![An extensive glossary of terms and acronymns for babywearing and specifically for wrapping (woven wraps) [Image of a baby's bum while it is wrapped in an emerald green and off white wrap. Text on the image reads quote, Glossary of woven wrap terms and acronyms, Amy Wraps Babies, end quote.]](/uploads/8/1/7/3/81735352/wrapping-is-frustrating-8_orig.png)
** Tip: If you're just getting started and want to ease into the lexicon, I recommend starting with small chunks in this order:
- Learn how to describe a rectangle first at Wrap Parts.
- Find out the size wrap you need and what "base size" is at Wrap Sizes.
- Then if you want to dig more, learn about the Wrap Passes that make up the carries and the Wrap Qualities that describe fabric.
Glossary
Frequently Used Terms A-Z are up first
Scroll down for a list of Acronyms
Disclaimer: The babywearing lexicon is dynamic, with new terms being added all the time. If you are looking for a term that isn't defined let me know - I'd love to add it!
Frequently Used Terms A-Z
Airy - a textile quality. Airy wraps have a loose weave. Antonym, dense. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Back Carry - carrying the wrappee on the wrapper's back.
Base - a wrap long enough for 3 layers (or passes) around you and baby. This is the size with which you can tie a Front Wrap Cross Carry. Saying, "base plus X" means a long wrap, saying, "base minus X" means a shortie. See Selecting a Wrap Size for more.
Bias - the diagonal direction between warp and weft fibers.
Birte - twist under the chest pass in a water finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Bounce - a wrap quality. Bouncy wraps have a little bit of stretch, some cush, and recoil. Antonym, flat. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Break in - the process of a fabric evolving from loom state to floppy.
Broken thread - a thread in the wrap's weave that has been cut. Unlike a pulled thread that has an obvious loop. Can be repaired by tying the two ends in individual knots.**
Buleria - a knotless chest belt for a back carry. See also candy cane, Kai belt. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Bunched - pass with the wrap bunched up or gathered, rather than spread across baby (spread = "reinforced"). See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Candy cane - a twisted chest belt for a back carry. See also buleria, Kai belt. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Carry - a combination of passes with a set order and end result. For example, Back Wrap Cross Carry, Double Hammock Carry, etc.
Chest belt - a bunched section of wrap spanning the wrapper's chest. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Chest pass - a bunched or spread section of wrap spanning the wrapper's chest. See also horizontal, torso. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Churn/churner - the act of buying and selling or trading wraps. Churners are people who like to buy/sell/trade wraps and carriers.
Collection - a grouping of wraps. Previously known as stash. Stash is an ableist term and therefore many have chosen to retire use of this term (but still keep the wraps of course). See the Resources page for more on ableism.
Colorway - the color(s)/color family of the threads in the wrap. Not to be confused with the wrap pattern, can be woven in a variety of colorways.
Cross pass - starts over one shoulder and ends under the wrappee's opposite knee. See the Wrap Passes page.
Cush - a wrap quality. Cushy wraps have a "marshmallow"-like quality. Antonym, flat or dense or diggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Deep Seat - this is not a government conspiracy theory! It refers to the "M-position." For more, see the Seats story archive. and the Best Seat Challenge.
Dense - a textile quality. Dense wraps have a tight weave. Antonym, airy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Diggy - a wrap that creates unmovable pressure points on the wrapper's body. Antonym, cush. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Dry - a textile quality. Dry wraps feel warm and may have some texture. Antonym, soapy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Edges - hems that run the length of the wrap; top edge and bottom edge. Also called rails. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Fancy Finish - tying the tails of a wrap in a visually striking way such as Saltwater Finish, Candy Cane Chest Belt, etc. (Show us your fancy finishes on Instagram by tagging #fancyfinishfriday!).
Flat - a wrap quality. Flat wraps have a more airy weave, little recoil, very little texture, and some stretch. Antonym, dense, cush, and recoil. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Floppy - a broken-in wrap: soft, has comfort to to your body like wearing an old pair jeans. Antonym, stiff. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Front Carry - carrying the wrappee on front of the wrapper's body.
Glidey - a wrap quality, aka slippery, smooth. Passes in glidey wraps typically slip over each other well. Antonym, gripy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Gripy - a wrap quality, aka sticky. Gripy wraps hold knots well and lock passes in place. Antonym, glidey. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Hammock(ed) - 1. a spread of fabric upon which the wrappee's seat is supported. 2. to spread a cross pass under the wrappee's bum and up in between the wrappee and wrapper. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 3. May also refer to a sling pass; for example, Double Hammock.
