Solly Baby

Whenever I used to pull out my Solly Baby wrap, I'd get the weirdest looks and I knew exactly what they were thinking. "What is that thing?!" I'd always respond to their looks before they even said anything out loud with, "I swear it's not that hard to put on!" Wraps can look intimidating and may sometimes seem like you're getting ready to mummify yourself, so I thought I'd show you how easy it actually is! By no means am I a baby wearing expert, so please be kind.

I first saw it on Instagram and instantly fell in love with how cozy it looked for the babies and how cute the print was. It made "momming" look so... doable? We purchased it when Cayden was 3 months old and I had no idea how important it was going to become to me. My Solly Baby wrap has been such a tremendous part of my journey through motherhood. As cheesy as that may sound. It's been there for me through some of our first trips to the grocery store, to restaurants, on walks, etc. It eased our transition into normalcy after birth and getting back into the groove of things, all with a tiny new human. I have absolutely no idea how I would've gotten anything done otherwise! It also helped with so much of my anxiety of going out in public and worrying about what to do if my baby starts crying bloody murder. Did you know that baby wearing can reduce infant crying up to 43%? Being in physical contact with your baby can also increase oxytocin levels as well which can reduce postpartum depression.

^^breaking in the solly by going out for burgers with him sleeping in it^^

My grandmother passed away last June and when I realized I had to get on a plane in literally just a few hours by myself with my 6 month old, I was internally freaking out. How am I going to do this? I was terrified. My wrap was with me. I wore him on the plane, and then I wore him to my grandmas funeral later that week. On the plane ride back, myself and another mom wearing an Ergo were rocking our babies to sleep and walking up and down the aisle and I felt such a surge of unity in that moment. We were moms just trying to do our thing. My own mother has reminded me numerous times over the years that she actually wore me when she was bringing me to America from the Philippines by herself. Amazing how things come full circle.

Although there are so many benefits to baby wearing and I like to say it was for Cayden, I'll be honest and admit I think sometimes it was more for myself and my sanity than his. And as special as it was for me this time around, I know it'll be intensified tenfold whenever we decide to have another child and I'll need extra hands to tend to both babes. Some of my friends and even my mom have carried Cayden around in it and it's really great to see. I always swear by my wrap (and baby wearing in general) and know exactly what to get my expecting mama friends, hands down!

Tips that worked for me:

Try putting it on in front of the mirror the first few times to get the hang of it
Put the wrap on before you leave the house so it's easier for you to just put them in it once you get out of the car
Nurse in the wrap if needed! No one will ever be able to differentiate between a sleeping baby or an eating one ;)
Being in contact with each other will generate a lot of body heat, and fortunately the wrap is made of lightweight material but it still replaces a layer of clothing. Make sure to dress them accordingly, and you can always put a sweater on yourself and cover them up that way!
Don't forget to keep the straps flat and untwisted so that their weight is distributed evenly
I would wear my wrap wherever I didn't feel comfortable with people touching him. There have been many times when people have come up to me in Costco but they didn't touch him because it would've been awkward to get that close to me! haha
I still wear him from time to time but now that he's getting heavier and squirmier, it's getting uncomfortable to wear him for longer than 30 minutes. The wraps are said to be good for the first year/up to 25 pounds :)
You can keep them on through airport security so it gives you both arms to do whatever you need to do
Since bulky jackets are a no no in the car seat, the wrap makes for a great blanket to place on top of them after they're strapped in