How to Choose a Baby Carrier: Expert Tips for New Parents
Key Takeaways
- Babywearing deepens connection and makes daily life easier, helping you read and respond to your baby’s cues while supporting healthy physical, social, and emotional development.
- Pick a carrier that matches your season and lifestyle: soft structured for everyday support and longer outings, ring slings for quick ups and on-the-go moments, wraps for newborn closeness, and hybrids for wrap-like comfort with buckle simplicity.
- Prioritize fit and safety every time—baby high enough to kiss, airway visible, chin off chest, and a deep M-seat from knee to knee—then adjust often for comfort as you move.
- Look for features that make the journey feel simple and confident: easy adjustability for multiple wearers, ergonomic support, breathable fabrics, clear tutorials, and access to a babywearing educator when you want a second set of eyes.
Babywearing is a beautiful skill that can be brought into your journey with your little one! It provides an opportunity to embrace more connection, respond easily to baby’s cues as well as supports and nurtures baby’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Deciding on the type of carrier, in your particular season, that provides both a sense of ease and comfort can feel a little overwhelming. This post has been created to simplify that process and guide you in your decision, so that you can confidently find a carrier that will meet the needs of both you and your baby. Understanding the many benefits of babywearing is an important piece to embracing more confidence in your skill of babywearing. more intention and purpose.
Table of Contents
- Benefits of Babywearing
- Types of Baby Carriers
- Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Baby Carrier
- Best Baby Carrier for Your Body Shape and Size
- Best Baby Carriers for Different Age and Weight Ranges
- Best Baby Carriers for Mothers' Weight Ranges
- Best Baby Carriers for Father's Weight Ranges
- Baby Carriers for Different Occasions
- Facing In vs. Facing Out: Which One?
Benefits of Babywearing
Babywearing is beneficial on so many levels and we will now unpack those benefits for baby, parent and the baby-parent dyad.
Babies are extremely vulnerable at birth and many of their systems are still developing. They depend on the support and nurturing from their primary caregivers through connection (eye contact, mirroring, holding, rocking, swaying, keeping them close, responding to their needs) to continue to grow and develop. Babywearing allows the parent an increased amount of time to respond to babies need to be held and carried.
Physical Benefits
Babies are born with certain primitive reflexes which are not yet fully integrated and these reflexes lend themselves to being held and carried. (Some of these reflexes include the palmar reflex, the mono reflex, spread squat reflex, plantar-grasp, sucking and rooting reflex as well as the contact crying reflex). A baby’s bone structure will also continue to form after birth. In the first year, your baby’s feet will be turned inwards and his shin bones will be slightly bowed. This anatomical stance allows your baby to grasp, sit and hold onto you with his legs and feet.
Babywearing supports the natural development of the spine. Spinal development moves through stages of development which correspond to your baby’s overall development. Babies are born with a C curvature of the spine, and as a baby starts to lift up his head, and during tummy time, the cervical curve will develop. ‘Lifting the head’ can be observed and encouraged during tummy time as well as be facilitated when baby is positioned optimally in a carrier (carrier runs to the nape of the neck or mid ear) When a baby pushes up with his arms, twists, turns and rolls over, the thoracic curve develops; when a baby starts to crawl, the lumbar curve will develop and finally with standing and walking, we will see the development of the sacral curve. Babywearing facilitates this natural progression. The carrier should support the natural C curve of the spine in that newborn and early season and should never force a baby into any unnatural positions or restrict natural spinal development.
Babywearing supports digestion. By holding your baby in an upright position and moving about, we provide a little massage around the digestive system which facilitates gravity with moving milk down the digestive tract. Oxytocin is also released when you hold your baby close, and this hormone helps your baby to absorb more nutrients from the milk, making digestion more effective.
Babywearing facilitates temperature regulation. A newborn baby is unable to regulate it’s temperature. It is unable to make adjustments due to underdeveloped sweat glands and inability to shiver to produce heat. Therefore the baby relies on the assistance of the parents. A baby has a “secret weapon” on its back, which is a layer of brown fat, not found on the frontal area of a baby, leaving the frontal area more vulnerable. Being held upright against the parent heart to heart will help to guard against the loss of body heat. These indicators therefore highlight that babies expect to be carried as well as shine a light on how they expect to be carried.
