Troubleshooting your baby carrier

Is your baby fussing while being worn?  This is often normal and doesn't mean that your baby can't love your baby carrier!

Here are some tips to help your child adapt to your baby carrier or baby sling more easily.

• Move!  Next to finding a comfy position and wearing your carrier correctly, movement is probably the single most important factor in using your baby carrier successfully.  While you may later be able to putter around your house with baby in the sling, many babies need the steady rhythm of your walking to get comfortable at first.  So as soon as your put your baby into the carrier, start walking.  If you can't take a walk, pacing around your house works too.  Your baby will be soothed by the motion and also distracted by the stimulation of the changing surroundings - this will help your baby get used to the snugness of the baby carrier.
• Wait.  Unless your baby is hysterical, you don't have to pull them out of the carrier at first peep.  Give baby a few minutes to get used to the snugness of the carrier.  If baby still doesn't settle, take him/her out and...
• Try again later.  Wait a few hours, a day, a week or even a month.  Wait until you are both in a more relaxed mood or until after nap or dinner.  Consider that babies often hate baths at first, but then get used to them and even learn to love them.  The same can (and probably will) happen with your baby carrier!
• Sleeping.  Although this may seem counterintuitive, it often works to try a carrier while your baby is sleeping - in this relaxed state, they are often more willing to let you maneuver them around.
  
• Relax.  If baby senses you are nervous, baby is more likely to be nervous and fussy, too.  Take a few deep breaths and tel yourself: "parents have been doing this for thousands of years!"  Patience, persistence, practice and confidence are the keys to your success in using your child sling. 
  
• Feed your baby.  Get used to wearing your baby in the sling or baby carrier before trying to nurse in it.  If your baby is hungry, take him out of the baby carrier and nurse him before trying again with the sling.
  
• Contact the SlingLady for help.  We love our baby carriers, and we want you to love yours.  We would love to offer some suggestions that will help you successfully use your carrier.