Carrying twins

double the luck = double the burden?

We receive many inquiries from people who are pregnant with twins. Carrying twins appears to be quite a challenge, especially since there are hardly any products specifically designed for it in the market. Below, we explain why that is the case and how you can carry twins ergonomically and healthily with our baby carriers.

First and foremost, let's take a look at the special requirements that carrying twins can entail. Not all of the following points apply to every family, but they serve as a good guide for what to consider when making a purchase.

1. It should not only be necessary to carry both children at once; one child should also be able to be comfortably accommodated in the carrier on its own. Typically, only one child is carried at a time: the baby who currently needs closeness and contact is placed in the wrap or carrier, while the other one is being changed, fed, entertained, or is simply content with itself and the world. Carrying only one child is naturally much less straining on the back and pelvic floor, and it is also less bulky. Therefore, baby carriers that tend to become lopsided when you carry only one baby are not as suitable.

2. It should not be too complicated and rather quick to put on. Time is a scarce resource, especially with twins. Many parents don't have the patience to engage with lengthy tying tutorials and practice extensively. For example, if you have already enjoyed carrying an older sibling with the wrap extensively, learning a twin tying technique with a woven wrap will likely come easily to you. However, if the mere thought of tying even one baby to your body with a wrap causes you stress, there are plenty of alternatives to a woven wrap that can safely and quickly accommodate twins.

3. If you are carrying both children simultaneously, they should be able to be taken out of the carrier separately. There is nothing worse than accidentally waking the blissfully sleeping sibling because the second one wants to be taken out of the carrier, and thus, the first one also has to be taken out.

4. The increasing weight when carrying both children simultaneously should not be underestimated. Therefore, for most parents of twins, carrying both children at the same time is only a temporary solution. If both children are carried together permanently – for example, to take care of a sibling – it is much more ergonomic to distribute the children on two sides of the body: left and right or front and back. When I carry a child on each hip, the weight is much better distributed than if I had both in the front, but the range of motion is severely limited because my arms are too short to reach around both children. Activities that require both hands are therefore not possible. Ideally, carrying one child on the front and one on the back is recommended. This can even be done with relatively small babies. We recommend seeking baby carrier consultation for this purpose. During the consultation, you can practice the process with a doll on-site, and you will also receive expert guidance during your initial attempts with the children.

By considering these points and assessing your needs, you can determine which carriers or combinations are suitable for you. For example, an elastic wrap is highly recommended for beginners. You can leave it tied and simply place the child in need of closeness in and out. If both children happen to be inconsolable at the same time, you can also place both children together and carry them on the front. If both children are too big and heavy for this, you can continue using the wrap for one child and expand it with a Hop-Tye or similar carrier. With this, you can carry one child on your back while carrying the second one on the front with the wrap. Both children can be easily taken out of the carrier separately with this combination. And if another person joins in, each can carry one child since there are two independent carrying systems available.

If you prefer not to use a wrap, it is advisable for the front carrier to have flat straps (such as the Nabaca with Wrap-Con straps) so that the child at the back is minimally disturbed by the straps. Two ring slings that can also be used individually or two Hop-Tye carriers on a hip belt that can be worn on the front are suitable for distributing the weight on the left and right sides.

In essence, this is why there are so few specific twin carriers: they are not necessary or it is not wise to invest in a carrier that can only accommodate both children simultaneously on the front.