Tips for Successful Babywearing!

Pick a time when your baby is content and you are feeling relaxed and calm. Baby often senses the anxiety of the wearer. Take a deep breath and be proud you want to learn how to wear your baby!

If you find that your baby is becoming impatient while putting on your carrier, use movement to put baby at ease. Rock, sway, talk or sing to your baby. Finish your carry and go for a short walk, or bounce and sway. Movement will help your baby get accustomed to being worn.

Every person has their own learning curve to learning how to put on a Didymos Wrap, Didysling or Didytai. It may take one try or it may take several tries to click. Following the safety guidelines is essential. Otherwise, follow the basic instructions of a carry and make it comfortable for you and baby! Besides safety, there are no hard and fast rules! Be patient with yourself!

Practice! You may find it easier to practice with a doll or a bag of rice, until you are more confident in your wrapping skills. Learning how the fabric feels and flows in a carry and the process often gives new wearers the self-assurance they need. Practice just wrapping with the fabric. Get to know the fabric and how it moves and glides. Some people find it useful to practice in front of a mirror. See what you are doing and visually connect the movements is a fantastic learning tool!

Adjusting and tightening is essential for achieving a secure and comfortable carry. Ensure all slack is tightened out of your carry before tying off. When done correctly, there should be no gapping or sagging and the carry should feel snug with no pulling on your shoulders.

Spread the fabric of the carrier. When putting on your carrier, check to make sure the fabric did not twist across the back or on the front. The fabric should lay flat on each pass. Twists can produce pressure points. They may not be noticed right away, but after a while they can make a carry uncomfortable!

High & Tight! This is not only a safety guideline but also one for comfort! When baby is high and tight, you will be less likely to experience any pulling in the shoulders or back pain. Baby’s weight will be even distributed and the large muscles of your back will do much of the work. Wearing your baby should feel like an extension of your own body.

Bend the knees! With most carries, there will be bending involved. Try to bend with the knees as opposed to the waist or midback which compresses the spine and can hurt your back!

Practice Good Posture! Spine should be in neutral position with ribs above hips and pelvis. Bad posture can result in body pain whether you are wearing your baby or not. The good thing about babywearing is that it often forces us to practice good posture in any case. However, there are wearers that over extend themselves. When carrying on the front, avoid sticking out your stomach and leaning back. When carrying on the back avoid hunching over or pushing out your bum. These poor postures will cause core muscle imbalance and eventual pain in areas. Always remember neutral position!

When learning a back carry, it is recommended to have another person as a spotter and to practice over a bed or other soft surface. There is a learning curve to back carrying and it is highly recommended that you use your own judgement on your skillset and readiness and make sure baby is physically ready for back carries as well! (please see our safety article and back wearing article for more information!)

Choose a pattern and colour combination that you are most drawn to. What you like the most visually, will be a carrier you will want to wear more! Think of your carrier as an extension of your wardrobe rather than matching up to gender or other criteria that would not matter when you are choosing a shirt to wear.

Be Smart & Be Safe! Use Common sense and always follow the manufacturer instructions and safety guidelines.

Happy Wearing!