Sling Your Baby

If you want some good ideas for how to use your sling, search "babywearing" on www.youtube.com. I also recommend searching "hip carry" on You Tube - this is how I've been carrying Samuel around lately. The video clips are very helpful.

Ring Sling Instructions

Here are instructions for putting on and using a ring sling. I am modeling with my 10 week old son. Step 1: To start, put sling over the preferred shoulder, arranging the fabric straight across your back and rings at the shoulder.

Step 2: Once you have the sling on, adjust the rings so that they rest in "corsage position". You want them just below your clavicle. Spread the fabric over your shoulder and across your back. If it is bunched up on the back, or resting on your neck instead of your shoulder, you will be in pain after awhile. Loosen the fabric across your front so you can slide baby down in.

Step 3: Place baby in burp position. Grab baby's bottom with one hand and pull the sling fabric away from your body with the other.

Step 4: Slide baby down into the fabric of the sling. Make sure you pull the fabric all the way up his back. You can frog his legs up and leave them in the fabric, or you can pull his legs through and let them hang down. Just be sure to pull the bottom of the fabric tight by pulling on the side of the tail furthest from you.

Step 5: Secure baby in by pulling on the tail of the sling. You can pull the whole thing to bring baby close to you. Then pull the side of the tail closest to you to pull the top of the sling close. If you get it too tight, lift up on the outer ring to loosen the fabric. You want to pull baby in really tight.

Step 6: Now baby is secure and you are hands free!

Pouch Sling Instructions

Here are instructions for putting on and using a pouch sling. I am modeling with my 10 week old son. Step 1: To start, put sling over the preferred shoulder, leaving the seam down towards your front.

Step 2: The seam of the sling should be in the front. Unless of course you are doing a hip carry, in which case the seam would go on your hip. The seam is always where baby's bottom will go. (I will show a hip carry with an older baby as soon as I can get a kid from my neighbor!)

Step 3: Place baby in burp position on the opposite shoulder from the sling.

Step 4: Once in burp position, open up the outer layer of fabric and guide baby's feet in. Make sure to leave a layer of fabric between you and baby.

Step 5: Slide baby down into the deep pocket of the sling. Make sure that his bottom rests in the seam part. You can frog his legs up so that he lays on your chest, or you can turn his body a little and stretch his legs out in the sling so he is more reclined and sideways like a hammock.