Maya Wrap Ring Sling from Baby on the Breast: Review and Giveaway! (Closed)

Before CJ was born, one of my followers (and fellow mama blogger) suggested I review a ring sling. I already owned a Moby Wrap and Ergobaby soft structured carrier which had both seen a lot of use with S, but I'd yet to try a sling. For those of you unfamiliar with this type of carrier, it's basically a scarf-like piece of fabric with two rings at one end. You weave the non-ring end (called the "tail") through the ring end, pop the resulting loop over a shoulder (it's designed to go on either side), place baby in the middle in one of various positions (depending on his/her age and size) and tighten the fabric in the rings to secure. Online opinions on these carriers are divided - lots of enthusiasm around their simplicity, flexibility and low cost, but also a number of comments that they're difficul to get the hang of, uncomfortable, etc. Ultimately, I was very curious to try one myself and form my own conclusion!

Enter Baby on the Breast, an online mom & baby boutique focusing on top-of-the-line breastfeeding and babywearing gear. The shop is owned by a mama of two who's a strong believer in both practices, and she offered to send me both a Bravado Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra (which I reviewed back in January - LOVE this bra!) and a Maya Wrap, one of the more favourably rated brands of ring sling. In order to allow me to try out the various carry positions with CJ as he grew (and to accommodate the owner's big move from Ontario to British Columbia!) we agreed to hold off on the Maya Wrap review for several months. So here we are - hope it's worth the wait for y'all! :)


Product Information:

Maya Wrap slings are uniquely versatile, comfortable, stylish, and all you need to simplify your life! The shoulder has a light cushion for comfort and ease, while the rails are unpadded for total adjustability. Fans say it is the perfect first sling for new baby wearers.

• Wear newborns through toddlers. Recommended for children 8 to 35 pounds. See note below.
• Change positions to accommodate your child's growth.
• Built in pocket for keys, diaper, cell phone.
• Unpadded, open tail that is convenient as a nursing coverup.
• Instructional DVD included.
• 100% cotton hand loomed fabrics.
• Machine wash, cool water; line dry.
• Fits easily into a diaper bag or tote.

Choose your size according to your preferred tail length but remember that the tail should go at least to your waist. If you would like to use the tail to cover yourself when breastfeeding the tail should extend at least to the top of your legs. Choose a Medium or Large!!

Note: Babies younger than 4 months, premature, or with respiratory problems have a higher risk of suffocation. Always ensure that baby's airways are unobstructed and baby is breathing properly. If your baby is premature, has low tone, developmental delays or weighs less than 8 pounds, Maya Wrap recommends you consult with a medical professional before using any baby sling.


My Review:

The Maya Wrap comes in a variety of lovely shades and striped colour combinations (including a few gender neutral options for Dad!) As such, choosing a style was tough but I ended up with the vivid (and decidedly girly - sorry hubs!) bright stripes pattern. The wrap is also available in a few sizes, however the medium fits well for most people so we went with this.

Construction of the wrap is flawless. The cotton material is soft yet sturdy, all seams are stitched perfectly and the two metal rings are super-solid. The shoulder padding is quite thick, as you can see here.

The tail's pocket (for holding items like keys, cell phone, etc.) is quite spacious. I can actually fit my husband's Android tablet in there.Yknow, for those times my 8-month-old wants to play Candy Crush Saga.

So far so good. Now let's get down to business!

First step - threading the sling. This part of the process is the same regardless of carry method, and it's quite easy to do. The instructional video is helpful, especially its advice on how to fold the tail prior to threading the rings, as the edges of the tail need to remain accessible in order tighten the fabric (something that's done a lot).

Here's a close-up of a properly threaded ring. As you can see, the material is distributed quite evenly in the space between the two rings, and if you look closely you can see the edges on both sides.

I'll get to my experiences (and photos) with the individual carry methods shortly. First, a few comments about overall functionality, comfort, etc.

