Wearing from birth -- reassure me!

[wagamama]

My new Moby is all washed and ready to go, but I'm still a bit nervous about wearing my newborn (due any day now!) from birth. I'd love to hear from others about how soon you started wearing your newborn, and in what positions -- particularly in the Moby. (I also own a Hotsling and a Kozy.)

I didn't start wearing DS#1 until he was about 3 months old (although I held him practically all the time , so I'm new at this!

[rmzbm]

Well, I just got a Moby and haven't used it, so no advice there...but I wore DD from day 1 in the Hotsling. (Terrific for nursing!) And Kozy happens to be my absolute FAVE! You have some great carriers there...it will be great! Good luck & congrats!!

[Twinklefae]

At two days old we put DS in our Maya wrap sling and headed out to the doctors. We wore him in snuggle hold, as he didn't like cradle.

I had mtivation to figure this out, at the time we lived up 6 flights of stairs, and I was scared someone would drop him!

[pixiepunk]

stretchy wraps like the moby are awesome for the newborn period. and with another little one to chase after, you'll have a compelling reason to have your newborn someplace secure with your hands free so i'm sure you'll figure it out in no time.

you might want to try practicing with a stuffed animal or a doll so you have the basics of getting wrap on and snug before you have to do it for real.

the most awesome thing with a stretchy wrap is you really only have to tie it on once and then just pop the baby in and out as you need to. you might need to snug it up a bit after a while if it's feeling droopy, but you shouldn't need to completely retie it.

as for positions, babies are all different as far as what they like and don't, so you might just need to experiment a little with the baby once born to see what works best.

[the_lissa]

I wore my baby the day after birth in my hotsling type sling.

[maxmama]

I was out of bed six hours after my section, wearing my baby in her KKAFP. She didn't get out of it for two months.

[beka1977]

There is nothing better than a newborn in a stretchy wrap!

[Teenytoona]

I want to tag along - what are some good resources (websites, books videos) for learning these wrap holds? The only newborn one I know of is (I think) called cross-carry.

[Meems]

do you have the instructions for the Moby? I used the Moby the day after DD was born, like 5 min after I got home... she didn't like the cradle carry, either. I don't remember what its called (mine is loaned to a friend at the moment) but upright on my chest. She was there every day after until she was ~ 3 mo...

I practiced a few times while pg w/ a stuffed animal. Made it super easy to use after DD's arrival.

Good luck!!

[VaMountainMomma]

http://www.mobywrap.com/instructions.php?link=2

^^ link to instructions for carrying a newborn

[jul511riv]

demanded to wear dd out of hosp. Had to wait for a wheelchair. wore her in a sling cradell hold and over shoulder all wrapped up. Also used ring sling.

ds was a homebirth but when I DID finally leave the house, wore him always. You'll love it!

[NaturalFamiLEA]

I didn't use a sling much with Ariana, but I plan on having this baby in my moby-like wrap (I made myself!) alll the time from day one.

[kdabbler]

I would have worn from day 1 but didn't need to as I was waited on hand and foot at the hospital. All I needed to do was nurse, sleep, eat and admire my new baby in my arms I didn't really start my bw until after we got home.

That being said, you can wear your baby as soon as you deem it practical. If it's a few hours after birth, so be it. We had to carry our children out the door in a car carrier as this was one of the hospital's ways to check that we had a car seat and know how to put our baby in one (I know that might irk some people but it was practical because the patient pick up area is sooooooo busy--it was just easier).

Check out http://www.mamatoto.org for videos and how to pictures too.

[Ruthla]

I didn't do much babywearing the first month- before that I was mostly lying in bed with the baby or sitting holding the baby, and I didn't find much use for the sling until I was ready to be up and about around town.

[LianneM]

DH put DS in the NN (like your hotsling) when he was a couple of hours old. At about 36 hours old we went to a store and to dinner and I wore him and nursed him the whole time

[wagamama]

I'm feeling reassured Thanks!

[AbbieB]

My Moby is so snuggly that I even used it at home with no shirt on underneath! The wrap covered me and DS just snuggled in against my chest.

Don't be scared of all that fabric. The FWCC (the carry suggested in the Moby instructions) is pretty easy to wrap around you and getting your baby in it AFTER everything is tied on gives you one less thing to focus on . It might take a day or to to get the hang on it and feel comfortable doing it but it is well worth he effort.

[jennifercp8]

I wore DS the day he was born in a Hotsling and wandered around the maternity ward at the hospital. With the next, I plan to use a Moby and RS from the beginning.

[hubris]

I'm pretty sure the first time DS1 and DS2 were worn was at 1 day old. Cradle hold in a ring sling or pouch sling. Snuggly goodness!

DH was the first to wear DS3 (cradle hold / stretch pouch), at about 2 hours old! I was mostly "laying in" during that first week so I don't think I wore him during that time but once I was up and around more I broke out my own pouches and a stretch wrap (gypsymama bali baby stretch). I favor the front wrap cross carry, which is such a cuddly carry with a newborn in a stretchy wrap. It's almost like they're in the womb again.

[Arwyn]

Naked Baby was in a FWCC in a semistretchy wrap on his dad about 18 hours after he was born - only waited that long 'cause he was born in the evening, and we needed to sleep. He's worn him every single day since then, too. I didn't get into the game until DP's leave was almost up, around 3 weeks.

NB liked being upright, tummy to tummy, but all babies are different.