Back Carry Tutorial

Here’s hoping I can help!  I thought I could also do a YouTube recording of how I do this.  We’ll start here though.  This is my rendition of a back wrap cross carry.  I don’t tie it around my waist.  I’m using the ‘hip scoot’ method to put MB on my back,  but this is not my preferred method.  I think it is the easiest to explain.    The wrap I’m using is a 5.6 meter Katja Didymos that I bought second hand years ago.  I know that it has shrunk from it’s original size. 

  Out of vanity,  I must ask you to excuse the dirty kitchen, funny looks on  my face, and disheveled clothing!  LOL!

So first you have to find the middle of the wrap.  Some are marked with a tag or some other marking.  The one I am using is not,  so I simply grab it somewhere around the middle and hold it up and adjust till both ends are even:

Then you place the center of the wrap at the small of your back and wrap it around you like you would a bath towel,  hold it between your knees:

Pick up baby and place him on your hip, slide him under your arm and onto you back (be sure to scoot him up high,  you want his nose to touch your neck) :

Take the top of the wrap in each hand and spread it out wide,  pull it up over baby, covering him from his shoulders to his knees:

Then you literally tie baby to you at the chest (over your breasts):

Then you bring the the right part of the wrap over top of your right shoulder,  careful not to twist or bunch it,  but keep it nice and snug.  Bring it over top of baby and then under his left leg:

Do the same on the other side:

Now you should have the wrap snug and crossed under baby’s bottom and under your arms.  Hold both ends in your hands in front of you, at this point you can give a little bounce and tug on the ends to snug it all up a bit.  You want it to feel just on the verge of too tight as it will loosen up a tad with the weight of the baby and your movement.  (Some say “10 minutes too tight”) :

Here is where you can either tie it snug around your waist or use the following variation.  I do not like it tied around my waist for two reasons.  One is that baby tends to slide  down a bit that way and I am much more comfortable with baby high up.  I like him to be able to look over my shoulder if he wants.  And two,   I just don’t like how it looks tied around my waist. 😉

The variation:  Bring  the left side of the wrap that is hanging down up and through where the wrap is tied at your chest,  near your left armpit:

Then do the same on the right side:

You will then have the two ends up near your armpits,  and through where you tied the wrap at your chest.  Pull both ends snug and give a little hop if need be:

Bring both ends around and tie them under baby’s bottom:

TA-DA!  Baby is snug and happy on your back,  and no tails hanging down from the wrap.  If baby falls asleep or is tiny with no head control you can have someone help you by laying his head with his cheek to your back,  and pull one of the crosses over to keep it cozy up next to you!  The way I have MB here,  if he were to fall asleep he’d probably be fine because it’s tied high enough by his head. 

This way your hands are free and baby is still close to you where he wants to be. 

Now I can go clean up this dirty kitchen! LOL!

*A couple of notes:  I usually keep my scapular out of the way instead of tied up in the wrap like it is here.  I could also stand to tie the wrap back a bit neater so it’s not so bulky under my arms.     Be sure to keep tabs on where your shirt is when you are tying baby on. 😉  And as with anything else when it comes to mothering,  common sense and personal responsibility must prevail! 

Over the next few days I may add a instructional video for this back carry and another tutorial for a rucksack.