There is definitely a learning curve to the whole ring system. Here are a couple challenges I've experienced and tips I've learned to help overcome them:

• The fabric can be tough to tighten. As in, you pull on the tail and nothing happens. :-/ The most important thing to combat this is to ensure the tail's threaded correctly as I mentioned earlier. It's also good to periodically redistribute the fabric evenly across the rings so it's not clumped in one spot. Second, you need to ensure baby's weight is fully supported prior to tightening otherwise you'll be in a losing fight against gravity. (This requires both hands and some coordination!) Third, a helpful tip I learned from another mom is to pull back in the same direction as the fabric you're trying to adjust, as this creates a sort of "pulley" system and reduces friction between the fabric and the rings. Finally, laundering the sling helps soften the fabric so I recommend doing this prior to first usage.
• The rings tend to sneak down too far. General advice is to keep it high up near the shoulder, however I find that it inevitably slides down and inward toward my little guy as I tighten it. I'm wondering if this may have something to do with my body shape, as I'm tall & thin with narrow shoulders. It does help somewhat to wrap the shoulder pad around my shoulder rather than on top, however this seems to just slow the sliding effect rather than prevent it entirely. So still battling this one. :-/

Thankfully, loosening the sling is a breeze - just pull up the top ring and the fabric slides right out. This makes it super easy to get baby outta there when you're done.

Once secured properly, the wrap is pretty comfortable to wear - at least for awhile. After about 40-60 minutes my back starts feeling a little "tweaky". This doesn't happen with my front and back carriers, so presumably this is due to the uneven weight distribution with the sling. Maya Wrap does recommend switching sides periodically to alleviate this issue, however I've always had a preferred side myself, depending on carry position. So based on all this, I consider the Maya (and presumably any sling) more of a "short distance" carrier.

In terms of baby's comfort and happiness, all three main carry positions are natural and ergonomically safe, which is obviously super-important. And all allow you to be nice & cuddly with baby, which is great for bonding as well.

Another key aspect of carriers is whether they allow you to be truly hands-free. From my experience, the Maya Wrap does for the kangaroo and hip carry positions, but less so for the newborn carry. (More on this shortly.)

A couple final general points:

• Care & maintenance - super simple; just machine wash on cold and lay flat to dry. I was initially concerned that the fabric might bleed during the first few washes due to the bright colours, but this wasn't a problem.
• Breastfeeding in the Maya Wrap? Nope, didn't end up going there. Not with my Maya Wrap nor with any of the other carriers I own. I know many mamas do it but the idea has always struck me as more complicated than simply taking baby out of whatever carrier was on at the time, nursing, and popping him/her back in afterwards (if applicable). So sorry - can't comment on this one!

Alright, let's look at the individual carry methods!


Tummy to Tummy Carry - newborn (8 lb min.) to approx. 3 mths:

In this position, baby is facing inward with legs curled up in the "frog" position. (Instructional video here.)

Admittedly, I didn't love this position as I didn't feel entirely hands-free and I found it somewhat challenging to place baby in the correct position for proper air flow (and still wear the sling comfortably). So ultimately I didn't use it much (and, instead, preferred my Moby Wrap) and was therefore happy I'd get to test out the other positions prior to writing my review!


Kangaroo / Outward Facing Carry - approx. 3 to 6 mths:

In this position, baby is facing outward, with legs still up in the "frog" position. (Instructional video here.)

This was my favourite carry position with CJ, so I was a little sad when he outgrew it! I found it easy to "insert" him properly, he felt nice & secure in there (and, thus, I was able to be hands free) and he loved checking things out as I went about my business. As such, I used this position a lot while doing housework, going on quick walks, etc. Unfortunately CJ was super refluxy during this period, so on his really rough days I didn't wear him as the bouncing around and curled up nature of the position tended to make things worse. (Not to mention I really wasn't keen on washing vomit out of the thing on on a daily basis - yuck.)


