Maya Wrap Baby Sling Review

I am an experienced baby-wearer who has owned about 10 different slings, wraps, pouches, and back carriers. The Maya Wrap was the best, most versatile, most comfortable, easiest to use product I owned. Beyond early infancy, it was always my first choice.

It is lightweight, making it very portable, good for all temperatures/seasons, and comfortable to wear without the child in it (important with toddlers who are in and out a lot). It is also very easty to easy to pop a child in/out of the Maya Wrap, even a sleeping baby.

It's also really comfortable. It doesn't have any padding in the shoulder area, but it is very easy to spread the fabric across your back and shoulder, which makes it even more comfortable than padding because it better distributes the weight of the child across your back/shoulder. I also have "sloping shoulders," so many slings were too narrow or just slid off my shoulder. But if you order the XL Maya Wrap, the shoulder part is wider and worked very well for me. The drawback with the XL size is the tail is VERY LONG, which could be annoying to some. I just wrapped the tail around the rings once or twice after securing my daughter and it didn't bother me. I actually liked it because I could use it as a sun shade, wind break, or blanket while my baby was in the sling.

The Maya Wrap is also versatile. There are a number of ways you can wear your baby, all of which are detailed in the excellent instructional video (available to watch on their website). The Maya Wrap people are also helpful over the phone with questions.

Newborns basically lie down in the sling. It can be concerning for new parents because it seems like they're scrunched down and smushed in the sling, but they like this. When you wear them like this, going about your business, it soothes them and gives them the physical and vestibular stimulation they need, as well as the close contact. It's better than parking them in a bucket (car seat) all the time. You can give them what they need, but still have a life, and a free pair of hands.

Small infants can ride tummy-to-tummy, with the sling under their bottoms. If you use two slings, you can prop a small infant up on your shoulder, as some babies prefer this position.

Older infants (3mo+) can ride sitting up in the sling's pouch, facing out or to the side. Babies who can sit supported can also ride on the hip, with the sling under their bottoms.

The best thing about slings/wraps/pouches and other "low-tech" baby carriers is that they promote proper hip and leg development. You can wear the baby in the natural on-your-hip or on-you-back position, with the baby's legs spread around you hips or back. The Baby Bjorn, for example, places all the baby's weight on his pubic bone and genital area, which is NOT healthy.  

The biggest drawback for the Maya Wrap is that the bottom rail is not padded at all, and it can cause some red marks on the baby's legs when riding on the hip for an extended period of time. This never seemed to bother my daughters, but a little bit of padding would have prevented this problem.

As for nursing in the sling, I've never been able to really pull that off. I think smaller-breasted, slender women could do it (just adjust the sling to the right height and have the baby latch on and nurse hands-free). But larger-breasted women would have a hard time I think. I always had to loosen the sling to get her into position and hold her with one arm to nurse.

Finally, it's machine washable, beautiful, and fair-trade friendly.

Personally, for newborns and small infants, I think a pouch is the way to go (check out kangaroocorner.com). But with a slightly older baby through toddlerhood (I wore my kids until they were 3), the sling is great. For the most versatile babywearing product, try a hand-woven wrap (like a Girasol or Rebozo). Unfortunately, it is also the most difficult to learn and you will need instructional help. I wish I would have put the time into learning how to use my wraps more. I envy moms who can just toss their babies on their backs, quickly secure them in a wrap, and carry them easily for hours!

Best of luck to you and your baby! God bless. Kimm