CCC Wrap Size: Base Size (size 6 for most moms)
Base Size minus 1 for Ring Finish or Shepherd’s Finish
Charlies Cross Carry is so great because a cross pass helps to keep baby’s seat until a sling pass is added to prevent leaning. The combined waist belt and chest belt help to distribute baby’s weight most comfortably across the torso, and there is the option of finishing the carry with a knot (shepherd’s tie off) or rings OR spreading the chest belt to be a wide chest belt (like that in the Double Hammock Carry) for those who find that most comfortable and the photo and video tutorials below show CCC with the spread chest pass.
Charlies Cross Carry (CCC) tutorial with a Toddler
Charlies Cross Carry variations and fancy finishes (thank you Olena!)
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Charlies Cross Carry was invented in November 2013 by Amanda Chaney for her 7 month old daughter, Charlie, who is both a leaner and a seat-popper. She wanted a carry that could be finished with rings that she could finish without her daughter popping the seat a dozen times in the process. Charlie’s Cross Carry quickly became a favorite on the Everyday Babywearing Facebook Group where several additional ways to finish the carry were quickly discovered and shared.
Leaner: a baby who leans backwards with such intention and dexterity that it is either difficult to tighten the top of the wrap to a safe degree, or they manage to work the top rail loose or low so that they can lean back out of the carry.
Seat Popper/Leg Straightener: a baby or toddler who persists in pushing his or her legs straight down, thus making it difficult or impossible to create or keep a comfortable and ergonomically sound seat beneath baby’s bottom and thighs, made from the wrap fabric.
To do a Saltwater Finish, cross the two straps at your collarbone, then feed the strap on TOP under the chest pass. Bring the two straps together at the bottom of the chest pass (one strap over and one under the chest pass), and cross them again. Either bring behind you to tie in back, or once again feed the top strap under the waist belt and the bottom strap over it, to meet at the bottom in a knot.
For Double Ring Finish, start with a bunched chest pass. When you get both wrap tails to the front, put a tail through a ring, then feed that tail under the chest pass (leaving the ring above the chest pass) and then up through the same ring and pull to tighten. Repeat with the other side.
Charlies Cross Carry with Spread Chest Pass
(tied knotless at waist belt) step by step photo tutorial
Samantha is using a size 6 Rainbow Baby Easycare wrap and I’d like to thank her for making this tutorial for us!
Step 1. Put baby on your back with wrap centered on baby’s back.
Step 2. Create a seat and gather up both wrap ends.
Step 3. Put one end between your knees to hold it, and bring one end under your arm.
Step 4. And bring it under baby’s leg, being careful to make sure baby does not fall out of the wrap until you get another layer across baby.
Step 5. Flip the right so the bottom (blues/purples) becomes the top.
Step 6. Gather and bring straight across your waist.
Step 7. Bring it under the other wrap end and around your opposite hip.
Step 8. Bring the wrap under baby’s first leg and up over baby.
Step 9. Spread across baby’s back and up over your shoulder.
Step 10. Pull all the slack out of the wrap and hold in your teeth, under your chin, or between your knees.
Step 11. Now work with the other wrap, bring it from over your shoulder to under your arm instead.
Step 12. Bring the wrap straight across your chest, spread to create a horizontal chest pass.
Step 13. Bring the wrap under your opposite arm and around baby’s back (over both legs) and over your opposite shoulder.
Step 14. Pull both wrap ends upward (not forwards) to get slack out of the wrap.
Step 15. For the tied-at-waist finish, bring both wrap ends down and cross in front of you.
Step 16. Bring both wrap ends under the waist belt.
Step 17. Bring one wrap end up in front of the wrap pass.
Step 18. Loop the wrap end down inside the waist pass so it comes out the beginning. This secures the first wrap end.
Step 19. Repeat with the second wrap end by bringing it first upward in front of the waist pass . . .
Step 20. And then down behind the waist pass so it’s looped around.
Charlie’s Cross Carry (tied at waist) – Finished!