Babywearing facilitates baby’s breathing. A baby’s breathing reaction is not yet innate and therefore the mother/primary caregiver’s breathing and heartbeat is helpful in regulating that of the newborn. Newborns are calmed by the mothers heartbeat which is a familiar sound from the womb. Positioning baby heart to heart is effective for the newborn to hear and feel the mothers heartbeat and regulate it’s breathing.
Facilitates Emotional and Social Benefits
Babywearing promotes the production of Oxytocin. When we hold babies close, there is a stimulation of the touch receptors which results in the release of oxytocin for both parent and baby. Oxytocin is known as the feel good or bonding hormone which helps to improve attachment and bonding between parent and baby. Our sensory system of touch and hence holding our babies close also allows for a decrease of stress hormones and an increase of anti-stress hormones, causing an overall calming effect.
Babywearing allows you to respond to baby’s needs more readily and effectively. Holding your baby close helps you to be more in tune with your baby’s cues and your baby feels seen, heard, held, safe, secure and more connected with you on an emotional and psychological level.
Babywearing can be calming and grounding for you and baby. You are able to bring your baby into activities throughout the day (for example talk to your baby while going for a walk) being mindful of what you can see, hear, feel, taste and touch which promotes a sense of grounding and calm.
Baby is also calmed by you moving about your day, while keeping your baby close in the baby carrier. The movement as well as being held close has a calming effect on both you and your baby. Movement is also a sensory system which helps to regulate mood and emotion. Holding baby close and moving combines both senses of touch and movement which is a powerful tool for co-regulation.
Promotes Cognitive Development and Social Interaction
Babywearing provides an opportunity for more social interaction between you and your baby throughout the day; mirroring sounds and expressions allows for development of speech and communication. You are able to talk to and point out certain things as your baby is brought along in close connection to experience the activity at hand.
Other Benefits
Babywearing promotes confidence as a parent. It facilitates an overall attunement to your baby and improves your connection to understanding your baby’s needs.
Babywearing is useful when traveling. You can easily use public transportation, navigate airports and train stations while keeping your baby close. It also avoids others wanting to touch and hold your baby and potentially spread germs.
Babywearing allows parents to tend to other tasks around the house as well as respond to the needs of other children in the home.
Types of Baby Carriers
There are 5 main types of baby carriers, namely soft structured carriers, ring slings, the stretchy wrap, woven wrap and meh dai.
Soft Structured Carriers
A soft structured carrier consists of a middle panel, shoulder straps and a waist belt. This carrier usually has buckles and is padded for comfort and support. Most soft structured carriers can be worn from newborn however some do not have the option to accommodate the newborn setting and therefore require an infant insert. The infant insert can be cumbersome as it is an additional piece to the carrier.
The Wildbird Aerial Buckle Carrier is a beautiful, go-to soft structured baby carrier that provides ease of use, support and comfort for both you and your baby. It has a weight capacity of 7lbs to 45lbs and is best suited for babies from 2months to 24months. Wildbird recommends caregivers always consider their baby's overall size and readiness to ensure a safe and comfortable fit. It is found that although this particular carrier has a weight capacity from 7lbs, most babies will be ready to be worn in the Aerial Buckle Carrier, with the correct and proper fit, at 2 months when baby’s mid-ear and airways are positioned above the top panel of the carrier. The Aerial Buckle Carrier features full lumbar support, with padded cross back straps and a padded waist belt which ensures comfort for the wearer. It is a great option to consider to grow with you and your baby and pairs perfectly with essentials like our pacifier clip set to keep everyday outings even more convenient.
Ring Slings
Ring slings consist of a length of fabric with two rings sewn in at one end of the fabric. It is worn over one shoulder with the ability to adjust and customize the fit to the baby and the wearer. It does not have buckles or straps but rather is made to hold and support the your baby, conforming his natural position against your body. A ring sling can be worn from newborn into toddlerhood is also so it is a great option to use through each season of your baby’s development.