Hip Carry - carrying the wrappee facing the wrapper's side or hip.
Hip Scoot - to guide the wrappee around the wrapper's hip to a back carry. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Hold - can be used to mean carry. Refers to the position of the wrappee in the wrap. Vertical or tummy-to-tummy is the recommended hold for all carrier types (with situational exceptions). Hold is often referred to as carry which can be confusing, so on this site hold will always refer to the position of the passenger while carry will always refer to the combination of passes used to restrain- uhh I mean -secure a wrap passenger.
Horizontal - a pass that runs under both wrapper's arms. See also torso, chest pass. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Inside out - a carry with the order of the passes exchanged. See also, reverse. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Kai belt - a knotless chest belt for a back carry. See also buleria, candy cane. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Kangaroo - 1. A single-pass two-shoulder front carry. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 2. Kangaroo pass: shoulder-to-shoulder on wrapper and wrappee. See also, ruck. See Wrap Passes for visuals. 3. Skin-to-skin care. 4. A common name for stretchy wrap carry. 5. A common name for facing out in a ring sling. See the Tutorials page for demonstrations.
Knotless - tuck the wrap tails so they're pinned against each other, negating the need for a knot. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Leaner - a wrappee who pushes against the wearer and/or leans back away from the wearer. If not properly secured, leaners may injure themselves by leaning too far. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Leg Straightener (aka Seat Popper) - a wrappee who will take their legs out of the recommended "M" position (see ABCs and Ergonomics) by pushing them straight down, thereby pulling the bottom rail of the wrap out from underneath them and causing it to ride up their back. This is dangerous because the seat of the wrap comes undone, giving the baby no support against gravity. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Long wrap - a wrap with more length than base. See Wrap Sizes for more.
Loom state - a fabric straight off the loom, often feels stiff until washed. The fibers still have a coating on them from weaving. Wraps should be washed before use.
M-position - refers to the shape of the wrappee's seat, made by drawing a line from the wrappee's foot to knee to bum to opposite knee and foot, making a capital M when the knees are higher than bum. For more, see the Seats story archive. and the Best Seat Challenge.
Middle Marker - identifies the center of the wrap's length; tag, seal, etc. Only some brands have a middle marker on the bottom rail but all will have one on the top rail. Usually it is sewn into the hem on the "wrong side" of the wrap. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Moldable - a wrap quality. Moldable wraps easily conform to the wrapper's shape. Antonym, stiff. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Pass - any length of wrap that spans from one part of the wearer's body to another. See Wrap Passes for examples of each type of pass.
Pattern - the design of the wrap; can be woven in a variety of colorways.
Perma - a wrap the owner intends to never sell or trade. A permanent part of the collection.
Pond - a finish in which the tails of the wrap are twisted together down the wearer's side in a front or back carry. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Pulls/pulled thread - a thread that has been partially pulled out of the wrap's weave. Is a cosmetic flaw only (unless there are multiple pulled threads or the thread has been pulled very far from the weave). Can usually be easily repaired.**
Rails - hems that run the length of the wrap; top rail and bottom rail. Also called edges. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Rebozo - a type of shawl or woven wrap, usually around 2-2.5 meters long (so about a size 2 wrap). A handwoven shawl specific to Mesoamerican cultures. Can also refer to a Rebozo Pass, now referred to as a Sling Pass - see Wrap Passes for a visual. See wearingwiki.com for #takebacktherebozo information.
Recoil - a wrap quality. Wraps with recoil have a stretch that seems to almost snap back into place when activated. Very similar to bounce. Antonym, flat or saggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Reinforced - 1. A pass with the wrap spread out across baby rather than bunched. 2. May also refer to a carry that has a horizontal pass. See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Right Side - the presenting side of the wrap. Rails typically fold away from the right side so stitching is usually not visible. Antonym, wrong side. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Reverse - a carry with the order of the passes reversed. See also, inside out. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Ring Finish - use of a sling ring to guide a pass or secure two tails of a woven wrap together instead of using a knot.
