Baby Wearing Carrier Safety Belt Newborn to 2 Yr Random Color

Brightly coloured cloth baby carriers slung on the backs of Chinese women were once a common sight in Hong Kong, and have recently made a comeback. Part of the reason is their lightweight practicality: unlike the modern stroller or other bulky types of contemporary infant transporter, traditional cloth carriers can be folded up and easily stored away.

Wearing the garment was (and still is) easy; the child was placed against the woman’s back, with its legs straddling her waist. Upper straps were tied around and over her shoulders, and the lower pair under the woman’s arms and child’s legs, to form a sling. Most women were involved in manual work – perhaps on fishing boats, tending fields or looking after animals – and could manage with an infant strapped to their back. As new babies were born, older sisters carried infant siblings.