Babywearing Lingo & Abbreviations
The babywearing world is a large and wonderful place, especially in its many online communities, with such a wealth of incredible information and support through many of the babywearing groups on Facebook.
But if you’re new to the scene, it can be a bit overwhelming. Perhaps some of the first things you’ll notice are all the abbreviations and acronyms. For regular users, throwing a few acronyms into a post is like second nature, but for many newbies, it can be a bit of a turn off.
Brooke Maree is here to empower you on your babywearing journey.
If you’re all like WTH about FWCC, FSOT, and DISO, it’s understandable, and you’re definitely not alone! But don’t worry! If you want to, you’ll be talking the talk in no time at all.
Here’s a handy reference list on common babywearing abbreviations.
BSS
Buy Swap Sell. Often used in the description of babywearing Facebook groups that allow buying, swapping, and selling of carriers.
BST
Buy Sell Trade. Often used to describe the exchange of baby carriers between babywearers.
BW
Babywearing
CCCB
Candy Cane Chest Belt. Another finish (usually for a ruck) where the two ends of the wrap are twisted together and tied at the shoulder to secure the wrap.
CISO
Casually In Search Of. This term might be used if you are on the look out for something, but haven’t fully made up your mind or finished saving your pennies yet, but want to be aware of any that come up for sale.
DH
Double Hammock is a back carry where your baby is sitting in two layers of fabric, and includes a chest pass across your front.
DISO
Desperately In Search Of. Babywearers who use this term are really keen for any help with finding this particular carrier, and are generally expected to have the funds ready to go when it becomes available.
FB
Full buckle. This is a structured carrier with buckles around your waist and on the shoulder straps.
FCC
Front Cross Carry is similar, but it involves baby sitting in an X of spread woven wrap fabric on your front.
FSO
For Sale Only. Don’t offer trades for this carrier.
FSOT
For Sale Or Trade. Used in BSS pages to show that a carrier is available for sale at the listed price or to trade for other carriers.
FTO
For Trade Only. Not for sale, only up for trades of other carriers.
FWCC
Front Wrap Cross Carry, which is usually the first woven wrap carry that you learn. Usually it involves a spread horizontal pass, with two bunched vertical passes over the top, crossed under baby’s bottom and then tied in the back. For bigger babies and better support, you can also spread the vertical passes.
HAS
Highly sought after. Usually used to refer to carriers that are in high demand in the second hand market. Often they will sell for more than retail and may not come up for sale very often.
HB
Half buckle. A cross between a Meh Dai and a Full Buckle, these generally have buckles on the waist band and wrap-style shoulder straps.
HTF
Hard to find. Usually used to refer to carriers on the second hand market that only come up very rarely, possibly because there are very few in existence.
ISO
In Search Of. This term is often used on babywearing buy swap sell sites to describe what carriers or wraps a babywearer is looking to acquire.
MD
Meh Dai. A traditional Chinese style carrier involving a square panel, with a strap extending from each corner.
PWCC
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry. This is the most common way to tie a stretchy wrap, involving baby sitting in an “X” of fabric, with a horizontal pass of fabric on top.
RRRR
Reinforced Rear Rebozo* Rucksack, also known as Pirate Carry. The Pirate carry is a variation on the usual rucksack carry, with more passes to help reinforce the wrap job.
*Rebozo is no longer the correct term.
RS
Ring Sling. A hip or front carrier made from a piece of woven fabric (approximately 2m long), with two rings sewn into one end. The rings are used to secure the fabric and make a seat for the baby.
STIH
Soft Tape In Hand. Woven wraps are generally measured STIH (soft tape in hand), which just means measuring by holding the tape along one rail.
Stretchy
Stretchy Wrap, generally made from jersey fabric and used mostly for very young babies in front carries, using three layers of fabric to secure the baby.
TFSOT
Tentatively for sale or trade. It’s that all-important chicken factor… the seller might decide to pull out of the sale, generally because the carrier holds sentimental value.
TT
Tied Tibetan. A style of finishing off a wrap job, usually a ruck.
TUB
Tied under bum. When wrapping, you can sometimes use a shorter wrap than normal by finishing off a carry “tied under your baby’s bum”, instead of bringing the fabric around your waist and tying off there.
WC
Wrap Conversion. It is possible to send a woven wrap off to a converter to have it made into a full buckle, half buckle, Meh Dai, bag, ring sling, or just about anything you can make with fabric!
Any others I’ve missed? Please pop a comment below to let me know and I’ll add it in!
Happy babywearing!
If you found this reference guide useful, share it! We all start somewhere and we all need to learn from someone.
And if you now understand the Babywearing Lingo and are ready to shop high quality ergonomic baby carriers, head to the SHOP tab here!
Copyright Brooke Maree © 2020
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