Babywearing for Dads: hope&plum's Practical, Confidence-Building Guide

At hope&plum, we believe babywearing is for everybody. We worked hard to build an inclusive brand and make inclusive carriers. We want to make sure everyone is comfortable babywearing - including dads! While many dads can’t share in pregnancy, childbirth, or nursing their babies, they can absolutely step in once baby is born. Many dads find themselves stepping up with babywearing, and some even lead the way. It’s a great parenting tool to add to a dad’s toolbelt because it helps dad and baby bonding, it empowers dads to take baby along on errands and hobbies, and it gives their partners a much needed break.

You may find yourself wanting to babywear as a dad, but maybe you’ve heard one too many rumors about babywearing that are causing you to doubt your instincts. Should you babywear? And even if you should, is it even possible? Those carriers look awfully small! Let’s look at three common myths that could be preventing dad from strapping on that carrier.

Myth #1: Babywearing is only for moms.

Fact: Babywearing is for everyone!

It’s true when they say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This time-tested adage applies to babywearing too. Dads can babywear. So can aunts, uncles, and grandparents! Babies love being close to mom, but really babies love being close to anyone. The snuggly carrier reminds newborns of the cozy womb, regardless of who that carrier is attached to. As long as baby is held snuggly and safely, they will relax into the carrier and love the one they’re with.

Myth #2: Babywearing is not masculine.

Fact: Caring for your baby is manly and mature.

Loving, secure, confident men wear babies! The most masculine thing you can do as a new father is to take care of your family. This sometimes means caring for your baby while your partner rests, showers, or takes care of themselves. Babywearing helps you do that. Plus, hope&plum offers many styles and patterns across our variety of carriers so that everyone can find something they like. 

Myth #3: Dads bodies are not compatible with baby carriers.

Fact: Babywearing is for everyBODY!

hope&plum makes inclusive carriers that fit a wide range of styles and body types. We offer at least two sizes in each type of carrier designed for different wearer’s bodies. Most dads will find a hope&plum carrier that fits and is comfortable. Breasts and hips are not carrier prerequisites. There are ways to adjust each carrier so it fits a variety of bodies. If you’re a dad with a strong upper body, that can come in handy when carrying bigger babies and toddlers. You can’t be too strong for a carrier! Plus, if you’ve tried on your own, asked your partner for help, but still can’t get comfortable, hope&plum offers free fit checks for anyone with one of our carriers. This means dads: Read our blog post for an inside look at fit checks, schedule a free fit check, and get to babywearing

hope&plum carriers are absolutely dad-friendly! We offer a variety of solid colors and designs in all of our carrier types so that everyone can find something they like. Comfort and confidence when babywearing is important - especially for dads! Our carriers are all made of natural fibers, making them durable and long-lasting - a very practical purchase. We offer video tutorials and free fit checks to make sure everyone can wear their babies successfully. Our Lark in particular is designed to be easy and intuitive to wear comfortably and safely. The Lark is a dad favorite for a reason!

Before you start babywearing, you might be worried that a carrier “designed for moms” might not fit you correctly. You’ll be happy to know that all hope&plum carriers are designed with inclusivity in mind. We don’t just design for one body; we design for everyBODY! All of our carrier types come in at least two wearer sizes to fit a variety of bodies, whether you have broad or narrow shoulders, long or short torsos, wide or narrow hips. Here’s a breakdown of a good fit for your dad bod in all of our carriers:

Like the baby wrap, you should be able to wear the ring sling by following the regular instructions without additional adjustments. Choose the ring sling length that will be comfortable and safe. We offer ring slings in three lengths: 74" (1.9m), 84" (2.1m), and 94" (2.3m). The 84” length will fit most dads through t-shirt size 3x, but if you’re big and tall, you might want to get the 94” length.

Ring Sling Fit Tip:Keep the rings between your chest and shoulder, settling under your collarbone. You should be able to reach a finger through the rings and touch your armpit and you shouldn’t have fabric riding up your neck.

If you’re triangle-shaped with a flatter chest and more narrow hips, our Larks may fit a little differently. Hold your baby or toddler to your torso. Get them to the right height so the top of their head is close enough to kiss when laying on your chest, but not in your face. Take note of where your child’s bottom is when at that height. Buckle your waistband at the same height as their bottom. Get it snug enough so it doesn’t slip down, but make sure you’re still comfortable. Both our Baby Lark and Kid Lark come in two lengths for the wearer: short and long. Our short length accommodates waists up to 45”, and our long length accommodates up to 65". If you make sure the waistband fits, you should be able to adjust the shoulder straps to get a safe and comfortable fit in the corresponding size.

Lark Fit Tip:Pull the shoulder straps down and across to buckle and to tighten.

