Rachel Gaston-Pifer: Tandem BWing

Most of this information is taken from the Tandem Babywearing Facebook group's pinned post, which I penned several years ago and a Tandem Babywearing presentation that I gave at International Babywearing Conference 2014. It has grown into a larger document over the years, from much collaboration with fellow baby carrier users and fellow baby carrier instructors, especially tandem and twin / multiples carrying instructors. If you have a question about any of the links or info on this page, please email me, rachelgaston@hotmail.com

I have Didymos Burgundy Hemp Indio in size 8 wrapped in RTAS (ruck tied at shoulder) with 4 yo, 40ish lb Isaac in back
+ FCC (front cross carry) chest belt* with 2 yo, 20ish lb Elizabeth on front.
*I created the FCC chest belt <3

Welcome and Congratulations!

Start your tandem babywearing journey here! :)

Tandem Babywearing is using baby carriers to carry more than one child.

If you are currently pregnant with one baby or with multiple babies, start
Bump wrapping

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qqizG48Zp0
Using a baby carrier to wrap your pelvic ring can
-provide relief to the joints that relaxin has loosened in preparation for labor (around 20 weeks in)
-give you practice with how to use your baby carrier, while baby is quiet and less wiggly
-hold your pants up a little longer

-provide night time back pain relief
-support a heavy belly
-relieve pressure on your bladder
-be used during pre-labor and labor for relief of Braxton Hicks and REAL contractions

----------------------------Construction zone----------------------------

Working on now: Baby Carrier options for Newborn Twins

Some favorite options for tandemwear by gross motor skill levels

Newborn twins: Tandem PWCC w stretchy; Tandem PWCC/FWCC, Tandem hip FWCC, Double horizontal pass FWCC, Jasmines hip carry w woven; Two ring slings

Do Kangaroo Care as much as possible, see why here.

Learn more about a Twin Kangaroo Care Shirt here.

If your babies are different ages, this carry is so helpful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGuCI2nELUQ

If you have newborn twins, learn to wear one first

One baby in Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (PWCC)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn_L6KGIGXE

And then add in second baby-Twins in PWCC

http://m.youtube.com/watch…

-And then

http://m.youtube.com/watch…

You may need to do a bosom scoop to lock baby into place; Have baby straddle his own cross pass. Once baby is straddling pass, lift your breast up and trap baby's knees beneath it, then aim your nipple at baby's belly button, then release the weight of your breast, then have baby's torso lie on the top, outer section of your breast. Trap baby in place with top half of cross pass. Repeat. :)

Babywearing Bosom Scoop Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv7GD-JV-sA&feature=youtu.be

PWCC in a stretchy wrap begins to become saggy when total baby weight reaches 15-20 lbs. At which point you can move on to a woven, which will provide you with several double hip options, like

Tandem hip FWCC

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TufS_slmFp8

For information on how to choose baby carriers for tandem babywearing, please see the first comment. :)

-Soft Structures Carriers (SSCs) are least intimidating. Woven wraps are most versatile. Mei tais (MTs), half buckles (HBs), podaegis (Pods), and ring slings (RSs) are a little of both.

-I personally recommend the wearer should be comfortable with and quite proficient at front and/or hip carries with the carrier before attempting back carries; otherwise on back for full term babies with no health concerns, you can use a woven wrap up high from day 1, a Mei tai up high from the day baby is comfy legs out, a ring sling and SSC once baby sits unassisted.

-Most carriers can be used for tandem wear. Whichever carrier(s) or carry(s) you are most comfortable wearing one baby at a time with is good to start with tandem wearing. Whichever baby you most often wear on your back is who should go on your back. The top edge of the carrier should fit snugly across baby's upper back to prevent baby from interfering with your sense of balance. With back wrap carries and mei tais it can help to tie off under bum in back, at shoulder or on your side. For two in one wrap it is more secure to knot off the back carry first, tied at shoulder (TAS) gives more options than tied under bum (TUB), spread passes cause less digging than gathered passes.

-Do you have a lending library nearby? That's a great place to try out carriers. In the US, see if there is one local to you, here: http://www.babywearing.com/directoryIn the UK, see if there is one local to you, here: http://www.ukslinglibraries.co.uk

http://thebabywearer.com/forum/hotspots/

-Here's a list to see if fellow babywearers are local to you. http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php...

-Find a certified babywearing instructor

http://rachelgaston-pifer.blogspot.com/.../babywearing...

http://www.centerforbabywearingstudies.com/find-an.../

http://www.babywearingschool.com/findinstructors.htm

You will have the most options to carry multiples (anytime, but especially) who are 2-8 mo with a size 6/7 woven wrap for Amandas hip carry, Tandem hip FWCC, and numerous one wrap front back carries. And/or a size 3/4 woven wrap and a pair of large sling rings from slingrings.com for Jasmines hip carry and numerous two wrap carries. Pick the wrap colorway you like best! Some of my favorite brands for a first wrap are Vatanai, buy at granolababies.com, slingomama coop, (great Brand New In Box (BNIB) and for beginners - so soft and moldable), Didymos, buy at birdiesroom.com, heart-hugs.com, (huge selection, most are easy to break in, most are easy to find), Wrapsody*, buy at wrapsodybaby.com, (so affordable, fun colorways, hybrid stretch can be used on back in a tandem carry, gauze is lovely for summer; can be diggy though), Chimparoo*, buy at chimparoo.ca, (inexpensive stripes: lovely, soft and moldable BNIB). Little Frog*, buy at littlefrog.pl, is the bargain BNIB brand. *indicates $100 or less BNIB. There are lots of great places to find an affordable used, sometimes new, wrap.