Hip Carry - 6 mths (or baby sitting) to toddler (max 35 lbs):

In this position, little one is straddling your hip with legs hanging out and bum resting within the pouch of the sling. (Instructional video here.)

I'm lukewarm on this position. Pros? It's ergonomic and natural (after all, we carry our littles like this sans carrier, right?), babe feels secure and it's a nice position for bonding. I've found the following challenges with it, however:

• I'd preferred, and thus favoured, the ring on my right side for the kangaroo carry, but then realized gaaah - I had to switch sides for the hip carry (since I hold CJ on my right side). Two months in and I'm still not as adept at manipulating the ring on the left side. (Possibly a handedness thing?)
• Inserting in this position is a little tougher for us. CJ is long and gangly so his legs tend to get bent up in the material.
• I start to feel back strain sooner than I did using the kangaroo carry - after about 30-40 minutes. This is likely due to a combination of CJ getting heavier and being further off to the side, thus offsetting the weight distribution further. He also likes to reach out and move his neck and long torso in all different directions which may contribute to this too.

All in all, I do pop him into the hip carry periodically, usually when I'm doing quick things around the house, but I prefer my soft structured carrier for longer carries at his current age.

So there you have it! Overall, I can confidently say that the Maya Wrap ring sling is a well-made, high-quality product, but in terms of personal preference I straddle the two aforementioned camps (enthusiastic and not-so-keen). I was really happy to have my Maya Wrap during the 3-6 (ish) month range in particular as I loved the kangaroo carry method, however I've preferred other carriers for the newborn stage and 6 months onward. (That said, CJ and I still have plenty of carrying days ahead, so the latter may change!)


How about you? Have you tried a ring sling before? If not, would you like to? :)


Buy It:

You can purchase your own Maya Wrap and/or other great babywearing and nursing gear directly from Baby on the Breast! Shipping is free on Canadian orders over $50 and US orders over $100! Use special code M2MBOTB to receive 10% off your order!!


Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a Maya Wrap of their own, from Baby on the Breast! Winner chooses from among available patterns. Open to Canada.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Baby on the Breast.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample item free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.  

Where do you find the time?

I have to admit something here. In order to find the time to host & enter giveaways, blog and otherwise "do my thing" online, something's gotta give. Usually it's sleep (I will often get up an hour or two before DD and DH to get some "me time"), but sometimes it's also household duties (the carpets really need to be vacuumed right now) and husband time (often in the evenings, we're both on our laptops rather than spending quality time together!) And we just have one child - and a healthy, happy, easygoing one at that!

As some of you may recall, I wrote a "Day in the Life" post a few weeks back documenting what I do over the course of an average day. The post had a good 60-70+ line items, so I was doing stuff over pretty much the whole day. Yet still I didn't even get around to making dinner and ultimately not too many other things "got done" either. "Where does the time go?" I ask myself day to day!

As such, I'm in awe of all you mamas out there who seem to do it all. Many of you have multiple children, host giveaways almost on a daily basis, blog & tweet frequently, spend quality time with the whole family and with friends AND cook & clean regularly. How do you do it? Do you find that you sacrifice sleep in order to get things done? Have you just gotten really darned efficient at everything? Have you surgically attached a couple extra hands to your body? :D I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you might have!

On a related topic, a question for those of you who babywear: do you find you're able to get a lot done while you're wearing your baby? What types of activities and chores are you able to do and/or do you enjoy doing while babywearing?

And one more question: What do you tend to do while your child naps? Do you tend to use this for "me time" (for blogging or what have you) or for getting things done? Awhile back I tried the method of doing a half hour of chores at the beginning of each nap prior to me time, but then our daughter started having such short naps (only a 1/2 hour or so at a time) such that this wouldn't allow me *any* me time! So I've been tending toward jumping at this time while I can, and doing most chores while baby is awake. On the one hand, I feel a bit guilty about this (ahhh mother's guilt) but on the other hand, I frankly NEED some me time or I start feeling sluggish and/or resentful. Am I alone here or do others feel the same way?

