General tips on how to wear a Pouchlings baby sling
- Why use a pouchlings
sling?
.................................. - Benefits of baby wearing
................................. - How to wear
- Sites of interest
..................................
Babies
can be carried in a sling as soon as they are born - in fact, the sooner
the better as they will already be missing the warmth, movement and comfort
of their mothers womb.
There are a number of ways you can wear your baby in a Pouchlings ring-sling but these are divided into two main categories: "newborn holds" and "toddler holds".
For all the "newborn holds" it is essential that you pull the back edge of the fabric up against your body to form a pouch into which your baby is laid as though in a hammock.
"Toddler holds" don't need the fabric to be folded in the same way as invariably the older child won't be completely enclosed in the fabric.
Using your sling will soon become second nature, although it might take a bit of practice to begin with to get it right. (It helps to start with a happy baby who is well-fed and well-rested!)
The Pouchlings sling can be worn on either shoulder.
These instructions are for wearing the sling on the left shoulder so just
reverse the instructions if you prefer to wear it on the right.
******************
Threading your pouchlings ring sling
Putting on your pouchlings ring sling
Tummy to tummy hold (newborns)
Cradle Hold 1 & 2
Budda carry (3 - 6 months)
Hip Carry (6 months - 2 years)
Toddler Back Carry (6 months
+)
Threading your Pouchlings ring sling
It's worth familiarising yourself with the threading technique. When your sling arrives:
- lay your sling out flat on the floor with the POUCHLINGS label face up (this will form the inside of the 'pouch' part of the sling.) (Fig 1a)
- take hold of the end of the fabric furthest away from the rings (the 'tail') and fold the fabric back over itself up towards the rings. (Fig 1 b)
- push the tail fabric through both rings, feeding about one half of the tail through.
- fold the tail fabric backwards over the first ring and under the second; pull it through until you have taken up all the slack.
- at this point, be sure to spread the tail fabric
evenly over the rings so that the left hem of the 'pouch' part of the
sling comes out on the left side of the rings and the right hem of the
'pouch' comes out on the right side of the rings. This will make it
easier to adjust your sling for comfort and security once your baby
is in. (Fig 1c)
When you wash your sling, unthread it completely and, when dry, re-thread it following the above instructions.
|
|
|
|
Putting on your Pouchlings ring sling
- hold the rings in your left hand with the pouch towards you and the tail hanging in front of the rings away from you. (Fig 2a)
- put your right arm through the pouch and bring the sling over your head (as if putting on a 'Miss World' sash). The rings should rest in front of your left shoulder just below your collarbone. The sling fabric should be spread across your shoulder/ top of your arm NOT your shoulder/neck. (Fig 2b)
- pull the fabric of the sling pouch forward so that it takes up any slack across your back. (This will ensure that the rings don't slide down to the middle of your chest when you tighten the sling.) If there is a lot of fabric forming the pouch, tighten the sling by pulling on the whole of the tail in a slight up-and-over-the-rings movement.
- if you are about to use any of the newborn positions, you need to create a secure 'pouch/hammock' at this point. (Fig 2c) You do this by locating the bottom/back hem of the pouch fabric and folding it up against your tummy. Tighten the fabric by pulling on the left hem as it comes over the rings and becomes the tail. Leave the front of the pouch fabric slack enough to be able to put the baby in.
- Decide which position you are about to use. For all positions start by lifting the baby into the 'burp' position over the shoulder opposite the rings. (Whenever you place a newborn into the sling, be sure to support their head until the sling is correctly adjusted to provide enough support.
|
|
|
|
GENERAL TIPS:
For maximum comfort and safety when using a POUCHLINGS ring sling, it
is useful to familiarise yourself with these general rules:
- the higher and tighter the baby is carried in the sling, the more secure they will be and the lighter they will feel.
- always begin by taking the weight of the baby in one arm and pull on the whole of the tail to get the general positioning right. Then pull on either the front or back hem to take up the corresponding slack.
- pull the fabric with a slight "up-and-over" movement across the front of your body NOT out to the side, away from you.
- to loosen or remove the sling, take the weight of the baby, and lift the bottom ring over the top ring (the weight of the baby will make the fabric slip through the rings so always hold the baby before you do this!)
- if, once the baby is in, something doesn't feel right,
it is not necessary to start from scratch. Simply loosen the fabric
slightly, make whatever adjustments are needed and tighten again.