Rose - a fancy finish in which the tails of the wrap are twisted together and wrapped around in a circle to resemble a flower. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Ruck - 1. A single-pass two-shoulder back carry. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 2. Ruck straps: backpack-like shoulder straps. 3. Ruck pass: shoulder-to-shoulder on wrapper and wrappee. See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Ruckless - a back carry without ruck straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Saggy - a wrap quality. Saggy wraps do not hold their shape well even after tightening the passes. Antonym, supportive. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Sandwich(ed) - layering the top and bottom rails of the wrap on the wrapper's shoulder to provide extra cush for ruck straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Santa Toss - a way to get baby on the wearer's back, typically used for small babies (less than 3-4 months - make sure you've mastered front carries before wearing babies of any age on your back and that you are a very experienced back wrapper before attempting to back carry). See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Seat - a "hammock" of fabric that supports the wrappee's bum and thighs in an M-position. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Seat Popper (aka Leg Straightener) - a wrappee who undoes their seat, usually by taking their legs out of the recommended "M" position (see ABCs and Ergonomics) by pushing them straight down or simply wiggling a lot, thereby pulling the bottom rail of the wrap out from underneath them and causing it to ride up their back. This can be dangerous because the seat of the wrap comes undone, often leaving the wrappee with little support. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Semi - a carry that has been shortened. Typically a carry with three passes that is reduced to two. For example, Semi Double Hammock, Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry. Also known as (though with slightly different end results) half, short. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Shortie - a short wrap, typically base-2 or shorter. See Wrap Sizes for more.
Shoulder flip - 1. In a front carry, a twist of the wrap at the wrapper's shoulder. 2. In a back carry, the wrapper would bring the wrap over shoulder from front to back to transition between passes. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Shoulder-to-shoulder - the wrap spans from one of the wrapper's shoulders to another. Typically on the wrapper's chest while wearing a back carry.
Skipped thread - a missed weft thread, may appear as a blemish along the width of a wrap.
Sling - 1. Wraps and ring slings are commonly referred to as "slings" or, for wraps, "wrap-around slings." 2. Sling pass starts over one shoulder and ends under the wearer's opposite arm. See the Wrap Passes page.
Sling Ring - a ring of aluminum or nylon (typically), from 2-3.625 inches in diameter, used to secure the tails of a wrap instead of a knot. Two rings are used for a ring sling and one ring is used to "tie" two tails together with a woven wrap (the latter is also referred to as a Ring Finish). Purchase rings at Slingrings.com.
Slip knot - a knot that can stay in place while the tail that runs through it can be adjusted. Aka sliding knot, hitch knot, cow hitch knot. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Slippery - a wrap quality, aka smooth. Slippery wraps can feel silky in hand. Antonym, gripy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Smooth - see slippery.
Soapy - a textile quality. Soapy wraps feel cool and often slippery. Antonym, dry. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Squish - a term for newborn babies.
Stash - an outdated an ableist term for a collection of wraps and carriers. Please use the word "collection" when referring to your personal group of carriers.
Stretchy - 1. A wrap quality. Woven wraps that feel stretchy can be pulled lengthwise or on the bias. See also, cush, recoil. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics. 2. A wrap that is knit, rather than woven and thus stretches in all three directions (lengthwise, widthwise, and on the bias).
Sticky - see Gripy.
Stiff - a wrap quality. Stiff wraps will often form peaks in their pleats instead of making nice easy pleats. Often felt before a loom state wrap receives its first bath. Antonym, moldable, broken in. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Stocking - a time at which new product is released from a company. Some companies have weekly stockings, some are less frequent or sporadic. Stockings typically consist of one wrap pattern (like a cotton purple weave) or one wrap type (like a line of ring slings).
Superman Toss - a way to get baby on the wearer's back, typically used for small babies (between 4 months and whenever they get too heavy to comfortably "toss" - make sure you've mastered front carries before wearing babies of any age on your back and that you are a very experienced back wrapper before attempting to back carry). See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Supportive - a wrap quality. Supportive wraps hold a lot of weight without sagging (when passes are tightened appropriately). Antonym, saggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Swap - The Babywearing Swap facebook page is a common resource for buy/sell/trade opportunities. See more groups in the Communities page.
Sweetheart finish - 1. A twisted chest pass. 2. A two layer chest pass that resembles a sweetheart neckline. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Sweetwater finish - a sweetheart finish with a water finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Tail - the ends of a woven wrap, lengthwise. May refer to how much length of wrap is left at after tying off a carry. I.E. "long tails" when a lot of the wrap is hanging down after the carry is tied or "short tails" when there's only a bit of wrap left after tying. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Tandem wearing - wearing two wrappees at the same time.