Wildbird Baby Ring Sling is designed for babies full term up to 35 lbs. It is not as intuitive to use as the Aerial Buckle Carrier but with a little practice and support you can easily learn to use the ring sling in your babywearing journey.
The Wildbird Ring Sling is made in a wide selection of beautiful fabrics and is a versatile option allowing your baby to be carried in different positions at the appropriate developmental stages. It keeps baby snug and once you feel confident in using it, can be a great quick and easy on off carrier. (Think nursing while out and about as well as dealing with multiple kids or even a quick go to for a toddler in and out of the grocery store). Caregivers should always consider their baby's overall size and readiness to ensure a safe and comfortable fit. Your baby's head and airways should sit above the top panel of the ringsling and it is also important that your baby achieves a deep seat with his knees higher than his bottom and the bottom fabric extending from knee to knee.
If you need any help with your Wildbird Ring Sling or other carrier, Wildbird offers free virtual consultations with a babywearing educator to support and guide you in your babywearing journey.
Wraps (Stretchy and Woven)
A wrap consists of a long piece of fabric which you learn to wrap around your body and can then bring your baby on board. The baby is brought on in such a way that the wrap securely supports the baby against your body in an ergonomically, safe, and comfortable manner.
There are typically two different types of baby carrier wraps, namely a stretchy wrap and a woven wrap. The main differences between the stretchy wrap and the woven wrap is the type of fabric as well as the way that these are worn. The WildBird Aerial Buckle Wrap is a unique and newer option that combines the coziness of a soft newborn wrap with the ease of a buckle carrier. It requires less wrapping and is intuitive to use.
The fabric of a stretchy wrap is usually made of a soft material that has some stretch to it, along the length and width of the fabric, whereas a woven wrap will not have any stretch and is made of a strong woven fabric. The stretchy wrap is mainly worn from newborn, conforms well to baby's natural position and generally is worn in a front cross carrying position (baby facing inwards, towards you, heart to heart)
A woven wrap has more of a learning curve as the fabric is not as easy to manipulate and can feel heavier. A woven wrap has more durability however and can be worn from newborn and long into toddlerhood. It can also be worn in multiple ways, so is versatile for front, back & hip carrying. It can also be worn in a style of a ring sling by creating a slip knot at the one shoulder, as the adjustable piece, instead of the use of rings.
A stretchy wrap usually comes in one size whereas a woven wrap varies in length, depending on what carries the wearer wants to achieve.
Hybrid Carrier
This is a carrier that combines features of both a wrap and a soft structured carrier. It provides the soft, closeness feel of a wrap with the comfort, ease, support and structure of the soft structured carrier. The Wildbird Aerial Buckle Wrap is designed specifically with newborns in mind and allows for that intimate closeness of wearing your newborn in a wrap but having the ease and practicality of a buckle carrier. It is intended to be worn with babies from full term to under 15lbs but has been tested to 25lbs. Baby’s overall size and readiness for a carrier should always be considered as the position of your baby's head should be above the top panel of the carrier with airways always visible.
Meh Dai or Bei Dai (often mispronounced and misspelled as 'Mei Tai')
This is an asian inspired carrier, which is worn apron style and is typically suited for a wearer with a smaller frame. It has a middle fabric panel with two long shoulder straps and a shorter waist strap. This carrier does not have any buckles or extra padding and is said to have been the inspiration for many western carriers, including the soft structured carrier.
- Waist band brought around the waist, fastened with buckle, tightened securely.
- Baby brought up onto body with middle panel, shoulder straps fastened, buckled and tightened securely.
- Baby positioned high & tight in carrier with knees higher than bottom, creating M seat.
- Baby positioned high (enough to kiss baby’s head) & snug in carrier with a deep seat (knees higher than bottom, creating M position) back supported from baby’s bottom to nape of neck, baby’s airway is open & visible.
- Regularly check for wear and tear.
- Adjustable for multiple positions
- Compact and portable
- Ideal for quick trips and on-the-go use.
- Good for breastfeeding but must adjust the baby to upright position after feeding in a cradled position.
- Thread the fabric through the rings securely.
- Ensure fabric covers from bottom to nape of neck, in a hammock style seat with fabric between you and baby.
