A carrier used correctly supports both the parent and baby's developmental positioning. Used incorrectly — with poor weight distribution or wrong hip positioning — it creates discomfort for the parent and potential developmental risk for the baby.
Most parents choose based on how a carrier looks or what other parents recommend. Neither tells you whether the design supports the M-position, whether the weight distribution will work for extended use, or whether it's IHDI hip-healthy recognised.
Work through this checklist before you decide. The picks at the bottom are the ones that pass every criterion.
The International Hip Dysplasia Institute specifically identifies certain carrier designs as contributing to abnormal hip development — a condition that can require treatment ranging from bracing to surgery. The risk is not from carrying itself, which is developmentally beneficial, but from carriers that position the baby's legs hanging straight down rather than in the supported M-position.
The M-position has the baby's knees higher than their bottom, thighs supported in a spread-squat, and spine in a natural gentle curve. This is the position a baby naturally adopts when held against a parent's chest. For the parent, the key principle is weight distribution — a carrier that concentrates the baby's weight on the shoulders creates fatigue within 20–30 minutes.
The International Hip Dysplasia Institute maintains a list of carriers it has recognised as "hip-healthy" — meaning the design supports the M-position. This recognition requires manufacturer submission to an evaluation process and is a stronger indicator than general safety certification alone.