Cradle Carry / Hip Carry
This is the most basic carry that is done with a short wrap, or rebozo. Since I have a longer wrap, I tied the excess around my waist. If you have a longer wrap, you may prefer a different carry.
Baby can be inserted sitting up on the hip, or in a cradle position.
This is a very quick and easy carry that the ring sling was based on. You can leave it tied and put it on and take it off as needed.
The Tie:
Step 1. Folding the wrap in half lengthwise will ensure you have a good pouch for baby. Spread the middle of the wrap over the right shoulder with the folded side toward your shoulder and the opening toward your neck.
Step 2. Bring the front and back pieces around to your opposite hip and tie a knot at your left hip. Tying a sliding knot will allow you to tighten or loosen the wrap after baby is in. For sliding knot use a Sailors Knot.
For Hip Carry:
Step 1. Slide knot up toward your right shoulder. You now have a pouch at your left hip.
Step 2. Bring baby up high on your left shoulder, as if to burp baby.
Step 3. Lower baby, while bringing the wrap over baby’s feet and legs. Baby’s legs should come out the bottom.
Step 4. Spread the fabric under baby to form a seat all the way to baby’s knees, and spread it up baby’s back to baby’s armpits for arms out, or over baby’s shoulders for arms in.
Step 5. If you used a sliding knot, you can now pull the knot up (or down) to tighten (or loosen) until baby is in the right place (think high).
The wrap in the picture is much longer than necessary. You can tie the excess around your waist or around baby as needed.
For Cradle Carry:
Start over with the empty wrap.
You may prefer to move the knot to your back.
Flip the shoulder by reaching underneath the fabric on your shoulder to pull the inner edge (near your neck) under the fabric toward your shoulder. The inner and outer edges will switch places on your shoulder.
You can place baby in the cradle position with head on your left by lifting baby in your left arm above the wrap.
Lower baby’s bottom into the pouch, make sure that baby’s legs and feet are secure in the pouch.
Pull the fabric up over baby’s head for support. I have also tied the excess fabric around my waist to get it out of the way.
You can also place baby in the cradle position with head on your right by lifting baby in your right arm above the wrap and lowering baby in as on the other side.
On either side, baby is now ready to nurse, nap, or cuddle!
The Cross Cradle Carry
Step 1. fold the wrap in half lengthwise and place the middle of the wrap in front of you, and bring the left end around your back and over your right shoulder.
Step 2. bring the right end of the wrap behind your back and over your left shoulder so it is crossed in the back.
Step 3. now the folded wrap forms a pocket in front of you.
Step 4. pull the two sides of the pocket open to make room to place baby.
Step 5. cradle baby in your right arm and slide baby into the pocket, with baby's butt in the center.
Step 6. Make sure that baby's head is supported. Keep an arm under baby to support baby's weight.
Step 7. Ensure that the inside edge of the wrap is between you and baby.
Step 8. Bring the fabric hanging over your right shoulder under and around baby's body.
Step 9. Bring the left end under and around so that both pieces cross under baby. Once the fabric is taut enough to support baby's weight, you can let go.
Step 10. Bring both pieces behind your back and tie in a knot.
Front wrap cross carry
Step 1. Find the middle of the wrap and place it in front of you.
Step 2. Bring the left side of the wrap around your back.
Step 3. Bring the fabric over your right shoulder and let hang in front of you. Bring the right side of the wrap across your back to your left shoulder.
Step 4. Now the wrap is crossed in the back, and you have both ends hanging in front.
Step 5. Slide baby into the center pocket. Baby’s legs should come out of the bottom (newborns may prefer to keep their legs in, folded in front of them in froggy position).
Step 6. Pull on the two ends to tighten this around baby so baby is held tightly against you. The wrap should be all the way under baby’s bottom to the knees, forming a seat.
Step 7. Hold baby with one hand. With your other hand, grab the end of the wrap on your right side, and pull across baby from baby’s left shoulder to right leg, then tuck under baby’s right leg. Pinched under baby’s leg, it should stay tight.
Step 8. Do the same with the fabric hanging over your left shoulder, spreading it from baby's right shoulder, to baby's left knee, making sure the fabric is also spread across baby's entire back and under baby's bottom.
Step 9. Now tighten the whole wrap by grabbing both wrap ends in either hand, jumping slightly to bounce baby’s weight off the wrap, and simultaneously pulling on both ends of the wrap to tighten everything up.
Step 10. And, finally, tie in the back at your waist.
Ready to go!
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry
Stretchy wraps are usually pre-tied and woven wraps are most often wrapped around baby.
I am pre-tying this wrap. You can also tie around baby as shown in the Front Wrap Cross Carry instructions.
This wrap method is great for newborns or toddlers, and superb for discrete nursing!
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Step 1. Center the middle of the wrap at your stomach.
Step 2. Bring the wrap around your sides and cross in the back.
Step 3. Bring each end over the opposite shoulder to hang in front.
Step 4. Bring the hanging ends through (under) the horizontal wrap. This wrap will be the outer pocket.
If you prefer to wrap around baby instead of pre-tying (recommended with a woven wrap), lift baby up now, pull the pocket up over baby’s back, and continue to follow these instructions with baby under wrap and both crosses.
Step 5. Cross the two hanging pieces under the wrap. These will end up over and under baby’s legs just like in the Front Wrap Cross Carry.
Step 6. Bring the ends around to your back to tie. This wrap is very long so I have wrapped around my waist another time before tying.
Step 7. Now you are ready to insert baby! Lift baby up to your shoulder.
Step 8. Insert baby’s left leg under the cross on your right side.
Step 9. Insert baby’s right leg under the cross on your left side.
Step 10. Spread the inner cross (in this case the one coming over my left shoulder) from baby’s right knee to left armpit. For a smaller baby, or when you want baby’s arms inside, spread from knee to over their shoulder.
Step 11. Spread the outer cross from baby’s left knee to right armpit (or shoulder).
Step 12. The pocket has been under baby until now. Bring the pocket over baby’s legs, with baby’s legs coming out the bottom. For a newborn, you can leave baby’s legs inside.
Step 13. Spread the pocket all the way up to baby’s armpits (big baby) or to the back of baby’s head (small or sleeping baby). For head support, the pocket can come over baby’s head.
Ready to go!
These directions are from Diana Rosenfield at www.wrapyourbaby.com. She gave me permission to use her amazing step by step instructions. I highly recommend visiting her site as I have only outlined the carries I use most. Her website is full of many different carries as well as a monthly newsletter you can sign up for to receive tips, articles and thoughts on babywearing via e-mail. I hope you enjoy all that the world of babywearing has to offer. Thank you for supporting a stay at home mom in purchasing your Cherub Wraps merchandise!
Ginger Zambrano
cherubwraps@ymail.com
419.343.3611
