You can put the Lillebaby carrier in six different positions, the Fetal Position Carry, the Front Infant Carry, the Front Outward-Facing Carry, the Front Inward-Facing Carry, the Hip Carry, and the Back Carry.
The most important steps of wearing the Lillebaby carrier are engaging the waistline and adjusting the seat width.
Below is a snapshot of how to engage the waistline starting with closing the strap in the waist;
Here is a snapshot of adjusting the Lillebaby carrier seat width
Note that the other steps of wearing the Lillebaby carrier are specific to the position of use
Safety Tips of Wearing the Lillebaby Carrier in Any Position
- Your baby should sit snug against your body, always.
- Always remain seated when placing the baby into and out of the carrier because it’s safer and easier.
- Limit the use of the carrier to 10-15 minutes at a time during the first few times of using the carrier. Also, seek assistance from someone until you get comfortable putting your baby in the carrier.
- Use one carry position until you are skilled enough to try a new one.
- Always ensure that you have positioned your baby at the center of the carrier. Pull-on the sides of the carrier seat or hold the top of the shoulder strap when bouncing up and down gently to assist the baby’s weight to slide towards the carrier seat.
- Tuck the excess should be strapped into the winged side pockets.
- Use a wide, firm motion when placing the shoulder straps over the shoulder to ensure that you place the carrier high on the baby’s back or front and to prevent it from entangling on your baby’s clothing.
- Sit comfortably and loosen the shoulder strap to assist slide the baby lower into the carrier when nursing. Make sure you tighten all the straps again before standing up.
- Adjust the chest trap position by sliding it up and down on the shoulder pads. Squeezing the pad a little as the strap sits tightly around the pads helps in sliding the strap.
- Always adjust the chest strap before putting the carrier on.
- Try buckling the chest strap before wearing the carrier and ducking into the shoulders by raising the chest strap over your head when your baby is secured properly in the carrier if it’s difficult for you to reach the chest strap at the back of your neck.
The Lillebaby website provides you with more tips on using the Lillebaby carrier.
How to Wear the Lillebaby Carrier in Front Carry Position
You can wear the Lillebaby carrier in a front carry position in four different ways, being the Front Fetal Position Carry, the Front Infant Carry, the Front Outward-Facing Carry, and the Front Inward-Facing Carry. You cause the Front-Inwards-Facing Carry with either the Parallel H Straps or the Crossed X straps.
This post will discuss how to wear the Lillebaby in Front Outward-Facing Carry and the Front Inward-Facing Carry positions in detail.
The Front Outward-Facing Carry Position
The Front Outward-Facing Carry Position
The Front Outward-Facing carry position is suitable for babies who can support their head strongly. Engage the waist belt around your hip or waist securely and allow the carrier to hang in front of you and follow the steps below;
- Bring your baby close against your chest, facing forward. Ensure that your baby’s legs straddle the carrier seat.
- Support your child with your right hand and use the left one to reach the left shoulder strap. Slide the left shoulder strap over your left shoulder.
Tip. Use a wide firm motion to stretch the carrier as you reach the left shoulder strap and put it over your shoulder.
- Now use your left hand to hold the baby and use the right one to reach the right shoulder strap and place it at the top of your shoulder.
- Reach the back of your neck and engage the chest buckle. Tighten the shoulder straps to get a comfortable snug fit. Your baby’s arm can remain loose above the folder front flap or res via the carrier sides, all depending on your baby’s comfort.
Pro-tip for enhancing the comfort of your baby.
- Try placing the waist belt higher on your waist if your baby sits low in the carrier.
- Set the carrier’s Safety Harness strap in a higher position.
- Use the Infant Cradle in the upright position to prop your child in the carrier.
