Originally published on "Stop Me If You've Heard This One"by Justine LoMonaco.

When you have a baby, you quickly realize that despite being an average of 7-8 pounds, the little darlings take a lot of stuff.

If you’ve read this blog for a while (or stumbled across any of my MANY “lists of things to organize and clean”), then you have probably gathered that I am not a fan of superfluous stuff. In fact, I spend a great deal of time and energy trying to remove as much unnecessary clutter from my life as possible.

So I viewed the whole “babies take a lot of stuff” mantra as more of a challenge than anything and set out trying to be as efficient with my purchases and baby registries as possible.

Did some stuff still make it into our apartment? Of course. (I’m only human.) But, for the most part, I’m pretty sure everything we have will be used if it hasn’t been already. And as a result, I’ve learned to really appreciate any baby item that can either solve multiple problems (like my swing/baby seat that allows me to put the baby somewhere safe and soothing while I get dressed in the morning AND keeps her entertained with multiple swing settings and a built-in white noise machine) or is a product that I know I will get tons and tons of use out of. Something that fits that description? My Beluga Baby Wrap.

My friend Haley started Beluga Baby when she had her (adorable) daughter, Sawyer. Haley wanted a business she could run from home while raising her newborn (I know, she’s basically Super Woman), selling a product that moms really need and would really use. Haley came up with the concept of her wrap because she loved the idea of baby wearing but wasn’t able to find a wrap that had everything she wanted. The other brands she tried were either too thick and hot or didn’t have the right amount of stretch to be comfortable for both mom and babe. After deciding to just make her own, she also knew she wanted to make it a sustainable product that was good for everyone, including the environment. That’s when she discovered the sustainable bamboo cotton blend that all Beluga Baby products are made from, as well as a supplier local to her Vancouver home. 

I had secretly been stalking Haley’s company for months (I love a gal with the gumption to start her own company!), so I was thrilled when she offered me a wrap to review in exchange for being a brand ambassador.

The first thing I noticed when it arrived is that this thing is so. Dang. Soft. I wanted to wrap myself in it. (Haley, business idea: Bamboo cotton onesies for grown-ups. Think about it. ;)) I couldn’t wait for my little girl to arrive so I could start wearing her around.

From the first time we used it, I was impressed. This thing must be some kind of magic because — and I swear I’m not exaggerating — within minutes of getting situated in the wrap, Vivian always falls fast asleep. Every time! Regardless of how fussy or cranky she was previously, there’s something about being snuggled against me and hearing my heartbeat again that must remind her of the womb because she can’t resist curling up and taking an instant nap. I’ve worn her around Astoria during rush hour, and not even honking cars, loud music, or screaming pedestrians could disturb her slumber.

Plus? She looks pretty stinking cute in it.

I’ve started wearing Vivi when I need to get work done on the computer and she’s feeling particularly needy, as well as whenever I need to run a quick errand in town. I was a pretty colicky baby, so if Vivi is too, I’m sure this wrap will be incredibly helpful in being able to get things done while simultaneously soothing a fussy baby.

Case in point: It took about 45 minutes of running around my block to take all these pictures, and Vivian slept the entire time. Didn’t even make a peep. My photographer/sister even commented that her newborn shoots rarely went this smoothly. Gotta love that.

Basically, this wrap is super comfortable for me and my baby AND is something I will use over and over again. (Plus, it folds up into a tiny little square, meaning this is one bit of baby stuff that hardly takes up any space.) And for me, that’s a win in the war against unnecessary baby stuff.

{All photos by Figment Art & Photo Co.}