Tummy to Tummy
This position is perfect for tiny babies, young infants or older sleeping infants. 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 on your chest/abdomen, facing you, right in the center, 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
- 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 in this position, loosen the fabric slightly and move the baby down and over to reach your breast. You baby can remain upright while nursing or your can rotate her slightly over and around so that she is no longer directly facing you for a semi-cradle position.