Izmi Baby Wrap Review

Izmi –part of Cheeky Rascals – is a fairly new brand and primarily known for its carriers, which are created by a trained sling librarian and carrying consultant. The Izmi Baby Carrier won the MadeForMums Silver Award in 2018.

This baby wrap is Izmi’s only sling product. It’s similar in style and carrying positions to the (slightly cheaper) Ama Wrap and the similarly priced Ergobaby Aura Baby Wrap, although the Izmi version only supports weights up to 9kg versus Ama’s 15kg and Ergobaby’s 13.6kg.

Tested by:

Sophie lives in Manchester with her husband and their 5-month-old son, Jasper. They’ve been using the Izmi baby wrap around the house, and with a few dance routines from their babywearing dance class

First impressions

I was really keen to try out this product – my son was around 15 weeks old when it arrived, and I was looking forward to having some hands-free time.

I thought the wrap looked great – the mid-grey colour is subtle and stylish and the contrast purple stitching made it easy to find the ends. It also felt supersoft, whilst still being stretchy and firm.

What are carrying positions like on the Izmi baby wrap?

We used the standard front carry position, and managed to get used to it with some practice. The generous fabric did mean there was plenty of material to cover his torso, although I didn’t feel the head support was sufficient while he was a little younger and I would have liked some flexibility in adding more support.

The side carry (4 months plus with good head control) is possible whilst still tying the wrap into place in the same way, and is a reasonably comfortable way to carry older babies.

Is the Izmi baby wrap ergonomic?

Yes it is ergonomic, and it supports my son's hips - the importance of the M position is repeated in the guidance booklet included.

Does it follow the TICKS guidelines?

Yes,it was fairly straightforward to get the baby into a position that suited the TICKS guidelines.

Wear a baby sling or carrier safely - remember TICKS

How does the Izmi baby wrap feel?

Great! The brand promises the Izmi baby wrap combines the softness of a sling with the support of a structured carrier, and I found the material really did feel lovely and soft, without losing any of the stretch or support. However, while I did feel my baby was more secure in this wrap, it still wouldn’t be as comfortable or secure for me as a traditional baby carrier.

What age can the Izmi baby wrap be used for?

It can be used from newborn to 9kg, but I would suggest you’d get the most use out of this at the newborn age.

What is the sizing like?

We struggled here. I’m quite short with a petite frame, while my son is very long and on the 75^th percentile, and it took some practise to find a position that suited both our frames. To tie the wrap nice and tightly and securely meant that I was left with excess lengths of fabric that I had to double up around my waist which then got confused with the bottom piece I needed to pull over my son’s torso and made it a little uncomfortable to wear.

Izmi says it supports babies up to 9kg and does offer guidance for larger and smaller parents, but in practise I’d say we were close to outgrowing this already.

How easy is the Izmi baby wrap to put on and take off?

I did find it hard to put on given the excess length and I did have to watch a couple of YouTube videos on top of reading the instructions to ensure I was getting it right. It’s easy enough to get baby out and to remove just by undoing the steps you took when putting it on.

Izmi suggests the wrap can be worn comfortably all day in-between carrying sessions, but I found it really got in the way and because the breastfeeding position didn’t suit us, I had to take it off and put it back on every time he needed to feed.

Can you put it on and take it off by yourself?

Yes, although I’d really suggest taking this to your local sling meet to get expert guidance on wearing it correctly.

What are the shoulder straps like?

The fabric spreads well across the shoulders and felt comfortable and secure.

Is it easy to put your baby/child into the Izmi baby wrap?

It is easy, but it took some practise and watching You Tube videos to get the hang of it. I couldn’t leave it on between sessions.

Is it comfy for your baby/child?

Given the positioning based on his height/weight versus my frame, he was only comfortable for a few minutes at a time and this quickly became an impractical carrying option for us.

How portable is the Izmi baby wrap?

Very. The wrap is essentially one long length of material, so it’s very easy to fold up and transport.

Can you breastfeed while using the carrier?

Yes, there’s also a non-carrying position to support breastfeeding, again from the same initial tying position, but my son cried whenever I tried this one!

Does it feel durable?

For a material wrap, it does seem fairly hardwearing thanks to the bamboo material.

Is the Izmi baby wrap easy to clean?

It’s super easy to clean, I just popped it in the wash with my normal load.

What else do you like about the Izmi baby wrap?

The contrast stitching helps with finding the ends, and the bamboo fabric really is lovely and soft whilst still being stretchy and secure.

Is the price value for money?

At £45 it’s about standard for a wrap of this type, so reasonably good value for money. No extras are needed.

Who would the Izmi baby wrap be most useful for?

The wrap would certainly suit a parent with a newborn, although more experienced carriers might get further use out of it.

What’s in the box?

• The wrap
• An instruction manual, but I did need to seek further guidance via how to videos

MadeforMums verdict:

The wrap looks good, the bamboo fabric is soft, stretchy and supportive but it cannot handle larger weights.

Not being an experienced sling-wearer I struggled getting this into a safe yet comfortable position for us both, even after studying the supplied instructions and watching YouTube videos.

Given that my son is on the large side (almost 6kg when this arrived) and I am petite, it felt a little cumbersome to carry him at times and it’s not a product that has truly grown with him – at 22 weeks and 7.3 kg now, it’s not often practical to wear him in.

It would be suitable for parents with newborns, but isn’t wholly practical as a long-term carrier.

Read More...

• 9 of the best baby carriers
• 10 of the best baby slings
• Which carriers won the MadeForMums awards 2019?