Tapers - the angled ends of a wrap's tails. See Wrap Parts for more.
Textile quality - the way a fabric feels in hand. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Texture - a textile quality. Heavily textured wraps feel like bumps and ridges in hand, or maybe little pillows. Antonym, smooth. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thick - a textile quality. Thick wraps roll up bulky. Antonym, thin. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thin - a textile quality. Thin wraps roll up compact. Antonym, thick. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thread Shifting - threads in the weave that have moved out of alignment leaving thin spaces, or gaps in the wrap. More common in loose weaves. Can be caused or worsened by spin cycles.
Torso - 1. A pass that runs under both of the wrapper's arms. See also, chest pass, horizontal. 2. A front or back carry with no shoulder straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Twisted finish - 1. A twist of the wrap at shoulder in a back carry. 2. If the twist is in a chest pass, this is referred to as a sweetheart finish. 3. May refer to the tails twisted together tightly, such as a pond finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Waist belt - a bunched section of wrap spanning the wrapper's waist. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Warp - the vertical/lengthwise threads of a weave; there are many warp threads side-by-side in a fabric. See Wikipedia for a good visual and brief description.
Water finish - a back carry fancy finish with one tail pinned under the chest pass and one tail over. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Wearer - see wrapper.
Weft - the horizontal/transverse/widthwise thread in a weave; the one weft thread going back-and-forth through the warp threads to bind them together. Aka, woof. See Wikipedia for a good visual and brief description.
Wiggleproof - a carry with cross passes that prevents leaning and seat popping. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Wrap Qualities - the general feel of the fabric in hand and on body; also textile qualities. See also cushy, diggy, grippy, saggy, stretchy, textured. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Wrappee - the baby/toddler/child/person being held by the wrap on the wrapper's body.
Wrapper - the person doing the wrapping, aka wearer.
Wrong Side - the contrasting side of the wrap. The rail hems fold toward the wrong side and are visible (think of it like the "inside out" of shirt hems). In some wraps the colors on the wrong side contrast beautifully with the colors on the right side which can make some carries look really fancy. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Acronyms
ABCs - Airway, Body Position, Comfort: a babywearing safety acronym
B/S/T - buy/sell/trade (for churning wraps)
BWCC - back wrap cross carry
BWI - Babywearing International (support and advocacy for babywearing)
CB - chest belt
CCCB - candy cane chestbelt – a chestbelt where the wrap ends are twisted
CCC - charlie's cross carry
CHCC - coolest hip cross carry
DH - double hammock
DHDR - double hammock double rings
DHRBC - Double Hammock with Ruckless Bikini Carry finish
DSS2S (DRS2S)- double sling shoulder to shoulder (formerly known as double rebozo shoulder to shoulder)*
EJBC - Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry (now called Russian Jordan's Back Carry/RJBC)
FCC - front cross carry
FWCC - front wrap cross carry
HJBC - half jordan’s back carry
HCC - hip cross carry
HSA - highly sought after (a hard to find wrap)
HTF - hard to find (a highly sought after wrap)
IOCHCC - inside out coolest hip cross carry
JBC - jordan’s back carry
PWCC - pocket wrap cross carry
RBC - Ruckless Bikini Carry
RJBC - Russian Jordan's Back Carry (formerly called Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry/EJBC)
RR - reinforced ruck
RRR - reinforced rear ruck aka Pirate's Carry (formerly RRRR)
S2S - shoulder to shoulder
SBCC - short back cross carry
SBS (or SxS) - strand by strand (tightening)
SCC - short cross carry
SHBC - secure high back carry
SSS - stack shot saturday (or sunday)
TUB - tied under bum
T2T - tummy-to-tummy
TAS - tied at shoulder
TC - Taiwanese carry
TICKS - a babywearing safety acronym
TIF - tied in front
TT - tied Tibetan
TUB - tied under bum
UTDH - Unpoppable Twisted Double Hammock
VBE - volunteer babywearing educator (BWI designation)
WCC - wrap cross carry
WP - wiggleproof
WPBC - wiggleproof back carry
WQ - wrap(ping) qualities
* Sling pass is the new name for the pass previously called "Rebozo", as it has been voted on by the babywearing community via wearingwiki.com. More information about why the change was made can also be found on that site.
