Storchenwiege Wraps

Looking for a stylish way to carry your child? A wrap is the perfect choice for you. Wraps come in all sizes and styles. The most common types of wraps found are stretchy wraps (cotton jersey, like a t-shirt), and while these wraps are perfect for newborns and come highly recommended for beginner wrappers, they are often outgrown by the time your child hits 25 pounds.

A woven wrap is a much better solution to a wrap carrier. Woven wraps are made from woven materials with a small amount of give or bounce, but much less stretch than a stretchy wrap, meaning they are very supportive. Unlike stretchy wraps, woven wraps come in many different styles and sizes. Woven wraps are just as easy to use as a stretchy style wrap, yet woven wraps are a lot more sturdy and can be used a lot longer. Woven wraps are also more versatile; you can use them for the full range of wraparound carries, on your front, back, or even hip.

One brand of woven wraps is that of Storchenwiege or Storch. Storchenwiege is a German made wrap. These wraps come in a variety of lengths and patterns. All are 100% cotton and free from chemicals or residue in the fabric. They are a medium width and are generally considered the most supportive of wraps. There are relatively few color choices though, which can be sort of depressing for those who like a lot of choices. There are several stripe patterns and then there are two-tone jacquards with a subtle diamond pattern. These are called the Leos--Leo Natural, for example, is natural and brown. There is red, marine (dark blue), turquoise.

I was over whelmed when choosing a wrap for myself. The hardest part of choosing a wrap was that of the size. With a stretchy wrap, the wrap came in a standard size. I did not have to choose a size that would be suit me. With a Storchenwiege wrap, there was five different sizes to choose from. Worst of all the sizes were done in meters and not a US system that I was use to. I had to do some research into what size would work best for my body type. I searched the Storchenwiege website and while the sizing chart there seemed to help me out a bit, I still wanted more feedback on what size wrap to get. I joined an amazing online babywearing forum called thebabywearer.com and asked a few experienced wrappers what was the best size for me. After much research I settled on a 4.60 m wrap for myself in a pretty yellowed stripped color called Vicky.

I was very shocked at first on the price of a woven wrap. Stretchy wraps normally cost under $60, yet good woven wraps can cost in the hundreds. Even with used wraps I was looking at a price around $70 or more! Yet, the experienced wrappers from the babywearing board assured me that they were worth every penny.

When I first got my wrap I was shocked at how much fabric there actually was. The fabric was so gorgeous though. And I loved the bright colors.

The wrap was very stiff at first and wasn't at all soft or that easy to use. It took quite awhile for the wrap to get soft and floppy enough for me to do all the carries I had planned for it. Yet after some breaking in, the wrap is much softer and finer than my friends more expensive Didymo wrap. To tell you the truth, the fabric is extremely soft and pliable, and I consider it to be superior to the didymos, but this is just my humble opinion!

I was glad I chose the 4.60 m size. I can do every carry comfortably and my wrap does not have tons of fabric left. I am even wearing it now while I am pregnant without any issues and still able to do most carries. It can be used for not only for my one year old, yet also my four year old! It is so comfortable I am often forgetting I have it on. It truly supports my child's weight equally over my shoulders and back causing me not effort or pain! I often stop to think what life would be like without it. My wrap has saved me hours of my precious time. No longer am I stopping from doing chores to comfort a crying child. I just strap them on back baby or front and continue with my chores.

If I had to say there's anything somewhat inconvenient about the Storch, it would be that it's somewhat confusing at first (if you're new to wraps) and the instruction book that comes along with your new wrap isn't the best. It doesn't include very many carries...in fact, the carries I like best aren't even in the book! I started out with the Kangaroo carry (from the instruction book) and it was very frustrating. I got so angry while trying to figure out the carry using the handbook, I actually just threw the book away and searched online for better instructions. Youtube and thebabywearer.com became seriously my savoir in learning new wrapping holds.

After extended use of my Storchenwiege wrap, I am still impressed by the quality of these wraps, they look like they would last for dozens of children! My wrap still looks brand new. As for comfort, I cannot rave enough about how supportive and cushiony the wrap is. Yes, the wrap cost me a pretty penny, yet these amazing wraps are an excellent investment and I would highly recommend them to anybody! If you buy one, you will not be disappointed, as soon as you see it you will know what the fuss is all about.

Overall, Storchenwiege wraps are a must have for babywearing families. These strong woven wraps are made to last. They are perfect from birth to preschool and come in various sizes and colors so there is a perfect wrap for everyone! I give them 5 stars!