Product Review: Dolcino wrap and moby wrap

The Dolcino woven wrap and moby wrap were items that I lucked into before I knew a ton about the world that is known as "Babywearing". It turns out that I lucked into some pretty great things, though!




First, I would like to say that babywearing is one of those things about which I feel very...oatmealy. I did not get into it out of an enthusiasm for attachment parenting...rather, I was curious. In the first few weeks of wearing, it was a matter not only of practicality but of emotional need. It helped me go through the motions I needed to go through when I was otherwise feeling either numb or incredibly, inexplicably sad. Being out with my cute baby in a snuggly, pretty wrap gave me a lot of confidence as a mother. I admit now that there were some dark, post partum depression-y days I went out of the house just to wear him around a store and have people be nice to me. Yes, I am one of those weak humans who occasionally needs positive feedback from strangers to feel good about these things...I can't do it all my damn self! :) Too much information? Oh well.

H-haaanyway...

The moby wrap that I used when Abe was a very wee lad (under 15 pounds) was borrowed from a friend. This is a great beginner wrap and great for a newborn, as long as you wrap it correctly! There are some very important safety considerations for any kind of wrap or carrier. Disclaimer: in this picture it looks like his face is covered but it's not; it's turned to the side. Just ask my husband. He'll tell you I am obnoxiously obsessed with Abe's ability to move air.

This might have been my only day outside that entire week...

Pros: Since it is stretchy, you can wrap it on yourself ahead of time and more easily pop the baby in and out. Other carries involve some awkward maneuvering for those who are new to carrying. The newborn hug hold feels very secure, with three layers of fabric covering the baby's body from different angles. This same hold is very hard to do with a woven wrap like the dolcino, though it is possible, because they don't stretch. This is a very affordable wrap compared to most of the wovens, it is widely available (Target, Babies R Us, Amazon), and it comes in some pretty cute designs as well as some very neutral and basic colors, with organic cotton options available. Very easy to wash and dry. The ends are tapered which makes it easy to tie.

Cons: Because it is stretchy, it really doesn't hold a carry well once a baby is much over 15 pounds. Depending on the type of carry (front wrap cross carry, for instance) you may find yourself tying and re-tying if you are wearing the baby for longer amounts of time to keep the carry tight and comfortable. The stretchiness also makes it unsafe to do back carries...but really, if you are using this under 15 pounds/3ish months...most people don't feel comfortable doing back carries at that point anyway, so this is kind of a moot point.

Conclusion: I love it for the newborn days and would absolutely buy one for next baby times, or buy one for a friend.


Dolcino woven wrap! I love this wrap and have a very sentimental attachment to it! I did my baby registry with Amazon, and picked this one without really knowing much about woven wraps...but it turned out to be a very good choice and I still use it quite frequently although I have two of the "nicer" wraps as far as the babywearing world goes.

I miss these snuggle times!

Pros: Made with GOTS organic cotton. This wrap comes very soft right out of the package, versus other wraps like my natibaby which required many hours of wearing to feel floppy and broken-in. I didn't know this until I received a natibaby hemp/cotton blend which was gorgeous but felt very scratchy and stiff. Dolcinos have stripes on the top and bottom of the wrap, allowing the wearer to more easily see the ends of the fabric whereas other prints and patterns might make it confusing. The colors are a lot plainer than are offered from other wrap makers, but this is a pro in my book. I call this one my "blue jeans" of wraps. Sometimes babywearing leads to stares, especially in my mehndi wrap, so if you are not quite as confident about wrapping when you're out, it's nice to have something muted. It also made it so Matt was comfortable wearing it. This is very affordable for organic cotton, and very affordable compared to most wovens out there.

This was a 1.5 hour walk, and the wrap stayed comfy with little need to adjust!

Cons: This is thinner than other wraps, so I can tell you that it holds a 22# baby very well and keeps him plenty warm if we are doing carries with multiple passes, but I can't testify to its wear over time and with a heavier baby. This only comes in two sizes whereas the woven wraps with which most babywearers are familiar come in sizes 2-7. Some find back carries easier with sizes 2-4, and even the medium of the dolcino is much longer than these. I received a large which is similar to a size 7. This size wrap has enough length for a tall gal like myself to do back carries with multiple passes and still have slack...I like that. Although, it's a bit long for the typical front cross/front wrap cross carry. As far as I know, dolcino only makes wraps in stripe patterns, so if you are looking for something gorgeous and wow-inducing, this might not be for you!