Amazonas Customer Review

If you've been wondering about the Amazonas woven wraps, here's a lovely review from a wonderful mama that is getting her 3rd Amazonas wrap!

I always like trying new things so I was very excited to see a US vendor carrying Amazonas.  I've had two of the Classic wraps - Carrageen and Lollipop - both are fantastic colorways, very bright and cheerful (especially Lollipop!).  I prefer thin wraps that mold well and Amazonas fit the bill; the weave reminds me most of a Vatanai stripes although I think it's a bit denser.  They are soft and floppy brand new which I think makes them "new wrapper friendly" - no need to really break them in.  The texture is nice too - just the right amount of slide and grip.  I used them comfortably this summer with my 27 pound toddler - very nice in our hot humid summers!  Amazonas also have long, flowy tapers like a Vatanai or Zara which gives the tails a nice look.   They are also nice and wide which makes them more toddler friendly.  Of course, I'm also looking forward to wrapping our spring newborn in one ;-)

 Thanks Meredith for the great review and pics!

These wraps are a great option for summer and an extremely good value.  I love all the fun colors!  Do you have one?  We'd love to hear what you think!

Meet Rowan

Introducing Rowan, the newest stretch wrap by Wrapsody!  This beautiful wrap is a rich plum color with pink lotus flowers in the center and water inspired waves along the edges.  Kristi got the inspiration for this wrap from a placenta print after the birth of her daughter Alice.  The butterfly symbolizes loss of pregnancy or birth and is inspired by Remembering Rowan; the flowers celebrate life and birth.

This is a comparison of Rowan next to some of Wrapsody's other wraps.  Rowan is on the far left, with Alice (a Bali Breeze wrap) in the center which is slightly lighter and pinker than Rowan, and Aphrodite in purple at the right.

Wrapsody has also brought back Stella for a limited time!  This stunning wrap is inspired by the night sky.  A gradation of deep shades of blue are complemented with white stars throughout the darkest layer.

I have greatly enjoyed using my Wrapsody stretch wraps!  These wraps are not only supportive, but unique and beautiful!  They have done a great job at Wrapsody creating these amazing carriers!

Pricing Increases

Due largely to a global cotton shortage, we are seeing the first price increases in the baby carrier industry.  Wrapsody and Hoppediz have both announced an increase in the cost of their baby carriers. 

The new pricing for Wrapsody carriers will go in to effect on Dec 25th, 2010.  The wraps will go up by about $5 per wrap.  Wrapsody is exploring options to decrease costs, but another increase sometime next spring may also be necessary.

Hoppediz prices increase will start Jan 1st, 2011.  You'll see about a $5 increase for a 4.6m Hopp wrap with prices for the new Hopp Jacquard Chicago as well as Hopp Light being more significant.  Prices for Hopps in the US probably won't immediately go up, but increase more slowly as products are re-ordered.

Shipping costs and the expense of meeting CPSC standards have both contributed to the price increases, but the biggest factor has been the cost of cotton.  Cotton shortages have caused the price of cotton to almost double and the companies that make baby carriers are being directly affected by the increase in the cost of materials.  It remains to be seen if other companies will also be affected by this shortage, but it is likely we will see the price of more carriers go up as time goes by.

See this article for more information on the cotton shortage.

Exciting BCIA update!

Today the CPSC issued a safety announcement in regards to baby slings.  This is a good sign that the CPSC may consider education as a viable alternative to a mass recall of baby slings.  The BCIA issued their own concurrent statement pledging to work with the CPSC on babywearing education.  The CPSC reached out to the BCIA regarding this statement and expressed a desire to improve communication between the BCIA and their agency!  This is a great step in the right direction and will hopefully lead to more cooperation in the future.

This is great news for the future of babywearing!  And it is in direct response to the pressure the CPSC has received from the entire babywearing community.  By standing together, we were able to send a clear message that the CPSC was able to hear.  But there is still more work to be done.  We need to make sure that the CPSC and the new Congress understand how important the babywearing industry is to all of us.  We can help by contacting the CPSC and letting them know that we would like to see them partner with the BCIA on a national education campaign, like the one they are planning in cooperation with Health Canada. Contact them through the CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772; or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html

And continue to spread the word, this alliance gets stronger the more of us there are!  The BCIA still has a lot of work ahead of them as they continue to secure the future of the babywearing industry.

