One of my favorite must-have baby accessories for infants and small babies is the baby wrap. It’s a bit of an obsession finding the perfect wrap or soft-structure carrier to wear your baby in, especially with so many options. Not only is babywearing the perfect way to get in those extra snuggles—especially when your child is feeling particularly clingy, but it also leaves your hands free for anything else you might need to do. Even my husband is obsessed with wearing our baby and always offers when we’re out and about. For this reason, I was especially excited to try out the Lollie Wrap.
The Lollie Wrap is a hybrid stretch wrap baby carrier with a patent-pending design. The company advertises that it allows for the comfort and closeness of stretch wrapping, but with the ease of being able to be slipped on and tied. It also provides moisture wicking support with one size fitting most. They currently have two colors available—a pretty and neutral “Gray Arrows,” as well as a slightly brighter “Ice Mint Quadrefoil.” I decided to go with the bright mint because the color seemed fun and appropriate for spring.
The advantages
My first impression was a good one. The wrap arrived promptly with both a paper and DVD set of instructions, as well as a personal note from the creator herself, letting me know she was available for any questions. Eager to try it out, I found that I didn’t even need to watch the DVD, since the written instructions were so clear and precise. I absolutely love the addition of the DVD for the parent who needs that extra help.
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The fabric itself was very pretty and seemed to be both sturdy and comfortable. I was thrilled at the wrap’s moisture-wicking capabilities, especially as summer approaches.
Putting my baby into the wrap wasn’t the easiest, but once he was in it, both he and I were comfortable and felt secure. It was wonderful being able to clean up the kitchen and fold laundry, while still being able to get my son the attention he wanted.
At $70, this wrap is affordable as well, especially in a market where baby carriers can run up to $200.
The drawbacks
I did find myself disappointed that both the back of the main piece of fabric and the “seat belt” support wrap were made of a stark white material, instead of the pretty printed fabric. It seemed a shame to have to cover up a good portion of the colorful print with the plain white fabric and the back ended up looking a bit like a bra peeking out.
The shape of the Lollie wrap and the fact that part of it is already sewn into place also reminds me a lot of the Baby K’tan. However, the Lollie wrap has more fabric, making it difficult to put it on while holding a baby in one hand. I decided to get a second opinion and had another baby-wrap-loving friend try it on with her four-month-old. My friend wears a few sizes bigger than me, usually size 8 and up. We discovered that while the Lollie Wrap is supposed to fit most sizes*, she could barely squeeze into it—and she’s not anywhere near plus-sized. Once she got the wrap tied on and her baby in, the tails of the wrap were too short for her to tie properly and the seat belt piece wasn’t long enough either.
** Update: After speaking with Jessica, the owner of Little Bug Creations and creator of the Lollie Wrap, I’m embarrassed to realize that my friend and I were actually tying the wrap wrong! Unlike many traditional wraps, the Lollie Wrap is not and should not be tied behind the waist. By bringing the fabric passes to the front of the wearer and tying it, the back piece is then engaged, making it supportive, and making it easier to put the baby in it as well, and it also leaves enough length for tail – making it perfect for users of all sizes!
The bottom line
I love that there are so many varieties of wraps available and I was delighted to try the Lollie. I think this would make a good entry point for the novice baby wearer. I loved the moisture-wicking on this wrap and the beautiful fabric, but I’d like to see additional, larger sizes available. It does look like this design is fairly new, so I’ll be interested to see how it changes as the company grows.