Most carriers offer the option of carrying your baby facing towards you or facing outward (also known as 'world-facing'). Most experts agree that a young baby is better off being carried facing towards you. In most carriers, this is the only way to properly position the hips in the M-position, which is important for hip development. It also gives your baby a sense of security, and let's face it... what does your baby prefer to look at more than you?
When you carry a young baby facing outward, they are exposed to a lot of stimuli that they cannot filter out. This can lead to overstimulation and difficulty falling asleep. The advice is therefore to carry children facing towards you until at least the age of 6 months.
However, many parents report that their baby prefers to face outward after a certain age. Many parents also enjoy carrying their child this way, to show off their child to others and to let their child see the world.
Our advice is to always try to consider what is best for your baby. At a very young age, this means carrying them facing towards you. If you notice that your older baby is truly more comfortable facing outward, try small periods of outward facing time. However, be mindful that a tired child who needs to sleep may become fussy and cranky before sleeping, and may become quiet due to distraction from stimuli, which only makes them more tired...