Another Moby Wrap Intervention Brought to You by Mama Seoul

Yesterday, I ran into a mom of three who was trying to help her older child with his homework, keep a toddler from jumping off the stairs and other destruction and calm a fussy newborn baby. She was holding him, but he was still fussing. Unable to concentrate on helping her older son, she set the baby down in his carseat carrier. She was very frustrated and so was the baby. Since Ian was occupied and Eva was sleeping I offered to hold the baby. The mom said,"That would be really nice, but he is hard to soothe."

I picked him up and wrapped my sweater tightly around him, like he would be held if I had my wrap, and he calmed instantly. I held him for about 15 minutes before Eva woke up. The mom was amazed and a little embarrassed. She said,"You calmed him and I couldn't. I should have been able to do it."

And then, of course, I told her about Moby,"It's not magic, it's Moby."

I'm no "baby whisperer", but the right carrier can really help a fussy baby. Unfortunately, my own wrap is out on loan, but I sent her the contact information for Moby Wrap Korea. It is amazing how a good baby carrier will change your life for the better.

Coincidently, Eva was wearing her Moby hat yesterday (with a very cute knit outfit that was given to me by my friend Katy). Moby has hats, blankets and Baby Legs to match your Moby. Korea only has the hats and blankets right now, but perhaps the Baby Legs will come soon.

Moby Modeling at the Coex Baby Fair 2009

Let me just say that I am converted! After unsatisfying attempts to use ring slings and pouches (often touted as the easiest most basic of carriers), I went straight to the soft-structured carriers (Ergo and Beco which I love). I never tried a wrap because even though wrap-wearers are a devoted set, wraps seemed too complicated and if I couldn't handle a ring sling, how would I master a wrap?

And then I met Sarah. She preaches the gospel of Moby. She loved her wrap so much that she became the Moby Wrap distributor for Korea. When Moby Wrap Korea got a last minute spot at the Coex Baby Fair, I offered (with Eva) to be a product demonstrator. The Moby website has very good instructions and Sarah helped me when I got there. We put her in the Hug Hold Eva felt "snug as a bug in a rug" as my dad says. It felt like I was hugging her. It is very well named. She fell asleep immediately. I walked around both levels of the Fair, armed with brochures. Several people pointed and stared at me. I handed them brochures and said "Moby, 3rd floor by Sony". I went about walking around the fair with Eva in the Moby and pushing my stuff in the stroller, remembering too late why I hate to use a stroller. After making the full circuit, I went back to check in with Sarah.

The demonstrator toddler was cranky, so after Eva had a snack, she jumped into the roll of demonstrator baby. Eva is a great product demonstrator because she really responds when people smile at her and she loved the Moby. Cute baby plus honest enjoyment of the product = very good marketing. Eva nursed well in the Moby (Hug Hold) and I think her nursing sold a grandmother who was on the fence. As soon as she saw Eva nursing, she smiled and gestured about nursing and then bought one! In addition to Hug Hold, I tried Lotus Hold(forward facing) and Cradle Hold. Eva is a little big for Cradle Hold, but we did it to show a perspective buyer. There is also Hike Hold (back carry) and Hip Hold.

The Moby Wrap has several variations: Moby Wrap, Moby UV, Moby D (has woven or silk center panel), Moby Select(Organic).

We got the Moby D Jade Silk Panel on Chocolate, though I am thinking the Pink Silk Panel on Black would be better for fall...

Some interesting notes on what the Koreans liked: natural (regular and organic), lilac, chocolate, eggplant (organic). The silks did really well, also. When they were told that chocolate was the #1 seller, they really liked that.

The advantages of the Moby over many other carriers:

*Adjustability: You can customize the wrap to a wide range of body types. Soft-structured carriers can handle height and width differences, but Moby has a real advantage for the well-endowed. You can also customize for very small babies, even premies, up to 35 lbs toddlers. You can also hold twins.

