How NOT to wear your baby

Babies usually like to look at “the world” and often some parents wear their babies in a wrap in the position below (with the legs hanging down straight).

Note: In the photos below I am already 7.5 months pregnant and my Vasilis weighs 17 kilos! I hope, however, that you can see the points that make the difference between correct and incorrect positioning.

This position is WRONG for many reasons:

1. The fabric under the child’s bottom cannot be spread out in such a way that we achieve the correct position: legs open and knees high. The legs necessarily hang down. Essentially the baby hangs from the crotch while all the weight falls on the lower part of the child’s spine.

2. The child’s lower back is not supported correctly. There is a risk that it curves inward (somewhat like lordosis) and presses against your chest or your belly. As a baby’s spine has not yet developed the 4 curves that an adult’s spine has, we normally want the baby’s back in a natural, slightly rounded position, which is not achieved here.

3. The baby sits on the lowest part of their torso, resulting in pressure on the genitals (for baby boys).

4. The baby faces forward (outward) BY NECESSITY. If they want to avoid the many stimuli (or to fall asleep) they have no way to do so. This can be very tiring, especially for very young babies.

5. As the center of gravity is no longer in the right spot (the baby is not like “one body” with yours, but “hangs” in front of it), this position is not very comfortable (especially with big babies) and may also bother your own lower back!

read more: Correct leg position for the baby’s hips

If you want to wear your child in a way that lets them face forward, you can try one of the following alternatives:

1. The Buddha position (suitable for babies who support their own head) with a wrap, in which the baby’s legs are inside the wrap.

2. The high back carry position (suitable for babies who support their own head) with a wrap, from which the baby will be able to see over your shoulder.

3. The Buddha position (suitable for babies who support their own head) with a mei tai, in which the baby’s legs are inside or outside the mei tai.

4. Finally, you can wear your baby with the double cross carry in a way that lets them face outward, but you will need to make sure that their knees are higher than their bottom, by spreading the horizontal part of your wrap well under the baby’s bottom.

As you can see in these photos, the knees are high and the legs are open, the back is slightly rounded and the baby’s weight rests against the mum’s chest (not in front).

back to: Instructions with wrap