Facing Out
This position is fun for curious babies who want to see the world. Ideally, it works for infants between 3 and 7 months. Often you would use this position for a baby who is not yet sitting up, before he is ready for the Front/Hip Carry Position.
It is helpful when learning to use your sling to try out the different positions in front of a mirror.
Positioning
- Sling On
- Thread your sling by pulling the tail through both rings and then back through one, as you would when threading a belt.
- Sling on the shoulder of your dominant hand (but can be worn on either shoulder)
- Rings at the top of the shoulder.
- Fabric straight and untwisted across your back.
- Fabric straight through the rings, tail untwisted.
- Fabric fanned out over your shoulder.
- Baby Into the Sling
- Hold your baby with his back against the center of your chest.
- With one hand cross his legs and fold them up onto his belly. Hold him completely with this one hand pressed against his feet and your arm supporting the rest of his body.
- Use gravity to lean back and help your one hand and arm to hold him while the other works the sling fabric.
- In from the top – pull fabric up and over her body to get her in.
- Out from the bottom - up and over her head to get her out.
- When bringing the fabric up and over him, make a little pouch and settle his bottom into it.
- Get It Tight to Get It Right
- Use your other hand to tighten and bring all the excess fabric around to the front of the sling. Gather the fabric around from your back and bring it past the baby to the front near the rings.
- Hold the excess fabric snugly with your hand. You should be able to release the support of your hand and put your forearm under his bottom. Basically, you are holding your baby in position with the tension in the fabric.
- Pull the fabric through the rings to tighten and hold the position. Tighten across your baby’s bottom and folded legs. Make sure there is enough fabric under your baby’s bottom, really cupping it.
- The tension in the position should be under and across your baby’s bottom and legs with enough fabric coming up to about shoulder height on his body. Take care to have enough slack at the very top of the sling so that it is not tight on his neck.
- Evaluate where the fabric needs to be tighter
Continue to move any loose fabric around from the back to the front near the rings and tighten the top, middle or bottom of the tail accordingly to get the perfect fit.
* Do not take your hands off of your baby until you are sure that the sling is securely positioned to hold your baby hands-free.
To nurse in this position, shift the baby inside the sling to rotate toward your body on one side or the other. Adjust the height of your baby’s head to match you breast level by tightening or loosening the sling and moving it up or down on your body.