«Lying» position (head opposite the rings)
This position is suitable for babies from the very first day after their birth. It mimics the way we hold a newborn in our arms and fully supports the baby’s head.
1. Put on your sling in such a way that a large “pocket” is created in front of you (the inner side should rest against your chest and the outer one should be loose.
Hold your baby “lying” in the crook of your elbow, with the opposite arm from the one on which the rings are located.
2. You lower them slowly into the sling, opening with your other hand the “pocket” you made in the first step.
Then slowly take your hand out of the sling and hold your baby over the fabric.
3. Continue to support your baby’s head if they are a newborn.
Raise the fabric so that it supports the baby’s little head and your baby ends up well inside the pocket.
4. Now you can begin to tighten the fabric. While continuing to support the baby’s weight and to hold them in the position where you want them to stay, tighten the fabric (the outer side of the sling) around them, pushing it towards the rings.
Note that you should not yet try to pull the tail in order to bring the baby into the correct position, just take the “extra” fabric and bring it close to the rings.
5. Now you can pull the tail and tighten the fabric around your baby. In order for the outer side of the sling to “tighten” you must pull the inner edge of the tail.
Remember that for safety reasons the rings “lock” with the weight of the baby. So, while you pull the tail you must support the baby’s weight with your other hand.
6. The baby will stay in the position where you were holding them. By tightening the tail you are simply making sure that the fabric replaces your hands in the right places.
7. You are ready for a stroll (or for sleep)!
Your baby is comfortably lying in the sling, as if they were inside a hammock!
8. If you find that your baby is too “upright” and you want to lay them down more, in a more horizontal position, you can loosen the sling by lifting the ring away from your shoulder. This will make your baby “lie down” more.
9. If the baby’s head is pushed forwards and the baby’s chin rests on their chest, then lift their little back higher with your hand. This will make the head lie back.
Then, you will pull the tail from its center to tighten the fabric behind the baby’s back and keep it at the point where you are holding it.
Note: Many babies like to sleep in this position. It is also one of the easiest positions for beginner babywearers with newborn babies! However, many babies do not like this position, because as they are lying down and close to the chest they feel that they are about to be fed… and if no food is coming, they get fussy! If your baby is such a case, don’t be discouraged! You can feed them again and try again later, or try the “upright” position.
What to watch out for:
- Because your baby is a newborn, you must take care that their little head does not bend in such a way that their chin rests on their chest, because they will have difficulty breathing comfortably. With correct positioning of the baby there must always be at least one finger’s distance from the chin to their chest.
- You must also make sure that the fabric does not cover the baby’s face and that they are not too “deep” inside the “pocket” of your sling.
- The first time you put your baby in the sling, try to have them fed, changed and rested.
- Once you have put on your “asteraki”, start walking (almost immediately). They will like it a lot and this way they will get used to it more easily.
You can also see the above instructions (lying position with the baby’s head on the opposite side from the rings) in this video:
Video: Lying position with the legs inside (5.3 MB)
If you find that in this position the baby’s head ends up lower than you would like, but you definitely want a lying position, it is better to try the position in which the head is on the same side as the rings.
back: Instructions with ring sling
