What I’m Lovin’ This Week - Maya Wrap Sling
This post has been a long time coming. I must say that babywearing is one of the most visible markers of my crunchiness, and I am approached with questions about my sling at least once or twice per week. I have used a variety of pouches, slings, wraps, and other carriers depending on the age of the babe, and the plans for the day (lots of nursing, carrying for long periods of time, etc.). These days you will most often find me sporting my beautiful ring sling with Bea in a hip carry. If you are one of the many people who has stopped me on the street, in the store, at the library, or wherever to ask me where I got it, this week’s lovin’ is for you.
What I’m Lovin’ This Week #13
The Maya Wrap Sling
What is it?
A ring sling comprised of a length of woven fabric that is threaded through a pair of rings, which are positioned just below the wearer’s shoulder. The sling can be used to carry children from birth up through 35 lbs. in a variety of carry positions.
What’s So Great About It?
The slings are very eye-catching and beautiful, available in a whole bunch of patterns as well as solids for those who prefer to be more understated. The Maya Wrap allows you to carry your child as he or she continues to grow and develop; they can cuddle close to Mom when a newbie, face the world as an infant, or be carried on a hip or back as their physical strength increases.
The sling design also distributes the child’s weight well across the wearer’s full back and shoulder, reducing stress on the back, shoulders, and neck relative to carriers such as the Baby B’jorn. Beyond the physical benefit for the wearer, the Maya Wrap also allows babies to be carried in a physically safe and comfortable way throughout their development. There is a body of literature out there that suggests that vertical carriers such as the Baby B’jorn place excessive stress on the baby’s spine as well as insufficient support for the baby’s neck. Slings such as the Maya Wrap can provide proper support for infants in a horizontal position (newborn hold) or vertically (newborn vertical or kangaroo carry).
I find the Maya Wrap to be the easiest sling for me to nurse in, and I also like that the extra fabric (tail) of the sling, can be brought up around Bea for additional privacy if desired, or I can use it to cover my exposed middle while I nurse, or wrap it around her legs on a chilly day. I also like the Maya Wrap for its “grab and go” convenience. It’s lightweight and not comprised of so much fabric that it can’t be stuffed in my diaper bag with ease.
What Do I Do With It?
Use it to give your arms and back a break when babe is wanting to be held and carried all the time. It’s great for keeping baby close, keeping strangers at a distance (and therefore germies too), keeping a nursling contented, and keeping your hands free. Leave the stroller and car seat in the car; the sling is all you really need. For video demonstrations of the Maya Wrap ring sling and other carriers being worn for a variety of carries, Maya Wrap 101 is the place to go.
Where Do I Get It?
Click the picture link above to order through Amazon, or go to Mayawrap.com to see their complete line of baby carriers including unpadded and lightly padded versions of their ring sling, as well as their pouch, MamaBaby sling, and Maya Tie Asian style baby carrier. They even have a doll sling for the child in your life who wants a sling to carry his or her baby dolls.
What’s it Cost?
The unpadded version I wear runs about $50 new. In my case, the attachment parenting gods were smiling down upon me and tossed one over to the children’s resale store when I was shopping while pregnant with Emma. As a result of my good fortune, I got my beauteous #39 print one (which I la la la love) for $15. If your AP karma isn’t sending one your way and the $50 price tag seems too steep, gently used Maya Wrap slings and carriers can be purchased through the Maya Wrap Outlet at a 30%-40% savings.
Any Caveats?
In general, it takes a bit of time and practice to get used to using any carrier, and the Maya Wrap sling is no different. In fairly minimal time you can probably get used to at least one “favorite” carry that you like using with your little one. You do need to be careful that your Maya Wrap sling doesn’t get twisted around the back, and you have to get a sense for proper ring positioning as well as shoulder cap use and such, but that doesn’t take too long. The other caveat I would offer is that I personally find that the Maya Wrap will begin to pull on my shoulder over time. For extended wear, I prefer a two-shoulder wrap or other carrier style, but my grab and go for my approximately 20 lb. toddler remains my Maya Wrap sling-lovin’ it!
August 29th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I realize that you wrote this ages ago, and I’m not sure if you’re able to see comments that are put on old posts (I haven’t figured out how to track comments on my blog yet), so I hope I’m not just throwing this out there.
I wore my Maya wrap today for the first time in a long time. I have a toddler now, and I can’t find my directions on the toddler carry. I finally figured out a side carry today. My biggest issue with the Maya wrap has always been that I wear large shirts to make breastfeeding easier, but I can never figure out how to work my shirt with the wrap! My shirt slides around under the wrap and then the wrap pulls down, and I have to adjust. Then when it’s time to nurse, I can’t figure out if I should pull my shirt up or how to get it down aagain. I loved this sling. I think I’m missing something though.