Hip carries are my favorite for a baby who wants to see all around! In a hip carry, a baby can see in front of you, behind you, and watch your face and hands while you are talking or signing to them! You can do a ton of different hip carries with a woven wrap! Here are resources for learning hip carries in your woven wrap. They are organized by the size wrap that they need.
Woven Wrap Hip Carries in a Base Size Wrap
These carries all use a base size wrap. If you aren’t sure what size is your base size, see my Woven Wraps for Beginners Post.
Hip Wrap Cross Carry
This is the only hip carry that takes a base size wrap. However, you can do any front carry as a hip carry by simply placing baby on the hip instead of the front. If you don’t love Hip Wrap Cross Carry, you could try a front carry (see this post) instead and simply position baby on the hip instead of on front. You can also do a carry that uses less wrap and wrap the tails around an extra time or two. Hip Wrap Cross Carry is essentially Front Wrap Cross Carry positioned on the hip. This is the only two shouldered hip carry.
Woven Wrap Hip Carries in a Base Minus One Wrap
This carry requires a wrap that is your base size minus one. So for example, if your base size is a seven, then you would use a size six wrap for these carries. You could also use a base size wrap! You would just have a bit of extra tail.
Reinforced Hip Kangaroo
Reinforced hip kangaroo is a comfortable carry! This can be done as a hip carry, front carry, or burp hold carry. This video shows how to do the carry as a burp hold and then lower baby into an off center front carry.
Woven Wrap Hip Carries in a Base Minus Two Wrap
These carries require a wrap that is your base size minus two. So for example, if your base size is a seven, then you would be able to do these carries with a size five wrap. You could also use a longer wrap! You would just have a bit of extra tail.
Robin’s Hip Carry
Robin’s hip carry is a wonderful first hip carry. This carry is easy to learn and tighten. It’s also wonderful because it can be treated as a poppable carry (where you pop baby in and out as needed).
This photo-tutorial shows the secret to tightening the carry. This tutorial is also available in Spanish here.
This video shows how to do the carry:
This video shows how to do the carry with a newborn as a front carry. This video also shows the secret to tightening the carry and demonstrates how to pop baby in and out of the carry:
Poppin’s Hip Carry
Poppin’s hip carry is also a wonderful and easy hip carry! The secret to this carry is in how you pin the tail while you tighten. This video shows the secret to tightening the carry (pin the tail behind you!)
This video shows how to tie the carry around your baby and demonstrates positioning on the hip:
Inside out Coolest Hip Cross Carry
This variation on Coolest Hip Cross Carry reverses the order of two of the passes. Switching the order of these two passes makes the carry really nicely adjustable through the slipknot.
Woven Wrap Hip Carries in a Base Minus Three Wrap
These carries require a wrap that is your base size minus three. These can also be done with a longer wrap (such as base minus two) with a bit of extra tail. All of these carries are one shouldered front carries. For more front carry options, visit the hip carries page. Most hip carries can also be tied as front carries by simply placing baby on the front rather than on the hip.
Hip Cross Carry
Hip Cross Carry (HCC) is a quick and easy to tie carry. This carry is poppable, which means that you can tie the carry before you leave the house and then pop the baby in and out of the carry as needed.
This video is by BWI of Atlanta:
Hip Reinforced Torso Sling
Hip Reinforced Torso Sling (HRTS) is quite similar to Semi-FWCC. The only difference is that the wrap does not come between the baby’s legs. This carry is quite comfortable for a one shouldered carry.
Coolest Hip Cross Carry with a Sling Ring
Coolest hip cross carry can also be done with a sling ring. Using a sling ring allows you to use a slightly shorter wrap than coolest hip cross carry with a slipknot. It also makes it quite easy to adjust the carry.
Woven Wrap Hip Carries in a Base Minus Four Wrap
These carries require a base wrap minus four. You may find you can eek out some of the base minus three carries with your base minus four wrap. You can also do base minus five carries with a base minus four wrap.
Traditional Sling Carry
Traditional sling carry (TSC) is a wonderfully simple carry. This carry is almost like wearing a ring sling. The only difference between sling carry and a ring sling is in the direction that you feed fabric for tightening. In a ring sling, you feed fabric around to the front toward the rings to tighten. In TSC, you feed the fabric around behind you toward the knot to tighten.
Slip Knots
The key to doing many of the shorter wrap carries is learning to tie a slipknot. Learning to tie a slipknot can take a bit of time, but is SO WORTH IT! It opens up a lot of carry options, particularly for shorter wraps.
Base Minus Five Carries
This carry requires a wrap that is your base size minus five. You can also do this carry in a wrap that is a base size minus four with a bit of extra tail.
Simple Hip Carry
Simple hip carry is quick and easy! It essentially turns your short wrap into a pouch sling. The secret to a comfortable simple hip carry is in learning a flat reef knot.
This video is by Tandem Trouble and gives a wonderful demonstration of the carry. This carry can be done as a front carry or a hip carry:
Flat Reef Knot
A flat reef knot is the secret to really loving Simple Hip Carry. This knot lies flat on your back, making it more comfortable. It also does not slowly loosen over time. A double knot can loosen slightly over time, but a flat reef knot only tightens as you put tension on it.
This video by Babywearing with Kathy gives excellent instructions for tying a flat reef knot:
No Sew Ring Sling
With a pair of sling rings and a base minus 4 or 5 wrap, you can make a no sew ring sling. This is a lovely way to get more versatility from your super short wrap.
Further Reading:
How to do Front Carries in a Woven Wrap
How to do Back Carries in a Woven Wrap