Carry the baby

About this visual support

Young babies want to be close. The heartbeat, the warmth and the gentle sway as an adult walks around mean many of them fall asleep or stop crying within a few minutes. A baby carrier does the same thing while leaving both hands free, so the parent can warm a bottle, help with homework or hang up the washing. To an older sibling, though, it can look as if mum or dad has suddenly become busy and out of reach.

The visual support shows the baby in arms and in the carrier, giving the older child a picture to point at instead of having to guess. Try placing the card in the schedule just before something the child can do alone, such as building with blocks or looking at a book. That way the waiting becomes an activity of its own rather than an empty pause.

In the Routined app you can add carrying the baby as its own step in the family schedule, with a timer if you want to show how long it usually lasts. You can try the app for 14 days at no cost.