Conceal Carry Methods and Back Wearing for New Parents [2025]

In early 2025 I wrote a piece covering conceal carry while baby wearing. Due to baby Primer Peak being just a few months old, they were exclusively worn on the front of our bodies for their safety. Now that baby is older, they’re finding themselves strapped to our backs more often than not! This means that our ability to conceal carry is changing, as differences in baby’s size, orientation, and carrier configuration will interact with our concealed firearm in new ways.

I highly recommend reading the previous entry in this series, which can be found >>HERE<<. Some sections in this piece will be a little light, as they were already covered in depth in the previous article, and don’t change much for back wear. I will notate any updates and differences as they appear. Let’s take a look at how to safely and effectively conceal carry while back wearing our baby.

Carrier Selection for Back Wear

Many of the carriers and wraps we utilize for front carry will work just as well for back carry. Once again, we need to ensure that baby is safe and comfortable. Additionally, we need to be comfortable as well! Most of this article will focus on soft structured carriers, as that is how I prefer to carry my child. For those looking for more information on carrier types, writer Ally Corless went in-depth on various carriers and wraps in >>THIS<< article. Additionally, >>THIS<< article is Ally’s back-wear companion piece to this current article, in the same vein. The previously linked articles will also detail the “why” of baby wearing. In short, it’s safe, convenient, and helps us bond with our child.

Methods of Conceal Carry

There are a variety of ways that we can safely conceal carry while back wearing our baby. Some of these are more effective than others. There are a few methods which were completely safe with front-wear, but are suboptimal for back-wear. Additionally, it’s important to remember that the size of your child is a major factor in what positions are effective while wearing them. Longer limbs are more likely to interact with our equipment, so be mindful of your child’s safety. Something that was once a preferred carry method may become unviable as your child grows.

Waistband

In my day-to-day life I almost exclusively carry from the appendix-inside-the-waistband position when leaving the house. That said, I have spent a fair bit of time carrying strong side, also known as IWB, over the past few years. I believe that waistband carry provides the best control of and access to our firearm, while also safeguarding our back-worn baby. However, there are a few things to be aware of for each position.

Regardless of appendix or strong side, waistband carry is best suited to structured carriers and wraps which do NOT feature a waist strap. Keep your waist clear of your carrier, as they can interfere with your drawstroke and your ability to safely holster. Something like the Happy Baby Onbuhimo carrier or a ruck style wrap are preferable here.

AIWB

With baby on my back I am able to perform a normal AIWB draw without issue, and I can holster as normal. Concealment is easily cleared with either hand, and access to my pistol is unimpeded. Baby’s legs won’t be long enough to be of concern for quite some time here, making this a long-term solution for conceal carry. There is a little bit of tension from the carrier during the presentation, similar to wearing a backpack or ruck, but ultimately my form is nearly identical to when not wearing a child.

Strong Side IWB

Concealment is going to be significantly impacted when we back-wear our child. By nature of the position, baby is going to be very close to our concealed pistol, and this means they’re much more likely to interact with the gun, intentionally or otherwise. Additionally, the added pressure on our back is going to tighten our garment around the pistol, which will not only increase the likelihood of printing, but also hinder our ability to effectively clear our cover garment. Unlike front-wear, I think a closed front garment may be better here, as it allows us to better control the material when clearing concealment, though concealment itself may be worse.

Safety

Strong side IWB starts running into issues very quickly when baby wearing, more so when back-wearing. By the time baby is large enough to be safely back-worn, their limbs are going to be long enough to start interfering with our concealed pistol. Even when paired with a snub-nose revolver with compact grips, my 13-month old’s feet are nearly at my waistband, occasionally kicking the gun. This means that the gun is nearly parallel with their foot by the time I’ve cleared the holster, and this is made worse by guns with longer barrels.

Holstering is even worse when carrying strong-side while back-wearing. Our ability to control the child’s limbs is extremely limited while they’re on our back. Trying to clear our cover garment, and baby’s limbs while also keeping the child and ourselves safe from the muzzle is extremely challenging. This is a recipe for disaster, especially if the child is flailing in a panic after a defensive encounter.

While IWB carry certainly has a place, I don’t think it pairs well with wearing a child on our back. I recommend looking to other methods of concealment for those wanting to baby wear and conceal carry.

Other Considerations for Waistband Carry while Baby Wearing

I’ve mentioned it previously, but I’ll reiterate here. The classic Thumb Pectoral Index position may need to be avoided when baby wearing. While TPI is an excellent technique in general, it can place the muzzle dangerously close to a worn child. I recommend that you purchase a dummy gun to practice these techniques safely before trying them live.

