Tutorial: Robin's Hip Carry

Carry: Robin's Hip Carry
Wrap Used: Natibaby Calypte Plum, size 6
Level of Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

This is one of my favourite carries, as it is a multi-layer hip carry which shows off both sides of the wrap beautifully.  I've used a size 6 wrap here, but it can be done using sizes 4-7, and you simply adjust where you tie it, and it will also vary depending on your size and the size of your child.

1. Start with your child sitting on the hip that you would normally carry them in, and your wrap over the opposite shoulder.  You should start with the middle-marker on your shoulder. I've used a double-sided wrap here, and have started with the 'wrong' side facing up.

2. Swap the hand holding your child, and reach behind you to take hold of the wrap.

3. Bring the wrap around your side and around your child's back.

4. Form a nice, deep seat for your child, by bringing the fabric up between you and your child, and making sure it supports your child from knee-to-knee.

5. Gather up the fabric in your hand, so that your child's weight is completely supported in the seat you have made for them. Make sure the fabric is tightened, particularly on the top rail.

6. Hold the gathered fabric in the hand closest to your child, and use the other hand to pull the wrap tight over your shoulder.

7. Bring the wrap over your shoulder. You want to keep the tension throughout, so that your child remains held securely, and cross the tail coming from over your shoulder UNDER the tail which is gathered in your other hand.

8. Keeping the tension, take the tail which has come from over your shoulder, and flip it back over your shoulder again. The 'right' side should now be facing upwards on your shoulder.

9. Keeping the tension in the tail held next to your child, reach round and take hold of the tail you have just passed back over your shoulder.  Tighten it all along the width of the wrap.

10. Bring both tails tightly round, and under your child's bottom.

11. If you are using a size 4, you will probably have to tie off here.  I prefer to  use a longer wrap, as it allows you to spread the passes and add extra support.

12. If you're using a longer wrap (probably size 5+), cross the tails under your child's botton and take them back under your child's legs, as you would with a basic Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC).

13. You can then take the tails around your to back, and you may need to tie off behind you, or if your wrap is long enough, you may prefer to bring it around again and tie in front.

14. You will have two layers of wrap over your shoulder. Adjust the botton layer to make it lay comfortably....

15....and then adjust the top layer, so that the weight is supported comfortably on your shoulder and is not digging into your neck.

16. Spread the cross passes over your child's bottom and back....

17...on both sides.

18. I like to tuck my child's shoulders in, although he sometimes prefers to have an arm or two out. With a much younger baby, you are more likely to want the wrap to come right up to the back of their neck, in order to offer them more support.

19. You're finished!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Tutorial: Back Wrap Cross Carry with Sweetheart Neckline

Tutorial: Back Wrap Cross Carry with Sweetheart Neckline.
Wrap Used: Oscha Eden Copper Beech, size 7
Level of Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

This back carry is one of the first that I learnt how to do.  It is a great multi-layer back carry for children who like to leg-straighten and risk popping their seat.  It isn't particularly complicated, and just takes a little practice.  I've found a size 7 best for this carry, although petite parents with a smaller child may prefer a slightly shorter wrap.

1. Get your child on your back in your preferred way.  You need the middle marker central on their back.  In the same way as my other tutorials, take hold of the two top rails, pull them tight, and secure them under your chin or between your teeth.  This secures your child, and gives you both of your hands to create a good seat.

2.  To create a good seat, take hold of your bottom rail from underneath your child's legs and pull it down to take the slack out of your wrap.  Make sure you are keeping the top rails secure at this time.

3.  Pull the bottom rail up between you and your child, to create a nice, deep seat, making sure the fabric goes from one knee pit to the other.  You may notice that my son has taken one of his arms out of the wrap.  This is fine with an older child who will happily sit on your back.  However, if your child is younger or not particularly cooperative, I would recommend you keep both your child's arms inside the wrap whilst creating a seat, as you don't actually have your hands on your child at this point.

4.  Keeping the fabric pulled tight on both sides, bring both rails off of your shoulders and under your arms.  Try and keep the wrap as far up your child's back as you can.

5.  Secure one tail whilst you work on the other one.  I am stood on my tail with the opposite foot, but you can also hold it between your knees, or under your chin.  Keeping the tension in both sides, bring the fabric across your chest...

