Newborn into an amauti

[Dashbabies]

Hello all, to those who know about amauti's I have a question for you.  We are expecting our 3rd baby at the beginning of October, right when the weather turns cold and the snow starts to fall.  I've worn my other two children in the amauti, but not as a newborn.  My dd was 6 months before we needed to put her in.  So how do you wear a newborn? 

I did find some awesome videos on Youtube, showing that the baby needs to be wrapped and the trick to sliding into the pouch through a pulled up hood and over the shoulder.  But again, newborn?  Any suggestions or hints.  I'm worried about there being too much room in the pouch even with the belt tied higher.  How will I keep her from lying down or falling over, and how will I best support her head?

We probably won't get the really cold snaps until Dec or Jan, and by then she'll be 3 months or so, and this won't be much of a problem.  But if we're out for walks in Oct or Nov I don't have another jacket to keep her warm in, and I'm not sure that just a shawl will be warm enough.

[quantumleap]

I have no experience with amautis. They're beautiful, and I wanted one, but whoa, $$$. We were North when dd was born though, and I somehow managed (in early January!!) to get by with the cuddlywrap under a borrowed, men's XL, parka. I wound up being more comfortable putting her in a million layers, in a good snowsuit, with a hot water bottle, under a blanket, in the Chariot. Can you borrow a parka from someone? Scale back the hikes to something Chariot navigable? (if you don't have one, a LOT is do-able with a Chariot, including skiiing)

I also have a hard time imagining how it would work with a newborn in the amauti. I would worry about the falling over and head support also. I haven't seen the wrapping videos you speak of, but would it be possible to add a heap of receiving blankets on either side/up higher to make her roughly the shape of the hood and then wrapping the whole thing together before you slide her in? Are you comfortable stopping a random amauti-wearing mama, or an elder, on the street to ask them? My parents live in central Africa, and women there toss their brand new babies on to their backs without worrying about their heads. I cringe, but they seem to come out alright. Maybe it's the same sort of deal in the north?

[bwaybaby918]

if you're a member of thebabywearer.com forums (you just have to register to view them), you can use this link:

http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?169-Amauti-and-Babywearing-Clothing

to get to the forum about BWing outerwear and amauti.  If you search newborn amauti, you should find some helpful links.  If you don't, just try posting your question there and maybe you'll find others with more amauti experience.

:)

[midnightwriter]

I wore my babies in an amauti, but never a newborn. DD2 started in it at about 8 months, but I would be comfortable from about 5-6 months. When she was a newborn, I had her in a moby wrap at the front, tummy to tummy, under an oversized parka.She was very warm, and I was much more comfortable with her at the front. I zipped up the parka up t the level of her head, and I had to wear wide and thick scarves for my neck and chest, but it worked out really well!

I've seen newborns in amautis, but I think so much depends on the baby's personality, unless you're willing to let the baby cry. I think that DS would have been happy in an amauti as a newborn (But we weren't up north then), but DD2 would have never agreed to be wrapped and stuffed on my back. I know I'd have a nervous breakdown if I were out in -30C, and she became hysterical on my back!

Good luck!

[TiffanyToo]

There are experts on Amauti's on Thebabywearer.com please subscribe and as k your questiosn there.

[Ellp]

I have a couple of amautis and although I didn't wear my LO's in them (I waited till they were older), it is possible to wear them as newborns.  To get them in, ideally you'd want them swaddled so they're like a little sausage roll.  You can either have someone slide them in the amauti as you're wearing it, or if the neck opening is big enough, you can put them down your front and slide them under your armpit to your back.

Both my amautis were made by different people so the style and cut of them are a bit different.  With my original one, the cut is quite loose and it would be no problem to slide them behind as I described.  With my 2nd amauti, the cut is slimmer and the neckline is narrower so it would be a bit more difficult.

If you're new at this though, you might want to wrap your baby (with a woven wrap, or another back carrier) onto your back first and then put the amauti over both of you.