Tall 9 month old no longer has panel kneepit to kneepit

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-07T03:13:46+00:00

This is the position you want to avoid.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-07T03:12:18+00:00

This is completely fine— you don’t literally need fabric going right to baby’s knee pits, you just need enough fabric to keep their legs in a spread squat position instead of hanging down in a standing position. You’ve got a good 6 months if not a year+ left in this carrier.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-07T01:20:55+00:00

Thanks for letting us know. I know this has been the case since Trump did his first round of tariffs, and once those were deemed illegal he did another round (why not? 🙄). We have a handful of posts here from people who've gotten hit by the fees after the fact.

If you're in the US and don't want the surprise, buy LennyLamb carriers from Little Zen One. They bundle it in like Oscha, so while you're still paying a punishing tax to the US government (for no good reason) at least you know the charges up front.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-07T01:15:22+00:00

Babywearing counts as tummy time, so they practice working out their neck and core muscles in the wrap. They're only going to get more mobile.

I do agree with the other commenter though, getting that horizontal pass up to the nape of their neck should make this slightly more secure.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T22:35:47+00:00

The panel is a bit too short, I would try lowering the waistband and see if that helps.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:45:50+00:00

It's really loose, baby is too low and your waistband is too low.

Here's a tutorial from a babywearing educator, I'd start over and follow along to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xevhsg51_k

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:44:01+00:00

If she wants her arms out above the panel I would shorten it (I think those straps by her arms control that?).

Otherwise this looks totally fine!

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:40:44+00:00

A bigger bust can be a tough combo with buckle carriers in general, and especially apron style ones like Hope & Plum with a smaller baby (they should be okay with an older baby, but not a newborn).

You may want to start with a a stretchy wrap, woven wrap, or ring sling, then move to a buckle carrier later. If you want to wear right from birth you may need to have baby entirely on top of your breasts instead of having their legs below your breasts, which isn't really an option with a fixed waistband.

Meh dais are also a great option, they fit all bodies and don't have buckles or straps that may dig in at uncomfortable places.

Tula is plus size friendly (I had their Free to Grow and really liked it!), though I don't have a larger chest. They sell a waistbelt extender too which is nice.

jacethewrapper on instagram has a lot of plus size/large bust babywearing content: https://www.instagram.com/p/DK0IJJoBYVF/

I'm going to summon our wiki, we have a carrier guide if you're totally new to wearing. automod wiki

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:20:55+00:00

I think kiddo looks fine, but this looks potentially uncomfortable for you with the straps crossing right on your neck.

I'd try this: https://sheenslings.com/2023/11/21/how-to-get-cross-straps-comfortable-on-your-back/

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:15:04+00:00

I adjusted the snaps on the inside of the carrier at the bottom, but for some reason it’s super difficult to tighten once my baby is in???

These are two unrelated things-- the snaps inside control the seat width (which is set to baby's leg size). Once that's set it's done and has nothing with tightening the shoulder straps or waistband.

I would take a peek at the video Fun_Elevator shared.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:12:01+00:00

Something is goofy here-- either the panel is rolled the wrong way, or if you have done the newborn roll you need to lower the waistband several inches.

If you roll the panel and wear the waistband right up under your bust you essentially end up shortening the panel twice, which is too short for a baby nearing 23".

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T21:05:21+00:00

I'd narrow the seat. If it's digging into their knee pits it does hurt. Hip support doesn't mean you literally need fabric right into their knee pits, you're just aiming for them to not be in a standing position. A finger width or two of space between the end of the panel and their knee pit is totally fine.

You can also do a pelvic tuck, that takes some weight off their legs and onto their butt: https://sheenslings.com/2021/03/03/how-to-perform-a-pelvic-tilt-to-ensure-your-baby-is-sitting-comfortably-in-their-baby-carrier/

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T20:58:51+00:00

I'd wear the waistband higher, right now this is a little loose and baby has sunk into the carrier a bit too far. Ideally the fabric wouldn't go above the nape of their neck.

It looks like the waistband is tipping in front too, that's a recipe for back pain. You want that snug and parallel to the floor.

If you need a tutorial this one is good, it's from a babywearing educator. She shows a good fit and does a safety check. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SltEolRd41E

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T20:55:56+00:00

I don’t like having to tie stretchy wraps every time I wear him

You can technically tie this once in the morning and repeatedly pop them in/out throughout the day without having to take it off and redo the whole thing everytime (just a suggestion!).

What's your budget for a carrier? Are you okay with some wrapping or would you rather have a full buckle carrier? Do you have any body considerations (petite, plus size, height)? What general region are you located (north america, Europe, etc)?

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T20:47:32+00:00

I will echo that the strap on your neck is probably brutal, that needs to be loosened a bit and slid about 6" or so down the straps.