Love to hear thoughts from other mamas (and papas too, of course) on all this! :)

Adventures in Babywearing

One thing I got excited about while researching parenting techniques and baby gear was the idea of "wearing" our baby, especially in a soft carrier. The combination of being so physically close together (which has a whole slew of benefits for baby's well-being and development) and hands-free at the same time was very appealing. Benefits include improved digestive and respiratory health, decreased risk of "flat head syndrome" caused by extended time sleeping on the back and less crying (as babies who are frequently worn are calmer). Apparently it can also lower the risk of postpartum depression in mom as it increases oxytocin levels leading to a closer bond.

Chris' sister Tracey lent us a couple baby carriers she had used with Avery - a Snugli front & back carrier and a ring sling. Chris tried the Snugli with S a couple times and he liked it. Pros: it allows you to be fully hands-free, it promotes safe head positioning (straight up; not "chin on chest"), it provides good back support and baby's head is right there for lots of kisses. :) Cons: It takes some time to put together, it appears to be a two-person job to put her in (though this could just be inexperience) and baby's view is quite limited.



















I haven't tried the Snugli yet myself; I'd rather stick with soft carriers now while she's still really young as I feel they promote a closer bond with baby. We both tried the ring sling and love how easy it is to use - just thread the ring and pop baby in and out. Plus, Chris reported that S seems to like the bold pattern on this particular sling. :) Cons? It isn't 100% hands free and I found that it strained my back (which is already sore from all the lifting and carrying!).


















The carrier I was really excited to use was my Moby Wrap (which was one of the items I scored for a great deal on Kijiji). It is a SPOC carrier ("simple piece of cloth", NOT Sex Professionals of Canada - to eliminate any confusion :). It's literally a piece of fabric which you wrap around yourself in a particular way and then put baby in using one of several different positions. I love the variety it offers in the different holds (from newborn to older baby up to 35 pounds), the closeness it promotes between wearer and baby (which best fosters the benefits alluded to above) and the fact that one size fits all - mom and dad can both use the same wrap! The main downside - there is definitely a learning curve to using this puppy!

I first gave my Moby a shot when S was about 3 weeks old. The initial wrap part was a bit tricky itself, as the fabric is 5.5 metres long and there are quite a few steps to get it tied on right. However the Moby site has a good instructional video which helped out, and there are dozens on YouTube as well. Putting S in...well that proved to be more of a challenge. I tried the newborn cradle hold but it was awkward getting her in and then she didn't appear to be enjoying the situation too much. It felt like she may have already been too big for this position. I called it a night at that point and vowed to try a few days later, but then the whole appendix thing happened which put things on hold for awhile.

Fast forward a month or so, and I've finally got things (mostly) figured out! I was working on the newborn hug hold for a little while as this felt more natural than the cradle hold, but I was still running into difficulty getting her legs and butt down into the pockets properly. I finally concluded that although she's still within the 0-3 month range recommended for this hold, she's big and strong enough for the full hug hold which involves baby's legs hanging out rather than tucked into the fabric. This position is much easier to get her into, and she seems to be quite comfy in it, tending to fall asleep right away.


















Chris agreed that it looked warm & fuzzy, so he set up his own Moby of sorts for our other "daughter"!













All in all, I was worried I'd end up giving up on this bad boy, but now I'm glad I persevered! I love having her close to me like this - so much nicer having her snooze against my chest rather than across the room in her swing or bouncer! Now I just need to work on subtle adjustments to ensure that her neck and head are positioned in the most comfortable manner for her. Right now, for example, she's Moby-d up and sleeping soundly, but her head is kind of craned over to the side which doesn't seem ideal! I plan to wear her in the Mobe for at least an hour or two each day, and I look forward to trying the forward-facing position when she's older so that she can discover her surroundings from an adult vantage point!