Nikki Baillie

Nikki Baillie

Babywearing Consultant

Nikki is a Babywearing Consultant with over 8 years of experience supporting Parents and carers to wear their little ones safely and is passionate about promoting the positive impact of babywearing and helping parents to find out about babywearing earlier, finding the right sling or carrier for them and how to wear their baby safely.

She carried her own Daughter Ellie (now 8 ) from a young age and as the creator and Director of the award-winning Dance Like a Mother Babywearing dance classes, she has supported thousands of Mums (and Dads!) and seen countless carriers over the years.

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Finding the right baby carrier or sling for you

Carriers are like jeans. Bear with me…I’ve not lost the plot!

Whether female, male, size 8 or size 18, you will know that finding the right pair of jeans to fit your style, shape and size can be tricky. I’ll get to the carriers soon… just let me talk about jeans a little longer.

Check out most high-street stores at the moment and you will find every style from boyfriend, mum, and skinny to boot cut (oh the boot cut. Hello again 1994!). Now there are so many options to choose from; it’s endless and a bit overwhelming. Also, does anyone else miss their maternity jeans? Oh for that stretchy waistband.

There is also sizing to consider. For example, as a short arse at 5Ft 3, going to most shops for jeans means one hell of a roll-up, I know which shops to avoid now! And what’s with the sizes? I can go from 10 to 14 depending on the shop.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

So now I’m getting to carriers and slings (thanks for bearing with me). One thing we see often (and I have personally experienced) is hand-me-downs. I’m all for reusing but imagine I lent my jeans to a friend who was 5Ft 8 and a size 8: might have a problem there. Can you see where I’m going?

The most common complaint we see is that the carrier is uncomfortable; either for you or baby, or both. Your back hurts, and your baby seems unhappy. Finding the right style, shape and size is, yes you guessed it, like buying jeans! So when you hear your mum mate say “Oh I have this carrier. I love it!”; take a breather before you get your credit card out and consider If it might be right for you.

Also like jeans, you want them to last. And it’s not always about spending the most money. Trust me, you might think your babywearing journey will just be for 6 months (“You will make a rod for your own back”, “Ooh you must be strong” Thanks for the unsolicited advice Auntie Janet!) but once you get the right carrier you and your little one might just want to carry on carrying for longer. (P.S I carried Ellie until she was 4 and I miss every moment of it)

People seemed shocked when I told them we carried Ellie for that long. But how many times have you been out on a walk and their little legs just want a rest or you’re out in town, it’s busy, lots of traffic and they just want to feel safe? Plus, don’t get me started on stairs and airports… a bloody godsend! So finding a carrier that will last and work for you both as they grow is helpful.

Since starting to teach Babywearing Dance in 2016, I have seen so many new carriers come onto the market. This is great news because there are options for budget, size and baby’s age now. But trying before you buy is a must.

If you are attending ‘Dance Like Mother classes’ or plan to in the future, we have lots of carriers available to use in class and our Peer Support/Consultant Trained Instructors will help fit you safely and comfy. We are always happy for you to try different ones and advise you. We’re happy for you to pop in and meet us before a class (If your baby is too little to attend yet) and show you some good options for you.

We also offer 121s in your own home to help you find the right carrier for you and teach you how to fit safely and comfy. We also have video tutorials…basically, we are here to help! Just get in touch here: Contact Us — Dance Like a Mother

If you’re not close to us (P.S. we are always looking for new areas to launch classes!) then a good Sling library is great. When going to a Sling Library make sure they are open to helping you find the right sling or carrier for you. You might be someone who loves the idea of woven wraps and learning different techniques, or you may just want something easy to fit so you can walk the dog without running them over with the pushchair. Either way, they should listen to what you want and take into consideration your body shape and height and baby’s age, size and needs. Sling libraries offer the hire of slings and carriers usually for around 2 weeks, so you can try a few options. They are usually reasonably priced and should also offer you free advice and support and how to fit it as part of the session.

