The spring is here and although I love having more sun every day, I am really not a fan of strong winds and rains that usually come with the change of seasons...
Using wraps in such weather obviously requires a bit of patience and planning. Wraps are looong and will most probably get dirty while laying on the ground during tying...so a lot of people don't feel like using them at the moment and switch to baby carriers and prams instead.
But if you don't want your woven beauties to wait in the closet until summer, here are a few tips how to make tying and carrying outside a bit less messy:
- Find a place other than the ground where you can put wrap tails while tying: think benches, big stones, stroller, the open back of your car, your partner's hands...if you just look around, there are lots of possibilities 😉
- No benches around? Stick the ends of the wrap into your jeans pockets to avoid the ends laying on the ground
- Use shorter wraps (forget fancy finishes) or even better - ring slings, which take very little space and you can easily toss them in your bag when not used
- If your need to take the baby out of the wrap and have nowhere to put your sling, tie it around your waist. You will be able to use it as a temporary hip seat when your baby wants a quick up
- If it is raining, put a big coat over you both (or use a special babywearing jacket). You can also bring a big umbrella to protect you from the rain
- Most importantly accept the fact that at some point the wrap will get dirty anyway...
The majority of wraps are machine washable, especially if they are made of cotton. Just pop it in the washing machine and you will enjoy a fresh and fluffy wrap again in a few hours (just remember to air dry it and don't use a tumble dryer because it can destroy delicate fibers).
One more reason that might convince you to use wraps even when it's wet and windy outside is that they will keep you both warmer! 😊