🧣 Babywearing: getting a safe, comfortable fit

Choose and check your carrier

• An intact wrap or carrier suitable for baby's size and development, with readable instructions.
• Help from a trained babywearing adviser if you are unsure about fit.
• Clothing suited to your local weather: Kenya's temperatures vary with location and altitude. The carrier adds a layer, so check for overheating and remove baby's hat indoors.

Check every time

1. 1. Start with an appropriate inward carry

   For a young baby, use the approved upright, chest-to-chest position with head and neck support. Practise securing the carrier with another adult helping before walking around.

2. 2. Keep the airway visible and clear

   Keep baby's face uncovered and visible, nose and mouth unobstructed, and chin off the chest. Do not let the face press into your body or fabric; check breathing frequently.

3. 3. Keep baby high and snug

   Baby should be close enough to kiss and supported against you without slumping or being compressed. Adjust carefully and recheck buckles, knots and fabric.

4. 4. Support the hips comfortably

   Support the thighs with knees gently higher than the bottom where the design allows. Do not force the legs widely apart. Adjust the seat width as baby grows.

5. 5. Check both of you

   Adjust straps and any waistband to distribute weight comfortably. Stop for pain, overheating or poor positioning. Follow the specific product's developmental requirements before trying outward, hip or back carries.

6. 6. Plan for feeding and sleep

   Take baby out to feed rather than feeding hands-free in the carrier. If baby falls asleep, move them as soon as practical onto their back in their own firm, flat, clear cot, with no pillows, blankets or toys. A carrier is not a routine sleep space.

Classic mistakes

• ❌ Leaving slack for breathing room Slack can allow slumping and obstruct breathing. A supported upright position and unobstructed face matter more than loose fabric.
• ❌ Treating free hands as permission for risky tasks Do not cook, handle hot drinks, drive, cycle, climb ladders or use power tools while wearing baby. A carrier does not replace a car seat.
• ❌ Ignoring an unwell baby Remove baby from the carrier and seek urgent help for breathing difficulty, blue colouring or floppiness; call 999 or 112. Emergency response is not guaranteed, so have a backup plan for safe transport to an emergency department.

Same topic

• 😭 Getting through evening crying
• 👀 Supporting your newborn's visual development
• 💬 Building language through everyday conversation
• ️ Encouraging free movement