If you don’t have a Sling library near you, then check out https://www.motherrucker.co.uk/. They offer postale hire to anywhere in the UK. They are super experienced and can also advise on the best carrier or sling for you.

What’s available & how will you know (that the carrier really fits you)

There are a few things to look out for when choosing a carrier. Here’s our top tips for finding a sling or carrier for you

• • Ergonomic Carrier – If you are looking for more of a buckle carrier, than a wrap or sling we recommend getting one that is ergonomic. All this means is that the carrier allows for the baby to be in a position that supports their spine, hips & neck. For this, the carrier should fit knee to knee, so the carrier stops on the pit of the knee so the weight is evenly spread for hips & spine. IMAGE KNEE TO KNEE There are lots of good carriers that are adjustable to fit from newborn to around 18 months to 2 years. Narrow-based carriers (where babies’ legs dangle down straight) aren’t going to damage your baby. However, it’s a bit like the difference between being in a parachute harness or a hammock. An ergonomic carrier is much more comfortable and as the weight is spread wider it will be less likely to pull on your back too. The hip dysplasia association recommends babies be carried in an ergonomic sling or carrier, facing inward (toward you) up to the age of 6 months, to ensure good spine and hip health. The knees should be higher than the hips and the back supported. You can see our blog about narrow-based carriers and why we don’t use them in class here:https://www.dancelikeamother.com/blog/2023/1/10/narrow-based-carriersthe-reality
  • Neck supported – The carrier should come to the nape of the baby’s neck. This way the neck is supported, and you can see the baby by just glancing down. If they are underneath the carrier (E.G it’s coming over their head) it’s too big or not a supportive carrier. Plus, for open airways, you need to be able to see their face, by just glancing down. If it’s too low, then it’s not providing the support needed. Check that the carrier can either be adjusted to fit the nape of their neck or that it fits well. If you are using a stretchy wrap, we have a great hack to provide better neck support here: Stretchy wrap for newborns and older babies
  • Right for your build – The carrier should feel lightweight with the baby in. Bulkier carriers, with a rucksack-style fastening, tend to be better for taller parents, or those with all the curves in the right places. IMAGE OF TULA If you are shorter or petite then more lightweight carriers, with a cross strap fit better, so you can tighten fully, and they don’t feel bulky on you. IMAGE OF INTEGRA.
  • Fit – The carrier should be high (with the baby’s head on the hard part of your chest). Be comfortable on your waist and supportive of your back. The carrier should fit the baby and fully support their body.
  • Size of baby – A good gauge of if the carrier fits your baby, is that it fits knee to knee. Too wide and it will be too big for the baby. Too narrow and it’s too small. Good carriers will see you from birth to at least 18 months and be able to go wider as the baby grows. Great options are carriers that adjust to fit from newborn upwards. All the carriers below that we recommend have this feature.
  • Forward facing or Back Carry – Here at DLAM, we love the option of a back carry when the baby starts to sit unaided (but also hold onto those cuddles as long as you can!). This is a good option if as your baby gets heavier you are feeling it pull on your lower back. You can inward face for as long as you like, but as they get older a back carry is a good option for long walks or if they want to be able to see that bit more, with the option to also fall asleep. Check that the carrier can be used for a back carry if you plan to wear your baby past 6 months. We don’t do forward-facing in classes and will try to recommend a back carry as an alternative as much as we can. If you want to know more about forward-facing you can read our blog here: https://www.dancelikeamother.com/blog/2021/9/13/forward-facing-dos-and-donts

Final Words

Ultimately if babywearing is something you want to do (and why wouldn’t you- it’s magic!), then take your time to find the right carrier. Think about your body shape, age and size of baby and If the carrier will work for you from newborn to older. If you are coming to the party late or want to carry on carrying, then there are great toddler and preschool options too.

I can honestly say I’ve seen babywearing change parents’ lives over and over again. Hold all the babies, cuddle all the babies, wear all the babies!

Happy Babywearing,

Nikki xx