With my DDs it was easy to put them in the Maya sling in the cross-cradle hold and nurse them to sleep. Â Sometimes I'd sway or walk with them, but they were usually fine once they got to sleep and I used this position with the Maya sling pretty easily til they were toddlers. Â DS, OTOH, prefers me to walk and walk and never sit still when he's in the sling, and even then, he sometimes arches his back when I try to nurse him in it. Â This usually happens when he chokes on milk (I have an overactive let-down reflex that really bothers him), and I have found if I position him slightly more upright, he's happier. Â Problem is, it's killing my back and shoulders, and he's only 2 months old! Â I know how to wear the Maya sling, so I know I'm not just goofing it up. Â I think the problem is just that I'm very petite and short-waisted. Â I am only 5' 1.5" (and most of that height is in my legs, not my torso) and about 115lbs and my breasts have sagged a little over the years so I have to position DS's legs and bum below my hipbone in the more upright position in order for him to lined up to latch on. Â This is below my center of mass and so I think it tends to strain my back muscles as they attempt to compensate for the way the weight is distributed.
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Now, DS is off the charts for height (DH is very tall), so there's a lot of length of baby to try to fit, but still, he's just a couple months old and if this is hurting me already, I don't know how I'll manage as he gets bigger! Â I'm wondering if there's a better carrier/sling/wrap for short-waisted moms, especially for nursing while babywearing (and not necessarily in a cradle hold)...
