Tandem Babywearing: Proper Positioning for Babies in the TwinGo
If you are ready for tandem babywearing in your TwinGo, here are four positioning tips to keep your babies safe and happy. We suggest you also read the following articles:
- What are the Safety Concerns of Babywearing?
- Is My Baby Ready For Back Carry in the TwinGo?
- Six Tips to Master Back Carry
1) Baby’s Face Should be Visible
Your baby’s face should be visible outside the carrier to assure he has unobstructed breathing. Additionally, the carrier should not be worn too low on your back (or front) that it becomes difficult to assess proper positioning for your baby.
How to keep baby's face visible while tandem carrying in the TwinGo:
- Small babies or tall adults: You may need to wear your carrier slightly higher than your natural waist so you can see your baby over your shoulder or with assistive devices, like a mirror or phone.
- Slender or petite adults: You may need to tighten the Perfect Fit Adjusters on the Base Carrier (the one with the blue interior) so the shoulder straps provide the right fit for a higher back carry so you can see your baby over your shoulder.
- Customize for each baby: If wearing children of very different sizes or two smaller babies, then you may want to wear the waistbands separately to independently position each child (one higher and one lower). The sides of the waistband are designed to either fold to avoid overlap or they can overlap with minimal bulk. As your children grow, your waistband positioning can change accordingly.
2) Baby Held In An Upright, Supportive Position
The carrier should be comfortably form fitting—not too tight and not too loose—with no excess space for your baby to slump or lean into a position that places him at risk of suffocation. The carrier should be fitted to allow for head, neck and arm movement but his torso positioning should not change with your movements.
How to seat baby in an upright, supported position in the TwinGo:
- Provide proper back support: When loading your babies in the carrier, ensure that your child has fabric coverage up to the shoulder region. Please review this TwinGo Help video on back support
- Balance carriers on shoulders: When loading your babies in the TwinGo, ensure that the two carriers remain balanced on your shoulders. Especially follow the “1st lift, 2nd tighten” rule when loading the second baby in the Attachment Carrier, which is shown in the Dual Carry instructional video and Owner’s Manual.
- Regularly check positioning: Regularly assess the fit of the carriers for each child—especially the baby seated in back—and ensure the carriers remain balanced on your shoulders; be mindful that extended wearing periods and/or lots of movement may alter the position of each child.
3) Baby Is Centered in Seat
The baby should be seated centered in the carrier, his knees evenly spaced on either side of the carrier and his bottom cradled by the carrier with no excess space. After placing your baby in the carrier, it is good practice to either very gently (and securely) bounce your baby to the bottom of the carrier and/or lift up on the shoulder straps to reposition the carrier on the baby’s bottom. If the waistband is too loose, this can cause the baby to sit too far in the carrier; be sure the waistband is properly tightened before loading a child in the carrier.
How to center baby in the TwinGo when Tandem Carrying:
- Center baby during the loading phase: When loading your babies in the carrier, ensure that your child's knees are evenly spaced and his back has fabric coverage up to the shoulder region. Please review this TwinGo Help video on back support
- Fitting the waistband: The waistband can accommodate a variety of sizes by either threading or unthreading the straps from the Waist Loops on each side of the waistband. If you cannot get your TwinGo waistband tight enough, please refer to our sizing guide in the Owner’s Manual. If your waist or hips are smaller than 26”, wear the two waist belts separately to achieve appropriate fit.
4) Baby’s Hips and Thighs Supported
The International Hip Dysplasia Institute recommends “the hips should be allowed to spread apart with the thighs supported and the hips [and knees] bent.” For young babies still developing hip flexibility, ensure your child has long enough legs to comfortably straddle the panel of the carrier.
How to support the hips and tights in the TwinGo:
- Back Carry: Babies who are unable to naturally and comfortably straddle the carrier are not ready for Back Carry. The Infant Insert should not be used for Back Carry positions.
- Front Carry: If your baby cannot naturally and comfortably straddle the carrier, you can add the Infant Insert into the waistband to provide a narrower seat for your child that will not overextend his legs. This is a perfect solution for parents wearing a toddler and baby.