- Knees higher than bottom in M position.
- Baby's face is visible and not covered.
- Stretchy wrap has stretch and usually one size.
- Woven wrap has no stretch and comes in different lengths from 2m and as long as 7m.
- Even weight distribution.
- Easy to adjust and adapt to different body types.
- Versatile tying methods with woven wrap, but has a bit of a learning curve.
- Stretchy wraps suitable from newborn to baby's first year (up to about 30lbs).
- Woven is suitable from newborn to well into the toddler or even preschool years.
- Stretchy: great option for newborn closeness, bonding throughout the day.
- Woven wrap: keep baby close as well as great as a durable carrier for extended wearing into older toddler years.
- Woven is versatile and can be used in various carrying positions (front, hip, cradle, side, back).
- Practice and prepare the wrap securely before bringing the baby on board.
- Position the baby with fabric supporting 3 ways across the back (stretchy wrap in front wrap cross carry).
- Position baby high and tight against you, fabric fully supporting baby from bottom to nape of neck.
- Knees higher than bottom to create deep M seat.
- Keep baby's airway clear, visible and unobstructed.
- Secure the waist band of the carrier around you at the position *above your belly button for newborns, can move the band lower to accommodate baby’s growth.
- Bring baby on board.
- Position baby with fabric supporting 3 ways across baby’s back (just like in a stretchy wrap front wrap cross carry) and secure the shoulder straps.
Note: No matter what the carrier type, it is recommended that caregivers always consider their baby's overall size and readiness to ensure a safe and comfortable fit. Your baby should be positioned high enough on your body so that you can kiss your baby’s head without straining. Your baby’s head and airways should also be positioned above the top panel of the carrier and baby’s airways should always be visible. Wildbird highly recommends these guidelines with all their carriers.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Baby Carrier
Babywearing is a very personal experience between you and your baby and therefore it is important to consider factors such as your body type, age and developmental stage of baby as well as your and your baby’s specific needs for babywearing and what you want to achieve in your babywearing journey. In addition to these, there are a few other safety as well as comfort features you will want to be aware of when deciding on the type and brand of carrier.
What season are you in and what are your hopes for your babywearing journey?
This is a good place to start when deciding on a carrier. Are you still pregnant and looking into options? Are you a first time parent and new to babywearing or are you already familiar with babywearing and looking to add to your skill or want to try something different? Do you have a couple of kids and are now adding a new baby to the family?
Consider what you will be doing when you babywear? While having your baby close to you to promote bonding and connection and being able to respond to your baby’s needs more easily, also think about things such as: Do you want to have your baby close to you while carrying out daily tasks at home? Going for a walk? Gardening? Caring for other children? Working from home? Some carriers are better suited to certain situations and more in alignment to you and your baby’s needs at different developmental stages.
For example, the Aerial Buckle Carrier is a great option for going on a hike as it offers more support whereas a ring sling, like the Wildbird Ring Sling might be the choice for a picnic or visit with a friend or a quick go-to to run an errand with a toddler at the grocery store.
Fit and Comfort:
It is important to choose a carrier that has ease of use and adjustability, especially if you decide to use the same carrier with two different wearers.
The Aerial Baby Carrier features both of these factors making it an easy option to consider. It can be used by multiple wearers because it is so easy to adjust to fit your body shape and size.
It is also important to obtain an ergonomic, safe and supportive position and in order to do this you need to consider a few safety features.
Hip Health:
Hip health tends to be an ongoing concern when it comes to babywearing and hence carriers can now be recognized as “hip healthy” by organizations such as the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. There was recently a new study done which highlights this topic of how carriers might support infant hip development. It was a paper by Safeer Siddicky, Jason Eckels, Brien Rabenhorst and Erin Mannens, specifically “Ultrasonographic evaluation of infant hips in the Pavlik harness compared to body-worn commercial baby carriers".
Their key finding is as follows:“Our study demonstrates that wide-base baby carriers hold a baby’s hip in a position that is not significantly different than the Pavlik harness, meaning that babywearing in a wide-base carrier likely promotes healthy hip development. They found that a carrier with a narrow support base did not maintain a position similar to the Pavlic harness.” This research builds on previous research supporting evidence for parents to consider using a baby carrier option that supports the “M” position.