Concealment while baby wearing can be a challenge. A constantly shifting child, and carrier can quickly turn a concealed pistol into an openly worn one. In my experience, back wear of the child is more susceptible to this than front-wear. As baby slides down our back, the front of our shirt begins to slide upward as it is pulled. While checking our concealment can be a giveaway, fixing your clothing due to a worn load isn’t quite as suspicious. Keep an eye on your concealment, and consider modifying your wardrobe to avoid any unwanted flashing.

Ankle

Ankle carry is often overlooked by the younger crowd, but it can be a great technique when done properly. While you won’t have a lightning fast drawstroke, ankle carry can provide some advantages, especially as baby continues to grow. I think this position shines with back-worn children, more so than front-wear.

With baby up on our back, we won’t have to worry about them sagging down during the draw. I have had no concerns of baby tumbling out and over by back, though I stay fairly upright when drawing from the ankle. Those diving deeper may want to slightly modify the draw. I recommend taking a knee, using both hands to clear concealment by ripping our pant leg upward, then drawing the gun.

Due to the great distance between baby and gun, there is virtually no concern of muzzling the child, even as they grow larger and longer over time. It may not be quick, but it’s secure and safe, and keeping baby clear of the muzzle is one of our highest priorities.

Pocket

Pocket carry works with a variety of outfits, and is something that I’ve practiced for many years inside and outside the home. A lightweight J-Frame is a constant companion, with a pocket holster from Safariland or Mika helping to protect the trigger and ensure a proper orientation in the pocket. It works regardless of your structured carrier or wrap configuration, which provides a lot of versatility depending on how your like to wear your baby.

Unfortunately, pocket carry is another position that starts to lose its luster as baby continues to grow. Much like strong side IWB, baby’s feet progressively move closer and closer to the pocket as they continue to grow. In essence we’re dealing with a very similar position to IWB, just a few inches lower. While baby isn’t quite dipping their toes into my pocket (yet), the gun is nearly parallel with their feet once I’ve fully cleared concealment. As their legs get longer, this interaction will only get worse.

That being said, I do think that pocket carry is slightly superior to IWB when paired with back-wear of a child, simply due to the increased separation between child and gun. Additionally, we should be holstering our gun outside of the pocket, then inserting the full rig into the pocket once holstered. This improves our safety margins slightly for holstering, though it’s not without some concern. Keep an eye on baby’s limbs, as pocket carry can quickly go from ideal to concerning.

Holsterless

I will be even more brief regarding holsterless options that I was in my previous piece. Our options haven’t changed much, with ClipDraw and Hamre Forge Grip Hooks being our two primary choices. These still allow us to dynamically move the gun between multiple positions without worry of holsters, such as from ankle to waistband, based upon our needs at the time. The same concerns regarding uncovered triggers still exist, as do concerns with additional gun handling if taking the route of dynamically changing positions throughout the day.

Think about how you want to position your gun when paired with this method, and see how those positions interact with your back-worn baby. Now apply considerations for an uncovered trigger, and think about how those work in concert. Be safe, be aware, and make a decision that works best for you and your child.

Off Body

Off Body Carry doesn’t differ much here from front-wear of our child. The biggest difference, in my mind, comes with the fanny pack, as we are now able to directly see our pack with the baby on our back. A mom or dad wearing a fanny pack paired with a worn child likely won’t gain unnecessary scrutiny. Shoulder worn bags and purses can work here, but are still suboptimal.

Again, we need to ensure our defensive tools are in separate pouches from the child’s accessories such as toys or snacks, or our own accessories like chapstick and pens. You don’t want to contaminate baby’s things, nor do we want something slipping into the trigger guard and causing a negligent discharge. Maintain custody of your bag to prevent unauthorized access or snatching. Validate your carry method with baby wearing to ensure zipper, pull tabs, and more don’t interfere with the drawstroke or holstering.

Wrapping Up Conceal Carry Methods and Back Wearing for New Parents

As baby continues to grow and change, so must our methods of concealment. It is critical that we ensure the safety of our child, and ourselves by being aware, confident, and competent. This goes for ourselves, our equipment, and our surroundings. Consider how your body, your child’s body, and your equipment interact with each other. Some choices that work more or less for me may work differently for you. Practice at home with inert tools to ensure everything works well before venturing out into public.

Don’t forget to check out my other articles on conceal carry for new fathers and parents below!

Conceal Carrying for New and Expectant Fathers

Conceal Carry Methods and Baby Wearing for New Parents [2025]

Check out Ally’s series on a mother’s perspective throughout and after pregnancy!

First Trimester

Second Trimester

Third Trimester

Fourth Trimester

Training While Pregnant

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