Top tips for Back-carrying

I’m Kia, a trained babywearing consultant and mum to five. I have carried three of my children (am still carrying two of them) and I’ve put together my top tips for back carrying.

I didn’t learn to back carry until my third child was 6 months old. Once I did, it was a total game changer but still took me some time to master. I then went on to carry two children on my back from birth, and it was incredible. But please don’t worry if it takes you a little time to learn.

Top tips for 6 months and over:

• Practice – this sounds a little obvious but ask yourself, when did you ever master a new skill on the first try? Babywearing is a skill, and learning to do it on your back is an advancement of that skill. So it may take a little practice until you find what works for you.
• Use a mirror – or a window reflection, or a car door. Use any reflection you can to see what you are doing behind you. You may prefer to practice over a bed or sofa just for peace of mind.
• Try something else – there are multiple ways to get your child on your back and these can vary depending on the age of your child. Seeing a consultant or visiting a library will be a really useful way of exploring those methods and finding one that works for you. You can book me online or pop into our store – The PoD – and I’ll help you discover your method.
• Waistband higher – when you first started carrying on your front, it may have been with a younger child than yours is now. You may not recall but you will have had the waistband higher to begin with and gradually moved it down as your child grew. This mostly would have been to prevent being headbutted in the nose! When you back carry, your child will want to see a little over your shoulder and it’ll be more comfortable for you. Bring your waistband high up again, right under bust, and each time you carry, you will naturally adjust it lower until you find a comfortable position.

  If you are carrying an infant under the age of 6 months:

• See a consultant – I know, it’s an extra cost and of course I would suggest it, I am one. But really, we are worth every penny. Carrying a newborn/under 6 months old on your back brings in extra safety considerations. Whilst social media will tell you to *only* use a woven wrap, there is actually a unique hybrid stretchy wrap that can be used too. There are tips and tricks we practice, that just can’t be fully explained on youtube. You can book me here to teach you how to carry on your back – unfortunately this is something I will only teach face to face due to the safety considerations, and so if you aren’t local to Derby, I would encourage you to find your local consultant here.