Woven Wrap Carries

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With a few exceptions, almost any size wearer can use any size wrap. What changes is what you can do with each size. The first step is to determine your "Base Size." For most people, this is the size needed to comfortably do a Front Wrap Cross Carry and tie off in the back with a double knot. (If your wrap is tapered, this means tying without tying in the tapers.) For most wearers, this will be between a size 5 and 7, but it could be as short as a 4 and as long as a size 9 or 10. The most important thing is to find a wrap that works for you!

While this can vary based on bust size, height, wrapping skill, wrap thickness and grippiness, child's age/size, etc, a general guideline uses what size unisex t-shirt you most comfortably fit into. For most medium-sized women, a 6 is a great place to start. If you are in between base sizes, it is better to work with a size up while learning. As you learn to tighten more efficiently, you will be able to do more with shorter wraps and you may find your "base" size changes to a smaller size.

Unisex T-shirt Size:	XSmall, Small	Medium, Large	Large-2X	2X-3X
Likely Base Size:	5	6	7	8
*Actual Wrap Length:*	4.2m - 165"	4.6m - 181"	5.2m - 205"	5.6m - 220"

Woven wrap carries are then categorized based on what size is needed in relation to your base size. If someone who is a base 6 can do a carry in a size 4 wrap, it is considered a "Base -2" carry (6 - 2 = 4) which means that someone whose base size is a 7 would probably need a size 5 wrap to do the same carry, but someone whose base size is a 5 might be able to do it with a 3.

If you aren't sure what size your wrap is, you can measure the length of one long rail:

Woven Wrap Sizing	Size Purpose	Meters	Inches	Yards
Width		0.7m-0.8m	26"-32"	0.7y-0.9y
Size 1		2.0m	79"	2.2y
Size 2	Shorty	2.5m	98"	2.9y
Size 3	Shorty/Petite Midsize	3.1m	122"	3.4y
Size 4	Average Midsize/Plus Shorty	3.7m	146"	4.0y
Size 5	Petite (XSm-Sm) Base/Plus Midsize	4.2m	165"	4.6y
Size 6	Average Base (Med-Lg)	4.6	181"	5.0y
Size 7	Plus Size Base (XL-2XL), Tandems	5.2m	205"	5.7y
Size 8	Plus+ Size Base (3X), Tandems	5.6m	220"	6.1y
Size 9	Plus++ Size Base	6.3m	248"	6.9y

If you aren't sure what your base is and only have one wrap to work with, you can use a couple different "standard" carries to judge.

If you can do a Front Wrap Cross Carry tied behind you comfortably without excessively long tails or having to tie in the very tips of the wrap, your wrap is a full-length wrap - your base size.

If you can do a Front Wrap Cross Carry tied under baby's bum or a traditional Rucksack Back Carry tied in front comfortably without excessively long tails or having to tie in the very tips of the wrap, your wrap is likely a "midsize" wrap - approximately base-2.

If you can do a Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry tied with a slipknot without excessively long tails or having to tie in the very tips of the wrap, your wrap is likely a longer "shorty" - about base-3.

If you can do a Traditional Sling Carry with a slipknot without excessively long tails or having to tie in the very tips of the wrap, your wrap is likely a true shorty - about a base-4 or base-5.

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The best way to learn, if possible, is in person at your local babywearing group with the hands-on assistance of a babywearing educator. In reality, though, you may or may not have access to such a group. It is possible to learn without such help by watching YouTube videos.

If you are learning on your own, practice with a mirror, a spotter, and over a soft surface. It is always best to check with an educator with some selfies or a video to make sure you aren't missing anything important and to receive helpful tips. You can ask in a local BWI group's Facebook group, a global babywearing group like Everyday Babywearing, or a wrap-specific group like Geeky Wrappers.

Great YouTube channels for woven wrap carries:

• Wrapping Rachel
• Babywearing Faith
• Wraplena
• WrapYouInLove
• BrittBrownMarsh
• TwinMommy101

The different carries are made up of different combinations of "passes" - that is, ways to pass the wrap over baby's back from one side of the wearer to the other. On top of that, the way the wrap is passed over the back of the body (for a front carry) or the front of the body (for a back carry) changes where the weight is distributed. Different carries can be good for distributing the weight higher or lower based on the wearer's comfort, wearing baby higher or lower based on baby's age and preference, and may have more or fewer passes (fewer passes typically being better for a small baby and more being more supportive for a toddler.)

