Q&A: Wrap basics

Q: Why do you have so many different wraps?
A: There's a lot to that answer!  Let's make it into smaller questions.

To start with, this is a really dirty climate, and I let my kids eat in the wrap and Buttercup is not usually wearing a diaper and has accidents.  My wraps get really dirty, and fast.  I don't have an ordinary washer and no dryer, so if it's rainy it can take two days to wash and dry a wrap, or more if I'm busy.  That means I need two or three wraps to alternate out and do the same job.  (Edited a year later: I can definitely do the same jobs with fewer wraps in this climate, and with older/less messy children.)

Size:
First of all, wraps come in different sizes, from 1-8, and you can do different carries with the different sizes.  I have wraps in sizes between 2 and 7, which are 2.7 to 5.2 meters long, and one can basically think of it as shorties, mid-length, and long wraps.  Since I am fairly petite, a 5 is my base size and I can do almost all carries with a 6.

The benefit of the shortest wraps is that they lend themselves to very quick carries, they do not drag on the ground while wrapping, and they fold up small in a backpack.  The downside is that the quick carries are not as supportive as multi-layer carries.  This is more tiring for me as a carry-er, and if my wrappee is tantruming or really trying, she can escape the carry.  I find them useful for things like quick ups and downs like making lunch or snacks, or putting one kid up for bedtime routine for someone else.  It's also useful on an outing when I won't be carrying all the time but we might need it for waiting in line or a quick walk.

The longest wraps make the most supportive, multi-layer carries, and have extra length for things like adding reinforcement on the chest or waist.  The down side is that they take longer to wrap with, and rest on the floor while being wrapped, so I don't like wrapping with them out of the house.  I use them when I will have a long carry that I won't have to re-do, like when I am picking the children up from school.  I also like them for naps, because the longer carries tend to have space for the child to get all snuggled down.

The mid-length wraps are a great compromise, and I use them for all my long outings.  They are not so long that I can't manage them in public or small space, but long enough that I can do supportive, multi-layer carries. I can also do several different carries so I can distribute the weight differently over the course of the day.  I can also do the quickest up-and-down carries, that I could use the shorties for, with longer but not unmanageable tails.

Materials:
Many wraps are all cotton, but some are linen, wool, silk or other blends.  I have a kapok wrap right now -- I had never even heard of that fiber!  Even different cotton wraps have very different textures and weights.

So, for instance, the linen blends are strong and supportive, and I love them for my big kids or a long walk, but I don't think they're very snuggly for a nap and they are difficult to get a good wrap job quickly.  There are also 100% linens; every other fabric is used almost exclusively in a cotton blend.  The wools are breathable, soft on the shoulders, and supportive for the big kids, and with a wonderful bounce that moves with you.  However, they are not practical during the hot days, and are fussier to wash so some people prefer to not use them where they will get dirty.  Silk adds a luxurious feel to a wrap, and can be either very thin and silky for a baby, or add strength and support for a larger wrappee.  Many people love hemp for its fluffiness and support with a larger child.   Bamboo feels soft and luxurious, but has more stretch or sag, so most people prefer linen blends for little babies. Linen, silk, and hemp can add support, but can also feel hard on the shoulders, especially with a larger child.

(A year later: I love cotton, and find it absolutely the best with larger kids -- and small ones too.  After enjoying dabbling in many different fabrics and textures, I have ended up with an all-cotton stash, except for one wool blend.)

Weave:
There are many different weave patterns, including jacquard, plain weave, variations of twill, and many others.  These all create different looks and wrapping qualities.

Fiber qualities:
Even within cotton, there are many variations of fiber quality and type.  There are long-staple and short-staple fibers (long staple will be stronger and longer lasting); cotton sourced from different regions (Egyption cotton is famous for its quality, but many wrappers enjoy supporting our own traditional industries with American-grown cotton); mercerized cotton (which adds strength, toughness, and shine, and has further variations such as perle mercerized cotton); organic cotton; minimally processed cotton; and so on and so forth.  There are also different sized threads, which makes a huge difference to how thick or thin, sturdy or delicate, the wrap ends up being.

Wrapping qualities:
Every wrap feels different when it's being used!  It's one of the things that makes wrapping interesting.  Some are grippy and some slide smoothly, some hold the child rock-solid and some have bounce, some are breathable and some are snuggly, some are cushy on the shoulders and some are thin.  Like everything in life, every up-side has an opposite!  A cushy wrap tends to be thick and not so good in hot weather; a wrap that has bounce also has sag; a solid wrap gets tiring on the shoulders.  Different wraps are valuable in different situations.

