Close Enough to Kiss - Babywearing Safety

This month for our Valentine's themed post, we wanted to focus on safety and keeping our little ones close enough to kiss.

Babywearing is a great way to bond with your kids and get things done while having your hands free. Before you start wearing and getting in all those snuggles, make sure you keep these safety tips in mind.

There is a great acronym for remembering the safety tips: 

T I C K S

TIGHT: Keep the carrier tight. Whether or not you are wearing a wrap, ring sling or a soft structured carrier, the carrier needs to be tight. This keeps baby secure and close to your body.

IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES: Baby needs to be in view and you should be able to see baby when you look down (if baby is on your front). This means that fabric should not be covering baby's face. If baby is on your back, you should be able to glance over your shoulder and see him, or be able to glance in a mirror and see baby's face.

CLOSE ENOUGH TO KISS: Baby should be high enough that you can kiss the top of his head. If baby is on you back, baby should be high up and you should be able to feel his breathing on your neck.

KEEP CHIN OFF CHEST: Baby should be in an upright position and his chin should not be touching his chest. This compromises baby's breathing. While wearing baby, you should be able to fit 2 fingers under baby's chin.

SUPPORTED BACK: Baby's back should be in it's natural position (the C position) and baby should be facing their caregiver in the tummy to tummy position if on the front, or in an upright position if on your back.

Some other tips to keep in mind: 

Baby's knees should be higher than his bum, like in an "M" position.

Make sure that the carrier you are using fits baby properly. The carrier should fit knee to knee.

If you have questions, ask your VBEs at a meeting. We're here to help!

Keep those adorable littlest valentines close enough to kiss and remember your TICKS!