6...toward your opposite armpit.  Try and keep the fabric as tight as possible.

7.  Take this tail under your child's leg (this is quite unusual, as with most carries you take the wrap over your child's leg).

8.  Pass the wrap to the other hand and spread it across your child's back and up towards the back of their neck, bringing it to your opposite shoulder.

9.  Gather the wrap at the shoulder, and work along the width to take any slack out of the wrap.

10.  This is a symmetrical carry, so you are now ready to do the same on the other side.  You need to secure the tail which is now over your shoulder whilst working on the other side.  I find it easiest to secure it under my neck on this occasion.

11. With the tail secured under your neck, pull the other tail tightly across your chest...

12....and under your child's leg.

13.  Pass the wrap to your other hand behind your back and spread the fabric over your child's back and up towards the back of their neck.

14. Bring the wrap over your shoulder and pull the fabric tight.

15. You should now have both tails over your shoulders.

16. Spend a bit of time carefully making sure the slack is taken out of the wrap, and it is as secure as you can get it.

17.  Finish the carry by taking the tails around to the back....

18....and tie them under your child's bottom.  If your wrap is long enough, you may be able to take the tails under your child's legs and tie at the front if you prefer.

19.  Adjust the shoulders to make them comfortable.

 Thank you for looking!

Tutorial: Kangaroo Carry, with flipped shoulders

Carry: Kangaroo Carry with flipped shoulders
Wrap Used: Oscha Juliet Roses, size 2
Level of difficulty: Easy

This is a lovely carry, suitable for any age child, and can be done with a size 2 or 3 woven wrap.  I was only just able to tie it off with my size 2, as my son is getting quite big.  You may prefer to practice this carry with a size 3 at first.  This carry can be done with or without flipping the shoulders.  The advantage of flipping them is that it pulls the top rail in tighter, and helps prevent your child from being able to lean away from you.  


1. Start with your wrap looped across your front, with one end over each shoulder.  My hand is holding the middle marker in this picture.

2.  Place your child in the pouch you've created on your front in your preferred way.  You want the middle marker at the back of your child's neck.

3.  Create the seat by bringing the bottom rail of the wrap up between you and your child.

4.  Make sure the wrap extends from one of your child's knee pits to the other one.  Make sure your middle marker is still central.

5.  Using one hand to support your child's weight under their bottom, use the other hand to flip the shoulders of your wrap.  You do this by reaching under the shoulder piece of your wrap and taking hold of the rail nearest to your neck......

6.  ......and pulling it through to the outside of your shoulder.  The wrong side of your wrap should now be facing outwards on the shoulder.  Adjust the fabric on your shoulder to make it comfortable.

7. You will need to swap the hand supporting your child's weight, and reach behind you to take hold of the side you have just flipped.  Work along the width of the wrap, making sure you pull each bit tight and taking all the slack out of the wrap.

8.  Bring that tightened side around to the front, over your child's leg, and to the middle under your child's bottom.  You need to make sure you now hold this tail tight whilst adjusting you other side.

9.  Holding the tightened tail under your child's bottom,and also supporting their weight with that hand, prepare to flip the other shoulder piece, by putting your other hand under the wrap and taking hold of the rail nearest to your neck.

10.  Bring that rail under and through to the outside, in the same way as you did the other side.  Adjust the wrap so that it is comfortable on your shoulder.

11.  Once again, reach behind you and take hold of the wrap.  Again, work along the width of the wrap to pull it all tight and take any slack out of the wrap.

12. Bring it round to the front, over your child's leg, so that it meets the other tail under your child's bottom.  Adjust the shoulders so that they are comfortable.

13.  Again make sure you have pulled all the slack out of each side.

14.  Tie a double knot.  If you're using a longer wrap, you could take this round to the back under your child's legs, and tie at the back. 

15.  As you can see my son got his arms out whilst I was tying.  This isn't a problem, and I've just tucked them in at the end.  For a much younger child, you will probably want to make sure the wrap is up to their neck the whole time you are tying, so that they are fully supported.  This is particularly important for a child who doesn't yet have good head control.

Please let me know if you've found this tutorial helpful, or if there is a specific carry you would like me to make a tutorial for.  Thank you for looking :)