Carry of the Month: Ruck August 2017

Carry of the Month (COTM) is an ongoing feature for the BWIP blog and Facebook group. Each month one of the Volunteer Babywearing Educators (VBEs) will choose a wrap carry or carrier to showcase and write a blog post with instructions or videos. At our monthly meetings throughout the valley, we will designate time to demonstrate the carry or carrier in person and answer your questions. Feel free to join in on the fun! Post pictures of you trying out the COTM in the Facebook group or email us your entry. Check out the bottom of this post for the prize raffled off for participation this month! 

Our Carry of the Month for August 2017 is Rucksack carry.  Rucksack carry is often shortened to Ruck.  This is a staple back carry for woven wraps.  For many wrappers, it is the first back carry they learn.  If you're getting comfortable with woven wraps for front and hip carries and are ready to try something more, you might be ready to try out a ruck.  Follow our tutorial or join us at a meeting and get some hands on help!  

Image description: A woman faces the camera.  She has a yellow and red wrap crossing her chest.  You can see a baby's face peeking over her left shoulder.  They are under a ramada at a park.  

Demonstrating how to tie a ruck is our Volunteer Babywearing Educator In Training, Kelly Whittaker, and her son Jamie.  They are using a Wrapsody Breeze Woven Wrap in the colorway Hope. 

Begin by placing the baby on your back.  Kelly is using the superman method to put Jamie on her back.  

Place the center of the wrap on the child's back and hold him by his shoulders, keeping the wrap in place.  

Swing baby around onto your back.

Make sure baby is centered on your back.  Lean forward so baby is laying down on your back.  Find both tails of the wrap and make sure they aren't twisted.  

Bring both tails of the wrap over your shoulders.  

While pinning the top rail under your chin, make baby's seat.  Take the bottom rail of the wrap and tuck it under baby's bottom, making sure the wrap covers from knee to knee and baby is supported in a seated position.  

Pin one tail securely between your knees.

Take the other tail and pull it snug over your shoulder.  Bring it under that same arm and behind you.

Pull that tail over baby's first leg.

And under the second leg.

Carefully pull out any slack from this first tail.  Make sure it is tightened evenly and all slack is out.  Bring the tail around to your front.  

Pin the first tail in between your knees.  Take the second tail and repeat the process you did with the first tail.  

Bring the tail under your arm.

Pull any slack evenly through this tail.  Pass it over baby's first leg.  Kelly is spreading this pass for extra support.  You can choose to spread or bunch this pass.  

Bring the tail under baby's second leg and around to your front.  

Tie the tails together at your waist.

You have completed the basic Rucksack Carry, tied at waist!  Once you learn this carry, this is the fastest back carry in a woven wrap to complete.  

If you have extra length or prefer to take some of the pressure off your your shoulders, you can also finish with the tails crossed over your chest instead of tied at your waist.  This is sometimes called "Tibetan finish."

Instead of tying a knot at your waist, keep one tail pinned between your knees.  Bring the other tail over to your shoulder strap.  Pass it across your shoulder strap, then tuck underneath the shoulder strap, pulling the tail through.  The tension of the fabric under the strap will hold the carry safely without slipping.  

Kelly is choosing to spread this cross pass to distribute the weight across her chest.

Take the other tail and repeat the process on the other side.  

Bring the tail across the strap, and pull it through.  

Kelly spreads this pass too.  Spreading the passes helps to distribute baby's weight across her chest so the entire carry is more comfortable.  

Now enjoy your rucksack carry!  

We've used this as a carry of the month before!  To see the ruck modeled by VBE Tanya, click here.  

Our prize for August 2017 is a wrap scrap tote bag from Lenny Lamb in the Big Love pattern.  To enter to win, simply post a photo of you trying out a ruck in a woven wrap on the COTM thread in our Facebook group.  If you're not on Facebook email your entry to us at PhoenixBabywearers@gmail.com. 

At the end of the month we will draw a winner. To earn additional entries, you can post a new picture of you trying it out every day.

(Valid only for Arizona residents. Winner is responsible for pick up or any shipping costs.)

Disclaimer: Any tutorials or advice given on this blog by Babywearing International of Phoenix or representatives of BWI of Phoenix are to be used at your own risk. Please use caution when attempting any of the carries highlighted on this blog and using any of the carriers discussed on this blog. Some of the information or advice may put some users of this site at risk due to health issues, physical limitations, or misuse. If you or your child have health issues or physical limitations, please discuss the appropriateness of the carry or carrier with your health care practitioner. BWI of Phoenix cannot be held accountable for any injuries sustained by the reader when attempting these carries or using these carriers.

Our contributing author this month is Lauren Maynard.  Lauren is an Advanced Babywearing Educator with Babywearing International of Phoenix.  Lauren regularly attends the weekend and central meetings.  She loves trying out new carriers with her preschool aged daughter and newborn son.  She uses rucksack carry to show her babies around the world!