What’s the Best hope&plum Newborn Carrier for Dads?

The best newborn carrier for dads is the Sprout Newborn Carrier, followed closely by ring slings and meh dais. Our stretchy baby wraps also work great for dads! Dads want a carrier that's easy, intuitive, and comfortable. They want to confident wearing so they can get some bonding and snuggle time with their family’s newest member too. These carriers tick off all the boxes that dads care about, plus they are comfy and safe for newborns.

hope&plum newborn carriers are 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 Sprout Newborn Carrier in particular is designed to be easy and intuitive to wear comfortably and safely. We anticipate the Sprout to be a new dad favorite!

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. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of a good fit for your dad bod in all of our newborn carriers.

But first, a note about newborn babywearing in general: Newborns and infants should only be worn in front carries, high and tight on your chest. Dads love hip and back carries too, but wait until your baby is developmentally ready for these other positions! You can read about how our carriers are designed to grow with your baby in our full newborn to toddler guide.

If you’re triangle-shaped with a flatter chest and more narrow hips, our Sprouts may fit a little differently. Hold your infant 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 baby’s bottom is when at that height. Put baby down in a safe place and then 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. Our Sprout comes 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.

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

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.

Like the ring sling, you should be able to wear the baby wrap by following the regular instructions. Make sure you choose the baby wrap length that will work for you. Our short length is 4.7 yards and fits most bodies that are comfortable through a size Large in Men’s t-shirts. Our long length is 5.7 yards and should fit dads with a size XL t-shirt and up.

Baby Wrap Fit Tip: Make sure you cross the X where your baby’s bottom will sit on your chest to get baby’s head close enough to kiss.

To get a good fit in our meh dais, dads should follow the same tip for Sprout waistband placement: hold your infant 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 baby’s bottom is when at that height. Put baby down in a safe place and then 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.

Pro-Tip: If you follow these recommendations, but still feel like you need some additional support, book a free fit check with our educators!

Now that 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 babywore your other children, start by talking to them! Ask them what they like about babywearing, prompt them about their favorite newborn carrier, or tell them you’d like to try and want help making sure you’re safe and comfortable. On the other hand, maybe you’re the first person in your family to babywear or you both are new to the wide world of baby carriers. You can take this opportunity to make babywearing your own! If you have no idea where to start, we recommend the Sprout Newborn Carrier since it’s easy and comfortable.

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 newborn. 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. The world is your babywearing oyster.