Alongside other carriers and wraps, Aerial baby carrier is a soft structured carrier that proudly meets the requirements for a “hip healthy” carrier by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute.What exactly is the M-position? This position refers to the position of the baby's bottom in relation to his knees and legs when supported by the base of the carrier. We are wanting the carrier to support the baby in an “M” shape where the baby’s bottom is in a deep seat with his knees higher than his bottom, creating an M shape. The legs will then follow a natural spread squat position on the wearer’s body and the base of the carrier will run from knee to knee. This position supports natural hip development and is recommended by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI).
A supportive seat is crucial to facilitate safe, secure and comfortable wearing. A carrier that features an adjustable base is important in order to obtain the ideal width to achieve knee to knee support in the carrier. This way the carrier can accommodate different developmental stages of the baby and can grow with the baby to adjust as he grows. This wide base adjustable seat facilitates proper support to promote healthy hip position in the carrier as discussed above. The Aerial baby carrier features an easily adjustable base seat to accommodate all stages of baby’s development, from newborn (allowing the seat width to be narrow) to well into toddlerhood (allowing the seat width to be widened) by adjusting the clips on the inside of the waist band.Safety Features of Carriers
When discussing safety features, we are shining a light on the design of the carrier to ensure that practical safety measures are provided to help facilitate safe comfortable wearing. The Aerial baby carrier is designed to allow ease of wear knowing that you and your baby are secure when using the carrier.
In particular, the supportive design of the Aerial baby carrier ensures proper seat, back and neck support. Your baby should be positioned in the carrier with at least his mid-ear and airways above the top panel of the carrier. This is typically achieved from when baby is 2 months old. Babies readiness and overall size should always be considered when establishing a good carrier fit. The added head support for newborns allows the extra support if needed, for example, while baby is asleep, however is also designed to not be restrictive so the baby can still freely move his head and neck hence supporting natural head & neck control in this early season of development.Compliance with Safety Standards: It is good to know if a carrier is certified under safety compliance standards by recognized organizations. The Aerial baby carrier alongside the other WildBird baby carriers are certified with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). They are also compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).This acknowledges that these carriers are made from high-quality material and are tested to ensure safety over time.
Comfort for Baby and Parent:
A comfortable baby carrier is crucial to encourage an enjoyable experience for both you and baby as well as promotes a desire to use babywearing in your parenting journey and encourages extended use of the carrier. In order to achieve a level of comfort, the material, padding, support features and aesthetics are important. When shining a light on the Aerial baby carrier we can see how the design of this carrier has taken comfort into account to ensure a beautiful experience for baby and wearer.
Some of these comfort features include:
- Padded shoulder straps which are worn criss cross to ensure better weight distribution across the back.
- Padded waistband which also provides added lumbar support.
- Added and adjustable head support for baby to provide added head and neck support if needed.
- Ergonomic design: designed to support baby’s natural position, with an adjustable base which promotes healthy hip development, as discussed above.
- Adjustable Straps and seat: these features accommodate the growth of your baby and to distribute their weight evenly across your body.
User-Friendliness of Baby Carriers:
A baby carrier needs to feel easy to use so that it is not made to feel overwhelming. An intuitive design enables the wearer to gain confidence quicker and is more likely to make use of the carrier more. A user-friendly carrier facilitates an enjoyable experience for both wearer and baby and helps to ease the process around the learning aspect of babywearing. The Aerial carrier is designed with this intuitive approach and helps to ease the overwhelm that may be felt by the new parent who is wanting to learn the skill of babywearing.
Simplicity: The Aerial baby carrier encourages independence of the wearer to put on and take off the carrier without needing outside assistance.This is so important as it can become a stumbling block for wearers if the carrier is not set up for success. Yes, there is a learning curve and can take some practice, but a simple approach with intuitive design can make such a difference.
Instructions and Learning Curve: Some carriers are more intuitive to use than others so it is important to look for carriers that come with clear instructions or online tutorials. Reaching out to a babywearing educator can be so helpful too.