A summary of the most common types of passes:

Abbreviation: RP Purpose: symmetrical, lean-proof	Abbreviation: SP Purpose: lean-proof	Abbreviation: RSP Purpose: lean-proof
Abbreviation: CP Purpose: Seat-Popper-Proof	Abbreviation: RCP Purpose: Seat-Popper-Proof	Abbreviation: TP Purpose: Symmetrical, additional support
Abbreviation: LP Purpose: Seat-Popper-Proof	Abbreviation: RLP Purpose: Seat-Popper-Proof	Abbreviation: B___ (Ex, BLP, BCP)

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Always master several front and hip carries before moving on to back carries. The carries marked as "good first carries" are the best place to start, depending on your wrap size, and will work with newborns or toddlers.

Protip: Once you've learned the basics, I find that Kangaroo or Reinforced Kangaroo are great carries to learn leading up to back carries, as they will teach some of the same seat-making tips that you will use for your first back carries.

Carry Name	Short	Size	Beginner Friendly?	Pre-tied/poppable?
Front Wrap Cross Carry	FWCC	Base	Good First Carry
Front Cross Carry	FCC	Base	Yes	Yes
Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry with Poppins Finish		Base
Front Double Hammock	FDH	Base
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry	PWCC	Base	Yes	Yes
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry Tied at the Shoulder	PWCC TAS	Base		Yes
Reinforced Kangaroo		Base	Yes
Popparoo		Base
Hip Wrap Cross Carry	HWCC	Base
Reinforced Robin's Hip Carry		Base
Front Wrap Cross Carry Tied at Shoulder	FWCC TAS	Base - 1
Anne's Front Wrap Cross Carry		Base - 1	Yes
Front Wrap Cross Carry Tied Under Bum	FWCC TUB	Base - 2	Good First Carry
Short Front Wrap Cross Carry Tied at Shoulder		Base - 2
Front Reinforced Torso Sling or Hip Reinforced Torso Sling (FKA Front Reinforced Torso Rebozo)	FRTS (FKA FRTR)	Base - 2	Yes	Yes
Short Cross Carry	SCC	Base - 2		Yes
Short Cross Carry with Ring		Base - 2
Inside Out Front Pirate Carry	IOFP	Base - 2		Yes
Front Torso Carry		Base - 2
Hip Cross Carry	HCC	Base - 2		Yes
Coolest Hip Cross Carry	CHCC	Base - 2		Yes
Reverse/Inside Out Coolest Hip Cross Carry	RCHCC, IO CHCC	Base - 2		Yes
Hip Kangaroo		Base - 2
Semi-Pocket Wrap Cross Carry	Semi-PWCC	Base - 2	Yes	Yes
Robin's Hip Carry	RHC	Base - 2
Robins Hip Carry with Ring		Base - 2
Half Front Wrap Cross Carry	HFWCC	Base - 3	Yes
Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry	Semi-FWCC	Base - 3	Good First Carry
Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry with a Poppins Finish		Base - 3
Kangaroo		Base - 3
Poppins Hip Carry		Base - 3
No No No Hip Carry		Base - 4
Traditional Sling Carry (FKA Rebozo Carry)	TSC	Base - 5	Good First Carry	Yes
No-Sew Ring Sling		Base - 5	Yes	Yes

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Do not attempt back carries with a woven wrap until you are proficient at several front carries and understand making a deep seat and strand-by-strand tightening. While back carries can safetly be done with newborns by experienced wrappers, it is best for first-time-wrappers to wait until their child has strong trunk control before attempting. Begin by practicing with a mirror and a spotter over a soft surface like a bed.

Good starter back carries include Rucksack Back Carry, Half Jordan's Back Carry and Secure High Back Carry.

