First Snugs to Toddler Hugs: hope&plum’s Complete Guide to Babywearing

At hope&plum, we believe that you can carry your babies from birth through toddlerhood. Our high-quality carriers are thoughtfully designed to accompany you and your family throughout your journey, whether that means wearing one child from birth through toddlerhood or a series of siblings over a decade. Or both!

But what’s important for wearing a newborn might not be as much of a concern when wearing a toddler. Depending on the carrier you choose, you may be able to start wearing right from birth or you might have to wait for baby to be big enough to fit safely. Maybe you wake up one day and find that your favorite carrier isn't as comfy anymore, now that baby has grown. Sometimes it can work out to have one carrier that does it all, but sometimes the best choice is having a variety of carriers that you can mix and match for different ages, stages, and even moods!

Here are some considerations that go into babywearing by age:

• When can I start babywearing?

• When can I wear baby on my back?

• What’s the best carrier for a toddler?

• Is there one carrier that can do it all?

Let’s dive into our complete guide to babywearing by ages and stages to answer those questions and more!

We call the first three months of a newborn’s life the “fourth trimester” because a tiny baby is not yet at home in the outside world. It is loud. It is bright. And it is cold. But babywearing can help a fresh new baby adjust to their new surroundings, while imitating a lot of their previous environment. We have a full blog post dedicated to how to safely babywear a newborn, but we'll go through the basics here. When carried safely and securely in a carrier designed with newborns in mind, baby is nestled warmly up against their caregiver where they can hear and feel each other’s breath and heartbeat. This allows newborns to regulate their body temperature, breathing, and pulse by giving their tiny bodies a similar experience that they had in the womb. But the similarities don’t stop there.

Many babies are born with the “newborn scrunch.” They tuck their arms and legs in tight, as if still in the womb. Carriers made for newborns should support them in this tucked position. Their legs should be supported in a froggy-pose with their knees above their bottom. Their spine should be in a gentle C-curve, allowing them to rest their head on their caregiver’s chest. However this doesn’t mean that their legs have to be tucked into the carrier. Most newborns can be safely carried with their legs out from birth, as long as their knees are tucked into that deep “M-shape.” With legs out, the fabric of your carrier should ideally come from knee pit to knee pit, fully supporting baby in that froggied position. It’s important that the fabric never comes past baby’s knee pits. If the fabric extends out towards the calf, you could be forcing baby into a split, which has the potential to hurt baby’s developing hips. If your newborn is particularly scrunched and refuses the legs out positon, legs in is also fine, until they start pushing to stand - typically around 2-3 months.

Another important babywearing concern to keep in mind for newborns is their airway. Newborn babies have very fragile airways and little to no head control. Think of their airway as a bendy straw that you want to keep open. Their head, neck, and spine need to be supported in an upright position by the carrier so that their airway stays open. Also, a newborn’s caregiver should always make sure that baby’s face is visible and their head is kissable at all times. A caregiver should always be able to fit two fingers between baby’s chin and chest, and they should always check that they have an unobstructed view. This ensures that the caregiver is able to catch baby slumping down, chin to chest, the moment it happens. We recommend that the carrier fabric come no higher than baby's earlobes, especially when carrying a tiny newborn. If their whole ear is visible while in the carrier, then the idea is that their nose and mouth will be visible too. This is also why we recommend tummy-to-tummy or chest-to-chest front carries only for newborns, even if your carrier has other positioning options.

• The Sprout Newborn Carrier

• Baby wrap

• Ring sling

• Meh dai

hope&plum has four carriers that are beautiful fits for most newborns: the Sprout Newborn Carrier, baby wraps, ring slings, and meh dais. Each of these carriers has a minimum weight limit of 7 pounds. All four offer the snuggly support that newborns need. Ring slings and baby wraps are customizable to each baby and wearer. This means the caregiver is responsible for sizing the carrier to their baby each time and creating the seat or pocket where baby will sit. For this reason, both of these carriers can be used with newborns who want their legs in or out.

The Sprout, while providing a little more structure than ring slings and wraps, is still cuddly, safe, and supportive for newborns. Most babies can be worn from birth in The Sprout by cinching in the panel along the waistband and folding the top of the panel in or out. Meh dais can be modified to fit newborns by rolling the waistband and cinching in the panel. Since they have panels designed to cinch in, The Sprout and our meh dais should only be used with newborns who can have their legs out, which is most newborns. Remember - legs out is fine and comfortable for most babies from birth!

