Maya Wrap Baby Sling Review

I learned about this unstructured ring-sling style carrier when my baby was about three months old. Until then, I used a Baby Bjorn to carry her but it was starting to get painful as she got heavier. The Maya Wrap caught my eye because the fabric was gorgeous, and I saw a petite young woman using one with a very heavy toddler. Both parties appeared comfortable and serene, and I loved the bohemian vibe to the tail of fabric that hung down to her knees.

My favorite thing about the Maya Wrap is its versatility. There are ways to carry newborns in a cradle position, older babies in a kangaroo pouch, and toddlers at the hip or on your back. Mine came with an instructional dvd, which I consider indespensible to learning how to use the wrap properly. Proper technique will absolutely make or break your success with the wrap. When used correctly, the Maya Wrap isn't as hard on your back or shoulder as a traditional front carrier because the weight distributes across your whole back. You can shift positions, tighten or loosen the wrap, or remove the baby easily if you start ot get uncomfortable. Once my baby was sitting up, I lived with her in the hip-carry position. Unlike my Baby Bjorn front carrier, which kept her too much in my way to actually do anything, the hip carry keeps the baby to the side and more effectively frees your arms for other work. Everybody commented on how calm and content she looked in the sling. I also got tons of compliments on the sling itself. People would stop me in the street to tell me it was gorgeous. The fabric is light and soft, it shimmers in the sun, and it washes beautifully in the machine. When my daughter outgrew it, my new mommy friends all tried to call dibs. I loved using it for nursing. If I threw the tail of the sling over my daughter's head, people would assume she was just sleeping in there. Also, if I wanted to get her all the way out and open the sling to use it as a blanket, the weight of the metal rings would keep the fabric anchored against the back of my shoulder while I used the rest of it to cover my child. This was ideal for air travel and outdoor festivals.

However, sometimes a girl doesn't want her baby sling to be her most fabulous accessory, but nobody was about to notice my shoes with this showstopper around. If you are the mom wearing her baby in a cascade of Guatemalan fabric, it's going to define you and your look. Black and neutral fabrics are available, but I hear tell that the black picks up lint like crazy. Other than the learning curve, I can't think of any problems I had with my Maya Wrap. After watching the dvd a few times, I had it down, and the friend I gave it away to had no trouble after about fifteen minutes of one on one attention. This sling is not inexpensive, but if you are interested in baby-wearing you don't want to skimp on your carrier.