** Always verify the integrity of your wrap before use.
Scroll down for a list of Acronyms
Disclaimer: The babywearing lexicon is dynamic, with new terms being added all the time. If you are looking for a term that isn't defined let me know - I'd love to add it!
Frequently Used Terms A-Z
Airy - a textile quality. Airy wraps have a loose weave. Antonym, dense. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Back Carry - carrying the wrappee on the wrapper's back.
Base - a wrap long enough for 3 layers (or passes) around you and baby. This is the size with which you can tie a Front Wrap Cross Carry. Saying, "base plus X" means a long wrap, saying, "base minus X" means a shortie. See Selecting a Wrap Size for more.
Bias - the diagonal direction between warp and weft fibers.
Birte - twist under the chest pass in a water finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Bounce - a wrap quality. Bouncy wraps have a little bit of stretch, some cush, and recoil. Antonym, flat. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Break in - the process of a fabric evolving from loom state to floppy.
Broken thread - a thread in the wrap's weave that has been cut. Unlike a pulled thread that has an obvious loop. Can be repaired by tying the two ends in individual knots.**
Buleria - a knotless chest belt for a back carry. See also candy cane, Kai belt. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Bunched - pass with the wrap bunched up or gathered, rather than spread across baby (spread = "reinforced"). See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Candy cane - a twisted chest belt for a back carry. See also buleria, Kai belt. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Carry - a combination of passes with a set order and end result. For example, Back Wrap Cross Carry, Double Hammock Carry, etc.
Chest belt - a bunched section of wrap spanning the wrapper's chest. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Chest pass - a bunched or spread section of wrap spanning the wrapper's chest. See also horizontal, torso. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Churn/churner - the act of buying and selling or trading wraps. Churners are people who like to buy/sell/trade wraps and carriers.
Collection - a grouping of wraps. Previously known as stash. Stash is an ableist term and therefore many have chosen to retire use of this term (but still keep the wraps of course). See the Resources page for more on ableism.
Colorway - the color(s)/color family of the threads in the wrap. Not to be confused with the wrap pattern, can be woven in a variety of colorways.
Cross pass - starts over one shoulder and ends under the wrappee's opposite knee. See the Wrap Passes page.
Cush - a wrap quality. Cushy wraps have a "marshmallow"-like quality. Antonym, flat or dense or diggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Deep Seat - this is not a government conspiracy theory! It refers to the "M-position." For more, see the Seats story archive. and the Best Seat Challenge.
Dense - a textile quality. Dense wraps have a tight weave. Antonym, airy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Diggy - a wrap that creates unmovable pressure points on the wrapper's body. Antonym, cush. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Dry - a textile quality. Dry wraps feel warm and may have some texture. Antonym, soapy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Edges - hems that run the length of the wrap; top edge and bottom edge. Also called rails. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Fancy Finish - tying the tails of a wrap in a visually striking way such as Saltwater Finish, Candy Cane Chest Belt, etc. (Show us your fancy finishes on Instagram by tagging #fancyfinishfriday!).
Flat - a wrap quality. Flat wraps have a more airy weave, little recoil, very little texture, and some stretch. Antonym, dense, cush, and recoil. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Floppy - a broken-in wrap: soft, has comfort to to your body like wearing an old pair jeans. Antonym, stiff. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Front Carry - carrying the wrappee on front of the wrapper's body.
Glidey - a wrap quality, aka slippery, smooth. Passes in glidey wraps typically slip over each other well. Antonym, gripy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Gripy - a wrap quality, aka sticky. Gripy wraps hold knots well and lock passes in place. Antonym, glidey. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Hammock(ed) - 1. a spread of fabric upon which the wrappee's seat is supported. 2. to spread a cross pass under the wrappee's bum and up in between the wrappee and wrapper. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 3. May also refer to a sling pass; for example, Double Hammock.
Hip Carry - carrying the wrappee facing the wrapper's side or hip.
Hip Scoot - to guide the wrappee around the wrapper's hip to a back carry. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Hold - can be used to mean carry. Refers to the position of the wrappee in the wrap. Vertical or tummy-to-tummy is the recommended hold for all carrier types (with situational exceptions). Hold is often referred to as carry which can be confusing, so on this site hold will always refer to the position of the passenger while carry will always refer to the combination of passes used to restrain- uhh I mean -secure a wrap passenger.
