The only person who loves it more than me is my baby

I learned about this sling when my baby was about three months old. Until then, I used a Baby Bjorn to carry her but it was starting to get painful as she got heavier. I saw a very slim woman carrying a toddler in a Maya Wrap at a local cafe and thought she looked very comfortable considering how big her kid was and how tiny she was. Also, the fabric was beautiful and the long tail had a glamourous, bohemian vibe that appealed to me. I can imagine Stella McCartney wearing one over her cruelty-free clothes to carry her son. I only wish I had seen the Maya Wrap while I was still pregnant so my daughter could have been a sling baby from day one. I bought it in color 37, which is a stripey pattern in red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. There are several fabrics to choose from, most of which are in colorful, Central American patterns. There are some neutral options, including solid black, white and beige stripes, and undyed fabric. I chose my pattern because I thought it was attractive and would not show stains.

My favorite thing about the Maya Wrap are all the different ways to use it. The instructional dvd shows a variety of different carries, some much more useful than others (one segment shows a mom wearing two slings and nursing her twin toddler boys simultaneously - it's a study in frozen smiles). The Maya Wrap isn't as hard on your back or shoulder as a traditional front carrier because the weight distributes across your whole back. If you've been wearing it for awhile and start to feel the weight, you can adjust it or change positions. Now that my baby is older I can tie her in the sling at my side and use my hip to support her. I love this carry, because I can actually put her there and then do other things, unlike the front carrier which was too much in the way. Everybody comments on how calm and content she looks in the sling. I also get tons of compliments on the sling itself. People stop me in the street to tell me it's gorgeous. The fabric is light and soft, it shimmers in the light, and it washes beautifully in the machine.

However, I would love to buy this sling in a more discreet pattern or a neutral color. Sometimes I don't want my baby sling to be my most fabulous accessory, but with this brightly colored beauty around it's been ages since anybody noticed my shoes. If you are the mom wearing her baby in a cascade of Guatemalan fabric, you have made a statement whether you wanted to or not. Some people assume that if you are wearing one, your baby is wearing hemp diapers and won't be weaned until she starts reading chapter books. Another con is that learning how to wear the sling took some time. I had to watch the dvd a few times and practice each step without the baby before I put her in, and we both hated it the first couple times. So if you buy the Maya Wrap, be prepared to practice and don't give up if you don't like it at first.