The Best Baby Wraps

Note: There is no one universal “best,” especially when it comes to parenting. These are “The Best Baby Wraps” based on Also Mom's strict criteria, detailed here.

What’s better than a soft snuggly wrap for your soft snuggly babe? (Answer: Very few things.) In addition to the pure cozy factor of physically securing your babe to your bod, babywearing reduces infant fussing and crying by a whopping 43%. That’s a lot fewer crocodile tears. From soft structured carriers to slings to wraps, there are lots of ways to wear a baby. Amongst all the options, soft stretchy wraps are the coziest and cuddliest option for newborns and young babies.

These are our favorite baby wraps, but just FYI, Solly Baby Wraps are our absolute favorite by a long shot.

Solly Baby Wrap ($65 – $80) – Made of lightweight fabric with just the right amount of stretch, the Solly Baby Wrap is absolutely perfect for baby's first year. Unlike other wraps, it holds baby in close without drooping, it doesn't get too hot, and it comes in a wide variety of on-trend colors and patterns that work with a chic, modern mama aesthetic. Solly also recently got clever and shortened their wrap by a lot, meaning less fabric to get tangled and accidentally dropped on the floor while still being plenty long to get the job done. [full review]
Happy Baby Wrap ($44 – $55) – Similar to Solly Baby Wraps in fabric softness, but not quite as stretchy (and therefore a bit more difficult to get a super snug, comfy fit), Happy Baby Wraps are a slightly less expensive wrap alternative. Their patterns and colors are more limited, and in our opinion, a little less on-trend, but if you find a color you like, you could save a few bucks.
Beluga Baby Wrap ($64.95) – This Canadian brand is very similar to Happy Baby Wraps in all ways, including the more limited and less on-trend pattern and color selection. The functionality, however, is perfectly acceptable as an alternative to Solly Baby.
Lillebaby Wrap ($49.99) – Made from similar fabric as the Solly Baby Wrap and with similar stretch and softness, the Lillebaby Wrap has one cool feature worth noting– a neck support pocket for cradling newborn heads. Unfortunately, color options are limited and not our favorite, though you can find some decent neutrals if you catch them in the right season.
Ergobaby Wrap ($50) – Another acceptable option that is soft but not quite as stretchy as Solly Baby wraps, this wrap will do you fine, but is only available in limited colors and patterns.

What Makes a Great Baby Wrap?

To us, a great baby wrap is…

Beautiful
Soft and snuggly
Not too hot

What Didn't Make the Cut

These are some popular wraps we do not recommend:

Moby Wrap ($44.95) -This wrap is thicker than those listed above and tends to trap heat (which could be a bonus in wintertime but is a definite no go in warmer climates.) Most problematically, due to the thick, not-stretchy-enough fabric, it is more difficult (though certainly not impossible) to get baby into a snug fit with this wrap.
Baby K’tan ($49.99) – Although some people love that the Baby K’tan is significantly easier to put on than other wraps (no tying!), I'm not a huge fan. Babies tend to sag low in this wrap, which is uncomfortable for everyone involved.