Horizontal - a pass that runs under both wrapper's arms. See also torso, chest pass. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Inside out - a carry with the order of the passes exchanged. See also, reverse. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Kai belt - a knotless chest belt for a back carry. See also buleria, candy cane. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Kangaroo - 1. A single-pass two-shoulder front carry. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 2. Kangaroo pass: shoulder-to-shoulder on wrapper and wrappee. See also, ruck. See Wrap Passes for visuals. 3. Skin-to-skin care. 4. A common name for stretchy wrap carry. 5. A common name for facing out in a ring sling. See the Tutorials page for demonstrations.
Knotless - tuck the wrap tails so they're pinned against each other, negating the need for a knot. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Leaner - a wrappee who pushes against the wearer and/or leans back away from the wearer. If not properly secured, leaners may injure themselves by leaning too far. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Leg Straightener (aka Seat Popper) - a wrappee who will take their legs out of the recommended "M" position (see ABCs and Ergonomics) by pushing them straight down, thereby pulling the bottom rail of the wrap out from underneath them and causing it to ride up their back. This is dangerous because the seat of the wrap comes undone, giving the baby no support against gravity. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Long wrap - a wrap with more length than base. See Wrap Sizes for more.
Loom state - a fabric straight off the loom, often feels stiff until washed. The fibers still have a coating on them from weaving. Wraps should be washed before use.
M-position - refers to the shape of the wrappee's seat, made by drawing a line from the wrappee's foot to knee to bum to opposite knee and foot, making a capital M when the knees are higher than bum. For more, see the Seats story archive. and the Best Seat Challenge.
Middle Marker - identifies the center of the wrap's length; tag, seal, etc. Only some brands have a middle marker on the bottom rail but all will have one on the top rail. Usually it is sewn into the hem on the "wrong side" of the wrap. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Moldable - a wrap quality. Moldable wraps easily conform to the wrapper's shape. Antonym, stiff. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Pass - any length of wrap that spans from one part of the wearer's body to another. See Wrap Passes for examples of each type of pass.
Pattern - the design of the wrap; can be woven in a variety of colorways.
Perma - a wrap the owner intends to never sell or trade. A permanent part of the collection.
Pond - a finish in which the tails of the wrap are twisted together down the wearer's side in a front or back carry. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Pulls/pulled thread - a thread that has been partially pulled out of the wrap's weave. Is a cosmetic flaw only (unless there are multiple pulled threads or the thread has been pulled very far from the weave). Can usually be easily repaired.**
Rails - hems that run the length of the wrap; top rail and bottom rail. Also called edges. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Rebozo - a type of shawl or woven wrap, usually around 2-2.5 meters long (so about a size 2 wrap). A handwoven shawl specific to Mesoamerican cultures. Can also refer to a Rebozo Pass, now referred to as a Sling Pass - see Wrap Passes for a visual. See wearingwiki.com for #takebacktherebozo information.
Recoil - a wrap quality. Wraps with recoil have a stretch that seems to almost snap back into place when activated. Very similar to bounce. Antonym, flat or saggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Reinforced - 1. A pass with the wrap spread out across baby rather than bunched. 2. May also refer to a carry that has a horizontal pass. See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Right Side - the presenting side of the wrap. Rails typically fold away from the right side so stitching is usually not visible. Antonym, wrong side. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Reverse - a carry with the order of the passes reversed. See also, inside out. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Ring Finish - use of a sling ring to guide a pass or secure two tails of a woven wrap together instead of using a knot.
Rose - a fancy finish in which the tails of the wrap are twisted together and wrapped around in a circle to resemble a flower. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Ruck - 1. A single-pass two-shoulder back carry. See the Tutorials page for a demonstration. 2. Ruck straps: backpack-like shoulder straps. 3. Ruck pass: shoulder-to-shoulder on wrapper and wrappee. See Wrap Passes for visuals.
