Babywearing Safely in Australia: The TICKS Rule, Hip Health and When to Face Out

Short answer: a carrier is safe when your baby is held tight and upright, high enough to kiss, with the face always visible and uncovered, the chin off the chest and the back supported, which is the TICKS rule. Add a seat that holds the legs in an M shape for the hips, keep newborns facing inward, wait for solid head control before facing out, and in Australian heat dress your baby in one light layer and check them often. The rest of this guide explains each point and the carriers that make them easy to follow.

The TICKS rule, explained

TICKS was written by UK sling makers and is the checklist used by Australian babywearing educators and Kidsafe. It applies to every wrap, sling and structured carrier, from a newborn stretchy wrap to a toddler back carrier.

• Tight. The carrier should hold your baby snugly against you. Loose fabric lets your baby slump down into a curled position that can narrow the airway.
• In view at all times. You should see your baby’s face by glancing down, without moving fabric aside. Never let a hood, wrap tail or your own clothing cover the face.
• Close enough to kiss. Your baby’s head should sit high on your chest, close enough that you can tip your chin and kiss the top of their head.
• Keep the chin off the chest. A baby whose chin is pressed to their chest can struggle to breathe. There should always be a finger’s width of space under the chin.
• Supported back. In an upright carry, your baby’s back should be supported in its natural position with the tummy and chest against you. If you press gently on their back they should not uncurl or move closer to you.

Run through the five points every time you put the carrier on, and again after a feed or a nappy change, because babies shift as they relax.

Newborns need extra care

Product Safety Australia warns that babies under four months, premature or low-birth-weight babies, and babies with a cold or breathing difficulty are at higher risk of suffocation in slings, because they cannot lift or turn their head if the airway is blocked. For these babies, use only a carrier designed for newborns, keep them upright and inward-facing, confirm your baby meets the manufacturer’s minimum weight, and avoid cradle or bag-style positions that lie the baby horizontally inside fabric. Check their face every few minutes, especially after they fall asleep, and never wear a baby while lying down, driving, cooking over a stove or doing anything where a fall or burn is possible.

The M-position and hip health

The International Hip Dysplasia Institute recommends that a carrier support your baby’s thighs all the way to the back of the knee, so the knees sit higher than the bottom and the legs make an M shape when viewed from the front. This spread-squat position keeps the hip joint seated. Narrow-based carriers that let the legs dangle straight down are discouraged for long or frequent use, particularly in the first six months when the hips are still developing. Look for a carrier with a wide or adjustable seat, and reset the width as your baby grows. The IHDI publishes a list of acknowledged hip-healthy carriers, and both Ergobaby and BabyBjörn models in our roundup appear on it.

Facing out: only with head control

Forward-facing carries are popular because babies love to look around, but they are the most restrictive position in terms of safety. Your baby cannot rest their head against you, so if they tire or fall asleep their chin drops to their chest. Face out only once your baby has strong, consistent head and neck control, usually from around four to six months, and only for short periods while they are awake and alert. Turn them inward again as soon as they look drowsy or overstimulated. Carriers with a forward-facing option should still keep the legs supported in an M shape.

Back carries from about six months

A back carry frees your front for cooking, shopping and older siblings, and it shifts weight to your hips. Most manufacturers recommend it from around six months, when your baby can sit unaided and has full head control, and some suggest waiting until nine or ten months. You cannot see your baby’s face in a back carry, so it suits older babies who can move their own head, and it helps to have a mirror or a second person to check the position the first few times.

Heat and Australian summers

A carrier adds a layer of warmth for both of you, and in a Queensland or Perth summer that adds up quickly. Choose a mesh or lightweight carrier, dress your baby in a single light layer under the carrier, skip the socks and hat if the face stays shaded, and walk in the early morning or late afternoon. Check the back of your baby’s neck and their chest for sweat and flushed skin, and take breaks out of the carrier in the shade. Avoid draping a muslin over the carrier for sun protection; it traps heat and breaks the in-view rule.

How long can a baby stay in a carrier?

There is no fixed limit, but a sensible pattern is to take your baby out at least every couple of hours, or sooner if they fuss, to change position, feed, change a nappy and let their hips and back move freely. For sleep, a carrier is a short-nap tool while you are upright and watching, not a safe sleep space; move your baby to a cot or bassinet for proper sleep.

Wrap or structured carrier?

A stretchy wrap is a long piece of soft fabric you tie yourself. It gives a newborn the closest, most adjustable hold and spreads weight across both shoulders with no buckles, but it takes practice to tie tightly enough for TICKS, it is warm in summer and it stops being supportive once your baby sits. A structured carrier has a padded panel, shoulder straps and usually a waist belt; it is faster to put on, carries heavier babies comfortably and adds hip and back carries later, but it is bulkier from day one. Many Australian families use a wrap or soft newborn carrier for the first months and a structured carrier from about four to six months on.

Three carriers that make safe babywearing easy

Frequently asked questions

Related guides: compare every carrier and wrap we recommend in our best baby carriers and wraps in Australia roundup, and see our best prams and strollers for the days you would rather push.