About Babywearing » Safety while Babywearing

Keeping your baby safe is obviously one of the most important priorities in your life, and with recent talk about the safety of using a babycarrier it can be really hard to know what to do. But there are some basic things that you can do to ensure that your baby is safe while you snuggle.

The most important of these is to make sure that your baby’s airways are not blocked. So, please make sure your baby is not slumped into a chin-to-chest position. This is easiest to ensure in an upright, tummy-to-tummy position than it is in a cradle carry, which is why we suggest that you only carry your baby in this position while breastfeeding. When your baby has finished, please move them gently to a more upright position.

On your front your baby should be situated so that you are able to easily reach to kiss the top of the head. This means that your baby should not be in a position where their head can snuggle between breasts, rather s/he should be well clear. For a tiny baby it is often easier to achieve this in the less structured carriers.

While back carrying it is advisable to check your baby’s position whenever you can, using car windows, mirrors and any other surface. It is also important to be mindful of the position of your baby so that you do not inadvertantly bump your child against a hard surface.