The 'M‘ position – orthopaedically ideal

With the manduca® baby carrier, your baby is held reliably in the orthopaedically ideal 'M‘ position.

Orthopaedists and paediatricians recommend that babies who are worn in carriers always sit with tucked-up and slightly spread legs. The baby’s bottom should be lower than her knees, while the knees can come up as far as the tummy button. This position makes the baby’s hips tilt slightly forwards, while her back is very slightly rounded or ‘hunched’ and under less pressure. 

This position is frequently referred to as a ‘frog’ position', and in medical jargon is often described by means of exact angles. We prefer our own term, the 'M position‘, as we think it helps the non-expert to visualise very well what it is supposed to look like: in this position, the lower legs, the thighs and the bottom all together look rather like a capital M. Babywearing in this position can help prevent hip dysplasias and encourages the baby’s still immature hip sockets to develop in the way nature intended. 

Adults too – pregnant women in particular – often take this position quite intuitively when they want to get comfortable and relax. 

 The 'M‘ position in the manduca baby carrier

To help your baby sit comfortably in a proper 'M‘ position, we have put deep, hidden tucks into the seat area of the manduca, so that your baby sits as if in a 'pouch‘.

The extra wide seat base supports the baby’s thighs completely, while its lower legs can kick about freely. 

Very young or small babies (up to continental clothes size 68 or approx 5 months) are simply placed a little higher in the integrated seat insert, so their legs are not forced into an artificial 'splits‘ position. 

Tips:

Always let your baby slide into the manduca® until its bottom his really securely in. There should not be any gaps between the baby‘s bottom and the base material of the carrier. For this reason, you should always loosen the (short ends of the) shoulder straps before putting your child into the manduca®. 

After positioning your baby in the carrier, put your hands behind his knees and pull them up a little bit. This often helps your baby to slide a little further down into the carrier.

Only tighten the shoulder straps after you have done this. Always make sure not to pull them so tight that your baby is forced into an unnatural hollow-backed position.