Ring sling rodeo - I'm no cowboy

[GinaRae]

I feel like one of those rodeo clowns...

Anywhoo, I am trying the ring sling and not quite getting the hang of it yet. Feels like it's SUPER tight on his body, but too loose at his head. He is sleeping but kind of grunty and moaning, so I wonder if he feels squeezed.

My neck hurt after just a couple of minutes, but once I pulled the fabric further down my back it was better. He must be only just over 9 pounds now, but it feels like he's 30!

He was fussing so I nursed him to sleep. NO clue how I will do that when I actually have a shirt on.

Any suggestions?

I bought the ring sling for newborn ease and breastfeeding. I don't have $$ for another type right now, and with my left arm being limited (birth injury) I can't do any sling that requires ANY amount of acrobatics (or reaching behind with my left hand) to put on.

[cheeseRjedi]

You can pull just the top rail tighter so it's not so loose at his head. That's one nice thing about ring slings - you can adjust any part of it to make it custom fit for you. They definitely take some maneuvering to get comfortable with though. Try spreading out the fabroc on your shoulder so it's kinda over your shoulder. It limits your arm functioning a bit but will spread out Lachlan's weight a lot better.

As for nursing, try wearing a stretch cami with another shirt over it. You can just pull the top shirt up and pull your boob out over the cami. It's still pretty discreet because you have the extra shirt covering the top of your bare boob and the cami still covering your belly. Or if you don't care about being discreet, get a few nursing tanks so you just pull the top down - your belly is still covered and it's easy acess to the boob. Plus you can always use the tail of the ring sling to cover up if needed.

[CarolynnMarilynn]

try this link:

http://www.nurturedfamily.com/baby-sling-positions.aspx

hth!

[GinaRae]

Good to know, thanks!!!

And how the heck do you easily switch sides? I guess maybe you don't.

[Curlita]

I came in search of this thread today after spending about 45 minutes with Conrad in the sling and feeling like my back is in spasm. The web page linked is helpful... I've got the SlingEZee, which is rated highly... which means it's not the sling, it's me. : The sling feels too loose, even though I've got it tightened all the way up to the rails, and bubbled as much as I can manage. Conrad's head is sort of lolling over the edge and I need to support him in the crook of my elbow. Not comfy.

[maisiedotes]

NAK :

I just dug out my maya sling. I can't wait to get Mairaed into it- but I can't get her off the boob long enough to get the DVD in the player! I am freaked out that I will drop her. Like I won't have it tight enough.

Obviously I have no advice but I wanted to wish us both luck getting these things figured out!

[taymakcoop]

http://zolowear.com/Wearing.aspx

HTH

[renaissanceed]

I finally got out my babywearing Mothering magazine and figured out how to get Silas into the ring sling properly. I think the key for me was reading that you should start out with babe in a tummy to tummy position even though they'll end up more in a cradle hold. Then you tuck them in with their head more toward the outer rail and their feet more toward the inner rail. It's worked beautifully so far as long as he wants to be lying down and not upright, in which case we use the MT or Ergo.

[Isaac'sMa]

ok, so I have to fess up. I am really not liking the maya this time around. I found it great with Isaac, probably b/c I knew nothing else, but man, the ring sling is killing me! And it keeps slipping throught the ring so I have to continually tighten it. It;s becoming a pain. I have an Ergo, which is okay, even without the infant insert and somewhere a Baby Bjorn (gotta dig that out...) but I really want a Babyhawk. I've been lusting after one of those puppies for a while now and think I might just bite the bullet/break the bank and order one!

Does anyone have a babyhawk? Whaddya think?

[GinaRae]

Originally Posted by renaissanceed

I finally got out my babywearing Mothering magazine and figured out how to get Silas into the ring sling properly. I think the key for me was reading that you should start out with babe in a tummy to tummy position even though they'll end up more in a cradle hold. Then you tuck them in with their head more toward the outer rail and their feet more toward the inner rail. It's worked beautifully so far as long as he wants to be lying down and not upright, in which case we use the MT or Ergo.

