Your baby loves to be carried, but he doesn’t like facing you. Put him down and he wants to be held, pick him up and he wants to be put back down.  Sound familiar?  There can be so many reasons why your baby doesn’t want to be held or carried in a sling, but maybe your child just wants to see what’s going on.

In a baby carrier where your baby is facing in towards your chest, he may start pushing away, or trying to turn himself around to look out. When you’re trying to feed him – whether breast or bottle – he might just want to look around and not miss a minute of what’s going on.

This is a tricky time for parents. Your baby is growing, their brain is more and more capable of taking in information, processing and understanding it, and they want to learn. They still want the closeness and comfort of being carried, yet the tummy to tummy cuddles are feeling restrictive.

Should I carry my baby facing outwards in a baby carrier?

When carrying your baby in a carrier, you really want to just replicate how you hold them in arms, and keep that carry as natural as possible.  Support their bottom and thighs, support the natural curve of their spine, and be responsive to their needs.

This can be difficult in a forward-facing carrier, firstly because of gravity pulling your baby’s legs and body down and away from you rather than into a hug like when they face into you.  Their backs may start to arch backwards – ok in the short term, vertebrae are flexible after all, but not something you want day in and day out at a crucial time for bone and joint development.  And when facing away from you, you can miss your baby’s cues for hunger, or the very first signs of distress.

Are there any special rules for facing forwards in a baby carrier?

If you want to carry your baby facing away from you, use only carriers that have been designed to have your baby facing-forward in them. Other options might be to try a ‘hip carry’ (many clip-on carriers do this, plus ring slings or woven wraps), or to carry your baby on your back.

Continue to be aware of and responsive to your baby’s cues for feeds and attention.

And ensure your baby’s face and neck are not obstructed by the carrier body, hood or clothing and airways are clear.

So what else….

How long can I carry my baby in a carrier for?

Keep forward-facing to under 30 minutes. Babies can get over stimulated in the big wide world with so much going on, or they may just get tired and start to be lulled to sleep with the motion of walking and moving for a longer time. It’s best to turn them around to re-connect with you and give them the chance to lay a head on your chest, before you’re stuck with a sleeping child with no head support, or an unhappy child that’s just had enough of everything, and can’t be settled.

If your baby gets over-stimulated or seems unhappy, turn them around or take them out of the carrier.

If your carrier is in a narrow-based carrier, then even in a facing-in position I would recommend limiting the time to around 30 minuntes.

Facing inwards towards you, in a well-fitting wide based carrier where your child’s hips are held in a neutral hip-healthy position, spine is well supported in a gentle curve, legs are not overstretched, and everyone is comfortable and happy, there is no time limit.

What age can my baby start facing outwards in a baby carrier?

Babies who have full head control and are tall enough can face forwards in a carrier. Just because your baby has head control won’t mean they can forward-face yet – you will also need to ensure the carrier fits them well in this position. Their head should be clear of the panel, and the panel edge away from their neck.

At 12 months my baby feels heavy – is my baby too old to face outwards?

After about 12 months, it becomes quite uncomfortable for the wearer in a facing outwards position. By this age, your baby/toddler’s legs are longer, stronger and heavier, and you will find the weight distribution is better if you can carry them in a way where their legs wrap around you rather than pull away from you. Most baby carrier manufacturers will only recommend forward facing up to around 12 months. After that age you would be much better, in terms of comfort and keeping your carrier stitching in-tact, to carry your growing nosey toddler on your back.  Buckle style baby carriers tend to last you up to the age of 2, 3 or even 4, for back-carries.

Can I let my baby fall asleep in the baby carrier?

If your baby falls asleep, or looks or sounds sleepy, turn them around to face you, or take them out of the carrier.  Remember as well that your carrier may need adjusting back to a wide seat position for facing inwards, so don’t leave it until that last minute!

Facing towards you, your baby can sleep with their head resting against you, or if needed with support from a sleep hood.

How do I ensure a ‘good position’ in a forward-facing baby carrier?

If your carrier allows, do a ‘pelvic tuck‘ once the carrier is secure, to get a good position for the hips.  It is possible, and far more comfortable (and healthier), for your baby to have their upper thighs lifted upwards, so their weight is on their bottom and thighs, and not just through their nappy area with their legs dangling.  Some carriers do this better than others; the best one I have come across is the Tula Explore.

Your own physiology may determine how your baby is able to sit in a carrier – think of boobs and tums in terms of a back-rest for your child, and the angle your child needs to sit at to be comfortable.  If you’re not sure, pop down to your local sling library for some advice.

Anything else?

Follow the TICKS guidelines for safe babywearing while forward-facing.