All of these baby carriers are magical, but the real stars in the newborn stage are The Sprout Newborn Carrier and the baby wrap. They both provide super cozy snuggles, but are also easy to get baby in and out. The Sprout is quick and intuitive each time you put it on and settle baby in. The baby wrap may seem a little more challenging to get on, but it's poppable once you get it right. This means you can set the wrap up at the beginning of the day and pop baby in and out as needed. The quick ins and outs you get with both of these carriers are great for newborns who need to eat and be changed frequently. And those early and often checkups? Buckle The Sprout or tie that wrap on at home, pop baby in to wear them to the car, pop them out to secure them in their carseat , pop them back in after you park, pop them out to be weighed and measured, pop them in while waiting for their care provider, pop them out again to be examined, and then pop them back in again when done. Whew! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Just when you’re getting used to your sleepy, scrunched up newborn, a new baby seems to appear in your home! And this baby is finally ready to be part of the world. They want to see everything, and they finally have some head control to do it. Which means they may be getting squirmy in your ring sling front carry. And this baby is growing! Which means you might be feeling some new pulling and pressure in your beloved baby wrap. So what can you do? Change it up!

If you can safely hold your baby on your hip without a carrier and do something else with your other hand, OR if your baby is rolling in at least one direction, they’re ready for a hip carry in your ring sling. That’s an OR not an AND, so don’t get hung up on your baby having to meet both of those milestones. One is fine! And, if they are ready for a hip carry, they can also have their arms out. That’s right! With enough head control to either be held on the hip OR roll in one direction, the carrier fabric can now come up to armpit level, allowing baby to have their arms out. A hip carry - with arms in or out - is a great choice for this babywearing age because it allows those curious fourth trimester graduates to look around or over your shoulder, giving them a first taste of freedom and autonomy, while still allowing them to lean into your chest and snuggle if they’re tired or overstimulated. It’s really the best of both worlds!

If you’ve been modifying your meh dai by rolling the waistband or cinching your panel, it’s time to check if these two accommodations are still needed and safe. We already talked about how the fabric of a carrier should always rest below a newborn baby’s earlobes, but did you know that the fabric should always come up at least to baby’s armpits? Any lower can create a fall risk in the instance baby leans back far enough. If your meh dai panel is coming below your baby’s armpits while rolled, it’s time to unroll! Likewise, if you notice that the cinched panel is no longer reaching into both of baby’s knee pits, it’s time to start widening the panel until it’s safely supporting both knee pits again. Remember - we never want the fabric to go past baby’s knee pits! That’s where the meh dai modifications should stop for this older infant. You should still wear your 4-6 month old in a front carry until they are sitting unassisted.

If your baby wrap is no longer feeling as comfortable with your bigger baby, it’s time to check your fit! With any carrier, it’s important to adjust for a better fit the bigger your baby gets, but this is particularly true with a baby wrap. It needs to be very snug before putting baby in, with just enough slack to fit baby comfortably. Otherwise, any hidden and unnecessary slack will feed to baby’s seat and pocket as you wear it, creating a pulling sensation and discomfort in your shoulders and back. Remember - our educators are available for fit checks throughout your babywearing journey! If you love your baby wrap, it’s worth checking on your fit with your 4-6 month old. It’s also important to remember that these wraps have a weight limit of 25 pounds, with many wearers reporting discomfort around 15 pounds. The bad news: It’s possible your 4-6 month old has outgrown your baby wrap. The amazing news: They may finally be big enough to fit in hope&plum’s favorite carrier - the Baby Lark!

• Ring sling

• Meh dai

• Baby Lark

The stars of the newborn stage will still shine for your 4-6 month old, for the most part, with some changes. Your ring sling will serve you well for many more months, but make sure your baby is no longer legs in (if that’s how you started) and consider moving to a hip carry once baby can be held on your hip without a carrier OR can roll in at least one direction. Your meh dai also has the same staying power, but you may no longer need to roll the waistband or cinch in the panel. For some families, The Sprout and baby wrap will last through this stage and, perhaps, for even more months. For others, these newborn carriers may start feeling less comfortable as baby grows. While it may be sad to admit your Sprout or baby wrap is falling out of favor, it could be time to make room for a new carrier - the Baby Lark. This buckle carrier can be worn with babies who are at least 10 pounds. However, our community has found that a more telling sign that baby’s torso height and leg length will safely fit in the Baby Lark, is if they are wearing size 3-6 month clothes consistently across brands. For example, if you have a super chunky 2 month old who needs those bigger clothes for all of their cute rolls, but you also have to roll the pants up, they might not fit safely in the Baby Lark. But if your baby is over 10 lbs and filling out 3-6 month sleepers for height (both in the torso and legs), they might be ready to fit in the Baby Lark with some modifications.

Babies at the lower end of this age and stage group may fit in the Baby Lark, but you’ll likely need to pay special attention to a few key fit accommodations:

• Buckle your carrier right under your chest.

• Cinch the bottom of the panel in along the waistband.

• Sit baby with their bottom centered on the warning label.

Remember, for babies in any age and stage - the top of the carrier should always come under earlobes and the bottom should always come from knee pit to knee pit without going past baby’s knees. If baby isn’t clearing the top or bottom of the Baby Lark panel with the modifications above, then that carrier is not safe yet for you to use. But have no fear! Babies do nothing but grow and grow fast. Keep trying the Baby Lark on every week or so. Baby should fit in no time!