I finally figured this out on my own just yesterday -- by accident. I wear him in the ring sling upright just fine and when he needed to lay down I realized putting him from upright to laying was more comfy than trying to put him in the sling laying down where he seems to always have limited breathing because his chin would crunch down to his chest.

So you're not able to have him upright? I love that position in this ring. My husband does NOT though. So that's interesting. He prefers the cradle hold.

[brooklyn_warbler]

i haven't gotten the hang of the ring sling yet either. BUT wren loooooovvvvessss her mei tai. if she's fussing i put her in it and immediately she is calm. so i love it too.

[Curlita]

Thanks to the links and advice, we finally got it right today on our third try! Popped him in the sling and vacuumed, which apparently was the ticket for him to nod off.

Now I just need to get my husband situated. We are both out of practice!

[renaissanceed]

Does anyone have a babyhawk? Whaddya think?

We have a BH MT and I love it. I've tried a few different kinds of MTs and the BH and Kozy are my favourites. I didn't have it when DD was a new born, got it when she was around 4 mos old and it worked well for us from then on.

It's working for Silas some days, not others, depends on his mood. However I know it'll get a lot of use in the future, so I'm not upset about it not being the right carrier every day.

Also, when it comes time to do a back carry, I found the MT worked extremely well for that.

[Isaac'sMa]

Originally Posted by renaissanceed

I've tried a few different kinds of MTs and the BH and Kozy are my favourites.

which do you prefer?

[Kontessa]

My son lived in a ring sling on both myself and hubby and friends. He never wanted to be put down, and so he wasn't! We loved it, specially as it was easy to get to fit different body types. This time I am not loving it for some reason I do not understand, it is just not the same.

What I am loving is the Moby. Yes I find it a pain to put on but then I keep it on all day and baby slips in and out of it as needed as I have yet to figure out breastfeeding in it. Still, it is great on my back and feels so comfy!

Just keep working on it. Just as baby needs to learn how to latch, so too do we need to learn how to find out best fit.

I had gotten a pouch sling that I need to sell or trade as it is too big for me! grrrrrr

[GinaRae]

I've successfully breastfed him in the ring sling twice now. In public, no less. Whoo hoo!

Baby steps.

[lovebug]

try these

cradle carry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKGGXNJPIsg

back carry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl7BZ1qzimo

Nursing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCIgz...eature=related

hope this helps a bit!

[De-lovely]

Originally Posted by GinaRae

I've successfully breastfed him in the ring sling twice now. In public, no less. Whoo hoo!

Baby steps.

Awesome Gina! Thats the bomb!!!

[renaissanceed]

Quote:
Originally Posted by renaissanceed View Post
I've tried a few different kinds of MTs and the BH and Kozy are my favourites.


which do you prefer?

I have to say the BH but that's cause I own one and have only borrowed a Kozy briefly and haven't tried it with a newborn. I have friends who swear by their Kozys though. Don't think you can go wrong with either.

As an aside, I also have a Napsack MT and I don't much care for that - the body shape and the wider straps don't work for me.

[AKmomof2+1inNov]

Originally Posted by Kontessa

My son lived in a ring sling on both myself and hubby and friends. He never wanted to be put down, and so he wasn't! We loved it, specially as it was easy to get to fit different body types. This time I am not loving it for some reason I do not understand, it is just not the same.

What I am loving is the Moby. Yes I find it a pain to put on but then I keep it on all day and baby slips in and out of it as needed as I have yet to figure out breastfeeding in it. Still, it is great on my back and feels so comfy!

Just keep working on it. Just as baby needs to learn how to latch, so too do we need to learn how to find out best fit.

I had gotten a pouch sling that I need to sell or trade as it is too big for me! grrrrrr

I've switched to wrapping this time too after having my first two in ring slings and DD in a home made mt a bit. I'm nursing her in a wrap now... but it's a homemade cheepy with too much stretch...now I want a real one but don't know where to get a really long one. I need at least 6 yards. The nursing happened by accident cuz the extra stretch put her at boob level.