The TBW wrap FSOT board is http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php...

[I'm working to clear up link issues]...

In the UK, Natural Mamas is react-text: 1196 http://www.naturalmamas.co.uk/forum/forum.php

FB Swap is react-text: 1201 https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebabywearingswap/

FB Budget Swap is react-text: 1206 https://www.facebook.com/groups/156002947911287/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Washing wraps

react-text: 1212 https://docs.google.com/.../1p9reRfAUK70hS.../mobilebasic... /react-text

When using two padded strap carriers, many prefer one carrier to have less padding so that it fits well over the more padded carrier's straps. Some less padded carriers are most MTs, SSCs: Action Baby Carrier, Boba Air, Chimparoo Trek, Connecta, Ergo Performance and Stow Away, Moby Go, Olives & Applesauce, and Onya. This SSC Comparison chart is also helpful for choosing SSCs: react-text: 1217 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv... /react-text

Also available are SSCs designed especially for tandem wear. Most manufacturers and educators recommend that a baby's gross motor skill stage be sitting unassisted for SSC back carries. They are:

Twingaroo, Twingo, Weego

In my experience hybrid carriers are the most versatile for tandem wear. The Wrapsody hybrid stretch wrap is a hybrid of a stretchy and woven wrap and works well both in stretchy and woven type carries. The Connecta SSC is a hybrid of a buckle carrier and mei tai and has the speed of buckles and close fit and easy adjustability of MTs. The Podaegi is a hybrid of a MT and ruck carry and has the low profile of a MT and versatility of a ruck/kangaroo.

Singleton Woven Wrap carries to start with (carries in parenthesis are the tandem sister carries and can be found in the files section)

FWCC/PWCC (this can be turned into 3 different tandem FWCC carries)

react-text: 1245 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AdQY6nptkVE /react-text

FCC (great for combining with a back carry, precursor to Ruck Strap FCC)

react-text: 1250 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-82Hjhb1gSY /react-text

Poppins hip carry (precursor to Amandas hip carry)

react-text: 1255 http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=mBHoHPtypF0 /react-text

Robbins hip carry with a sling ring (precursor to Jasmines hip carry)

react-text: 1260 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wnlN6rgmYbc /react-text

Supporting baby's head on front

react-text: 1266 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWM6PFsj5AM /react-text

Supporting baby's head on back, around minute 4

react-text: 1271 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1O8Zn1WKhBA /react-text

Legs in/out

react-text: 1277 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww45TI-Zysg /react-text

Improving carry to Knee to Knee with a scarf

react-text: 1283 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hH122bHejhQ /react-text

Deep seat in MT or SSC

react-text: 1289 http://beltwaybabywearers.blogspot.com/.../getting-good... /react-text

MT hip carry

react-text: 1295 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHaeQ_1n3-c... /react-text

Learn more about tandemwearing

react-text: 1301 http://thebabywearer.com/.../ibc2014-tandem-babywearing.../ /react-text

react-text: 1304 http://thebabywearer.com/.../wearing-more-than-one.59/ /react-text

New to babywearing? Learn more about babywearing react-text: 1309 https://www.facebook.com/groups/everydaybabywearing/ /react-text

react-text: 1312 http://thebabywearer.com/forum/#babywearing.48 /react-text

Learn more about DIY carriers

react-text: 1318 https://www.facebook.com/groups/334070496681248/ /react-text

react-text: 1321 https://www.facebook.com/groups/247329292025830/ /react-text

react-text: 1324 http://thebabywearer.com/forum/forums/do-it-yourself.76/ /react-text

react-text: 1327 http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ /react-text

Find support from other caregivers of multiples

react-text: 1333 https://www.facebook.com/NOMOTC /react-text

react-text: 1336 https://www.facebook.com/NaturallyParentingTwins /react-text

Find support form other babywearing caregivers

react-text: 1342 http://thebabywearer.com/forum/forums/parenting-chat.61/ /react-text

Get tandem nursing help

react-text: 1348 https://www.facebook.com/groups/438068672893179/ /react-text

-Inspiration

react-text: 1354 http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php... /react-text

react-text: 1358 http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php... /react-text

Rowena triplet thread

react-text: 1364 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=688205824532485&set=gm.519648538124073&type=1&theater

This comment will give you some ideas of where to start by what gross motor skill level your babies are currently at.

