Ring Sling Question

[Marzipan]

I'm taking care of a brand new baby (6 weeks) and I've been fiddling a little with a sling, because I have to chase my own child around too. I am having a hard time getting her in there right...

Where exactly are the rings supposed to be--up on my shoulder or midway between my shoulder and boobie? I am having a hard time getting her bottom in there low enough so that her head doesn't hit the rings, but when I move them up it feels funny. I feel so clumsy. I've never slung a newborn before (obviously) only dd, after she was 5 months old. Thanks for the help!

[kris10s]

I wore a newborn today, so I can remember the answer to this! It depends on your comfort level, but I like the rings at about the lower part of my shoulder where it is a bit concave, where the flower of a corsage should go.

[Marzipan]

:tu Thanks. I just got some more advice from another mommy friend online too...so tomorrow, we'll give it another go. :)

[inesperada]

It is often easier to wear them kangaroo style than lying down, too. And most of the people I've seen wearing small babies lying down recently had their heads facing away from the rings. :shrug

[Marzipan]

you can wear a 6 week old kangaroo style...in a ring sling? Wow...
And, with their heads away from the rings...wouldn't the blood rush to their heads?

[inesperada]

Actually, when their heads are away from the rings they lay more "flat". It seems that they would be upside down, but it's more like lying them on a flat surface.

And yes, I saw a seven week old carried that way in a ring sling on Tuesday. "Kangaroo" may have been a bit misleading...she was facing in, but upright - not facing out.

[kris10s]

Yeah, that's usually called a vertical or snuggle hold. The newborn and momma I was helping with their sling yesterday loved that. He is a stomach sleeper, so it didn't surprise me!

[Lady TS]

My dd was 9lb5oz at birth, so she was a bigger baby to begin with.

Anyway, I was/am most comfortable with carrying her facing me, snuggled up to my chest. When they're really little, you can kinda fold their legs and put the whole baby in the "pocket" of the sling, and when they get a big bigger, you can have legs out(I'm sure you know most of this already ;))

My dd hated and still hates laying down in the sling, except to nurse or if she's asleep. I always put their heads opposite the rings but a friend of mine puts her baby's head on the ring side. I guess it just depends on what you're comfortable with.