Carry Name	Abbreviation	Size Needed	Front Support	Back Passes	Good for:
Taiwanese Carry		Base + 1	Chest passes	SP, SP, TP	Leaners, Toddlers
Torso Double Hammock	Torso DH	Base + 1	Chest belt	SP, SP	Toddlers
Wiggleproof Back Carry	WP	Base + 1	Waist belt	RP, RCP, RCP	Straighteners, Leaners, Toddlers
Hannah's Eyelet Back Carry (FKA Double Poppins)		Base + 1	Chest passes, waist belt	SP, SP, BLP, BLP	Leaners, Toddlers
Jorien's Ringless Mermaid Back Carry		Base +1	Chest passes, waist belt	SP, TP, CP, BTP
Double Hammock	DH	Base/Base+1	Chest pass, waist belt	SP, RSP	Leaners, Toddlers
Double Hammock Sweeheart		Base/Base+1	Chest pass, waist belt	SP, RSP	Leaners, Toddlers
Double Sling Shoulder to Shoulder	DS S2S	Base/Base+1	Chest belt, waist belt	SP, SP	Leaners, Toddlers
Half Jordan's Shoulder to Shoulder (Cross Sling Shoulder to Shoulder)	HJBC S2S or CS S2S	Base/Base+1	Chest belt, waist belt	SP, CP	Leaners, Straighteners, Toddlers
Back Wrap Cross Carry	BWCC	Base	Chest belt, waist belt	TP, CP, CP	Beginners, Straighteners, Toddlers
Back Wrap Cross Carry Sweatheart		Base	Chest passes, waist belt	TP, RCP, RCP	Straighteners, Toddlers
Back Cross Carry (NOT leanproof, only appropriate for trustworthy toddlers and experienced wrappers. Click here for more info.)	BCC	Base	Chest belt, waist belt	CP, RCP, LP, LP	Straighteners, Toddlers
Rucksack Tied Tibetan	RTT	Base	Chest passes	RP, BLP, BLP	Beginners, Leaners
Charlie's Cross Carry	CCC	Base	Chest belt, waist belt	LP, RCP, SP	Straighteners, Leaners, Toddlers
Double Hammock Wiggleproof	DH WP	Base	Chest Pass	SP, RCP	Straighteners, Leaners, Toddlers
Mermaid Carry		Base	Chest passes	TP, SP, SP	Leaners, Toddlers
Ring Jordan's Back Carry		Base	Chest passes	SP, CP, LP	Straighteners, Leaners, Toddlers
Torso Wrap Cross Carry		Base	Chest belts	TP, LP, LP	Toddlers
Ruckless Bikini Carry		Base	Chest belt, chest passes	SP, SP, HP	Leaners, Toddlers
Faux-Onbuhimo Back Carry		Base	Chest belt	RP, CP, CP	Straighteners
Xena's Ruckless Carry		Base	Chest passes	RP, LP, LP	Toddlers, Straighteners
Scarf Carry AKA Back Cross Carry Shoulder to Shoulder (NOT leanproof, only appropriate for trustworthy toddlers and experienced wrappers. Click here for more info.)		Base	Chest belt	CP, CP	Straighteners
Ruck with a Lacuna Lexi Twist		Base	Chest passes	RP, TP, BTP
Jessica's Double Sling Bow Finish		Base	Chest Passes	CP, TP, CP or SP, TP, SP
Rainbow's Back Carry		Base	Chest belt, waist belt	SP, SP, RCP	Leaners, Straighteners, Toddlers
Silas's Twist Back Carry		Base	Chest passes, optional waist belt	SP, CP, LP	Leaners, Straighteners, Toddleers
Back Wrap Cross Carry with Ruck Straps		Base - 1	Waist belt	3
Christina's Ruckless		Base - 1	Chest belt, waist belt	3
Double Hammock Tied at Shoulder	DH TAS	Base - 1	Chest pass	2
Double Hammock Shoulder to Shoulder	DH S2S	Base - 1	Chest pass, chest belt	3
Double Hammock Rapids Variation		Base - 1	Chest pass
Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry	EJBC	Base - 1	Waist belt	3
Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry starting with Coolest Hip Carry		Base - 1	Waist belt	3
Poppins Back Carry		Base - 1	Partial chest pass, waist belt	1
Maxine's Back Carry AKA Max's Back Carry		Base - 1	Waist belt, optional chest belt	2
Norwegian Wiggleproof		Base - 1	Chest pass, optional chest belt	3
