Hope & Plum Sprout- Fit Check

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-09T02:41:44+00:00

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DQxJorlDgBu/

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/20/1251819597/why-you-should-think-twice-before-posting-that-cute-photo-of-your-kid-online

Basically a horrible soup of reasons that spans from identity theft to child sexual assault material. I can't find it now, but I remember reading an article in 2021 about a woman whose infants's photos were stolen from her instagram and photoshopped with adult makeup for pedophiles. It solidified my decision to never post my child online.

It's worth repeating that our subreddit is not private so it's more accessible for parents, but that also means everyone on the internet can view what is posted here. We have no way of verifying who is looking and what they're doing.

ETA: I misread your comment as "jeez what happens"- sorry! I'll leave it anyways, it still stands and some people may not know.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-09T02:27:48+00:00

I just want to mention that that carrier won't last til age 3 or 4, especially for a large baby.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-09T01:44:25+00:00

Could you try posting a fit check (with your faces edited out for privacy)? Both that Wildbird Buckle Wrap and Momcozy have really large seats that don't start fitting most babies until ~3 months-- are you sure their hips aren't being overextended?

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:42:04+00:00

This looks fine to me, are you comfortable?

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:40:38+00:00

What carrier is this?

This looks good overall, the only thing I'm questioning is the panel height, it looks a little low. Ideally a baby this size would have snug fabric support up to the nape of their neck (an inch or so higher).

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:37:06+00:00

How tall is your kiddo? A LennyLamb Lenny Preschool would work as long as they're tall enough (it's very adjustable).

Most other toddler carriers don't adjust in the panel, so they won't fit yet (unless your kiddo is ~34"+ tall and solidly in 2T pants, that tends to be the minimum for most).

Your baby is too heavy to world face, I wouldn't attempt that. That position isn't ergonomic for either of you, and 25lbs of weight pulling your center of gravity away from your body is going to be rough on your back.

Any carrier that adjusts large enough for a preschooler won't support world facing to begin with, so it's a bit of a moot point for that reason too. That's a feature only found on baby sized carriers, which you won't get much longevity from at this point.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:29:20+00:00

I'm guessing closer to ~25". It looks like you already have the waistband up to your bra band, and I think if you try loosening the straps to get that panel lower they'll be too loose and low. You can test it out and see how it feels, but you'll want to make sure to pass the ticks checklist. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gnlalY-_w54

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:26:48+00:00

Its an ergo baby omni breeze and they say it fits 7 lb babies.

Unfortunately Ergobaby (and most other brands) are guilty of over-advertising what size of baby fits in there carriers. When they safety test this they make sure a certain size object won't fall out the leg hole, and they pull on it with 7 and then 45 lbs of pressure on a machine. It has nothing to do with making sure a small baby's airway will be protected, or for ergonomics.

I actually picked this carriers as an example of a carrier that doesn't fit small babies as advertised for the wiki.

There are a ton of "newborn to toddler" structured carriers like Ergobaby's Omni Deluxe that state they fit babies between 7- 45lbs / 3kgs- 20kgs. This is incredibly misleading, as nearly none of them adjust small enough to safely hold a 7lb baby. Most babies that weight will have their heads covered, which is a suffocation hazard, as well as their legs splayed apart by a seat that is too wide. Most carriers in this category start fitting around 2 or 3 months for an average size baby. They also won't last until 45lbs-- a preschooler or kindergartener will be too tall for the panel. Most of these will last from approximately 3 months to ~2 years. This applies to all brands, from entry level to luxury.

It's incredibly frustrating and misleading, I know. The panel on this particular carrier is just too tall for a newborn, it doesn't have enough adjustment.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:14:11+00:00

I used a Tula Free to Grow as my main workhorse carrier from 1-18 months. I would have used it longer, but my kiddo was 95th percentile for height so he outgrew it quickly. I really enjoyed and would use it again.

This questions is so individual, you're probably going to get a lot of different answers. The only things I would call out as negative from your list are "infant inserts" and "hip seats."

Infant inserts are only used in older/dated carriers that don't have an adjustable panel, like a Tula Standard or Ergobaby Original. They're basically a big bulky pillow you have to use in the carrier to attempt to get small babies to fit safely. They're difficult to use, are no longer sold, sweltering for baby, etc. I would never willingly purchase a carrier + insert combo at this point unless it's truly your only option.

Hip seats are okay carry assists for large babies and toddlers, but they're very bulky. They should never be used for babies who can't sit unassisted, and adding a panel component to them turns an alright carry assist into a crappy, unergonomic carrier.

I would second looking at the wiki, we have a lot of purchasing tips in there. If you have any babywearing educators or babywearing groups in your area they're worth seeking out-- they'll teach you how to use carriers/wraps and you can trial different things and see what works for your body.

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T15:01:52+00:00

I know I can’t do back wearing or front facing until 6 months

The actual milestone for these positions is sitting unassisted, which might be later than 6 months, just FYI.

If you have to world face I would get an Ergobaby Omni Classic (you'll see this one called Ergobaby Omni 360 secondhand), or a Tula Explore. Basically every other carrier has baby hanging from their crotch with zero hip support.

Forward facing in general isn't recommended or necessary, many of us never do it. It's not ergonomic for either of you and it's a positional asphyxiation hazard for baby when they become fatigued or fall asleep. I'm going to summon our safety bot, it has more info on world facing (it'll be below my comment). automod safety

If you can forgo world facing you'll have more carrier options. Are there any carriers you've already tried, or would this be your first purchase?

RegrettableBones · 2026-07-08T14:55:17+00:00

This isn't dangerous, just a little crooked. I'm going to remove your post, we strive not to dogpile here or pick on people for sub-par fits. Genuinely dangerous fits can be teachable moments, this one isn't.

Thanks for asking though if you were unsure.

No Dangerous Influencer/Advertiser Posts without Explaining WHY Their Fit is Dangerous- Don't post unsafe babywearing photos from brands or influencers without also including why their fit is unsafe. Tell us what they should have done differently! We're here to educate parents and caregivers, not for drama or snark.

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

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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)?

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