From Newborn to six months
- Why use a pouchlings
sling?
.................................. - Benefits of baby wearing
................................. - How to wear
Mei Tai's
Ring Slings
Wraps
- Sites of interest
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1: Tummy to tummy hold (vertical)
This is possibly the most comfortable newborn hold and is particularly good for colicky babies as it keeps them in an upright position. It also makes for a very gentle transition from the womb as they have their ear pressed to your chest where they hear the comfortingly familiar sound of your heart.
- hold the baby over your right shoulder with your right arm.
- use your left hand to pull open the front of the pouch. (Fig 3a)
- keeping the baby in an upright position, with their chest pressed against your chest, slide the baby down into the pouch tucking their feet and legs towards your right hip (or for very new or small babies leave their feet tucked under their bottoms froggy-style. Make sure there is enough fabric at the front of the pouch to completely cover the baby. (If not you may have too much fabric folded against your tummy and will need to start again!) (Fig 3b)
- press the baby close against you with your right arm and with your left hand pull on the tail to tighten the whole sling and then pull on the front hem to tighten up the front of the pouch. (Fig 3c)
- [TIP: when tightening the sling, always lift the baby to take their weight; pull the tail fabric with a slight "up-and-over" movement towards the baby NOT away from it. If the baby hangs too low, pull on the whole of the tail to raise the baby up high. Then make smaller adjustments by pulling on the front or back hems as necessary.]
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Cradle hold 1 (semi-reclining, head towards rings)
- as with the TUMMY-TO -TUMMY position, start by creating a pouch/hammock at the front of your body.
- hold the baby against your right shoulder with your right arm.
- with your left hand, hold the pouch open and lower the baby into the pouch sideways so that their head is close to the rings and they lie across the front of your body. (They may curl into a foetal position with their knees up to their chin). (Fig 4a)
- tighten the pouch, as before, by pulling on the 'front' hem. If the baby seems lost because the pouch is too deep, make the pouch shallower by pulling the fabric in the middle of the tail, which corresponds to the fabric in the middle of the pouch. Always make sure there is sufficient fabric at the front and back, pulled tight enough to keep the baby pressed close against you and safe. (Fig 4b)
Cradle hold 2 (reclining, head away from rings)
This position is very useful for breastfeeding. Follow instructions as above, but lay the baby into the pouch with their head away from the rings. This position is less useful than the others as the baby grows longer. (Fig 4c)
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Budda Carry - (3-6 months)
This position is for babies with good head control.
- start by creating a pouch as for the previous 'newborn' positions.
- with your right arm hold the baby with their back against your chest and your hand under their bottom. Fold their legs up so that their feet cross over their chests in a foetal position. (Fig 5a)
- with your left hand pull open the front of the pouch and lower the baby, bottom first, into it.
- still supporting the weight of the baby, tighten the fabric by pulling on the 'front' hem. If the baby hangs too low, take the weight of the baby and pull the whole of the tail fabric together to lift the whole of the pouch. (Fig 5b)
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