Ruckless - a back carry without ruck straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Saggy - a wrap quality. Saggy wraps do not hold their shape well even after tightening the passes. Antonym, supportive. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Sandwich(ed) - layering the top and bottom rails of the wrap on the wrapper's shoulder to provide extra cush for ruck straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Santa Toss - a way to get baby on the wearer's back, typically used for small babies (less than 3-4 months - make sure you've mastered front carries before wearing babies of any age on your back and that you are a very experienced back wrapper before attempting to back carry). See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Seat - a "hammock" of fabric that supports the wrappee's bum and thighs in an M-position. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Seat Popper (aka Leg Straightener) - a wrappee who undoes their seat, usually by taking their legs out of the recommended "M" position (see ABCs and Ergonomics) by pushing them straight down or simply wiggling a lot, thereby pulling the bottom rail of the wrap out from underneath them and causing it to ride up their back. This can be dangerous because the seat of the wrap comes undone, often leaving the wrappee with little support. Don't worry! There are great passes to secure a leaner - see the Wrap Passes page.
Semi - a carry that has been shortened. Typically a carry with three passes that is reduced to two. For example, Semi Double Hammock, Semi Front Wrap Cross Carry. Also known as (though with slightly different end results) half, short. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Shortie - a short wrap, typically base-2 or shorter. See Wrap Sizes for more.
Shoulder flip - 1. In a front carry, a twist of the wrap at the wrapper's shoulder. 2. In a back carry, the wrapper would bring the wrap over shoulder from front to back to transition between passes. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Shoulder-to-shoulder - the wrap spans from one of the wrapper's shoulders to another. Typically on the wrapper's chest while wearing a back carry.
Skipped thread - a missed weft thread, may appear as a blemish along the width of a wrap.
Sling - 1. Wraps and ring slings are commonly referred to as "slings" or, for wraps, "wrap-around slings." 2. Sling pass starts over one shoulder and ends under the wearer's opposite arm. See the Wrap Passes page.
Sling Ring - a ring of aluminum or nylon (typically), from 2-3.625 inches in diameter, used to secure the tails of a wrap instead of a knot. Two rings are used for a ring sling and one ring is used to "tie" two tails together with a woven wrap (the latter is also referred to as a Ring Finish). Purchase rings at Slingrings.com.
Slip knot - a knot that can stay in place while the tail that runs through it can be adjusted. Aka sliding knot, hitch knot, cow hitch knot. See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Slippery - a wrap quality, aka smooth. Slippery wraps can feel silky in hand. Antonym, gripy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Smooth - see slippery.
Soapy - a textile quality. Soapy wraps feel cool and often slippery. Antonym, dry. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Squish - a term for newborn babies.
Stash - an outdated an ableist term for a collection of wraps and carriers. Please use the word "collection" when referring to your personal group of carriers.
Stretchy - 1. A wrap quality. Woven wraps that feel stretchy can be pulled lengthwise or on the bias. See also, cush, recoil. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics. 2. A wrap that is knit, rather than woven and thus stretches in all three directions (lengthwise, widthwise, and on the bias).
Sticky - see Gripy.
Stiff - a wrap quality. Stiff wraps will often form peaks in their pleats instead of making nice easy pleats. Often felt before a loom state wrap receives its first bath. Antonym, moldable, broken in. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Stocking - a time at which new product is released from a company. Some companies have weekly stockings, some are less frequent or sporadic. Stockings typically consist of one wrap pattern (like a cotton purple weave) or one wrap type (like a line of ring slings).
Superman Toss - a way to get baby on the wearer's back, typically used for small babies (between 4 months and whenever they get too heavy to comfortably "toss" - make sure you've mastered front carries before wearing babies of any age on your back and that you are a very experienced back wrapper before attempting to back carry). See the Tutorials page for a visual.
Supportive - a wrap quality. Supportive wraps hold a lot of weight without sagging (when passes are tightened appropriately). Antonym, saggy. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Swap - The Babywearing Swap facebook page is a common resource for buy/sell/trade opportunities. See more groups in the Communities page.
Sweetheart finish - 1. A twisted chest pass. 2. A two layer chest pass that resembles a sweetheart neckline. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Sweetwater finish - a sweetheart finish with a water finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Tail - the ends of a woven wrap, lengthwise. May refer to how much length of wrap is left at after tying off a carry. I.E. "long tails" when a lot of the wrap is hanging down after the carry is tied or "short tails" when there's only a bit of wrap left after tying. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Tandem wearing - wearing two wrappees at the same time.
Tapers - the angled ends of a wrap's tails. See Wrap Parts for more.