Rucksack Tied Knotless Tibetan		Base - 1	Chest passes	1
Rucksack with waistbelt & chestbelt		Base - 1	Waist belt, chest belt	1
Secure High Back Carry		Base - 1	Waist belt, chest belt	2
Wendy's Double Hammock		Base - 1	Chest pass, optional chest belt	3
Miriam's Cross Carry		Base - 1	Waist belt, optional chest belt	3
Miriam's Cross Carry Shoulder to Shoulder		Base - 1	Waist belt, chest belt	3
Giselle's Back Carry with Waist Belt & Chest Belt	GBC with WB & CB	Base - 1	Waist belt, chest belt	3
Strangleproof Ruck		Base - 1	Chest passes	1
Kelly's Frankencarry (AKA Christina's Ruckless With Double Rings Finish)		Base - 1	Wasit belt, chest belt	2
Rucksack Back Carry tied in front		Base - 2	Waist belt	1
Jordan's Back Carry	JBC	Base - 2	Waist belt	3
Giselle's Back Carry	GBC	Base - 2	Waist belt	3
Twisted Pirate		Base - 2	Chest passes	2
Reinforced Ruck		Base - 2	Waist belt	3
Autumn's Reinforced Rucksack		Base - 2	Waist belt	2
Short Ruckless Bikini Carry		Base - 2	Chest passes	2
Xena's Back Wrap Cross Carry	XBWCC	Base - 2	Chest passes	3
Double Hammock Torso with Brittany's Rose Finish		Base - 2	Chest pass, chest belt	2
Five Point Harness Back Carry (AKA Hannahs Eyelet Knotless Back Carry or Short Hannah's Eyelet Back Carry)		Base - 2	Chest Passes
Double Hammock Double Rings	DHDR	Base - 3	Chest belt	2
Half Jordan's Back Carry	HJBC	Base - 3	Optional chest belt	2
Flipless/Symmetrical Half Jordan's Back Carry		Base - 3	Optional chest belt	2
Back Reinforced Torso Sling (AKA Semi Double Hammock,FKA Double Hammock Rebozo)	BRTS	Base - 3	Chest belt	2
Double Sling Back Carry (FKA Double Rebozo)	DS	Base - 3	Optional chest belt	2
Knotless Ruck		Base - 3	Chest belt	1
Lola's Back Carry		Base - 3	Chest belt	2
Reinforced Rear Ruck (AKA Pirate Carry, FKA Reinforced Rear Rebozo Rucksack)	RRR	Base - 3	Optional chest belt	2
Shepherd's Back Carry		Base - 3	Chest belt	2
Ruck Tied Under Bum	RTUB	Base - 4	none	1
Ruck Tied at Shoulder	RTAS	Base - 4	Optional chest belt	1
Short Back Cross Carry (NOT leanproof, only appropriate for trustworthy toddlers and experienced wrappers. Click here for more info.)	SBCC	Base - 4	Optional chest belt	2
Strap Carry		Base - 4	varies	varies
Traditional Back Carry (FKA Rebozo Back Carry)	TBC	Base - 5	Chest cross pass	1
Torso Carry	TC	Base - 6	Chest pass	1

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Wearing two babies at the same time can be a game changer for parents with multiple children, especially twins. Be sure to master wrapping one child at a time before attempting to wrap them both, however.

In general, carries with both babies on the front will be easier with twins or babies of equal size. Carries that have one on the front and one on the back can be done with children of different ages.

Carry Name/Combo	Wrap Size Needed	Babies' Position
Amanda's Tandem Hip Carry	Base + 1	Front/Front
Miranda's Tandem Hip Carry	Base + 1	Front/Front
Jasmine's Tandem Hip Carry	Base + 1	Front/Front
Double Horizontal Pass FWCC	Base + 1	Front/Front
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry with twins	Base	Front/Front
FWCC Variation	Base	Front/Front
Ruck Tied Tibetan/FCC	Base + 1	Back/Front
DHDR/FCC	Base + 1	Back/Front
HJBC/FCC	Base	Back/Front
RRR/FCC	Base - 2	Back/Front
SBCC/FCC	Base - 2	Back/Front