Wildbird does a beautiful job of creating clear, comprehensive instruction pamphlets as well as video tutorials to help you with the learning curve that comes with using a new carrier. As a company they value the customers overall experience and strive to provide you with confidence, ease and an enjoyable babywearing journey. Wildbird also offers free virtual support with a babywearing educator.
Portability: If you travel often, a lightweight, compact carrier that is easy to pack might be beneficial. Here the Aerial carrier folds up in a compact way and has a bag made to fit your carrier.
Best Carrier Material for Baby Skin:
It is important to consider the durability of the fabric as it must be able to resist tearing and overstretching to ensure safety of baby and wearer. Sturdy fabric will also ensure long term use and ease of caring for the fabric is important too so that it can be easily washed and dried and wont cause the fabric to damage. The texture and softness of the fabric would also be considered to provide comfort. The material of the carrier will be in contact with your and baby’s skin so it is important to have a fabric that does not contain any harmful substances.
Popular carrier materials include cotton, linen, bamboo, silk, wool and combinations of these.
- Cotton is a soft, fresh and hypoallergenic material which molds to the body well. It absorbs moisture from sweat and insulates well from cold temperatures. Cotton fabrics are durable, easy to wash and are biodegradable.
- Linen is a naturally breathable and dirt resistant fiber. It keeps you cool and is very durable. It is a little more stiff and requires some breaking in/regular wear to soften up.
- Synthetic materials: these will offer freshness, durability and good water resistance. They can also offer microtec technology to better regulate the temperature in a baby carrier.
- Mint compound fiber fabric and antimicrobial material: This material will be very soft and protects against humidity and feels fresh on the skin.
If you are looking for a carrier that has been created with baby’s skin in mind, consider the The Aerial baby carrier which is made of 100% natural linen and woven with luxurious European linen fibers. It has a premium polyester mesh lining and nylon straps.
This carrier can easily be washed in cool water by hand or you can machine wash it on a gentle cycle which makes it easy to care for. A gentle liquid detergent free of optical brighteners is recommended to maintain the color of its beautiful fabric.
Best Baby Carrier for Your Body Size
Human beings come in all different shapes and sizes and therefore we need to consider what might be the best type of carrier to suit our unique body type. Below are some examples of carriers that might be better suited to a particular size and body shape. This should be considered so that you have a more comfortable experience while wearing your baby. It can be a useful tool to help decide which carrier is best suited to your body type. It should be noted however that a babywearing educator can help further guide this process and should be able to assist you in finding the best fit. While some carriers are made to accommodate all sizes, others may not and some may just typically be preferred over others depending on body size and shape. An example is a short, petite woman may find a mai dai more comfortable whereas a tall, broad-shouldered man would prefer a soft structured carrier with more padding and support.Best Baby Carriers for Different Age and Weight Ranges
Certain carriers will be best suited for different developmental stages and seasons of parenting. Some carriers and wraps will be more in alignment to support a newborn size and weight, some better suited to support older babies and toddlers and some that have the versatility and durability to accommodate the growth of your baby from newborn into toddlerhood. The following table will outline the type of carrier that is suggested to best suit specific weight and age ranges.
Best Baby Carriers for Mothers' Weight Ranges
Babywearing is a tool that is accessible to all women regardless of their weight ranges. A babywearing company that is all inclusive with providing options of carriers to suit all frames and weight can be beneficial when looking for a carrier. Here is an indication of which carriers will best suit different weight ranges of a female wearer.
Best Baby Carriers for Father's Weight Ranges
Males tend to have larger body types and broader shoulders than women, hence a carrier with more structure and support seems to better suit a male frame. However, in the newborn phase, males tend to enjoy using wraps which conform to the baby's natural newborn position. It facilitates a feeling of closeness and helps in the bonding process. Below is however an indication of what carrier might work best with different weight ranges of men.
Baby Carriers for Different Occasions
Different occasions will lend themselves to making use of different carriers. It can be more comfortable and supportive to use a padded soft structured carrier with lumbar support, such as the Aerial carrier, when going on a hike or longer walk. A ring sling might be an option for a quick visit to the grocery store. A stretchy wrap may be a better choice to hold the baby close while moving about the house, making a sandwich or keeping baby close in the newborn phase to promote bonding. It is a good idea to consider which carriers are better suited to different scenarios in order to make your experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
Facing In vs. Facing Out: Which One?