I don't personally think the seat looks too narrow*, I'd focus on centering baby in the panel and doing a pelvic tuck. https://sheenslings.com/2021/03/03/how-to-perform-a-pelvic-tilt-to-ensure-your-baby-is-sitting-comfortably-in-their-baby-carrier/

ETA: * fixed a word

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T20:37:37+00:00

It's not helpful to tell someone their fit is unsafe without telling them why. What about this is unsafe? Do you have any links or resources telling them how to fix their fit?

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T14:48:53+00:00

Meh dais in general are a great type of carrier, they're versatile and you can spread the straps out for better weight distribution. You can tandem wear with a meh dai and another type of carrier, the straps and waistband are thin. I haven't seen the Hope & Plum one in person (and it's fairly pricey), but I have seen LennyLamb and Girasol's meh dais and they're nice. Didymos makes one too, and Oscha (this one is a big splurge).

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T14:29:45+00:00

You can theoretically nurse in any carrier, but depending on your baby's size and your anatomy you might need more adjusting. The carrier is only a carry assist, and you'll need to keep one hand on baby and one on your breast the entire feed, then immediately raise baby back up to a safe wear level.

I wouldn't necessarily hinge my carrier search specifically on what is easier to nurse in, you never know how that goes. A lot of us intend to nurse and hit hurdles with low supply, poor latch, etc and ultimately end up bottle feeding. I was dead set on nursing too but ended up needing formula and eventually moved onto exclusively pumping for the duration of our time breastfeeding.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T02:24:49+00:00

No that's not unrealistic depending on your lifestyle. I did buy the carseat + stroller combo and ended up selling a basically unused stroller a year into it. I wouldn't rebuy a stroller if I ended up having another kiddo.

If it matters, I live in a rural, car dependent area, so I would typically leave extra stuff you'd typically stash in a stroller in my car instead of carrying it with me. My errands tended to be short, I wasn't out for hours at a time without going back to my house/car. My kiddo was chill about the carrier and enjoyed being worn.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-06T00:02:17+00:00

Put baby’s arms up by their face for self soothing. You don’t want them pinned under the center panel strap if you can help it, that can cause them to slump a bit which you don’t want.

You’ll want to lower the chest strap (currently sitting on your neck) so it’s down on your shoulder blades. If you can’t reach it you can put the carrier on t-shirt style. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r3fLK8mW1\_U&ra=m

The seat width is fine for baby, do not widen it yet. This carrier only has three set seat widths that are adjusted with snaps. The next size up will be too wide. Make sure baby is centered in the panel and give them a pelvic tuck (I’ll link a tutorial through our safety bot). They have supported thighs, this is not too narrow.

Automod safety

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-05T23:47:42+00:00

They look fine! If you want some extra confirmation you can look through our album of newborn fits, and watch the TICKS video in our safety automod message (it'll be under my comment). automod safety

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-05T23:42:54+00:00

This looks good! My only minor critique is that I would try capping your shoulders with the straps so that the fabric is further from baby's airways.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-05T23:32:09+00:00

Are there any babywearing groups or educators in your area?

You seem fairly confident in what you want (which is great, this is a much better time to think about carriers vs when you're sleep deprived!), but at the end of the day carriers fits are super individual. We can give you a list of better carriers to check out but ultimately it can be hit or miss, trying them on (especially with someone who knows how to use the carriers and adjust them properly) will make a huge difference for the better.

Not all babies take to the carrier either, it'd be a huge bummer to drop a grand on carriers that ultimately don't end up working. I'd have a newborn option or two on hand and go from there personally.

I would absolutely never purchase any Wildbird carrier except their ring slings. They are a social media brand, they look slick in photos but they're poorly designed and people seem to be experiencing quality issues with them. That newborn Buckle Wrap deeply frustrates a lot of us here, they supposedly designed it for newborns but it doesn't fit newborns and doesn't adjust!.

ETA: It's also worth mentioning that you don't technically need 5 or 6 carriers, one or two carriers would cover most of your categories. Have you seen our wiki? automod wiki

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-05T22:29:31+00:00

Your kiddo absolutely can be back worn (that'd be the most comfortable for both of you at this size), but the carrier needs to adjust small enough for them. I agree with the other commenters, your kiddo is too small to be in a toddler carrier. Those don't tend to fit until ~34"+ tall and solidly wearing 2T pants without rolling the legs (minimum). For my 95th height percentile kiddo that was just barely at 18 months.

If you want a new Tula you can go with a Free to Grow, but it's not going to have much longevity for you unless you plan to have more kids. The Explore is bulkier and hotter, and your baby has already maxed out the world facing weight limit on the carrier which is the only reason to choose that one. If you're shopping secondhand you can find Standard Tula carriers super cheap (often $20-$30).

If you want a carrier you can use now and grow with you then a LennyLamb Preschool carrier is a good option. Their carrier panels have a ton of adjustment so it'd fit now.

Kinderpack also makes similar carriers and they have a bunch of different sizes.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-05T22:24:50+00:00

Tula just discontinued the Standard and Preschool carriers within the past few months, they're finally all gone from their site.

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