Baby Carrier Review: Bijou Wear Aegean Waves

Cushy on the shoulders. Dry in hand. Rhythmic texture. 

[Image of a tan skin Asian woman with long brown hair wearing Toddler McClingy on her hip in an ecru and varigated green wave patterned woven wrap carrier while holding a dipped rim lavender glazed mug with a medallion featuring text “wear babies” around a threaded B. The poppins hip carry shows up both sides of the wrap. Mama has on a striped and floral navy t-shirt. Mama’s chin rests on top of Toddler McClingy’s head. Dim cloudy morning lighting from the window.]

"Aegean Waves" is pretty awesome as a toddler carrier. It's got that support and grip I look for in wrangling and holding passes in place quickly. It's got that hold in a lark's head knot (aka "slip knot" in babywearing jargon) that allows for the initial adjusting and then doesn't move at all once tightened. Not sure how it compares to brand new since we acquired it secondhand but it's lovely broken in and only get more smooshy with use! 

[Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair in a messy pony tail wearing a toddler on her hip in a variegated green and ecru wave patterned woven wrap that's knotted at one shoulder in a single layer carry referred to as a "Traditional Sling Carry." Toddler has a tired expression with a dot of purple marker. Mama’s resting her tired face on Toddler.]

We love this wrap in a base minus two. It has flexibility for those quick ups (and downs) and comfortable single layer carries. Being densely woven, it isn't the most breathable for hot and humid but honestly where we are, we only get the opportunity to bask in hot and humid for a couple months out of the year. If you have hot and humid for most of the year and/or run hot, I might recommend something thinner. That being said, the cush and support is excellent and hard to find in thinner options so you weigh your own pros and cons! 

[Four image collage of a smiling tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair up, wearing a fleece-donned toddler on her back in a green and ecru wave patterned woven wrap carrier in a no shoulder carry. They're in front of a cream wall. Top left image is from the front with the toddler leeeeeeaning and secure. Top right image is from smile through torso and toddler is touching her toes. Bottom left image is from the back, both mom and toddler look to the right. Bottom right image is from the side and toddler is hugging mama and mama is looking back at toddler.]

Stats:

• Carrier: Bijou Wear Aegean Waves
• Material: low percentage Eco2cotton/cotton (aka "low Eco2")
• Length: size 3 (approximately 3.48 meters, a long size 3), base minus 2 here
• Width: approximately 70 centimeters
• Density: approximately 345 grams per square meter
• Wearees:
• toddler (approximately 25 pounds/11.3 kilograms)
• child (approximately 35 pounds/16 kilograms)

[Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair up, smiling at the toddler worn on her hip in a green and ecru wave patterned woven wrap carrier, one shouldered carry with an orange ring. Mama has on a fruit patterned top. Toddler has on an orange sleeveless top over a white t-shirt. Toddler seems to be telling Mama a story. They're lit by sunshine from the side.] 

[Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair up in a messy pony tail with a hazel glazed mug to her lips as she looks sideways with her eyes at the child on her back who is leaning to the side and giving the peace sign with her fingers. Child has on purposefully mismatching socks and has a stuffed doll in hand. Woman has on a fruit-patterned top. Woman is wearing child in a  green and ecru wave patterned woven wrap carrier finished with a candy cane chest belt across the front.]

The waves pattern reminds me that the moods of children (and adults) come and go. This too shall pass. The frustrations our children feel, the frustrations we caregivers feel, won't and don't last forever. The tears shed are kissed and the smiles come around. The giggles come around. The belly-aching laughter comes around. What seems like the millionth meltdown, what seems like a case of the never-ending Monday, will end. The sun sets. The sun rises. There is tomorrow to start anew. To start fresh. The waves wash away those meltdowns. To start anew. To start fresh.

[Image from above at a variegated green and ecru wave patterned woven wrap tied in a messy knot on a woman’s chest. The tan skin woman is holding a stainless steel bowl of raw broccoli over a kitchen sink.]

Summary: Wrap It Up

Below is a summary of things that might make you go for Aegean Waves, or not. Keep in mind that the list is subjective and you may love the wrap even if you check off more than half the things for the "not for me" list below.

This may not be love at first wrap if you're looking for:

• soapiness
• lots of glide
• lighter weight
• narrower width
• smoother texture
• less dense/looser weave
• a wrap with a more obvious "right" and "wrong" side

This might be your cup of tea if you're looking for:

• dry
• texture/nubs
• smoosh and cush
• a bit of stretch/recoil
• grip but not sweating buckets grippy
• forgiving of less-than-perfect-wrap-jobs
• wearing toddlers/children-who-are-no-longer-squishes

[Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with long brown hair wearing a disgruntled toddler on her hip in an ecru and varigated green wave patterned woven wrap carrier with an orange ring in a robins hip carry. She’s holding a hazel mug with a windmill medallion and text bijou wear. They’re looking out on a cloudy morning.]