All babies are intensely curious about the world, so parents are naturally inclined to face their infants outward in a baby carrier. With new visual tracking skills, why would your curious bright-eyed bundle want to continually study the weave of your cotton shirt when they can see the world facing outwards?
Carrying Baby in Front of You
This article assumes that you are already attuned somewhat to the advantages of babywearing. Specifically, it addresses the pros and cons of baby’s orientation (looking at you or away from you) when being carried on your chest. The questions then become whether and when inward and outward facing positions are best for baby.
Facing In? Facing Out? How to Decide
Aside from hip-carriers for older infants, every other baby carrier on the market allows for chest-to-chest carrying. For the first three to four months, when neck muscles are still too weak to support the head, every baby must be an “innie.”
But around four months, your baby’s vision improves enough to more than double their interest in the world. At four months, babies can see contrasts that allow them to recognize objects easily. So they love to be perched on you, up high, looking out. Besides, any spit-up ends up on the carrier, not you.
Why Out Isn’t ‘In’ Among Pediatricians
So is there any doubt about facing out? Yes, there are two concerns: the hips and the spine, the natural growth of which is essential to learning to walk.
Ever notice when you pick your baby up that her legs are kind of crunched up, frog-like? This tendency helps baby to be scooped up into your arms and held easily.
Concern #1: Hip Joints
If baby is facing out, this natural leg position is interrupted. Long-term use of this position can lead to hip dysplasia. With no body to leverage his feet against for stability, baby’s legs dangle and straighten.
Concern #2: Spinal Curve
As for the spine, consider two yoga poses named after your baby: child’s pose and happy baby. In each position, babies and yoga enthusiasts alike enjoy the relaxed ”C’ shape of their spines. Your baby’s natural C-curve is morphing into the double-S curve soon needed for walking.
A pediatrician’s concern when infants face out in their carriers is that their backs are unnaturally straightened or even arched.
So Can I Ever Face My Baby Outward?
For a short trip to the store, allowing your baby to explore this way is no big deal. But for longer walks, your baby should face you, even if she fusses a bit. By the time your baby is walking, gravity has done the job of safeguarding the spine and hips, making it relatively safe to allow baby to face forward. But now that your baby can walk, will she want to be wrapped up and carried around often? Not likely.
Recommendation for the First 12 Months
From birth until your baby can support and turn his head, front carrying should always have him facing in. From four months up to the point when baby starts to walk, occasional and brief stints of outward facing are not harmful. But long periods in this position stretch baby’s hips and spine into positions their infant physiology is not prepared to handle. If your baby (and your lower back) still tolerate being carried in front, in is in and out is (well, mostly) out.
