Travel the world while babywearing

This article was first published in the Natural Parent Magazine, Issue 54, 2024, alongside this beautiful artwork by Leanne Crowe - and here with permission.

Sometimes the idea of travel with children can be enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most robust families. Travel with kids is not guaranteed to be smooth nor predictable, regardless of how experienced we might be before or after children. Travel with kids brings extra luggage, extra bodies, extra stuff - that somehow, we are still supposed to be able to manage without the addition of a packhorse to assist us. Babywearing comes into its own during travel, freeing our hands, holding our kids close, and allowing us to juggle all the things a little more easily.

Mode of travel

We have so many transport options available to us and you may need to consider how to travel on multiple types for your trip. Public transport, such a planes, trains and buses may have different considerations than a road trip in a private vehicle.

It is wonderful seeing carers manage airport, bus port, and train station transit with their kids in carriers. Travel on public transport invariably involves lots of little stops and starts as we navigate queues and frequently await our turn. The only tricky part seems to be security screening, as the carrier must be removed at this point.

When considering which carrier to choose for a trip when your child can be on your lap, reflect on placement of knots and buckles, which may dig into your back when seated, if they cannot be positioned to the side of your waist. Ease of donning, doffing, and adjusting in confined spaces is also helpful.

Other luggage

When you have children travelling with you, you may also need to consider what else you need to carry with you, such as a nappy bag, handbag, daypack, another person’s bags, or pram. It can be helpful to consider which option is best to hold all your stuff. Sometimes carrying things on one shoulder or in one hand can make you lopsided and can feel uncomfortable.

Many babywearing carers use a cross body bag that can sit comfortably across their body and is accessible without having to remove the carrier or the bag. Alternatively, a daypack can be worn on the opposite side of your body to the carrier – for example if you carry your baby on your front, then you can wear your day pack on your back, and vice versa. Carrying additional bags can be avoided if a wheeled suitcase is utilised and pushed along beside you. If you travel with a pram as well, it can also be useful to carry all your other stuff when your child is in a carrier.

Fellow travellers

How you travel can also be influenced by your fellow travellers, as it can be quite different travelling on your own with a child, versus travelling with other children and/or other adults. The members of your group may mean that you can share the load of carrying luggage and managing children, or you may need to determine how best to cope on your own.

When travelling with other children, you can carry two at once if you are adept with a tandem carry or with one in a carrier and one in your arms, although this tends to be time limited due to comfort and needing to use your arms for other things. Use of a pram for one of the children and some of the luggage may also be helpful when possible.

Travelling with older children or adults means you can distribute luggage and children across additional bodies for ease of carrying. You can also help each other with donning and doffing, plus adjustments of carriers if you need a hand to make the carrier more comfortable. Some families take a carrier for each carer so that their carrier is adjusted to fit them best hence avoids the need for frequent readjustments of the one carrier between carers.

Activities underway

Before you even get to where you are going, there are so many activities to fill your hours. Packing, checking in bags, toileting self and others, last minute shopping, eating, drinking, entertaining, walking, maybe even napping. So many things can be made easier by holding your baby close to you in a carrier whilst you look forward to your planned travel adventures to begin.

Travel adventures

The adventures you have planned on your travels may influence your carrier choice. If you are spending a lot of time outdoors, you may wish to leave your favourite woven wrap or wrap strap carrier at home, so that the fabric is not ruined by being dragged through the dirt and prickles. Spending time hiking and bushwalking might also mean you prefer to take a more structured carrier like a buckle carrier. A carrier that can tolerate a bit of dirt and frequent washing may be preferable.

If your adventures include something fun like a wedding or a glamourous outing, then you may wish to take a carrier that complements your outfit or suits the occasion. Or maybe you want to be able to bring multiple carriers – happily, there is no rule against taking more than one carrier if you need them to fulfil different roles.  

Safety

Holding your child close means they are right where you can see them and unlikely to get lost in a crowd or wander off in the wrong direction. It may also stop them touching items in shops or germy surfaces which may lead to illness, less than ideal on your holidays.

