Scroll down for the photo tutorial, or check out these videos for the Front Cross Carry (FCC).
Pretying a Front Cross Carry and inserting baby:
Popping baby in and out of a Front Cross Carry:
Nursing a baby hands-free in an upright position:
Tightening the front cross carry after nursing:
Inserting newborn into a pretied FCC with legs tucked in rather than hanging out:
Inserting baby in an upright cradle position for babies who want to see:
Inserting baby into a pretied FCC in a horizontal cradle position:
Tying a FCC around baby, and nursing a newborn in an upright position:
Nursing a Newborn in a Cradle Position in the Front Cross Carry:
Wrapping a newborn in a Burp Hold or High Shoulder Front Cross Carry:
To pretie the cross carry (pictures not yet available), start with the
center of the wrap at your back. Bring each end around to your front
and cross over your chest. The end coming from your right side crosses
over your left shoulder and vice versa. Now cross over your back, from
left shoulder around to your right side (and vice versa) and tie in the
front (a single knot). Leave it loose so that there is room for baby
inside the cross.
INSERT BABY:
Step 1. Pick up baby.
Step 2. Slip baby's right leg under the side of the cross on your left.
Step 3. Lower baby into the cross so that baby is upright against your
chest (tummy to tummy) and the cross is stretching from baby's left
knee to right arm. At this point, only one strap is over baby.
Step 4. Now find the other side of the cross (coming from your right
shoulder) and stick baby's left leg through that strap.
Step 5. Spread the inner cross so that the fabric covers baby's entire
back, arm to arm, and knee to knee.
Step 6. Spread the outer cross as you did the inner.
Step 7. Lift baby (wrap and all) up nice and high.
Step 8. Pull on the wrap where it is tied so that the straps over baby
are tight, stay tight on your back and around your waist. Pull on each
end individually if need be.
Step 9. Retie, or pull the tie tight under baby's bottom. Tie a double
knot.
You are done! Baby can have arms and shoulders out as shown here
(provided baby does not require head support).
. . . or baby's arms can be tucked inside the crosses for a snugger,
cuddly wrap.
For a baby who does not have good head control, or for a sleeping or
sleepy baby, or for discrete nursing, pull one of the crosses over the
back of baby's head for head support.
This is how the back should look. The more spread the crosses, the
better weight distribution to your back.
GETTING BABY OUT:
You can remove baby from this wrap without untying
it, and then
reinsert baby in the same wrap later (you will likely not need to
adjust or retie when inserting baby again).
step 1. To get baby out of the wrap, pull the outer-most cross all the
way down under baby's bottom.
Step 2. Pull the remaining cross strap down under baby's bottom. You
will need to support baby with your hand.
Step 3. Hold baby with both hands and pull straight up until baby's
legs and feet are free of the crosses. Baby is out!
