Woven wraps are beautiful and versatile! You can do a ton of different carries with woven wraps! This post includes resources for learning back carries in your woven wrap. They are organized by the size wrap that they need.
If You are New To Wrapping:
- If you are a woven wrap beginner, start with this post.
- If you are beginning back wrapper, start with this post.
- If have already done some back wrapping, but you aren’t sure what your base size is or what I mean by base plus one or base minus 2, start here.
Base Size plus One Woven Wrap Back Carries
These carries all use a base size plus one woven wrap.
Taiwanese carry
This carry is incredibly comfortable and supportive. It’s wiggle-proof as well!
Wiggleproof Ruck
Wiggleproof ruck has a ruck pass and two wiggle proof cross passes which make this carry both lean proof and leg straightener proof.
Base Size Carries
These carries all use a base size wrap.
Back Wrap Cross Carry
Many people like Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) as a first back carry. If you are just getting started with back wrapping, this might be a good one to start with. This carry starts with a half knot tied at the chest, which gives you a moment to pause and think before tying the next passes.
Secure High Back Carry
Secure High Back Carry (SHBC) can also be a wonderful first back carry. This carry starts with a half knot, just like back wrap cross carry (BWCC). This carry positions the baby slightly higher than BWCC and works well with a wiggly baby.
Double Hammock
Double hammock is a wonderfully comfortable carry with two sling passes and a chest pass. There are many variations on this carry that you will see in each carry size section.
Double Sling Shoulder to Shoulder
Double sling shoulder to shoulder (DSS2S) is a supportive and comfortable carry! This carry can sometimes require a bit more length than your base size. (For me it depends on whether I am wrapping a baby or a toddler. I can do this carry in my base size with a baby but need a base plus one wrap to use this carry with a toddler). This video by Tandem Trouble shows how to do this carry with a toddler:
Giselle’s Back Carry
Giselle’s back carry is a supportive three layer carry that starts centered on the baby’s back. This carry has three passes, a sling pass, a cross pass, and a reinforcing cross pass. This video also shows how to do a knotless tibetan tie off (which is a possibility for tying for any woven wrap carry that has two shoulder straps (called ruck straps).
Jordan’s Back Carry
Jordan’s back carry (JBC) is quite similar to Giselle’s back carry. There is just a slight difference in the last pass. JBC has a sling pass, cross pass, and then horizontal pass.
Base Minus One Carries
These carries require a woven wrap that is your base size minus one or longer.
Double Hammock Tied at the Shoulder
This is a lovely double hammock variation that ties at the shoulder (instead of the waist). This variation uses slightly less wrap length than Double Hammock and can be nice if you want to keep the weight loaded on your chest (rather than at the waist).
Double Hammock Tied under the Bum
This double hammock variation ties under the baby’s bottom. This variation uses slightly less wrap length than Double Hammock, but can be tricky. It can be hard to tie under the baby’s bottom. For tips on tying under the bottom, see the video for Ruck Tied under the Bum in the base minus 4 carry section.
Reinforced Ruck
This carry is a supportive variation on Ruck tied in Front. If you’re working with a longer wrap, you can add a chest belt or tibetan tie to use up extra length.
Here are some possible chest belts that you can add to the carry to change the way the weight feels or to use up excess wrap length:
Base Minus Two Carries
These carries require a wrap that is your base size minus two. You could also use a longer wrap! You would just have a bit of extra tail.
Ruck Tied in Front
Ruck tied in front (RTIF) can be a wonderful first carry to learn because the steps are simple. This carry is quick to tie and positions baby nice and high on your back so they can see over your shoulder.
This video shows how to do the carry slowly and with detail on making the seat:
This video shows the carry with a wiggly toddler and gives some tips for dealing with a wiggler!
Shepherd’s Back Carry
This is a double hammock variation that uses less wrap than the full length carry and is very comfortable. This video is by Tandem Babywearing:
Half Taiwanese
This carry has two sling passes and a very comfortable chest belt. You can probably eek this carry out in a base minus three wrap as well as a base minus two. I put it under base minus two, because I find the carry much easier if I have enough length to bring the short tail to my knees to pin it while I wrap the carry. This wonderful video is by Brittany Brown Marsh of the Britt Brown Marsh Blog.
Base Minus Three Carries
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.
Reinforced Rear Ruck
This ruck variation is just like short ruck tied at the shoulder, but with a spread horizontal pass instead of a bunched pass. Sometimes people call this the pirate carry because of the R’s in the name. (arrr) 😉
Double Sling
This back carry has two sling passes. The video explains how to do the shoulder flip, which is a little tricky and is used in the next few carries. If shoulder flips give you trouble, I also have a shoulder flip photo-tutorial that might help.
Half Jordan’s Back Carry (Half-JBC)
Half JBC is just like double sling except instead of two sling passes, there’s one sling pass and then a cross pass. This is a nice one for babies who are squirmy because the sling pass protects against leaning and the cross pass protects against leg straightening.
Wiggleproof Half Jordan’s Back Carry
This variation on Half JBC has a sling pass and then a wiggle proof cross pass. Wiggle proof cross passes are passes that are wrapped from under baby’s leg and then spread over baby’s back. This type of pass ends up looking just like a regular cross pass, but has the advantage of lifting the carry a bit higher. It also doesn’t require learning to do a shoulder flip, which can be easier. Some people prefer this variation on Half JBC:
Double Hammock Sling (also called Back Reinforced Torso Sling)
This is a short one shouldered variation on double hammock. Sometimes it’s also called back reinforced torso sling or rear reinforced torso sling. I find it works best with bigger babies and toddlers, but is really comfy and pretty. This video is by Tandem Trouble:
Short Double Hammock Freshwater
This is comfortable short double hammock variation that ties with a sling ring. This video is by the Britt Brown Marsh Blog.
Base Minus Four Carries
These carries require a wrap that is your base size minus four.
Ruck Tied under the Bum
This is a quick one layer back carry that works well with older babies and toddlers. This one is also lovely with a flat reef knot, but a regular double knot works too.
Knots!
Knowing how to tie a slipknot or flat reef knot can really help you with some of the back carries! Some of the back carries tie with a slipknot. You can always just do a double knot instead, but a slipknot is wonderfully adjustable and lays comfortably on the shoulder. A flat reef knot is also a nice knot because it lies flat against your body and it doesn’t loosen over time. In fact, the more you pull against it, the tighter it gets.
Slip Knots
The key to loving a short wrap is learning to tie a slipknot. So we’ll start off with a slip knot tutorial!
This video shows how to tie a slipknot:
This video includes tips for adjusting and tightening your slipknot:
Flat Reef Knot
The secret to loving Ruck Tied Under the Bum is tying a flat reef knot. This video by Babywearing with Kathy shows how to tie this knot:
I hope you have so much fun playing with your wrap! <3
Further Reading:
Woven Wrap Carries by Wrap Size
Wrap Pass Glossary
Wrapper’s Cheat Sheet
How to do Woven Wrap Back Carries (for Beginners)