For more information on babywearing safety, see the BCIA's safety guidelines.

Stretch wrap tip

I have really been enjoying carrying my newborn in a stretch wrap, but I am surprised just how stretchy some of the brands are.  I am actually planning to do a side by side comparison once my baby girl is a bit heavier, but for now I just wanted to give a little advice about using a stretch wrap.  The number one mistake I see people make with a stretch wrap is not tying it tight enough.

These wraps are stretchy and some are SUPER stretchy.  So it's important that you tie it pretty tightly before you put your little one in it.  Just how tight you need to tie it though depends on the specific wrap you are using and how big your baby is.  If you are going to put a 3 month old in it, then it will need to have a little more room then when you are wrapping a tiny 2 week old.  Also, you need to cross the straps a little lower in front of your body if you have a taller baby that you need to sit lower on your body.

Signs you may not be wrapping tight enough can be if your baby ends up way lower than when you first put them in, their butt keeps popping out the bottom of the middle panel of fabric, their head is below your chest or you cannot easily kiss the top of their head.  So when using a stretchy wrap, experiment a bit to see how tight you need it.  It take a bit of getting used to, but you'll be much happier when your little one isn't dangling down around your belly button!

For easy on-line instructions on how to use a stretch wrap, check out the Moby website.

Fun with Balloon Balls!

If you haven't seen these before, you have to!  These Balloon Balls by Hoppediz are so much fun!  My kids love bouncing on theirs, but they are a fun ball to play with and you don't have to worry about the balloon popping.

Balloon Balls are a simple cover made out of Hoppediz wrap fabric that you put a balloon inside and inflate.  What you get is a super durable, portable, bouncy ball!  We keep one in our diaper bag so we have something to play with at the park or where ever we might need something to do.  The best part is that if you twist the end of the balloon instead of putting a knot in it, then you can just untwist it when you're done, deflate it, and stick it back in your bag for next time!  We have had ours inflated for months in the house and they never lost air, even while being sat on, while twisted closed and not knotted!

Currently available in a 3 pack and 5 pack, each Balloon Ball comes with two balloons.  Simply insert the balloon into the slit and blow it up while inside the cover.  These are a great, unique toy and make really great gifts!

Accidents happen

It's one of our worst nightmares, falling while wearing our little one.  I just read a story about a mom that unfortunately fell and her baby suffered broken bones.  But posted along with that story were a ton of stories about other moms that fell while wearing their babies and their babies were not only fine, but had probably been safer because they were in a carrier and not being held in their arms.

Having fallen while holding someone else's baby, it is extremely frightening.  Every part of you tenses and tries to protect that baby no matter what.  The only though going through my head when I fell was please don't let me drop this baby.  Luckily, I was able to hold on firmly with one arm while using my other hand to brake our fall and by some miracle, I was able to hold on to the baby.  But I firmly believe that baby would have been much safer I had been wearing them.

Why am I so sure?  First, the obvious, like a seat belt, the baby carrier would have made it practically impossible to drop the baby.  Like in a car crash, when you fall, the baby falls too.  When you stop falling, the baby keeps falling making the baby exert more force while being pulled away from you.  This makes a 9 lbs baby suddenly feel much heavier and it is harder to hold on to them.  While babywearing, the force would be absorbed by the baby carrier and it is not longer a question of if your arms can hold onto this little football you are carrying.

Another reason that babywearing is safer in my opinion, is that most carriers support the baby's head, especially when they are little and need the most help.  Also, babywearing allows you to have both hands free, which gives you a better chance to break your fall.  And with baby so close to your body, it is easier for you to instinctively protect them with your own body.

Now I am not saying there is no risk.  Unfortunately, accidents happen and no baby is ever completely safe, whether in a stroller, car seat, or in your arms.  The situation that allowed that mom to fall on her baby without being able to stop herself would not have been avoided if she had not been babywearing.  If she had been holding her baby when she fell, she probably would have still fallen on them anyway or dropped them, which may have been far worse.  There will always be the story of the person that got hurt by their seat belt.  But that doesn't mean they would have been safer if they hadn't worn one at all.  I feel safe babywearing my little one knowing that if I do fall, they are cradled in a baby carrier and not in these arms that feel extremely inadequate to protect something so dear to me!


I am in no way an expert on evaluating safety.  These statements are simply my opinion! ;)