When asking this question, we need to consider the baby's development stage. It is important that the way we face a baby is in alignment with their current developmental season so that the babywearing experience continues to nurture and support a baby's continued overall development. Let us unpack when to face out vs face in and how might each of these positions be beneficial.
Facing in:
Babies are born with an expectation and need to be held and carried. The way in which a baby clings to its mother in a spread squat (froggy) position and the natural instinct of a mother/caregiver to hold her baby heart to heart encourages bonding, helps temperature regulation, baby's can easily hear mothers heartbeat which is a familiar sound from the womb and it can be very calming. Head and neck control is still developing and so holding your baby towards you (facing in) provides a natural supportive position. Facing in also supports the natural ‘c' curvature of the spine in this early stage of development.
The carrier of choice should therefore support this natural 'facing in' position during the newborn and early infancy stage, predominantly up to 6 months of age. The close contact provides a sense of security and promotes bonding. It encourages parents to check in with their baby more regularly and respond quicker to the baby's needs.
Baby is able to check in with the wearer, make eye contact and mirror facial expressions and sounds which encourages more communication
Breastfeeding and hunger cues: Facing in allows parents to respond to hunger cues and then also breastfeeding in this position becomes a possibility as it offers easy access and can be a comfortable, more discreet position for both mother and baby especially when out and about.
Napping: Facing in towards you allows your baby to sleep in the carrier in a comfortable position with adequate head and neck support as they are also able to lean against your chest.
The Aerial baby carrier is designed as a front 'facing in' carrier and alsohas the option to to be used as a back carry.
Facing out:
Facing out is typically encouraged for older infants (from 6 months of age) when your baby is able to hold himself up more securely with good head and neck control. Babies who are showing more curiosity and enjoy seeing and interacting with the outside surroundings may enjoy facing out for a short period of time.
Facing out can encourage more active engagement with the environment however this position tends to lead to babies becoming overstimulated so therefore a short period of time of facing out is recommended. Perhaps for a short walk or for a little while during a social event.
It is more tricky to check in with your baby if he is facing out as it makes it more difficult to pick up on his facial cues and expressions.
It is not recommended that a baby falls asleep in the facing out position as there is no head support. When a baby falls asleep while facing out in the carrier, his head will naturally fall forward which can cause an uncomfortable position and possible airway obstruction.
It is a nice option if a carrier has the versatility to face out, however just still be aware of obtaining a good supportive seat with knees higher than bottom and consider your baby's age and developmental stage before trying this out.
A Word on Back Carrying
An alternative carry is a back carry which is a great option to consider once baby is able to sit independently and as he gets older, into toddlerhood, for extended wearing. Using a soft structured carrier in a back carrying position can be a great choice for hiking. This position is better suited ergonomically for both baby and wearer than the 'facing out' position. Back carrying can be a fun, explorative activity and still promotes interaction between wearer and baby. Baby is able to fall asleep positioned on the back and will still be well supported by the carrier and lean against your back for head support. The Aerial carrier has the versatility to back carry which can be a good alternative to consider as baby gets older.
A Final Note
Babwearing has been around for centuries to keep babies close and respond to their needs whilst still being able to continue daily tasks. We are in a time in history where we now have so many options and different brands to choose from. Although babywearing requires some practice, many carriers that we have available today help to make this skill less intimidating because of the intuitive design and ease of use of the carriers. The Wildbird Aerial Buckle Carrier and the Aerial Buckle Wrap are beautiful options to bring into your babywearing journey. Remember to always consider babies overall sixe and readiness when deciding to use a carrier and be sure to follow the recommendations and guidelines of the manufacturer. Reading out for help form a babywearing educator can aslo be beneficial. Wildbird offers free virtual fittings and consults with a babywearing educator so you can feel confident in your babyweraing journey with your Wildbird carrier. No matter what carrier you choose, holding your baby close is such a beautiful way of nurturing your relationship and supporting their overall development.
