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| Cowprint sling by Next 9 sponsored by Mothering Earthlings |
Attika and I were on the elevator the other day when this lady told me that she still has not used her baby sling since the day she bought it. I was carrying my little one to my side with a sling from Next 9 and she must have looked so comfortable that it prodded the other mom to ask me about it.
"It took me months to get get it right, so I know what you mean, " I reassured her. The chichat on baby slings went on until she got off on her floor.
There are may different kinds of baby slings and many different ways to tie them.
I'm sticking to Next 9 because they're very convenient to use. I have two slings whose colors I absolutely love. If you're far more adventurous than I am and you want to try other ways to tie a sling, this might help you out.
Wrap Style
Choose a good fabric that is properly sized for a wrap. Determine the center and tie the cloth around your hips with both ends ending at the back. Wrap it in a crisscross pattern at the back then pull it over your shoulders towards the front. The ends of the fabric resting on your chest should be crossed then tied at the back. To secure the wrap, you should wrap the ends again towards the front of your hips, cross them and pull them towards the back then finally tie them together.
Backpack
This kind of sling tie will allow you to carry heavier babies. First, position the cloth on a bed and carefully put the baby on it making sure she is comfortably positioned. The cloth should cover her back down to her buttocks so she will not slip off. Then, pull the baby up on your back by holding the two ends of the cloth. You need to bend back a little to be able to do this correctly. The last step is to pull the ends of the cloth towards the back and tie a knot under your baby’s buttocks.
X-shaped
Position the center of the cloth from behind then place both ends over your shoulders in a crisscross over your chest. At the back, insert one end under the band of cloth at your waist then tie both ends together. Once you have tied the ends securely, you can already place the baby on your stomach. The baby’s bottom should be resting on the X and her legs on two opposite sides. The X-shaped tie can be used for discreet breastfeeding.
Lying Baby Sling
The lying sling is very useful for breastfeeding. Determine the center of the cloth then place it on your shoulder. Tie the ends at the hip opposite to the shoulder where you positioned the cloth. Gently place the baby into the sling from your shoulder or from under, whichever is easier for you. To adjust position of the baby, turn the part of the cloth that rests on your neck inside out so that it now rests on top of your shoulder. If you want to pull the head of the baby up, pull the cloth from your shoulder. Secure the wrap by tying the rest of the cloth to your waist.
I'd love to know if you got any of this right. I never could. Ugh.
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| Attika's baby-wearing dad |
