into wool, and a wonderful year-round wool wrap. With careful wrapping, this would be comfortable for even larger babies on front and back. 

Girasol Northern Lights Ring Sling

I bought a used Girasol Northern Lights ring sling off of a mama on our local BST page when I was looking for something small to put in the diaper bag. It was my first Gira experience, and I was pleasantly surprised. The wrap was a very beautiful mix of colours, and the pleated shoulder done by SewFunky was very comfortable, even with my 20lb chunker of a baby.

The wrap was fairly thin, but I still found it nicely supportive for the quick trips we used this carrier for. The only issue I had with this wrap was that it was prone to pulls. The nature of the wrap made them easy to fix, but this drove me a bit nuts. I ended up selling this sling to fund something else, but we really enjoyed it while we owned it.

The Verdict:
Pros: Thin, supportive, beautiful, affordable
Cons: Pull prone
Recommendation: This is a great ring sling (as are most giras), and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something small to put in their diaper bag etc. or for on the go.

Natibaby SweetPlace Merino Wool Blend (Size 6)

For a long time I was scared of blends, mostly due to the beastly linen blend Natibaby Nature of America experience I had as a new wrapper (http://wrappedupwithyou.blogspot.com/2014/12/natibaby-nature-of-america.html). I stuck with cotton because it was a sure thing.

However, an awesome sale from Tadpoles and Butterflies led me to purchase my first wool blend wrap, a Natibaby Sweetplace merino blend in orange (one of my fave colours). It arrived quickly, and was so soft, straight out of the box. I handwashed it and laid flat to dry, then made a hammock out of it to break it in some. From that first hammock I understood the bounce of wool that was so highly raved about on message boards and Facebook. It was such a comfortable seat for me.

It also made a great stroller blanket :)

I took it out for a spin on a longer walk while front wearing with my youngest, who was about 25lb at the time. It was very comfortable, though it had a bit more support than I like for a front carry. I tend to like stretch for front wearing, and support for back wearing, as it is easier to adjust in a front carry. Regardless, I really enjoyed our first long outing in this wrap. It was so soft and not at all woolly feeling.

Where this wrap really shone was for back carries. It was super supportive in multi-pass carries, such as double hammock, and made for a great extra layer of warmth for our cold winter. I didn't try many single-layer carries with it for long periods, as I owned it in a size 6, but I imagine it would have been pretty great in a ruck tied tibetan also.

Messy DH but happy baby

The Verdict:

Pros: Super soft, affordable, supportive

Cons: Handwash (Natibaby website says you can machine wash, but I wouldn't machine wash wool)

Recommendation: Don't let the wool scare you. It is so cozy and soft, the extra two minutes of effort and waiting for it to lay flat to dry are so worth the benefits of this awesome fibre. Natibaby wool is one of the softest wool wraps I have ever tried. You should try one!

Toddler Tula - Stitch Pattern

Both of my children have been on the large size their whole lives (generally above 95% for both height and weight). When my youngest was passing the 25lb mark and still 98% for height, I started to think about options for toddler wearing. I read a lot of reviews and ended up looking for a Toddler Tula, based on the great feedback from our local group.

I found a Toddler Tula in a print I liked on the Canadian Babywearing Swap and received it quickly from another lovely mama. I've already reviewed a standard size Tula (http://wrappedupwithyou.blogspot.com/2015/01/tula-standard-size.html), and the attributes for wearing were pretty well the same for the Toddler size, with one notable exception... This carrier was gigantic.

My giant baby was swallowed in the material of this carrier. It was so wide that he didn't come close to fitting in it properly (I know he was too young for it now), and the slightly longer panel did not help with the issues I had previously in making a seat. My 95% two and a half year old fit very comfortably in this carrier, but had no interest in being worn a the time.

I have no action shots of this carrier, because although it was lovely, we did not use it enough to keep it around for long.

Adorable kissing babies in lieu of action shot

The Verdict:
Pros: Affordable, fits larger children, easily obtainable from Canadian shops
Cons: So large - definitely for larger toddlers and preschoolers rather than big babies.
Recommendation: I would recommend this as a SSC for people looking to carry children 15 months +. I now have another carrier with the same dimensions that comfortably fits a huge 19 month old, with room to grow.

Heartiness Ethno Red Linen Blend (Size 6)

One of my favourite mindless activities is browsing Facebook babywearing swaps to see what is out there. On one such occasion I came upon a fantastic deal on a package that included a size 6 Heartiness machine woven Ethno print red linen blend wrap. I jumped on the deal and was happy when it arrived from the lovely mama in British Columbia quickly.

This wrap had a beautiful pattern of red, black, white, and cream colours. We received this wrap right around Christmas time, and I was happy to have it as a festive pattern over the holidays.