This linked video below provides visual instructions on how to wear the Lillebaby carrier in the Front Outward-Facing Carry position;
The Front Inward-Facing Carry Position
The Front Inward-Facing Carry position with Crossed X straps
The Front Inward-Facing Carry position with H straps
Follow the steps below to wear the Lillebaby carrier using the Front Inward-Facing Carry Position:
- Engage the waist belt around your hip or waist securely and allow the carrier to hang in front of you.
- Bring your child close against your chest facing you and then put the carrier over the baby’s back.
Note. An infant’s legs should straddle the narrow seat and babies of 4 months and above should have their legs wrapped around your waist with their bottom are the center of the wide seat.
- Use your right hand to support your baby and use the left hand to reach the left shoulder strap. Slide the strap over your left shoulder. Use a wide, firm motion to scratch the carrier as you reach the strap and place it on the shoulder.
- Now hold your baby with your left hand and use the right one to reach the right shoulder strap and place it on your shoulder.
- Reach at the back of your neck and engage the chest buckle. Tighten the shoulder straps to achieve a snug fit.
Steps 6 and 7 are necessary for infants.
- Reach the inside carrier and tighten the harness around your waist. You should hear a distinct “click” sound when you engage the buckles safely. Fasten until the harness sits snugly.
- Adjust the Neck Support by fastening the Neck Support adjustment straps.
How to Wear the Lillebaby Carrier in Back Carry Position
A snapshot image of wearing the Lillebaby carrier in the back carry position
The Back Carry position is suitable for babies of at least 6 months and weighing up to 45 lbs (20.41 kg) and requires a wide Seat Position.
There are two methods of wearing the Lillebaby carrier in the back carrier position
The video below provides detailed instructions on wearing the Lillebaby carrier in the back carrier position.
Here is how to carry the Lillebaby carrier position in the back carry position using method 1.
Engage the waistline belt around your hip or waist surely by:
- Rotate the carrier to your back by bringing the left shoulder strap over your shoulder and then allow the right strap to hang.
- Hold the baby with your right arm supported by your hip. After that, bring your left hand to your back and inside the carrier near the waist belt while holding the baby’s foot.
- Bend forward and start to shift your child’s weight to your back when also sliding your babu across your back and into the carrier.
- Move your left hand to your back and fold the carrier over your baby when the child’s leg is reaching through the carrier on your left side. Support your child with your left hand across your baby’s back and then slide your right hand via the right shoulder strap.
- Ensure that your baby is well-secured in the carrier before standing upright. Fasten the chest trap at the armpit level and finally tighten the shoulder straps to acquire a snug fit.
Steps 6 and 7 enable the repositioning of the baby for their safety and comfort.
- Pull on each side of the carrier seat to adjust the baby’s position. Place your hands under the baby’s bottom and bounce gently as you move your baby’s weight to the center of the child in the carrier.
- Hold on the top of the shoulder strap on the top of the carrier as you bounce gently to aid your baby’s weight to fall more down the carrier.
Here is how to carry the Lillebaby carrier position in the back carry position using method 2.
- Engage the waist belt around your hip or waist securely. Hold your baby with your right arm with the support of your hip. Use your left hand to bring the carrier up over the baby’s back. Gather both shoulder straps and hold them together in your left hand.
- Hold the straps high and place your right hand between the straps and into the right shoulder strap. Gran the top of the right strap.
- Arch your left hand over your head to enable you to hold the left strap behind your head when holding one strap in each hand.
- Slightly bend forward and start to shift your baby’s weight to the back while bouncing slightly and pulling on the left strap.
- Use your right hand to slide the left shoulder strap over your left shoulder when your baby is centered on your back and the right shoulder strap is secure on your right shoulder.
- Ensure that your baby is seated and positioned securely in the carrier before standing upright. Fasten the chest strap at the armpit level. Finally tighten the shoulder straps to get a snug fit for your baby.
- Repeat steps 6 and 7 for method 1.
