adventures in baby-wearing

When Ellie was a tiny newborn, I used a sling to tote her around. It was a Hotsling, and I liked it for about 3 weeks. But the combo of Ellie rapidly getting larger, me purchasing a size too small, and then me accidentally shrinking the darn thing formed a perfect storm that rendered the poor sling useless.

When I decided to come home full time, I knew I wanted another sling or wrap-type apparatus to carry Elliott around in so I could possibly accomplish some things around the house without abandoning her during her rather frequent fussy periods. I found the Moby Wrap on sale at Diapers.com and decided to give it a whirl. I liked the idea that it could carry newborns through toddlers and that it didn't have any metal fasteners or straps, which tend to be uncomfortable. Plus, the price was right!

When I opened it up, I was absolutely flabbergasted - this so-called "wrap" was a looooooong piece of knit fabric, about a yard in width, that stretched all the way across the living room floor. The prospects of me figuring out what the heck to do with the daunting looking thing were grim indeed. But after reading the instruction booklet cover to cover, then hopping online to watch a how-to video or two, I looped and tucked and tied and...voila! As you can see, I succeeded!

Ellie and I, snuggled up in our new Moby Wrap (11/3)

The best part - other than it being cheap, comfy, and convenient - is that Ellie just loves it. If she gets super fussy, usually a little while before she is due for a nap, I wrap her up and she immediately calms down. She gets all quiet and sweet and I can hold her close, feel her breathing, and kiss her soft little head while simultaneously doing a few one-handed chores. She turns her head and watched everything I do, and about 30 minutes in, she yawns a few times and is ready for a nap! Is it magic? It just might be!