This wrap was my first experience with Heartiness, and I found it quite comfortable. The tag stated the blend as 50% cotton and 50% linen, but Sling-O-Fest lists it as 100% linen. I am not certain which is correct, as it certainly felt like a lot of linen to me.

The texture was a bit rough and grippy, but not in an unpleasant way. It came to me very well loved and broken in, so it wrapped very floppy and mouldable right away. I found it very supportive for both my two year old and 8 month old (at the time).

In general, I have found that I am not a fan of linen for longer periods of wrapping, as I need something with a bit more bounce and cush. The loose weave of this wrap made up for the lack of bounce by providing a bit of cush on the shoulders (as cushy as linen can be in a machine woven anyway...).

I could see how this blend would be prone to pulls, although I did not experience any myself while using it.

The fuzzy-headed boy in Ethno

The Verdict:

Pros: Affordable, weave structure offsets rigidity of the linen, beautiful pattern, sturdy, supportive

Cons: Loose weave prone to pulls, hard to find now

Recommendation: This was a great work-horse wrap. I enjoyed this as one of my first comfortable forays into linen. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great all-around supportive wrap.

SewFunky Handwoven Ring Sling

When I first became interested in handwoven carriers, I was trying to reign myself in by only purchasing budget options. One of the first handwoven carriers I ever purchased was a SewFunky handwoven ring sling with a pleated shoulder in a rainbow colour pattern. I bought it directly from SewFunky, and Tanja allowed me to choose my ring colour preference.

Shipping was lightning fast (I think she has an in with Canada Post), and I was so excited to receive this beauty. My first impression was how beautiful the colours were together. The rainbow was bright and vibrant. The material was a bit stiff, so I washed it first thing. It came out substantially softer, but had to be worn often for a week or so before I found it anywhere near soft.

The weaving was a bit thicker than other budget handwoven brands such as Girasol, but this led to a great texture for a ring sling, as it tightened and stayed put easily.

I found this sling plenty supportive for my then six month old, and perfectly comfortable for short trips with my two year old as well.
Overall, I thought this ring sling was amazing for the price, and only moved it along when the collection got out of control.

Action shot with my giant two year old

The Verdict:

Pros: Affordable, Canadian converter and seller, beautiful, handwoven

Cons: Took a bit to break it in

Recommendation: I would recommend this ring sling to anyone who is looking for an affordable and beautiful ring sling and doesn't mind taking the time to break it in.

Tula Standard Size

Many of the parents in our local babywearing group are fans of the Tula. I've always had my Ergo, so I wasn't sure if I needed to also try the Tula, but finally I broke down and bought one in The Wave pattern from a Canadian shop.

The pattern was a lovely repetition of waves that was a bit reminiscent of Oki on a smaller scale, with a navy blue canvas backing and border. I noticed right away that the waistband was wider and more structured than that of my Ergo.

When I first tried it on for a front carry, my first impression was that it was more comfortable than my Ergo on the shoulders, as the padding is more substantial in the Tula straps. I really appreciated how the fabric molded around my son's body more like a wrap, which made it seem a bit more comfortable and snuggly.

Helping decorate for Poppy's birthday celebrations - by sleeping :)

Where I found the true strength of this carrier was when I tried it for back carries. At first, I put the waist belt in the same spot I was used to using my Ergo, which I found very uncomfortable, as it pulled my pants down. I found by putting the waist belt up higher than I was used to it was much more comfortable, and baby was able to sit up higher and look around better than he had been able to in the Ergo.

I really enjoyed this carrier for outings where it was impractical to wrap and through the Winter under and over our Kindercoat.

I started to find it difficult to use over a coat though, as I had to pull the panel up and over my son after getting him on my back rather than hip scooting him with the carrier (otherwise my coat was a tangled mess). The canvas is a bit grippy, and would often not let him slide easily into the pocket of the seat when used in this manner. It was fine if my husband or someone else was around to help me bounce him down further, but this was inevitably what made me sell this carrier.

Overall, this was a great carrier, but I am not much of a buckles gal to begin with.

A lower back carry and the pattern

The verdict:
Pros: Readily available, easy to use, beautiful patterns, great for back carries, great structured padding
Cons: Straps not crossable, hood detaches (easy to lose for me), canvas is grippy and can make getting a seat difficult
Recommendation: This is a great SSC, and I would recommend it to anyone who was looking for a main carrier for back wearing. For front wearing, I might recommend something with crossable straps, but this is still fairly comfortable.

TopATop Wrap Conversion Mei Tai

Once I realised that I loved wrapping, and I also loved mei tais, it was only a matter of time before I purchased a wrap conversion mei tai (WCMT).

I browsed Etsy often, and visited the page for TopATop wrap conversions (affectionately nicknamed Chop-a-Chop) nearly daily for a couple weeks, ogling the beautiful mash-ups of wraps and fabric that Alina created. I read several reviews on TheBabywearer.com and online before deciding to take the plunge to purchase one of her carriers.