Textile quality - the way a fabric feels in hand. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Texture - a textile quality. Heavily textured wraps feel like bumps and ridges in hand, or maybe little pillows. Antonym, smooth. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thick - a textile quality. Thick wraps roll up bulky. Antonym, thin. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thin - a textile quality. Thin wraps roll up compact. Antonym, thick. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Thread Shifting - threads in the weave that have moved out of alignment leaving thin spaces, or gaps in the wrap. More common in loose weaves. Can be caused or worsened by spin cycles.
Torso - 1. A pass that runs under both of the wrapper's arms. See also, chest pass, horizontal. 2. A front or back carry with no shoulder straps. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Twisted finish - 1. A twist of the wrap at shoulder in a back carry. 2. If the twist is in a chest pass, this is referred to as a sweetheart finish. 3. May refer to the tails twisted together tightly, such as a pond finish. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Waist belt - a bunched section of wrap spanning the wrapper's waist. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Warp - the vertical/lengthwise threads of a weave; there are many warp threads side-by-side in a fabric. See Wikipedia for a good visual and brief description.
Water finish - a back carry fancy finish with one tail pinned under the chest pass and one tail over. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Wearer - see wrapper.
Weft - the horizontal/transverse/widthwise thread in a weave; the one weft thread going back-and-forth through the warp threads to bind them together. Aka, woof. See Wikipedia for a good visual and brief description.
Wiggleproof - a carry with cross passes that prevents leaning and seat popping. See the Tutorials page for examples.
Wrap Qualities - the general feel of the fabric in hand and on body; also textile qualities. See also cushy, diggy, grippy, saggy, stretchy, textured. See the Wrap Qualities page for more specifics.
Wrappee - the baby/toddler/child/person being held by the wrap on the wrapper's body.
Wrapper - the person doing the wrapping, aka wearer.
Wrong Side - the contrasting side of the wrap. The rail hems fold toward the wrong side and are visible (think of it like the "inside out" of shirt hems). In some wraps the colors on the wrong side contrast beautifully with the colors on the right side which can make some carries look really fancy. See Wrap Parts for a visual.
Acronyms
ABCs - Airway, Body Position, Comfort: a babywearing safety acronym
B/S/T - buy/sell/trade (for churning wraps)
BWCC - back wrap cross carry
BWI - Babywearing International (support and advocacy for babywearing)
CB - chest belt
CCCB - candy cane chestbelt – a chestbelt where the wrap ends are twisted
CCC - charlie's cross carry
CHCC - coolest hip cross carry
DH - double hammock
DHDR - double hammock double rings
DHRBC - Double Hammock with Ruckless Bikini Carry finish
DSS2S (DRS2S)- double sling shoulder to shoulder (formerly known as double rebozo shoulder to shoulder)*
EJBC - Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry (now called Russian Jordan's Back Carry/RJBC)
FCC - front cross carry
FWCC - front wrap cross carry
HJBC - half jordan’s back carry
HCC - hip cross carry
HSA - highly sought after (a hard to find wrap)
HTF - hard to find (a highly sought after wrap)
IOCHCC - inside out coolest hip cross carry
JBC - jordan’s back carry
PWCC - pocket wrap cross carry
RBC - Ruckless Bikini Carry
RJBC - Russian Jordan's Back Carry (formerly called Ellevill Jordan's Back Carry/EJBC)
RR - reinforced ruck
RRR - reinforced rear ruck aka Pirate's Carry (formerly RRRR)
S2S - shoulder to shoulder
SBCC - short back cross carry
SBS (or SxS) - strand by strand (tightening)
SCC - short cross carry
SHBC - secure high back carry
SSS - stack shot saturday (or sunday)
TUB - tied under bum
T2T - tummy-to-tummy
TAS - tied at shoulder
TC - Taiwanese carry
TICKS - a babywearing safety acronym
TIF - tied in front
TT - tied Tibetan
TUB - tied under bum
UTDH - Unpoppable Twisted Double Hammock
VBE - volunteer babywearing educator (BWI designation)
WCC - wrap cross carry
WP - wiggleproof
WPBC - wiggleproof back carry
WQ - wrap(ping) qualities
* Sling pass is the new name for the pass previously called "Rebozo", as it has been voted on by the babywearing community via wearingwiki.com. More information about why the change was made can also be found on that site.
** Always verify the integrity of your wrap before use.
Need something that isn't listed? Let me know and I'll send it to you and probably add it here too! Contact me at [email protected].