For this age and stage, the clear winner is the ring sling. It allows baby’s curiosity to bloom in a hip carry, while still cuddling them close and letting them snuggle in for a snooze. Babies are not yet so big at this stage, so a one-shoulder carry is still comfortable.

Out of the infant stage and into the older baby arena. Now your little one is even more curious about the world, and they’re starting to be able to move around in it, too. Many babies are sitting on their own between 6-8 months and a sitting baby is finally ready for the next babywearing, Baby Lark or meh dai frontier: The back carry! Many caregivers are hesitant to unlock this next level, but it can be so freeing when you do! These taller babies are no longer in your face, and as babies get heavier, many caregivers find back carries more comfortable. The jury is still out for many babies new to back carrying, though. Some babies, especially babies who are still nursing, frequently fuss when new to back carrying. They want to know where you went and - if they’re nursing - where their milk is. But once they get used to it, they tend to love the view!

If you’ve still been clinging to your baby wrap, it might be time to move on - most caregivers will not find them comfortable for this age and beyond. But your other carriers are still growing with your little one. Pay attention to carrier fabric height and width. You still always want the fabric to come to baby’s armpits and to support baby from knee to knee as much as possible. This may mean a deeper seat in a ring sling, moving the waistband down and sitting baby closer to the top of the panel in a Baby Lark, and spreading out the straps a little wider in a meh dai.

• Meh dai

• Baby Lark

• Ring sling

The Baby Lark and meh dai stand out for older babies, as they can both do front and back carries. The meh dai, in particular, has really great weight distribution options in both a front and back carry. You can really spread those shoulder straps across your back to absorb the weight of an older baby in a meh dai front carry. In a back carry, you have a lot of options for fancy finishes that not only look great, but also help distribute baby’s weight across your front. For these weight distribution options in both a front and back carry, the meh dai allows you to carry your older babies for long periods of time - think a carrier nap - while still feeling super comfy. And, since babies at this age and stage aren’t fully mobile, you’re less likely to have to take them in and out frequently, which can be more challenging in a meh dai..

You’ve made it through the first year and now you have a toddler. But your babywearing journey doesn’t have to end! In fact, we even have a whole blog post on tips and tricks for babywearing a toddler! Many caregivers find that using their ring slings, Baby Larks, and meh dais is still comfortable and useful throughout toddlerhood. Watch the weight limits though: The ring sling’s maximum weight is 35 lbs, while the Baby Lark and meh dai both go up to 45 lbs. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on the fabric height and width. You still always want the top of the carrier to come up at least to your child’s armpits and the bottom to come as close as knee to knee as possible without going past your child’s knee pits. If the panel in your Baby Lark or meh dai doesn’t seem to come high enough, make sure you're placing your child towards the top of the panel. This will allow the panel to be at its full height as you bring it up your baby’s back. If the bottom of the Baby Lark panel no longer comes knee to knee, that’s okay! The panel is still supporting your toddler’s legs, and they are strong enough to keep their own legs up in that spread squat, “M” position. The same goes for the meh dai, but you can also spread the shoulder straps all the way out to your toddler’s knee pits.

Now more than ever it’s important to get that optimal fit with your rapidly growing toddler. For a ring sling, that means rings in corsage position with your shoulder capped just a bit and the fabric spread out across your back. For a Baby Lark and meh dai, that means moving the slack down and across your back, keeping that shoulder strap “X” nice and low on your back so most of the slack is tightened out, the weight is distributed evenly across your back, and the shoulder straps aren’t creeping up towards your neck. Any slight change in these optimal fits could cause pressure points and discomfort for the babywearer. You should also pay attention to the waistband in the Baby Lark and meh dai. In both front and back carries, your waistband should be parallel with the ground, meaning it’s even all the way around your body and not dipping down in the front or back. If you notice it’s dipping lower under your baby’s bottom, for example, you may have to tighten the waistband and/or tighten out more slack through the shoulder straps.

• Baby Lark

• Ring sling

• Meh dai

As with most of your baby’s life so far, the ring sling, meh dai, and Baby Lark will continue to do their jobs. Ring slings and Baby Larks, in particular, are great for the toddler stage because they offer quick ups and downs for the toddler who can’t make up their mind. They need independence, but they want you to hold them. They want to walk, but they also demand that you carry them RIGHT. NOW. They want to run, but they immediately fall, scrape their knee, and need snuggles. You can keep wearing both of these carriers without your toddler in them - just tuck those front carry Lark straps in the waistband. That way, you’re already set up to pop them in the carrier at a moment’s notice.

Ring slings, however, might not be as comfortable for long-term carries during toddlerhood. For those long carrier naps or just days when you know you’ll be doing a lot of babywearing, the meh dai still shines. While it may take a little longer to set up and have a little more fabric to fuss with, the long and wide straps offer optimal weight distribution. In a back carry, you can widen the bottom of the carrier past the panel by spreading the passes over your toddler’s bottom and from knee to knee. This ensures the best weight distribution and the widest knee to knee support that hope&plum offers before sizing up to a Kid Lark.