Head control to unsupported sitting twins

Poppable or non-poppable front carry with any carrier type and high back carry in a woven or mei tai, Jasmin's hip carry - great for tandem nursing and Amanda's hip carry

Unsupported sitting twins - pretty much anything, MTs can be tricky on front, but comfortable; MTs, pods, and strap FWCC can be added to front later

Front/Back SSCs, most prefer two different strap styles: one thick, one thin; Poppable front carry and whatever is most comfortable from library/stash on back; Jasmines or Amandas tandem hip carries

Newborn + toddler (with a large weight difference two hip carries are precarious)

Stretchy PWCC or Woven FCC for newborn and normal carrier of choice for toddler on back, if there is a chest clip, move it up higher if needed; Infant appropriate SSC and normal carrier of choice for toddler on back; Rebozo or RS for newborn and normal carrier of choice for toddler on back

Head control to unsupported sitting baby + toddler

WHS (Wrapsody Hybrid Stretch) PWCC/FCC for toddler and TAS back carry like RTAS, HJBC, or RRRR for baby; WHS PWCC/FCC or Stretchy PWCC or Woven FCC or other poppable carry for baby and normal carrier of choice for toddler on back; Developmentally appropriate SSC and normal carrier of choice for toddler on back

Unsupported sitting baby + toddler - Pretty much anything goes, whatever carriers the wearer finds most comfortable.

The carriers that I find to be most versatile are Connecta as it's like a SSC/MT hybrid, Wrapsody hybrid stretch, podaegi, Half Buckle

Gross motor skills special notes: as babies gain gross motor skills/large muscle control they become easier to carry, e.g., once a toddler can jump, he will feel more weightless in any carry

Tandem Precautions or Special Considerations

All normal precautions are doubled.

Take your time or at least take a deep breath!

Become that woman who always checks herself out in reflective surfaces and take 100 selfies a day!

Front Carries:

http://rachelgaston-pifer.blogspot.com/2017/03/10-considerations-for-babies-on-front.html

Hip Carries:
http://rachelgaston-pifer.blogspot.com/2017/03/7-considerations-for-babies-on-hips-in.html

Back carries

http://rachelgaston-pifer.blogspot.com/2017/03/18-considerations-for-babies-on-back-in.html

5. Independent front carries with a back carry (Carries that work well on front added after a back carry are Podaegis and Strap FWCC, MTs require more fiddling, but are doable too; if baby on back is at nape of neck, Pods, MTs, and Knotless FCC under back baby work well)

Single FCC (great for combining with a back carry)

Tandem two wraps: PWCC and DHTAS

Pod and MT

Pre-tied FCC and RTIF:

Ruck and FCC
http://www.dropshots.com/wraparoundjoy#date/2008-12-02/23:21:04

Good seat in MT or SSC
http://beltwaybabywearers.blogspot.com/2011/11/getting-good-seat.html

6. Dependent front carries with a back carry (Ruck strap kangaroo causes fewer pressure points around spread than gathered passes and around torso or ruck than cross passes)

Double Hammock and a Shorty or Ring Sling:

Double Hammock with a Shorty or RS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Hvm6zjxayAU

FWCC and RUB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta75WtfIujk

Mei Tai and Ring Sling (video also shows nursing babe):
http://s391.photobucket.com/user/morse_family/media/Babywearing more than one or twins videos/M4H06574.mp4.html

Mei Tai and Buckle Tei:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du7Z19SpN0o&list=UUW_NoOnRyeEWrFPzqcHOYwA

SSC and Wrap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qije4_HpeqY

Ring Sling and SSC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F_osjEEqTQ

Two Ergos (you can use any two SSCs that your baby fits into):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=___zqKxo01o

Two Connectas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWdSIenxafI&list=UUW_NoOnRyeEWrFPzqcHOYwA&index=16

7. Double hip carries

-Newborn in RS
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=9Y62Tl0jz5o

Single MT hip carry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHaeQ_1n3-c&feature=c4-overview&list=UUl29JHOoz1pf7lyfD2APC_g

Miranda's Tandem Hip Carry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FQ3Ddvpqno

Two Ring Slings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iySxLCEPXn8&list=UUzr2BkVegOCRfjrCZZO1gHQ&index=3

Two Ring Slings:
http://s391.photobucket.com/user/morse_family/media/Babywearing more than one or twins videos/M4H00058.mp4.html?sort=6&o=5

Links:
Wearing Twins Photo Thread (TBW):
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?40136-Wearing-Twins-Photo...

Babywearing With Twins (TBW):
http://www.thebabywearer.com/articles/HowToO/Twins.htm

Babywearing With Twins 2 (TBW):
http://www.thebabywearer.com/articles/HowToO/Twins2.htm

Wearing a Newborn and a Preschooler (TBW):
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/...nd-a-preschooler-pics-stories-tips-VIDEO-here

Blog About Babywearing Twins
http://twinmommy101.com/babywearing/

Tandem Babywearing Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tandembabywearing/

-Inspiration for when you are frustrated with babywearing
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/...-The-Super-Sexy-Sweatpants-Action-Shot-Thread
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/...-wrap-jobs-ever-*pics*-please!&highlight=Ugly

Emergency carries
http://beltwaybabywearers.blogspot.com/2011/03/emergency-babywearing.html

Rachel Gaston-Pifer

Pages

Tandem BWing

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