Front/Hip Carry
This position is great for older babies who are almost or already sitting up and toddlers. 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 child on your hip, either on the side of your body or more towards the front, on your belly. She should be approximately where you will want her once in the sling.
- In from the top – pull fabric up and over her feet to get her in.
- Out from the bottom - up and over her head to get her out.
- Make sure there is a lot of fabric under baby’s bottom. The fabric should make a little pouch under her bottom. When the sling is tightened, the tension of the sling will be across her bottom and snug but not too tight on her legs. The bottom portion of the sling fabric should bring the hip joint up and her legs should be at a right angle to her body and bent at the knee.
- The top portion of the sling fabric should be high up on your baby’s back. The fabric should come up right under the arm pits or you can tuck her arms completely into the sling. In this case, the fabric should be up around her shoulders.
- Get it tight to get it right
- Use your hands 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.
- Basically, you are holding your baby in position with the tension in the fabric and with your forearm underneath her.
- Pull the fabric through the rings to tighten and hold the position.
- 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 a baby on your hip in the sling, you will most likely have to loosen the sling to allow your child’s back to round out a bit for them to reach your breast. Once they are at the right level, shift the sling back and forth across your body to reach one breast or the other.