If you have a newborn child, chances are, most of your time will be spent taking care of them. This means that you’ll be keeping them close to you all the time, too. This may be exciting for first-time moms, but it would not be long before you catch yourself frustrated about not having enough time to do other things.
This concern is easily solved by investing in a lightweight baby carrier wrap. With these wraps, keeping your babies close while you are doing chores or attending to other personal matters is no longer just a pipe dream.
If you are not comfortable with these wraps and you have to go out, you can use a baby carrier or sling instead. Either way, the purpose is served—you can freely do other things without sacrificing the safety of your child.
If you are not sure which one you should select among the three options, here are some facts and tips that can help you find the right choice.
When should you buy a baby carrier?
Baby carriers are frequently listed as parents’ most essential baby items. This is mostly because carriers provide tonnes of advantages, including the following:
- You can keep your hands free after all the baby-holding work.
- Frequent physical contact between mother and child promotes bonding and improves anxiety and postpartum depression because of the sudden boost of the love hormone known as oxytocin.
- You do not need to lug your strollers in and out of your car or any public transit.
- It is also way easier to navigate through large crowds with the help of a baby carrier instead of a stroller.
- Research also shows that children who are held and carried for about three hours show a 54% decrease in the frequency of crying at night.
Before you buy a baby carrier, make sure that you are aware of the following:
- Babies start developing neck muscles when they are around four to five months old. Before that, their neck muscles are still not capable of supporting their heads.
- If you carry a less than five-month-old baby on a carrier, the device should be able to provide ample support for the head so it can rest comfortably.
- Most of the baby carriers available in the market are for babies that weigh around seven to 40 pounds. This weight range is the average weight of babies when they reach four years old, which is crucial for their safety.
- When babies are below seven months old, it is highly recommended that parents carry their babies in a position wherein they have to face each other. This allows the child to rest his head on your chest as he sleeps comfortably.
What are baby wraps?
When you search the net with the keywords “lightweight baby carrier wrap,” you will understand that wraps are long fabric pieces that are rectangular in shape. They look like a shawl; whose primary purpose is to cradle your baby next to you. To use this, you need to wrap the fabric around yourself and your baby. The baby will function as your carrier.
Here are some facts about these fantastic baby wraps:
- Its swaddle-like design imitates the feeling of being in the mother’s womb — something that newborns love.
- Mothers need to learn how to origami the swaddle-like fabric to hold their babies safe in place.
- It also comes in a one-size-fits-all fabric that can seamlessly adjust to any body type.
- The higher-quality wraps are lightweight and breathable, making them smooth and comfortable to use during summer.
- Most wraps are also made from thicker and high-quality fabric that are 100% safe for holding your growing babies.
With these, one thing stands out—carriers are for babies over five months old. Before they reach that age, the safer and more appropriate option is to use a baby wrap. Ultimately, it is you who will decide which one is the most suitable choice for your babies.
Are Baby Wraps Better Than Baby Carriers?
Everyone will have their thoughts about whether a baby swaddle wrap or baby carrier is better. Most of this revolves around what your particular preferences are. Both have their pros and cons, all of which need to be kept in mind when making a decision.
Some parents find that mastering the art of the baby wrap can be too difficult to try. That leads them to choosing baby carriers instead. If you manage to master baby wraps, however, you’ll find that it could be a much more comfortable fit. That’ll make it much easier to carry your baby around.
On the flip side, though, you shouldn’t expect the same kind of support as you would with a baby carrier. There are also the multiple bells and whistles that a carrier can come with. While many of these wouldn’t be necessities, they can be appealing upgrades for many parents.
Whether you should choose a baby swaddle wrap or a baby carrier is better depends on what factors you focus on. You could prefer the comfort of a wrap or the support of a carrier. Whichever option you prefer should be the better option.
One option you mightn’t have thought of, however, is to have one of both. That’ll give you the best of both worlds. There are some days where you could prefer one over the other, such as days where you’ll have a long walk and might prefer the carrier. On shorter, less active days, you might want the wrap.
While this would be the more expensive option, it could be the more effective one.
