It's taken me absolutely ages to write his review, Bear is now five weeks old and I didn't realise that it would take me quite so long to pluck up the courage to take him out in the baby sling. I used only one type of baby carrier with Moo and it was a complete disaster! It was awkward, uncomfortable and inconvenient, no matter how we tried it. The result? Frustration, pains and tears from both of us.
So I was a little bit scared to try a wrap-sling style with Bear but I really wanted to try baby wearing and it was important for my purse and for my blog, to find an affordable product to do just that with. I needn't of been so apprehensive about wearing a sling.
The Joy and Joe soft baby carrier is almost undoubtedly the best sling wrap on the UK market. Made of a single, one-way stretch piece of cotton with a built-in pocket for easy storage, the sling is easy to use in a multitude of styles. So far I've only used the standard and most common 'wear' but I hope as Bear grows older, that we'll be able to explore other techniques. Included with the wrap was a little booklet that featured safety tips and a guide on how to tie your sling and it arrives to you neatly folded away in it's pocket.
It took me three attempts before I perfected the tie, but I was a complete novice and despite have qualifications in tying knots (yes, really) I'm not going to pretend I'm anything special when it comes to these things.
The fabric is nice and wide (20cm wide, 5m long) so that it distributes the weight of your child evenly across your shoulders (a must with my large bosom) and when tied, sits comfortably around our bust rather than on top of it. I personally found it really comfortable to wear and Bear immediately snuggled in once I shuffled him into it (the getting in and getting out is a bit awkward for us still...we're learning) so obviously he approved.
Back and front view - images courtesy of Joy and Joe.
Our first trip out of the house wearing it, we headed to town via the bus as we were at a relative's home and not our own. We wore the sling for almost two hours across sitting, standing and walking; not once did I feel as if it was insecure, coming loose or moving position. Bear slept for the entire journey and I soon got the hang of wearing my baby strapped to my front.
I really enjoyed our first experience of baby wearing and now that I know the benefits as well as how easy and affordable it is, I'd recommend it to anyone. Here are my pros and cons...
Pros.
- Comfortable for all body types.
- Built-in pocket to fold away nice and compact for storage or travel.
- Affordable.
- Available in variety of colours/patterns.
- Comes with instructions.
- 100% cotton.
- Suitable from birth to 35lbs.
Cons.
- I found the instructions that came within the booklet a little confusing. My husband hen accidentally threw it away and I had to go on to the website to have my next attempt. I found the picture instructions without text to be much easier to follow.
