Ok, I babysat a 4 month old tonight and figured that I would try out my sling. His mom said that he won't stay in one, but he was quite content in mine in the kangaroo carry or tummy to tummy. But my 6 month pg tummy wasn't enjoying it nor was my back.

Please tell me that it was a lack of experience on both our parts and the fact that I'm 6 months pg.

Does it get easier?

__________________

It does get easier! I actually cried one of the first times I tried to use my sling because it just was not going to happen, I was having all kinds of trouble with it and it was so uncomfy. Like almost anything, practice helps SO much. I don't have any problems with my back while slinging now, and only the occasional problem with my shoulder hurting when i just can't seem to get it to lay nicely. And ask you experiment and find new carries that work great for you, it will be even nicer! The biggest thing that helps me to get slinging down real well was to sling while I was sitting at the computer. No pressure about it "having" to work because you're at the mall and don't have any other way of carrying her. No one watching to make you feel self concious and embarassed when something looks wrong. And it was great for learning to nurse in the sling, ina private relaxed environment.

Congrats on gettng the baby to enjoy the sling, when I was pregnant with katrina just "holding" her was enough to make me too uncomfortable to do anything else! It sounds like you'll do fine at slinging once your baby is here.

__________________

Thanks! I really want to wear my baby, but all the moms I know think I am crazy. They all say they tried, but the baby didn't like it, or they only wore them to BF and the baby came to assume that BFing was the only thing to do in a sling. I actually showed a mom of 4 how she could kangaroo carry her baby the other day in a sling. She thought you could only cradle hold her baby. She has a 18 month old and a 3 month old....if anyone needs a sling, I think she does! She could sling one or both.

Anyway, I hope I can show folks that it can be done and how wonderful it is for both mom and baby.

Thanks!

__________________

It definitely does get easier and easier. I first started wearing my son when he was a newborn, and it took me months to get comfortable with the sling (a Maya Wrap). A few more months for me to be really comfortable nursing in it. I wore him for close to two years whenever it suited us. Now, with that same sling, I've been wearing my daughter since the very beginning. Once you have it down, you're set. As mentioned above, how you have it adjusted makes a huge difference. My shoulder will ache if I forget to pull the shoulder cap out like it should be. But with two little ones, I wouldn't go ANYWHERE without my sling!!! Good luck with yours. Even if it doesn't seem to work well at first or be comfortable, just give it a little time and try it again. And the versatility of being able to put the baby in so many billions of different positions can ease an ache that sets in from holding a little (or bigger) one the whole day.

__________________
Emma Biedenbender
Signs of Early Life
http://www.signsofearlylife.com

it does...but I've found that my son hates the cuddle hold and the cradle hold! he always tried to jump out if I carried him kangaroo but he LOVES the hip carry. even if a baby doesn't like one hold doesn't me they hate slings.

__________________