When wearing our meh dais, dads should follow the same tip for Lark waistband placement: hold your baby or toddler to your torso. Get them to the right height so the top of their head is close enough to kiss when laying on your chest, but not in your face. Take note of where your child’s bottom is when at that height. Place your waistband at the same height as their bottom. Get it snug enough so it doesn’t slip down, but make sure you’re still comfortable. Our meh dai comes in two lengths. The short length accommodates waists up to 44” with 90" long shoulder straps. The long length accommodates waists up to 74” with 104" long shoulder straps. You should choose your length based on your waist size as the shoulder straps are very adjustable.

Meh Dai Fit Tip:Pull the shoulder straps down and across to tighten. Maintain tension on the shoulder straps until you tie off in a tight double knot.

Now you know that babywearing is for dads too AND you know how to optimize your fit in all the carriers, how do you start? Let’s look at two scenarios: 

1. You have a partner who already enjoys babywearing.

2. You will be the first babywearer in your family. 

If you already have a partner at home who babywears regularly, start by talking to them! Ask them what they like about babywearing, prompt them about their favorite carrier, or tell them you’d like to try and want help making sure you’re safe and comfortable. Let’s take a deeper dive into some Dos and Don’ts and some common couple situations.

How to talk to your partner about babywearing:

✅ DO say:

1. "I'd like to try babywearing. Can you show me how to adjust the carrier?"

2. "What situations would babywearing help you with? I could handle those."

3. "I need practice. Can you spot me while I learn?"

❌ DON'T say:

1. "This looks too complicated." (It's not once you try.)

2. "Can you just do it?" (They’re tired too.)

3. "I don't think I need to learn this." (You do.)

Common Couple Dynamics:

Issue:"My husband readjusts my carrier setup because he thinks I'm doing it wrong."

Solution:Ask him to teach you the correct way once, then practice independently. Different doesn't mean wrong—many adjustments are personal preference. Agree on safety non-negotiables (chin off chest, etc.) but allow individual comfort preferences.

Issue:"I want to babywear, but the carrier feels like 'her thing.'"

Solution:

If possible, get a second carrier in a color or style you prefer. Alternatively, learn to adjust the carrier for each wearer and establish it as “family gear” not “mom's gear.” Mental framing matters.

Maybe you’re the first person in your family to babywear. Although different than the scenarios above, this is also a great path! Now you really get to make it your own. Many dads prefer the Baby Lark since it’s easy and comfortable. If your baby is between 10 and 45 pounds, this could be the right carrier for you! You can always research which carrier might be best by taking our quiz or checking our complete carrier guide by ages and stages

Whether you begin babywearing by following your partner’s lead or paving your own way, you will need to overcome any initial fears or awkwardness and build your confidence. Start by watching at least one tutorial video and practicing without baby - a doll or stuffed animal is a great stand in! This will help you get comfortable with the carrier without worrying about dropping or hurting your baby. It will also help you understand what to look for in a safe and comfortable fit when you’re ready to try with your baby.

Once you feel comfortable using the carrier without baby, it’s time to upgrade! Start with a happy, freshly changed, recently fed and burped, and hopefully well-rested baby. Expect to get a safe and good fit and to wear around the house for 15 minutes or so. Feel free to try for longer if you’re both still comfortable! Try in front of a mirror for the first few wears until you feel really good about getting the carrier adjusted to both of your bodies. Then progress from there! Take baby for short walk or wear baby to finish a quick errand. Try wearing baby when they’re fussy at home, but fed and changed. Once you feel comfortable in those situations, take baby on a longer outing or during a safe hobby. If baby is old enough, try a back carry! The world is your babywearing oyster. Download our dad starter plan checklist PDF now!

Once you get comfortable babywearing, you’ll find it has a lot of practical benefits. Babywearing will help you bond with your babies when, at other times, it seems they only want your partner. This will not only strengthen your relationship with your baby, but it will allow you to feel confident spending time with your baby without your partner. When you show your partner you can babywear proudly, it will allow them to feel even more comfortable taking a step back from the parenting spotlight and giving you a chance to shine, especially if babywearing is important to them as well. Even if you already do spend alone time with your baby, babywearing will make solo parenting so much easier. It helps to calm baby quickly and allows easy on-the-go time. With babywearing, you’ll have free hands for errands, chores, or hobbies. It’s much easier to make breakfast, go grocery shopping, or take the dog for a walk with a baby carrier. If you exercise, you can even include babywearing in your light fitness routines. You can easily babywear on walks or hikes or during light body-weight exercise, and your baby can even replace your weighted vest.

Don’t take our word for it! Let’s hear from some real life dads who use hope&plum: