What is a good wrap / sling / baby carrier for newborn? Need recommendations

[Anonymous]

I am buying a gift for a mom who is expecting her first baby. She would like a wrap / sling for the newborn days.
I am years past the newborn phase with my own kiddos and haven’t looked for something like this in a long time. I had an Ergo and a Bjorn for mine when they were several months old, but I can’t remember what I did for those early newborn days.

I looked at Amazon and I see Baby K’tan, WeeSprout, some other kind with rings, and LilleBaby.

Recommendations? Any great new product I don’t know about? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

For a newborn or small infant I recommend a ring sling. The other carriers work better once baby is a little bigger. Supposedly you can use a Baby K’tan for a newborn as well but I found it a little trickier. I’ve been carrying my 3-week old preemie around in a ring sling for a couple weeks and it’s worked great. She loves it and I’m able to position her properly with good head support. It’s this one, received as a gift when my son was born a few years ago, but you absolutely can find less expensive ring slings out there: https://sakurabloom.com/collections/shop-all/products/chambray-linen-ring-sling

[Anonymous]

I was given a used Baby K'tan that I think is great for newborns because it is easier to put on than a standard wrap (like the Boba or Moby) but gives you the same result. The problem is it needs to be the right size (whereas a standard wrap like the Boba is more customizable to yours and baby's body), and the one I got was too large for me.

I also received a Boba-like wrap (the specific one I have is called the Cuddlebug) that I loved during the newborn stage and still use and love at 6 months. But everyone in my newborn mom's group had the Ergo 360 which now works for newborns, and I kind of wish I had just gotten that, though it is pricey. Very versatile and comes with a little hood you can use to protect the LO from the sun.

[Anonymous]

I've used and LOVED the baby ktan for both of my babies, starting from when they are 7 lbs. There are some great videos on youtube with instructions on how to put it on, but once i got the hang of it, it is super easy to put on and take off.

[Anonymous]

Loved my Ktan. Once he got heavier it was harder on my back but it is great for a small baby. Since there are no straps it also also easy for two similar sized people to switch off.

[Anonymous]

I actually find a K'tan (or Moby/Boba/stretchy wrap, but learning how to wrap it can be tricky without help) easier than a sling for a newborn. That said, people are particular with their baby wearing preferences. Does she have anything on her registry? If she said she wanted a wrap/sling, could you ask her if she prefers buckles, tying wraps, or ring sling?

The first carrier my husband figured out was a mei dai/mei tai. It's snug like a regular tie on wrap, but all you have to do is put the straps over your shoulders then around your waist.

This is pretty basic and doesn't have a lot of extra fabric: https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Sash-Wrap-Baby-Carrier/dp/B0185AH1F8/ref=cts_ba_1_vtp

This looks nice and like it can last a long time: https://www.amazon.com/Suses-Kinder-Carrier-Newborn-Toddler/dp/B01MXEHJ9S/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=mei+tai&qid=1570556581&s=baby-products&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFNRDAxNE9OUkE2UEsmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxODI1OTgyWDlaTlpUU0NaVlBDJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzMDA5MzExMEQyOExQUUs0V04yJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[Anonymous]

I love my Solly. Much more breathable than the other wraps.

I also really like the ktan, and it's super easy so good for those first few weeks when you're just getting the hang of everything. But it's not one size fits all. I think it's a great gift if your friend is obviously a particular size (like super tiny or large) so you know which size to get, but otherwise I'd skip that one.

[Anonymous]

Definitely a Solly Wrap. Softer and more breathable than any of the other wraps, gorgeous prints and colors so they make a nice gift and they are perfect for newborns.

[Anonymous]

100% Solly Wrap. I loved that thing until my daughter hit about 6 months and I needed more back support from a structured carrier.

[Anonymous]

I also adored my Solly wrap and later used a ring sling from Sakura bloom. I also knew a lot of people that loved the ktan - you've got the top three recommendations here I think and probably can't go wrong.

[Anonymous]

Another big fan of the K'Tan here, although I found the sizing a bit tricky. I'm petite, but I actually needed a size up from what the measurements indicated for a comfortable fit.

[Anonymous]

I used a Moby, got done cotton-bamboo blend. Very soft, loved how it grew with baby from newborn to 18 months.

My friend is devoted to her sling and my baby loved to cuddle in it and be carried around. I never got the hang of it, but he sure loved when we got together and he'd hang out in the sling! (She is a former L&D nurse and LOVES to get baby snuggles--and I was happy someone would take the baby so I could shower!)

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you all! This is very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Not really a wrap/sling but I cannot recommend Nesting Days enough: https://www.nestingdays.com/

I LOVED mine, and always had people asking about it. I passed mine on to two other people so far, and they both loved it too. Perfect for the first 4-6 months

[Anonymous]

I had a K'tan and a Tula - used and loved both.