*Comfort for You and Baby: The fabric is soft, yet supportive and the carries use both shoulders which I find to be much more comfortable than one-shouldered carriers. Over the course of the 5 hours I wore the Moby (at the fair and the way home), I didn't feel anything in my shoulders (it was heaven on the shoulders). I did start to feel a little twinge in my back towards the end, but Sarah spread out the fabric and fixed that. Eva had no complaints.

*Compact: The Moby comes with a small matching bag where you can store your Moby and then put it in a diaper bag. You could also just fold it up or roll it up as well. I'm not one to put my carrier away while I'm out and about. I usually leave it on while I am driving so I can put the baby back in quicker when I reach my destination. Once you tie on the Moby, it looks kind of like a t-shirt. You don't have to take it off to get the baby out. So if you prefer to leave it on, it will save you time and be neat.

*Multi-Purpose: You can use it as a blanket or changing mat. Korea seems to either have elaborate nursing/changing rooms or nothing. Someone really ought to start selling those restroom pull-down diaper change things here. It is nice to have something to provide a barrier for diaper changes.

The main drawback to the Moby is the learning curve to use it, but it is not insurmountable. You need to remember how to put it on and to make the adjustments properly. However, I think this will be easier than I previously thought. After just looking at the instructions and having Sarah help me today, I am sure that I can get to be as quick and Sarah and her business partners are about putting them on and taking them off without too much effort.

I think the Moby Wrap is the best carrier for newborns. With Ian, I tried to use a ring sling, but it never felt secure and I couldn't get Ian comfortable, plus it is on one-shoulder. I had the Baby Bjorn, but I found it hard to get him in and out and it really hurts your back and shoulders, even with very small, very young babies. I made a pouch, but I am not a very good seamstress and don;t think I got the measurements quite right. I got the Ergo and Beco when Ian was almost 5 months old and they were perfect right out of the box. No learning curve, just awesome security, ease of use and comfort for Ian. However, when I tried to use the Ergo and Beco (I have the 4th Generation, the new Butterfly II has a built-in infant insert, but I haven't tried it) with Eva as a newborn, I found the infant insert to be bulky and awkward. I received a beautiful light blue silk adjustable Momma's Milk pouch as a gift, so that is what I used with Eva for the first few months. The adjustability ensured a good fit for me, but my husband could not wear it. Also, pouches are one-shouldered carriers so you do feel the strain on your working shoulder a lot quicker than 2 shouldered carriers. Even at 5 months, it was very comfortable to wear Eva. I wish I would have had the Moby from the beginning with her. Sarah still uses it quite a bit with her toddler. I will have to update this review after a few months of use.

Here is my Eva with Sarah. They look so cute together!


The Moby Booth is against the back wall on the 3rd floor near the Sony booth. The Baby Fair runs through Sunday. Go here to pre-register so you can get into the Baby Fair free. Go to the desk for Foreigners and Press and tell them you pre-registered online.

Moby Wrap Korea Launches

Mommy Cha loved her Moby wrap so much that she brought Moby to Korea. The website is in Korean. The front page has English, but when you click on the links, all the relevant information is in Korean. They just launched so they may be working on an English version of the site later, but if you want to buy, now, you may need someone that reads Korean to help you.

If you want to see the Moby Wrap in person, Moby Wrap Korea got a last minute booth-entry in to the Coex Baby Fair (August 20-29, 2009).

The great thing about Moby Wrap Korea is that Sarah really knows how to use the wrap and can help you learn to use it well. In the babywearing circles, I've found that wrap lovers are diehards. They REALLY, REALLY love wraps. Everyone who loves them says they are so easy to use, but my eyes just glazed over when looking at the instructions. Since I had trouble getting my baby positioned in a ring sling and had no experienced babywearers around me, I went a soft-structured carrier.

However, at Moby Wrap Korea, they even have Moby Wrap Meetups where parents and babies get together for fun activities so you could get hands-on help. Once you learn how to use the wrap it becomes second nature. It still takes longer to put on and off than a soft structured carriers, but it folds up small and adjusts well to all kinds of body types.