Baby wrap or baby carrier?

[LadyJCB]

Good morning!

looking for everyone’s opinions on bat wraps or carriers?
which is better for baby. More convenient for parents etc.

So many options I get a little lost amongst it all.

I had both, a wrap for indoors and getting jobs done around the house, and a carrier for outdoors. The wrap didn't feel secure enough for walking around town (dc would sometimes slide out of it at home) but the carrier felt too bulky to be wearing at home, the wrap felt more like wearing clothing.

My best was a mei tai with extra wide straps and a hood with ties on (to support bigger baby’s head when asleep).

Is there a sling library near you? Pop along and try some different ones on.

I had both. I used a koala at home, an ergo baby embrace whilst out and then a Tula whilst out once the embrace was outgrown

I prefer a wrap to a carrier. Carried DS from birth to 3ish in my sling - he hated a stiff carrier. Carried DD from birth to about 14months then she refused to be carried and screamed HEP (help) anytime she saw it 🙄 go along to a sling library and see which works best for you and your little one.

I used a wrap from birth to about 3-4 months. Then an ergo and then a tula.

We had a couple of different Ergobaby slings, thr Embrace which is softer and then a more structured one. Would highly recommend! You can get them on Vinted

Wrap is better for newborns. Many carriers do not properly and safely fit newborns despite claiming to be suitable from birth.

Agree with sling libraries. Wraps are best for tiny babies and if you get confident tying you will probably want to stick with wraps as they grow as you can really adjust so the hold is perfectly comfortable for your shoulders/back.

Having said that, my OH preferred a soft clip carrier and so we ended up doing that from about 4months onwards. Always facing in, though.

A woven wrap (not a stretchy one) is most versatile. You have to get the hang of it, but I used it nearly daily until mine were probably close to 3.

The carrier, a decent ergonomic one, is great for walks, but not for around the house, cleaning, sitting in a restaurant having a meal, sitting on the sofa after a walk. It’s comfortable if upright only pretty much. But the wrap was much more comfortable and flexible.

Stretchy wraps are great fthe first 3 months, but then your baby will be overweight and they won’t offer enough support. I had all 3, but if I was going to buy one, it would be a woven wrap.

Oh thank you all for your opinions and preferences.
we unfortunately don’t have a sling library near me. :(
so will do some further research based on the comments and see what works for us.

general census is a wrap is only really temporary.

Temporary but way comfier for around the house and a better fit for most newborns!

I bought three secondhand ones for €10 each as I wasn't any wiser from looking in the shop and all three were all machine washable at 60 degrees so I wasn't bothered by having a new one. In the end I used them all at different times (and sold them all again for €10 after so could have bought more if these hadn't worked). My second baby was a premie and the wrap was a godsend as there are techniques for tiny babies, but even my full term baby was too small for the conventional carriers for a few weeks. One baby had a very different posture from the other so I used a different conventional carrier with each.
The wrap may be temporary but it's during the hardest time of baby care so may be worth it imo.

Wraps are great for newborns and then move onto a carrier , just make sure you know how to use both safely , there are some great Facebook groups (baby wearing uk) you could also book in with a baby wearing consultant they hire them out as well so you could try both and see which you prefer and they would show you have to use safely

I used an Ergobaby Embrace for my two, really comfy and most importantly easy to use! Lasts for a good few months, even longer if baby is on the smaller side.

I used a wrap up until 4 ish months then a structured carrier

This! I also had a ring sling for around the house once DD could support her head but I don't think these are so popular now.

Oh I forgot about my ring sling! That was awesome.

There is no one size fits all unfortunately.
avoid babybjorn snd similar.
there are online sling libraries, tgey can help you
generally for a tiny baby, a stretchy wrap is better. as they get older, carriers are a gokd optionn(manduca is great).
Brand really depends on your built - i hated Tula, love ergo and manduca

I never got on with wraps. I found them confusing to tie correctly in my sleep deprived state, and was always worried I did it wrong. PP’s description of baby sometimes sliding out at home is a bit scary tbh, this shouldn’t be happening with any carrier at home or out and about. I’m also a very hot person and being wrapped in all those layers didn’t work for me.

when my daughter was about 5 months old I got a soft clip carrier which was suitable from new born and could be used on my front or back, inward or outward facing. Clip, clip, tighten, done. No faffing with wrapping all that fabric round me, tying knots, wrestling baby in. Much easier. I used that from newborn with my son and never had any trouble. He was a much bigger baby so I replaced it with something a bit more structured at about 7 months - a Lenny lamb toddler carrier. Still soft and comfy and easy to use.