Beauty:
I just love beautiful fabric, and the wraps are truly beautiful!  I just enjoy the colors and the textures and the feel.  Besides, when you are wearing a child for hours a day, the wrap is part of your outfit!  I totally coordinate my wraps and my clothing for a day out, and I feel like it's a beautiful finishing touch.

Q: Couldn't you get by with just one wrap?
A: Yes.  Absolutely, especially if I had a quick washer and dryer.  If anyone is curious about wrapping, you certainly don't need a whole lot of wraps, and I know people who carry all the time with one wrap.

But at the same time, I really use and appreciate each and every wrap that I have, and I enjoy having a variety to choose from.  I buy most of my wraps used from other wrap afficianados, and I know that if I don't love something I can sell it on the same networks.

Q: Wait a minute, I thought you said there were NOT sizes for wraps!
A: The wraps are different sizes, but anyone can use any size.  I could wrap any of my three children in any of my wraps, and my 6-foot-2 father could use any of the same wraps that I use.  The determining factor is which carry to choose.

For instance, I can do a Secure High Back Carry with a size 4 for Buttercup, but I would choose a size 5 for my bigger kids.  A large adult might choose a 6 for the same carry.  But if we had a size 4 wrap, that larger adult could wrap their child in a Reinforced Ruck.  I think the most logical way to think about wrap sizing is Base Size, and plus or minus.  So the Secure High Back Carry is Base -1.  I am a base 5, so I do it with a 4; someone else might be a base 7, so they could do it with a size 6, and a 4 would be a shortie wrap for them.

Q: What would be a basic number of wraps, or wrap stash?
A: It really depends on the individual and how they use them.  Many people are happy with one wrap, which would probably be in the wearer's base size.  But to have the benefits of the different size wraps, a minimal stash would include a short wrap (size 2 or 3), a mid-length (base-1), and a base size or base+1.  Many people add a ssc (soft-sided carrier, or ergo-style carrier) or a ring sling.

Other people really enjoy the collecting aspect of wrapping as a hobby.  Some people have dozens of wraps, just like some people have dozens of pairs of shoes, or designer purses.  If you are just starting wrapping, it can be helpful to remember that being a wrapper and being a collector are not the same thing.

Q: Where do I buy wraps, and how much do they cost?
A: There are large used forums on facebook and thebabywearer.com, where I have gotten most of my wraps.  Since most parents don't wrap, they aren't carried in most stores, so most people buy on-line, either from specialty shops or directly from the manufacturers.  I have more details about this on my "basics" page.

As for the cost, first of all: baby carriers are expensive, good quality fabric is expensive, only high-quality fibers will create a wrap strong enough to carry a child, and many companies create exclusively fair-trade and organic fabric.  All of that adds up; it's not JUST a piece of cloth.  A good all-purpose wrap costs around $100; many wraps are much more.  A vast majority of wraps are between $120-170; budget wraps can be as low as $30 for a short wrap.  Many people also enjoy the joy of making their own wraps, which can be fun, economical, creative, and safe.

Also, there are many ways to borrow wraps to try them out.  Look for a local babywearing group to get you started!

Q: That seems like a lot of money!
A: One way to look at it, is that a wrap is saving us visits to the chiropractor and pediatric occupational therapist, and those add up fast!

Wraps also tend to hold good resale value.  As you can see, one of the best way to buy wraps is on the second-hand market, and you can turn around and sell them the same way.  If you buy at a reasonable price, take reasonable care of the wrap, and sell at a reasonable price (even years later), you can probably get 60-90% of the wrap's value back again.  That's an incredible proportion for used baby gear!  So wraps can be a temporary investment.

 After Sunflower's babyhood, I realized that I had used our baby carrier more than anything else in our entire house... and I didn't even like it that much.  I kept thinking I wouldn't be using it much as he got older, so I didn't buy a new one.  The second time around, it doesn't seem worth it to try to skimp.  I absolutely enjoy every moment of our wrap snuggles, and I know they won't last forever.  I will sell the carriers when we're all done with them, and use the money for something important in mid-childhood, but nothing is more important right now than security, bonding, and snuggles.