This post provides you with visual instructions of method 1 and method 2 of wearing the Lillebaby carrier in the back carrier position,
How to Wash Lillebaby Carrier
You machine wash your Lillebaby carrier. Buckle all the carrier buckles of the soft-structured carriers before washing. Use mild detergent to wash, avoiding the detergents that bleach, perfumes, dyes, chlorine, or optical brighteners. Put the carrier in a pillowcase and machine wash in a cold and low spin cycle. Hang dry in a well-ventilated area only.
Note
- Putting the carrier in a pillow case protects the buckles from getting bashed and broken when in the washing machine.
- Washing the carrier in a low spin cycle prevents a lot of damage, extending the longevity of your carrier.
- Using a cold cycle and mild bleaches will prevent your carrier from fading, enhancing its durability.
This video below shows you how best to wash your Lillebaby carrier;
Other times, you only need to damp clean your Lillebaby carrier, primarily so that it’s not too dirty to warrant a machine wash. Remember that the goal of every carrier wash is to be as gentle as possible to maintain its efficiency and extend its durability.
To damp clean your Lillebaby carrier, pat the dirty sports of the carrier with a damp sponge as much as necessary. Use teething pads to eliminate as much grime on the carrier as possible.
When to Use the Lillebaby Carrier Wide Seat
The size of your baby determines the right time to use the Lillebaby carrier-wide seat setting. The best way to know when to switch to the wide seat setting is by trying.
Here is how to check if you can use the Lillebaby carrier in a wide setting with your baby:
- 1. Put the carrier in the wide seat setting. The video below elaborates on how to adjust the Lillebaby carrier to the Wide Seat position.
- 2. Wear the carrier and put your baby inside. Make sure that your baby’s legs are supported from knee to knee and they can bend freely at the knee joint. A baby who is ready to use the Lillebaby carrier in a wide seat position should have their legs bent at the 90 degree angles when in the wide seat setting. Your baby is not ready to use the Lillebaby carrier in a wide seat setting when its legs are still extended. Albeit slightly, at the knee when in the wide seat position.
Please watch the video below to see how to carry a baby in the Lillebaby wide seat setting (Facing in);
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Naomi Lambert is a mother of two and an elementary school teacher leading our product quality review here at Motherhood HQ. Naomi has a degree in Elementary Teaching from the University of Utah. She has also worked as a product tester for Consumer Reports. Naomi enjoys reading and getting immersed in new research, especially on topics related to parenting and pets. When she’s not reading or testing baby gear, Naomi enjoys hiking in the midwest and hanging out with her two dog pets. Naomi is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Naomi work leading baby gear/product testing:
To test new gear before we review here at Motherhood HQ, Naomi goes through a multi-step process that includes reading up on the latest research, conducting her own hands-on testing, and evaluating the results. She also consults with experts in the field, such as pediatricians, to get their input. This comprehensive approach ensures that our reviews are accurate and helpful for our readers.
Testing involves using the gear with her own children, as well as observing other parents using the products. Ms. Lambert looks for safety concerns, ease of use, and whether the product actually lives up to its claims. She also takes into account the price of the product and whether it is a good value for what you get.
After testing a product, Naomi writes up her findings in a review. She includes both the positive and negative aspects of the product, as well as her own personal recommendations. Her reviews are honest and unbiased, and they can help you make informed decisions about which products are right for your family.
Aggregating Other real-user reviews from other moms:
A critical process in our reviews is incorporating feedback from other moms who have used the products we are testing. To get this information, we talk to parents in our networks and consult with product-specific experts.These experts must have published work in the field of early childhood development, have worked extensively with the product in question, or have significant experience in the manufacturing or design of the product.
We also read online reviews from other parents, but we take these with a grain of salt. We recognize that many online reviewers are not objective and that some may be biased because they were given the product for free or paid to write a review. For this reason, we only consider online reviews after they have been vetted by our team of experts.
If you are a parent who has used a product that we are interested in reviewing, we would love to hear from you! You can contact us at naomi.lam@motherhood
