Natural Nursery Blog

The Wilkinet is one of the most loved baby carriers. Parents of young babies, parents using a baby sling for the first time are all amazed by the comfort and the ’snug’ feeling when they use a Wilkinet for the first time. It is when you carry your baby for prolonged periods of time that you realise just how comfortable it is. When your Wilkinet is well adjusted, your shoulders or your back don’t hurt. Your baby remains well supported in the baby baby carrier.

Let’s look at some of the reasons that makes the Wilkinet one of the best baby carriers.

• Baby is held close against your body. The Wilkinet keeps the centre of gravity within your body. You don’t need to lean forward or backwards to compensate for your baby’s weight. Your baby is not pulling away from you nor is he dangling from side to side while you walk.

• The Wilkinet is as comfortable as a baby wrap but the streamlined shoulder straps can be easier to use. The straps of the Wilkinet are designed to stay firmly in place, they don’t ride up your back or towards your neck. This would cause pain across parent’s upper back and neck. When the shoulder straps of a baby carrier don’t stay in place, you will often see the parent support the baby’s weight to relieve some of the discomfort.

• The Wilkinet combines some gently padded shoulder straps with a unique method of wrapping the straps. This method distributes the weight evenly without putting causing pressure points.

• The Wilkinet provides gentle support for your baby. The head, back and leg support are all cushioned for his comfort. This padding allows you to snuggle your baby and provide the support he needs for a healthy development, especially for young babies. It supports the baby’s weight under its bottom and thighs, and providing support for his/her back and head as if being held in your arms.

• No rings, zips, clips or buckles. The Wilkinet is purely a tie-on baby carrier. This means you can adjust the baby carrier exactly to your body shape and preferences.

The Wilkinet is a fairly unique baby carrier on the market. Thanks to its clever design, the Wilkinet is as easy to use as a standard baby carrier and as comfortable as a baby wrap. That is no doubt why it has been so popular for almost 30 years. The gently padded straps supports the baby’s weight and spread it evenly across the parent’s shoulders, back and hips.

Why does the Wilkinet have no buckles, clips or zips?

The advantage of buckles, clips and zips is that they allow you to put on your baby carrier quickly.When Sally Wilkins designed the Wilkinet, she experimented with buckles but could never get the same level of comfort than you can achieve with tie-on straps. The wraparound tying method allows to spread the baby’s weight evenly across the parent’s body for all parents, no matter what your size, your body shape, height. Each parent is able to adjust the baby carrier exactly as they wish. This makes a big difference when you carry a child for hours, when you already suffer from back problems, or have a chunky baby.

The Wilkinet holds the baby in the way a baby wrap would, but with more streamlined straps. With its wide gently padded shoulder straps and unique wraparound method of tying the Wilkinet ensures the baby is held snugly and firmly with its weight evenly distributed.

Click here to view the set of instructions to learn to put on your Wilkinet easily and comfortably.

The Wilkinet baby carrier offers four comfortable carrying positions.

You can carry on your front, facing you or facing forward. You can use your Wilkinet as a hip carrier or as a baby backpack.

If you are using a Wilkinet for the first time,the front carry is the easiest carrying position to start with. The baby is securely fasten inside the baby carrier. The baby carrier is then strapped onto your body. It’s easy, it feels safe and it’s the best starting point for you and your baby.

Many parents love carrying their baby facing forward i.e. facing the road. While some babies thrive with the extra stimulation, it is a carrying position best kept for shorter periods of time and not for naps. In a forward facing position, baby can’t see your face, hear your voice or your heartbeat which all provide reassurance.

You can move to back carries when you feel ready. If this is your first baby, you may feel unsure. It’s ok, back carrying is a new sensation. Take your time, learn step by step and soon it will become second nature. Around 18 – 20lb (9-10kg), most parents of average build/weight/height will feel that their baby is too heavy for front carries. This is also the time when the baby learns to cling on to you so back carries become a lot easier.

• Facing In: from a tiny 5lb newborn

• Facing Out: Babies with chubby legs may out grow the leg space more quickly than slimmer babies. Please remember that your baby has less head protection this way. Do not start using this position until your baby is about 3½ months old (or approx 14lb).

• On the Hip: You can use your Wilkinet to carry your baby on your hip once he has sufficient head and neck control. This carrying position is only recommended for going on walks. It is not suitable for shopping trips or when doing household tasks. The reason for this is that more weight is being placed on just one shoulder and you will need one arm around the baby to avoid undue neck or shoulder strain.

• On the Back: Back carrying is a lovely carrying position. You still have a strong connection with your baby while having your hands completely free.  There is also less strain on parents’ back and neck muscles so recommended for parents with back problems or chunky babies.

The Wilkinet story started in the 1970s with Sally Wilkins. As many mums, Sally couldn’t find a comfortable baby carrier so she set out to adapt the one she had with her first child. As years went by, she refined her design with the help of her eight children.

She also received the help of Deirdre Mackay, the then chairwoman of the NCT Technical Committee. A mum, physiotherapist and antenatal teacher herself, Deirdre helped Sally improve the design of the baby carrier:

A baby carrier should not let the baby dangle by the crouch through leg holes. Mothers around the world know that a wrap or a shawl has to support the baby under its bottom and transfer the weight to the parent’s body. There should be no ‘leg holes’ to suspend the baby.

The prototype of the Wilkinet baby carrier was born.

“[The baby carrier] I had come up with suited my need for hands-free comfort while completely supporting my baby, holding him snugly and securely, wrapped onto me, not “hanging off” my shoulders”, says Sally.

The Wilkinet was soon subjected to various tests and awarded their black and white triangle for good design by the Design Council in London.

Everything from the cutting out and making up to despatch all happened from the family’s kitchen table in North West Leicestershire and later Pembrokeshire.

Sally’s grandchildren, the next generation of Wilkinet babies, are all still carried in Wilkinet from the moment they are born.

It’s no surprise that the Wilkinet baby carrier has been chosen by mums for many years, recommended by many organisations concerned with the welfare of mums and babies. The only way to find out is to try one. Order your Wilkinet today.