I decided on a standard size (17x17) mash-up between a yellow Vatanai Labyrinth for the panel and Colimacon et Cie (C&C) brown straps. As this combination made me think of Winnie the Pooh Bear, I also added custom teddy ears to the hood. Once I had ordered, it took about five weeks for my carrier to be created and arrive from Israel.

I opened the package and was pleased to see it arrived in a cute little tote bag with the TopATop logo on the front.

Alina's workmanship was lovely, and the details on this carrier were so nice. The waist was lightly padded, so it had a bit of support but was still squishy. The waist had a cinching mechanism to make it more narrow for smaller babies. There was light legs out padding on the sides for baby's comfort. The hood was a hoody style with the little ears poking off the top. The hood was secured with little wooden beads that were hooked through loops on the straps or rolled onto itself to be tucked out of the way. The straps were unpadded wrap straps, and I loved the way I could spread the fabric underneath my son's legs to make it extra supportive.

Spreading the fabric

I wore this carrier often, even through my sister's baby shower, where my son slept soundly the whole time. It was very comfortable, even for extended periods of front or back wearing.

I only sold this carrier when I went on a bit of a churning spree, and ended up ordering another TopATop to fill the void it left.

Look at those little ears

The Verdict:

Pros: Cute mash-ups, Affordable, Comfortable, lots of options and features

Cons: Long processing and shipping time, seller is slow with communications

Recommendation: I would recommend this carrier to anyone who is looking to get their first WCMT and who has patience. I have heard of wait times up to two months long to receive these carriers, so you will not have it overnight. The workmanship is lovely and the carrier is comfortable, so for me it made up for the slow processing and lack of communication from Alina.

Kindercoat - Three coats in one!

Last winter I decided to purchase a Suse's Kindercoat to keep my littest warm throughout our cold, Canadian winter. I am usually a size 6-8, so ordered a size medium. The medium was HUGE on me. It looked like I was wearing my father's jacket. I sold it to a local mama and purchased a size small instead.

The small fit a bit better, but on our first outing with our new coat the elastic on the waist snapped when I cinched it. Suse's offered to pay for the repair at a local seamstress for me, so I had it repaired.

Worn alone, this coat fit a bit large, but with the panel and baby in it was a good fit for us.

The coat has two separate layers, a fleece layer, and a water resistant/wind breaker layer. Together they are very toasty and warm, even on the coldest days. My only complaint about warmth is due to the slight draft I would get down the back opening when front-wearing my little guy.

The coat was not the most flattering, as it was a bit boxy. It certainly got the job done of keeping us warm though. I appreciated the separate fleece in the Spring especially when we still needed the extra layer to keep us warm, but it wasn't freezing temperatures.

The panels had a separate hood for baby, which was adorable. However, it was a bit difficult to make it stay on, so it was a bit impractical in the long run. I didn't use the hoods very often, but I did appreciate the little bit of protection when we were caught in a downpour.

I found it a bit difficult to get the whole coat on for back wearing, as with the two pieces put together it is quite a heavy coat. It took some trial and error, but eventually we figured it out.

The neck cover piece that came up on the front to cover the exposed skin between myself and baby was a good idea, but I found it a bit awkward when he tried to go to sleep and had this piece of material touching his face. As the outer material of the windbreaker layer is not the softest, I had to wonder if it was very comfortable for him.

Snuggling in our fleece layer

The Verdict:
Pros: Warm, separate fleece and waterproof layer, baby hood, neck cover
Cons: Boxy, fits large, sleeves run a bit short for tall people, quality is not the highest
Recommendation: If you are looking for something that will get you through all seasons in comfort, without breaking the bank, then this is your coat. If you are looking for something stylish or flattering, perhaps this coat is not for you.

Natibaby Colorado (Size 6)

The wrap so nice, I've bought it twice!

Natibaby Colorado is an all cotton colour block wrap. It was a little stiff out of the box, but softened nicely after a wash and being hung to dry. The colours are so vibrant, a bright red, orange and hint of yellow that make me think of sunshine and summer.

This wrap is a great all-purpose wrap. I have owned it in a size 6 and a size 5. I have trekked through field and forest, cooked spaghetti, and caught fish while wearing this wrap. It has never had a pull, and doesn't show stains or wear easily. It was soft and cushy enough for a tiny babe, and was supportive enough in a double hammock tied at the shoulder for my 40lb three year old.

I first sold this wrap when I caught the churning bug and the urge to #BuyAllTheWraps hit. Since selling, I have tried nearly 100 wraps. I recently boomeranged this wrap and am even more in love with it now that I have the experience to know better. The cotton is so sturdy, the width is nice and wide, this one will live here as a beater wrap until the end of our wrapping days.

