How early did you back carry?

[staceychev]

I got my Babyhawk (old style, from 2005) when DD1 was about 6 months old, and started back-carrying not too long after. Wondering how long I have to wait to put this little one on my back. What's the youngest babe you've carried on your back? What kind of carrier did you use? Any other insights or pitfalls?

[clovergirl]

with my last baby, i started doing back carries around 6wks. i used a mei tai and a wrap. it didn't become regular though until he was about 4mo old, at which point i got an ergo and a beco and began using those for back carries.

knowing what i know now, i think a wrap really is the best choice for back carries with newborns and small infants. the mei tai worked ok, but he had to have his legs inside which he didn't tolerate for long periods of time. i didn't know anyone who back carried really small babies back then, and i really could have used some good hands on help to master doing it with a wrap. it takes a lot of practice. it's totally worth it though, and if we were to ever have another baby i would be back wrapping as soon as i felt up to it!

[staceychev]

So, could i do it with a Moby?

[MsVyky]

I've been doing back carries with my daughter since 4 months in a woven and more recently with a MT


And to the PP, regardless of your babe's age, don't use your moby for back carries- it's too stretchy and baby can flip out if he/she decides to lean back

[clovergirl]

most babywearing educators (myself included) do not recommend using a stretchy wrap (like the moby) for back carries. woven wraps are a much better choice. they are more supprtive and don't have the same bounce/give that stretchy wraps have, so they are considered safer for back carries.

[Adasmommy]

I didn't get my first wrap until dd1 was 4 months, so I was so excited to get to wrap this baby from birth. We've been doing back carries from day 4, and it's awesome!

My favorite newborn back carry is the double hammock carry with a woven wrap, but there are lots of others too.

[ears73]

I back wrapped at 8 weeks - serious newby but loving the learning. So far I can only keep him up there after he wakes in the am and is happy, happy, happy. All other times he is wiggly and just wants to look out. Just tried the MT for back carries this week - he is just over 3 months.

[KristyDi]

Made our DIY woven at around 4 months and started learning to back wrap. When dd was that young I loved torso carries w/ my kanga that my dad brought me from Tanzania. (I'd had the kanga for years, but didn't know what to do with it. Then I discovered BWing and thought "Ah HA!") They were so comfy and quick. Though the very white girl carrying her baby in the very obviously African cloth, just like you see pics of African women doing got several comments and looks. I was frequently asked some version of "Did you live/work in Africa/overseas?"

[Right of Passage]

I back carried today with my 2 week old