Poppin’s hip carry took me ages to learn. I kept trying it over and over and got the same result . . . . a saggy carry that didn’t feel quite secure. I have learned one thing about wrapping over the years though, and that is when I really dislike a carry, it’s usually because I haven’t learned the right tricks for it yet. I kept searching for “the secret” to poppin’s hip carry, and one day a friend of mine taught me a trick that made the difference! In this photo-tutorial, I’ll share how I do poppin’s hip carry and the one amazing wrapping tip that is the secret to loving it.
Poppin’s hip carry works best in a woven wrap that is your base size minus 2. If you aren’t sure what I mean by that, see here. You can do this carry with a base size wrap or base minus one wrap as well, you’ll just have a bit of extra tail.
Step 1: To start, locate the middle marker of your wrap and place it where your baby is going to go. For a hip carry, place the middle marker just under your arm. For an off center front carry, place the middle marker just off center, where your baby will be.
Step 2: Bring the tail across your back and over your opposite shoulder, creating a diagonal in the back.
Step 3: Gather the tail neatly on top of your shoulder.
Step 4: Neatly gather the tail that is coming across your chest. Take a moment to make this tail nice and snug. This step will make the rest of the wrapping process easier for you because you won’t have as much tightening to do later.
Step 5: Bring the tail that is coming across your chest UNDER the hanging tail.
Step 6: This is the secret! Pin the hanging tail between your knees BEHIND you.
Do not pin it in between your knees in the front. Pinning in the front is somewhat effective, but the anchor point tends to slide down, creating a saggy carry. If you pin the tail behind you, the anchor point stays nice and high and you’ll be able to easily tighten after you put the baby in the carry!
Step 7: Bring the tail that is coming across your chest up a bit so that it is just below your collarbone (kind of like you would to position the rings on a ring sling).
Step 8: Now you’re ready to pick up your baby! Hold your baby as if you are about to burp them and guide baby’s legs through the wrap.
Step 9: Bring the wrap up over baby’s back. Older babies can be arms out.
Step 10: Bring the bottom edge of the wrap knee to knee to make a “seat.” It can be helpful to pull slack from the back over toward the anchor point.
Step 11: Now you’re ready to tighten! The key to tightening this carry is in keeping the tail pinned behind you. Pull the fabric away from you to tighten. Start with the top fourth of the wrap. Support baby with one hand as you tighten.
Step 12: Work your way through the wrap, tightening each fourth of the width of the fabric by pulling outward.
Step 13: Fold the tail back across baby’s body. Bring the top edge in a straight line across baby’s back. You can pin the top edge under your arm for a moment.
Step 14: With the top edge pinned under your arm, bring the bottom edge in a straight line across baby’s bottom as well.
Step 15: Tie a double knot in back!
And you’re done! You have a beautiful, well tightened poppin’s hip carry with no sagging! 🙂 The secret is in pinning the tail behind you!
This carry can be done as a front carry for a younger baby (as shown) or a hip carry for an older baby!
If you prefer learning with videos, these videos show the secret to this carry:
This video is by my friend Autumn Hunter (a babywearing educator from former BWI of Southern Maryland and the friend that I learned this tip from) and shows the carry as a hip carry:
This video is by me and shows the carry as a front carry with a newborn:
Poppin’s hip carry taught me two important lessons in wrapping. First, it taught me that when using a woven wrap, finding an effective way to pin one tail can solve a lot of wrapping problems. It’s much easier to tighten one side if the other side isn’t also sliding around. And second, it taught me that if I haven’t found the love for a carry yet, it’s likely because I haven’t found the right tips for learning it yet. If there’s a carry you haven’t found the love for yet but think you would like if you could get it, don’t give up on it!
Give poppin’s hip carry a try and let me know how it goes! Happy wrapping! <3
Further Reading
How to use a Woven Wrap (for beginners)
Woven Wrap Carries by Size
How to do Hip Carries in a Woven Wrap
How to do Front Carries in a Woven Wrap