One-shoulder carries in a ring sling or woven wrap (aka hip carries)

The title of this is one-shoulder carries, because you can use them to carry an older child on your hip, or any age of child on your front. The title emphasises that although we talk about “hip carries”, the weight should actually be on your shoulder and spread over your back, not on your hip. If you have to stand with your hip jutted out, you need to work on your technique! 

Links 
Using a ring sling
(see our YouTube playlist for quick reference to the video links)

How to prepare and use a ring sling (slingababy)

Using the “fill-your-bra” technique to get a good seat (AlabamaGalSusie)

Discussion on flipping a ring sling (requires registration on Natural Mamas)

Using a ring sling with a newborn legs in – see how she pushes the feet up before putting in the sling (sakurabloombbabysling)

Using a ring sling with a newborn legs out – note how she uses a muslin to make a neck cushion (d2148j)

One-shoulder carries with a woven wrap
(see our YouTube playlist for quick reference to the video links)

Robin’s hip carry (slingababy)

Robin’s with a sling ring – Leigh’s hip carry - Picture tutorial (requires registration on Natural Mamas)

Semi-FWCC - Picture tutorial (requires registration on TheBabywearer)

Semi-FWCC - video tutorial

Hip Cross Carry (WrapYourBaby)

Hip Cross Carry - how to tie it around the baby and make it poppable (Leah Greer-Pinzaru)

Slipknot rebozo carry (wovenwrapstutorials)

How to tie slip knots (slingababy)

General tips for one-shoulder carries

  • See general tips for using a woven wrap.
  • When you think hip carry, really you need to think of it as a non-hip carry - you need to distribute as much of the weight as possible on your shoulder and back to get it comfy for a longer period of time. Even with a diddly one! Laura
  • As with any carry, make sure the fabric is spread over your back, that your child has a good seat with fabric pulled up between you, and that their knees are higher than their bottom. Katherine
  • A hip carry is a great compromise - we can chat, he can snuggle and we both get a good view of the world. Laura

Tips for using a ring sling
  • I check the spread of the fabric in the rings immediately before I put it on each time. Kate
  • I sit baby on the fabric bunched up - like a rope going under his legs (i.e. with no support to his back yet) - and this gives me the chance to readjust the fabric of the RS. Because the fabric is not wrapped around baby yet I can move the rings up or down, I can shift him from my front more onto my hip... just get us ready to be comfy. And then when everything feels right I pull the fabric up around his back and make sure it is smooth, no wrinkles, nice and high up to his shoulders, and then tighten, pulling the fabric in the direction from where it came. Laura
  • It seems to work best if I have it pulled so it is only just big enough to get the child in so I don't have to tighten it much once she's in.  Kate
  • Try leaning forward when you seat the baby, pulling the fabric up between you (the “fill-your-bra” technique!). It really does help to get a good seat. Laura
  • I always start with the rings higher than I think I'll need them on my shoulder to allow for movement when I tighten though. Kate
  • Once baby is in and you're tightening it up, pull the fabric back in the direction that it came from. So the top rail is pulled horizontally back along the same line, and you gradually pull at more of an angle as you move down the fabric. Sharon
  • When you tighten the top and bottom rails, work the slack around to the front by the rings, then pull it through. This makes sure that you actually tighten, instead of just shifting the rings. Katherine
  • You can “flip” a ring sling which works for some people (see the link above). It doesn’t always suit pleated shoulders though. Sharon
  • If you’re putting a newborn in a ring sling, make sure you provide head support right up to the top of the neck. An easy way to do this is to have plenty of fabric at the top rail, and fold a muslin or the tail of the sling into it. Katherine 
  • If you’re finding your ring sling uncomfortable, try a different type of shoulder. They really do vary and suit different people. Sharon

Differences between shoulder types
  • I like the pleated shoulder because once it’s positioned, it doesn’t slip further down your arm. Kate
  • A gathered shoulder spreads nicely over all the shoulder and the back, so it can be really comfortable if you get it right. Katherine
  • You can try "floating rings” with a pleated shoulder, where the seam which holds the rings in place is much further back - about 9 or 10 inches from the rings on mine - so it's held in its pleat until it's already gone over my shoulder. The extra layer also makes a lovely padded feeling. Sharon

Tips for one-shoulder carries with a woven wrap
  • I find the Hip Cross Carry to be very simple for a beginner. Claire
  • For me, the semi-FWCC is the most comfortable multi-layer hip/front carry I’ve found, and you can pre-tie it. Laura
  • It can be difficult to tighten a Robin’s hip carry. Make sure you get the fabric gathered nicely through the loop so that you can tighten the top rail like you would a ring sling. Katherine
  • Try Robin’s carry with a sling ring (Leigh’s hip carry) if you’re struggling to tighten it. Kirstie
  • To tighten the top rail of a slip-knot rebozo carry, work the slack around from the front to the top of your shoulder above the knot, then pull it downward through the knot. Katherine