glumshoe:

My friend’s toddler asked me to carry her briefly and I realized suddenly that I have no idea how to carry a child. I told her this and all the advice she had to give was “just pick me up!” which was not especially helpful.

I picked her up carefully, as I would my cat. I shifted my arms three or four times before I was confident that she was secure and comfortable. The ten feet I carried her were filled with uncertainty and anxiety.

Babies are tricky because of their necks, but toddlers are easy. You can pick ‘em up by the ankles, and if they think it’s funny you’re all good. Hands on either side of the ribcage, right under the armpits, is generally a good way to lift one. For longer carrying, you can kinda sit the toddler on one of your forearms, with your forearm at about your stomach height, and put your other arm around them for stability. With a good-natured toddler and reasonable strength, you can carry the kid under one arm like a sack of potatoes. They’re a lot easier to handle than cats, they don’t bite you for carrying them wrong.