In recent years, baby carriers have become more popular than ever. Baby-wearing is not only trendy among Instagram mom bloggers, it’s recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics! However, not all baby carriers are created equal.
When selecting a baby carrier, you want to find a model that fits your needs and keeps your baby safe. It doesn’t hurt if the carrier looks good, too! But how do you find the perfect one for you?
The biggest thing to keep in mind when picking a carrier is hip health. The wrong baby carrier can hurt both you and your baby! In order to protect your little one (and your post-partum body!), read this guide to finding the healthiest baby carrier.
Hip Health And Baby Carriers
Babies have soft bones and ligaments. This is why it’s so important to position them correctly, especially while in upright baby carriers. When positioned incorrectly, your carrier could cause hip dysplasia in your baby.
Hip dysplasia can refer to a wide range of hip issues. Generally, though, hip dysplasia refers to any sort of dislocation or malformed hip sockets.
Hip dysplasia can be caused by baby carriers which positions your baby’s legs down and together while sitting. Their weight is distributed in a way that can harm their sensitive hip sockets.
What To Look For In Your Carrier
Your baby carrier should place baby’s legs and bottom in an “M” shape, where the baby’s butt is the middle point. Their knees should be placed outward and above the hips, and their legs should be able to move within the carrier.
Whether you’re using a padded carrier or a sling wrap, your carrier should be fully adjustable. The leg holes should be padded and tight, but not so tight that they restrict movement or circulation. More than anything else, the carrier should keep your baby in a safe position with open airways!
When baby-wearing, remember the acronym STICK to make sure your baby is positioned properly:
- Supported Back: baby should not slump over in carrier.
- Tight: baby should be held tight against your chest.
- In view: you should always be able to see baby’s face.
- Close enough to kiss: baby’s head should be within kissing distance.
- Keep chin off chest: in order to keep baby’s airways clear.
Recommended Baby Carriers
In order to narrow down your search, here are our favorite baby carriers for healthy hips:
- Tula: this soft structured carrier is a cult favorite due to their fun patterns and wide selection; they also produce woven wrap carriers.
- Ergo Baby: this soft structured carrier caters to active lifestyles.
- Lillebaby: another cult favorite, Lillebaby makes adorable structured carriers in a wide array of colors.
- Boba Wrap: our favorite wrap carrier is a must-have.
- Baby K’Tan Wrap: these minimalist baby wraps are stylish but practical.
However, no baby carrier is truly one size fits all. Since a good carrier can be quite an investment, read customer reviews to learn more.
Take Your Baby Everywhere You Go
We hope this guide had helped you decide which carrier is best for your lifestyle. Protecting your little one’s hip health is crucial at their early age. Baby-wearing has a multitude of benefits, but must be done right.
For more advice and opinions for the modern parent, check out our blog. We pride ourselves on up-to-the-minute blog posts about everything you need to know while navigating parenthood. Read through our other articles to learn more!
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