If there’s one extra thing I would recommend for the postpartum period outside of a well-rounded recovery program – it would be baby wearing! I totally get that this may not seem super appealing for everyone, but before you count it out – keep reading…
Benefits of Baby Wearing
It can be overlooked that baby wearing offers benefits for both parent and baby. While it may not be your initial, go-to preference, it truly is an incredible option in the postpartum period. Not only does it foster emotional connection, but it also provides practical solutions for navigating daily life with a newborn – and can be a total game changer when you need to make a cup of coffee, fold the laundry, or just eat a meal with two hands. Baby wearing lets you keep your little one close while still feeling like you’ve got a bit of freedom — and sometimes, that’s exactly the balance you need in those early days.
Let’s take a peek at some key benefits of baby wearing:
- recreating the womb, it promotes attachment and bonding with baby
- allows parent to be hands free and still keep baby close — also see: productivity with a newborn
- promotes healthy hips — “M” position is optional to avoid complications with hip dysplasia
- helps prevent plagiocephaly (in layman’s terms: flat head syndrome)
- promotes development — upright environmental exploration, and even language development
The Timeline: When Can You Start Baby Wearing?
Navigating the early postpartum period is a journey of healing, adjustment, and bonding. While baby wearing can be a great tool during this time, it’s important to be in tune with your body — recognizing signals and easing into it gradually. It’s important to keep in mind that every parent’s recovery is unique, so knowing when and how to begin is going to be key.
Typically, you can start baby wearing around 2-3 weeks postpartum for short periods of time. This might look like wearing your baby while doing light chores around the house, preparing a simple meal, or going for a gentle walk. These short sessions help both you and your baby adjust to baby wearing while allowing you to keep your hands free for the simpler, daily tasks.
As you continue, pay close attention to how your body feels. If you can tolerate these short wearing periods without experiencing any pain, heaviness, discomfort, increased bleeding, or other warning signs, you can begin gradually increasing the length of time you wear your baby.
One important rule of thumb: baby wearing should never cause pain.
Pain is your body’s way of signaling that it isn’t ready. Some parents may need several weeks before feeling comfortable enough to baby wear regularly, especially depending on the state of their pelvic floor and core muscles.
If you experience persistent discomfort or pain, it’s wise to consult with a pelvic floor therapist — especially at your 6-week postpartum check-up — to guide you through a safe recovery process. Prioritizing your body’s healing ensures baby wearing is a positive, sustainable experience for both you and your little one, and not something that is prolonging your recovery.
The Fit: The “TICKS” Method
The T.I.C.K.S. Method is a checklist of guidelines for safely baby-wearing taken from Solly Baby.
T – Tight: The wrap should be snug enough to hug baby in close, but not too tight as to make it uncomfortable. The tightness of the wrap needs to ensure proper support for both you and baby. You should still be able to take a full breath in and out, but the carrier should not be so loose that baby can slump down. If you will be on your feet for a length of time, then initially secure your baby a bit tighter as gravity and movement will cause things to loosen up over time.
Tip: a loose carrier means your body is working harder and this can cause fatigue or strain — if you feel your wrap is getting looser, take 2 seconds to quickly re-adjust and then carry on.
I – In View at All Times: You should be able to see baby’s face the entire time to ensure proper ventilation. You should not have to pull straps or fabric away to see baby.
C – Close Enough to Kiss: Baby should be high enough to be able to kiss at all times. This position helps prevent neck, shoulder, and back strain.
K – Keep Chin Off Chest: This is a must to avoid breathing restriction, and keep baby’s airway clear.
S – Supported Back: Baby should be held in a position that their back is supported in it’s natural position with chest and belly toward the wearer.
Think about your baby’s hip and knee position. Straight legs put your baby at risk for developing hip dysplasia. The “M” position where your baby’s knees are slightly higher than the bum is ideal. The wrap or carrier should create a shelf under your baby’s bottom and splays their legs around your body.
Check out the International Hip Dysplasia Institute for more information.
It’s also best to keep your baby facing inward toward your chest until they can hold their own head — upright which is typically around 5-6 months. Even at this point, you can continue with inward facing carrying if that is what is comfortable for you. I personally, would wear him outward while he was awake and turn him inward if he was getting fussy or sleepy.
Carrier Options
Before considering your carrier, think about when and where you will be using the carrier.
What type of activities will you be doing while wearing your baby?
Do you plan to wear it for small periods of time at home while you prep meals, or will you be going on long walks or hikes outdoors?
What’s the weather like outside when you’ll primarily be wearing baby?
Do you need easy on/off access?
Do you need more support as your baby grows?
How big is your baby relative to your own size?
Choosing the carrier that is best for you and your baby is critical because comfort truly is our number one priority when it comes to baby wearing — the more comfortable you are, the more supported your body. When you are uncomfortable, any body tension can become increasing pain, pressure or manifest in other ways that will ultimately imped on your recovery.
Tip: I highly recommend trying various carriers.
The best way to go abut this is to ask friends and family, co-workers, or even your mom Facebook group members to borrow and try them on before buying. And if you’re determined to wear baby often, buy a few different ones to suit your needs.
These were my go-to’s for early postpartum:
The Solly Baby Wrap – this one takes some practice to learn how to get on and off [and we found was harder without help] but once it was in place, it was the one we’d grab for the simpler daily tasks like chores around the house. If you go this route, be sure to use my code: SYDBAST10 for 10% off.
The Baby Bjourn Mini Carrier was by far the top contender for the ease of getting it on and off. We wore this carrier for our outdoor walks, more than anything.
As my baby grew and became too heavy for those, I switched to Lille Baby which was the most supportive and comfortable carrier I tried. My husband and I literally wore him in that carrier multiple times a day everyday until he started walking, and even then we still carried him some days in this carrier.
Keep in mind: there are a ton of options for carriers, and these are just what I tried and liked the best. I am a big advocate for trying them out and finding what works best for you!
Posture
The position of your body impacts the pressure on your pelvic floor — so how you stand, walk, wear your baby and move throughout your day really matters. Ideally, you want to find neutral alignment and symmetry as often as possible throughout your day and while baby wearing.
Find a position where your shoulders are stacked over your ribs, over your hips — and you’re not popping one hip, tucking your butt under or flaring out your rib cage in order to hold your baby.
see image of me holding my son
When a load — in this case, your baby — is added to less than optimal posture, you may begin compensating with other parts of your body to find an upright position. This may put an increased strain on your neck, back, abdominal wall, or pelvic floor. This could increase severity of diastasis recti or pelvic floor dysfunction so finding a neutral, symmetrical posture is the best thing you can do throughout your day, and especially while baby wearing to minimize negative impact.
C-Section Considerations
It is generally still safe to begin baby wearing for short periods of time 2-3 weeks after a C-Section — if you have been cleared by your provider to carry your baby, you should also be able to baby wear.
The position of your baby should be high enough early on to not bother your incision site, but as with any postpartum recommendation, you want to begin with short periods of baby-wearing, and slowly build up your tolerance over time.
Some additional things to consider:
➡ wear support bloomers or a binder for additional core support under your carrier
➡ do not lift any other heavy object or child while baby wearing
➡ maintain good posture as described above while baby wearing
If you’re prepping for postpartum or are in the depths of it now and have any questions when it comes to baby-wearing or getting back into your fitness routine, be sure to leave a comment, reach out to me on Instagram or browse the SBF Programs — and if you are experiencing pain or any other concerning symptoms consult your provider.
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