Some carriers are more suitable to certain activities than others. Take a ring sling or stretchy wrap for example, which are fabulous for carrying during low impact activities, however, are not suitable for use during exercise. If in doubt, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

As always, safety is paramount when babywearing. When travelling, there may be more occasion for damage to occur to the carrier. Pay attention to avoid trapping carrier buckles in doors, or causing rips in fabric, and inspect your carrier before use if you are worried about the integrity of its components.

Take the time to fit your carrier properly, to ensure you and your baby are safe. There are two main approaches to safe babywearing principles of which I am aware, and which can assist you to check your carry is safe.

The TICKS acronym (1):

• Tight – keep carriers tight enough to hug your baby close to you.

• In view always – ensure you can see your baby’s face by simply glancing down.

• Close enough to kiss – keep your baby’s head as close to your chin as is comfortable.

• Keep chin off the chest – at least a finger width space under your baby’s chin.

• Supported back – baby is upright, with back supported in its natural position, and their tummy and chest against you.

The Babywearing Practice SAFE acronym (2):

• Secure – baby is securely attached to the carer’s body.

• Airways – baby is upright, head is neutral, mouth and nose are unobstructed, chin is off chest.

• Firm – baby is firmly held in the carrier, with no gaps between baby, carer’s body, or carrier.

• Eyeline – baby is in view, and you can see them easily.

Choice of carrier

Your choice of carrier really depends on what you feel comfortable with, how you are travelling, and what you are doing on your trip. You might weigh up all the considerations and simply choose to take a carrier which you already own, or you may choose to purchase a carrier that is more suitable.

Using a carrier with which you are familiar and confident increases ease of donning and doffing, with less unnecessary frustration. So, whether existing or newly purchased, it is well worth spending some time practising how to set up and use your carrier before you travel. You may even wish to become adept at different ways of using the carrier, such as a back carry, in case it is needed while you travel.

Different carriers have different comfort considerations such as placement of knots, buckles, adjustability, and how well you or your fellow travellers can adjust the carrier whilst underway. If different people are carrying children, it may be worth having separate carriers to aid comfort and adapt to each person’s needs.

If luggage space is an issue, consideration may also need to be given to the volume of the carrier, whether worn or packed in baggage. Carriers such as ring slings take up minimal space when packed into a bag or worn across the body. More structured carriers, such as a buckle carrier, can take up a little more space when packed and worn. It can be helpful to know how to fold and pack up your carrier to take up as little space as possible and bringing the carrier storage bag can also be useful. Sometimes a carrier with multiple uses can be helpful, such as a wrap carrier, which can double as a blanket or a window shade.

My personal travel carrier of choice is a ring sling. It packs down small in hand luggage and there are no knots or buckles to dig in when you are seated. It can be put on and taken off in confined spaces and is easily adjustable from the front. It can also be used as a blanket or a window shade. Many people favour a buckle carrier for its versatility in travel and for activities such as hiking. In truth, I invariably took both to cover all bases, packing the ring sling in the nappy bag and the buckle carrier in the suitcase.

Experience the world, together!

Holding your baby close to you in a carrier provides them with a safe space where they can be exposed to all the sights and sounds of your adventures and can retreat to for a nap when it all becomes too much. Babywearing may help your child to be more settled and cry less as they travel (3). Travelling with a carrier brings your child on your escapades and allows them to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the journey. They can observe, communicate, and learn, while the carrier becomes a safe place to where they can return after a busy day exploring the world, together with you (4).

Kato x

References

1.       The UK Sling Consortium, Baby Sling Safety – the TICKS rule for safe babywearing, <https://babyslingsafety.co.uk/>

2.       The Babywearing Practice, SAFE babywearing, <www.babywearingpractice.com.au>

3.       Hunziker, U. A., & Barr, R. G. (1986). Increased carrying reduces infant crying: A randomised controlled trial. Paediatrics, 77(5), 641-648. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.77.5.641 

4.       Circle of Security International 2022, https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/circle-of-security-model/what-is-the-circle-of-security/