# Baby Carriers For Special Needs Babies

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/baby/baby-carriers-for-special-needs-babies/
- Published: 2014-03-25T05:00:56+11:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

Using something extra to carry a baby close is not new parents the world over have
used material, slings, wraps, carriers and contraptions since parenting began. Walking
out of Africa would have been a lot easier with a baby on your back and two hands
free, and the same applies for the school run, parenting more than one child, navigating
the shops, the show or a birthday party, and travelling.

In our modern society, baby wearing continues to have so many benefits for the whole
family and especially for the mother-baby pair (also known as a “dyad” which is 
such an elegant word that should get more use!). But what happens when your baby
has a body that does not fit into conventional baby carriers?

Maybe your gorgeous baby has talipes (“club foot”), hip dysplasia, cerebral palsy
or�another condition�that means they might be in a cast, need regular parent-led
therapy, physiotherapy, operations, management of oxygen therapy or�have low muscle
tone. Is baby wearing still an option around these added challenges? The baby wearing
community would say YES!! and in fact that these babies need to be held extra close
and that parents can benefit from it as well.

Didn’t know there was a baby wearing community? It is another aspect of parenting
that draws people together, and for those parents of babies with special needs, 
it can be a part of their parenting persona that is especially valuable as it isn’t
based around their child’s condition but rather a love of holding offspring close.
With thousands of involved parents, you are also likely to find someone in there
who is at the same stage as you, or has walked the same path and can give you a 
virtual hug and some advice. Support from other parents is crucial to being a successful
parent![⌊Baby carriers for special needs babies⌉](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/specialneedsbabycarrierNF1.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

A good place to start is to find your local baby wearers group on Facebook. There
are state-based ones full of helpful and experienced people, where local meets are
organised to learn new carries, catch up with friends and flaunt the newest “fluffy
mail” addition to the stash. There are also national and international groups more
focused on trading if the baby wearing bug really bites! There are also national
and international babywearing forums that are bursting with thousands of members
with information to share.

Just like different shoes for different occasions, which carrier suits your situation
will vary perhaps a woven wrap would work best for the boots and braces phase of
correcting talipes, or a soft structured carrier would work best for a baby with
the low muscle tone of Downs Syndrome. Perhaps you’re slight and your baby is petite
and you need some help with a shorter wrap, or you’re tall and your bub is solid
and you need some advice on which carrier to choose. You may prefer a ring sling
for the hospital trips, a mei tai for feeds or a special wrap that you can also 
use as a play mat, extra blanket for naps or a comforter when things are tough.

For the mother-baby dyad, baby wearing can bring babies closer and shares the love
without words. For parents, it can be an important part of the parenting toolkit
that has to be expanded when there is a special child in the family. The networking
and friend-making opportunities are good for your mental health, might connect you
with the best friends of your future and is a great way to get in touch with local
parents with whom you have at least one thing in common even if it’s not the best
for your bank balance as it can get a bit addictive!

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)

## Comments

### By: John Watson

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/baby/baby-carriers-for-special-needs-babies/#comment-91508
- Published: 2014-04-10T22:09:00+10:00

Great post.. Thanks for sharing such informative and helpful post with us.. Waiting
for your next share.. Keep writing..

### By: Stay at Home Mum

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/baby/baby-carriers-for-special-needs-babies/#comment-91509
- Published: 2014-04-10T22:14:00+10:00

Thanks John 🙂

### By: John Watson

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/baby/baby-carriers-for-special-needs-babies/#comment-91520
- Published: 2014-04-10T23:21:00+10:00

🙂