Catching some minnows

The Verdict:
Pros: Affordable, obtainable, soft, wide, colourful
Cons: Seriously, this wrap is the bee's knees
Recommendation: Whether this is your first wrap, your only wrap, or your beloved beater wrap, this is such a cozy and versatile addition to any stash.

Boba Air

With my oldest son we mostly used buckles. I loved our Ergo SSC, but found it a bit bulky for travel or the diaper bag. When I saw the announcements for the Boba Air SSC that could fold up so small, I ordered one from a local retailer immediately.

I selected the black colour, which I think was the only one available at the time. I believe there are now more options available.

My first impression was that the carrier material felt just like a windbreaker. I tried it on with my 25lb toddler, and was very impressed with how comfortable it was for having no padding at all. I tried it for a quick walk around the block, and was satisfied that I had chosen a great car carrier.

This carrier was mostly used as a backup for the car, short grocery trips, and thrown in the bottom of the stroller as a just in case carrier. I never wore it for longer than 30 minutes at a time with my toddler. I did, however, wear my 15lb younger son in it for an impromtu hike for about an hour with no discomfort.

This was a lifesaver on a cross-country trip we took where we had a stopover for an hour in an airport, so had to get on and off the plane with as little luggage as possible.

The verdict:
Pros: Small, lightweight
Cons: No padding
Recommendation: I would recommend this as a backup carrier to anyone who enjoys buckle carriers. It comfortably fit my son until just over 25lbs, when I churned it.

Calin Bleu Gauze Wrap

My first foray into wrapping was with the help of a Calin Bleu gauze wrap that I purchased from a local retailer, Belly Laughs. My youngest was two months old at the time, and I was feeling like my stretchy wrap was getting a bit saggy under his 14lbs of chunk. I had read about woven wraps on our local babywearing group, but needed some expert advice on where to start.

When I visited Belly Laughs, the associate was very knowledgeable and helped me choose a gauze wrap, as baby was still small and it was in the heat of the summer. The fabric did not seem overwhelming to me, though I believe it was about 4.6m long.

I practiced FWCC mostly with this wrap, and went for long hikes with it on several occasions. The colour was a bit dull (light blue-grey) and the fabric never did get very soft. It felt like a pair of jeans, comfortable, but not squishy or anything.

Once my son started to get larger (over 20lbs), I found that I was not as comfortable using this wrap for long periods of time. I ended up selling this wrap to fund more sturdy woven wraps.

Out for a hike

The Verdict:
Pros: Available, Affordable, good for Summer heat
Cons: Not great for large babies
Recommendation: I would recommend this as a gateway wrap for moms with small babies or in hot climates.

Our very first ever wrap job. We all start somewhere.

Maman Kangarou Stretchy Wrap

When I was pregnant with my first son I was gifted a Maman Kangarou stretchy wrap. I wore it around the house when my son was very tiny. It worked much like other stretchy wraps I have tried, and felt snug and comfortable for both baby and I.

The one neat feature about this stretchy wrap is that it had a pocket on the front. I was scared to use the pocket because it was directly on my newborn's back, and I felt the contents would press on him.

The one thing I did not like about this stretchy wrap was the length. It was significantly shorter than others I have tried to date. I am fairly petite and only 5'4, and barely had enough length to tie this wrap.

Maman Kangarou stock photo

Verdict:

Pros: Handy pocket
Cons: Short length, pocket has an odd placement
Recommendation: I would recommend a different stretchy wrap, such as a Boba, Happy Wrap, or Moby, before I recommended this, as the length was not ideal.

Maya Ring Sling - Original Padded Shoulder

I spent hours of time researching ring slings when I was pregnant with my oldest son. I ended up purchasing a padded shoulder Maya Ring Sling in olive green colour. I wore him as an infant in this to many places including on hikes, and to my sister's graduation ceremony. I always found it comfortable when I wore him in the tummy-to-tummy position with his legs froggied as a newborn. 

As he got bigger, I used this for hip carries and going in and out of the car for errands. I had never tried a different shoulder at the time, and loved the padding of this shoulder. I comfortably carried my son for short distances in this until he was around two years old.

When my second son was born, he would not keep a seat in a ring sling, so I could not use this with him as a newborn (the beginning signs of leg-straighten-eritis). I have used it as my car carrier with him since around six months old, for short trips. I have had a chance to try many shoulder styles now, and I still like the padding. 

Verdict:

Pros: Affordable and available widely. Many colours to choose from. 

Cons: The padding will sometimes creep its way up to your neck if you aren't careful about adjusting. The fabric of mine is thicker and sometimes is difficult to keep straight in the rings. This might be easier with fabrics that have different colour rails.

Recommendation: I would recommend this as a starter ring sling to anyone for short trips for larger babies and as a great starter carrier for newborns.