Joy and Joe baby wrap carriers - product review (inc. videos)

There's nothing quite like cuddling your newborn baby. In fact, I've spent hours cuddling my little one close after a feed or before putting him down to sleep. As wonderful as the feeling is, it means I rarely get very much done at all during the day besides cuddles. Of course I want to enjoy every moment as he's already growing up too fast for my liking (he's two months old now and no longer quite as teeny tiny) but I also need to get myself into gear and start more of a routine to keep on top of laundry, washing up and other more fun things too, especially now he's older and we know each other a lot better.

A month ago, I was at a village festival and saw a woman carrying a baby in what looked like a complicated and intricately wrapped cocoon of fabric and thought how snug baby looked and how convenient it must be to cuddle AND have use of not one but TWO hands. Amazing!

Inspired, I started researching baby wraps and slings and that's when I came across Joy and Joe, a company founded by A.Osundeko and named after her two children, specialising in super comfy baby carriers. 

Made from 100% cotton, their baby wraps come in over 100 different colours and patterns, are one size fits all and are suitable from birth up to 35lbs. Prices start from £19.99 for the Plain J collection which is very reasonable if you ask me.

I was lucky enough to be sent one of their stretchy baby wraps to test and was excited to unwrap the bundle of fabric. The wrap I have is a light yellow colour and is very lightweight, perfect for the summer months we are hopefully now enjoying (please sun, stay with us more than a couple of days!). I read through the instruction booklet I had been sent before unravelling the yellow wrap. At first, I was a little daunted by the pages of safety advice and 'how to' pictures and written instructions - it all seemed complicated and I was sure I would tie myself in knots. 

However, I needn't have worried as within a few minutes, the long length of fabric in hand, I deciphered the instructions and wrapped the carrier correctly first time, ready for my special passenger to take his seat. What is more, the website, www.joyandjoebaby.com, features helpful videos that show real people using the product - something which I hope my above video guide and review also does. However, please refer to the official instructions provided with the wrap before trying this yourself, just to be on the safe side!

After practicing at home first, we decided to take the wrap out for a proper test drive during a family day out to the park. I was looking forward to wearing the wrap as it meant I could keep Ethan close to me after a feed when he is usually hard to settle plus it would provide a convenient way for me to cover up in the sun whilst staying cool and the colour was a flattering shade and perfectly suited the weather.

So, what did we think? This wrap was easy to use and I very quickly got the hand of putting it on and placing little man inside without much difficulty at all. After only trying this at home a couple of times with the instructional diagrams to hand, I managed to put this on at the park without any assistance needed and within just a minute or so. Great!

With baby boy in place, I felt very comfortable and I'm sure he did too, if his gentle snoring sounds were anything to go by! I didn't feel any strain and his weight was well distributed between my shoulders and my back, thanks to the way the wrap is positioned around your body. It didn't feel tight to wear but at the same time, I felt confident he was safe and secure. In addition, the cotton fabric meant it was cool to wear even in the 30 degree heat.

I wore the wrap throughout our two hour visit to the park, including picnic, and Ethan seemed very happy the whole time, sleeping through the sun. It was so nice having him so close to me and it was convenient as I felt I had some freedom too. I have been missing my bump since he was born and this wrap gave me a very similar feeling of reassurance and pride when other people saw us together.

Overall, this stretchy wrap is such a simple yet practical and comforting idea. At first it seems like a very complex design that requires a lot of understanding before trying but honestly, once you've read the leaflet and given it a go, it couldn't be simpler. Joy and Joe promised that this stretchy wrap would be easy to use and would provide a convenient and comforting way to carry my baby and it really has done just that. Its a really attractive alternative to those carriers with belts and buckles and I'll certainly be ordering another colour soon for variety as I want to wear my baby with comfort and pride.

Happy boy

* Note: I was provided with a stretchy baby wrap by Joy and Joe free of charge for the purposes of this review. However all opinions are my own and I would happily and honestly recommend this to anyone looking for a quality baby wrap.