This post includes tutorials to help you learn to how to use your soft structured carrier (Tula, Ergo, Kinderpack, Boba, Beco, etc) for a front carry, hip carry, and back carry.
There are so many brands of Soft Structured Carriers and each come with their own tips and instructions. Before using your carrier, be sure to read the instructions that came with it. Each carrier adjusts slightly differently.
When you are reading the directions that come with your carrier, pay attention to how the carrier is adjusted and how the carrier is fit to a newborn. The videos and resources here are supplements to reading your carrier manual. All videos include captions. Press the “CC” button to view the videos with the captions on.
How to Do a Front Carry
This video shows how to do a front carry with a toddler:
One thing that can be tricky about front carries in an SSC is clipping the chest clip (which is on your back when you do a front carry). This video by Babywearing with Kathy shows several tips for clipping the chest clip behind you during a front carry:
How to Do a Hip Carry
This video shows how to put a baby in hip carry in an SSC:
This quick video by Babywearing with Kathy shows an amazingly quick method of switching a baby from a front carry in an SSC with crossed shoulder straps to a hip carry without taking the baby out of the carrier. This can be a really quick and easy way to adjust baby onto the hip for nursing or if you are picking up another child (or item) in arms and need the other hip free.
How to Do a Back Carry
Most people like to put their baby on their back using either a hip scoot or a superman toss. I’ll separate the methods into two sections.
Hip Scoot Back Carry
This video shows how to put a baby on your back using a hip scoot. If you don’t already know how to hip scoot your baby onto your back start here. Grab a doll or stuffed animal and follow along with the video.
This video shows how to put your baby onto your back using a hip scoot with the carrier in place. Start here if you are already comfortable scooting your baby on your back, but want to learn how to do it with the carrier.
Superman Toss Back Carry
Another method many people like is using a superman toss. The name is kind of misleading because you don’t really toss your baby. You roll the baby gently onto your forearm and then place the baby on your back. Start with this video if you would like to learn how to do a superman toss. Grab a doll or stuffed animal and follow along with the video as you watch.
This video shows how to use a superman toss to put baby on the back and focuses on how to get the panel nice and high over baby’s back after putting baby on the back. Start here if you are already comfortable superman tossing, but want to learn how to get the panel situated.
Troubleshooting
If you are finding some discomfort in your carry, try these troubleshooting tips. Often a small adjustment can make a huge difference in how the carry feels.
Carrier Sizing
One very common question is “when should I try a toddler sized carrier?” This post explains how to tell if your child fits into a toddler sized carrier. If you aren’t sure about sizing for a baby, see the trouble shooting post linked above.
I hope that these tips help you with learning how to use your soft structured carrier! SSCs can be wonderfully comfortable and quick to use.
Further Reading:
Babywearing Safety
Positioning your Newborn
Soft Structured Carrier Trouble Shooting