The most common babywearing mistakes

Hurray! Months of expecting are over and your baby has been born. You can’t wait to finally test the beautiful wrap you prepared such a long time ago. After all, everybody is so happy about babywearing! But whoa! The first tying doesn’t go at all well. The baby is crying, is too low, and the whole thing just looks completely different from the instructional photos. Yet you’ve followed the manual! So what went wrong?

Learning to tie a baby wrap correctly is not rocket science. All the same, lots of mums fight against various obstacles at the beginning of babywearing. This is hardly surprising. The baby is so small and fragile, you’re possibly afraid of hurting him or her, you’re worried the baby might fall out during tying, or you’re nervous because the baby is crying. All of this results in an incorrect tightening of the baby wrap. And it is the tightening that is one of the most important principles of correct babywearing.

Though you’ve studied the principles carefully, it still seems to you that the baby’s back isn’t rounded enough and the legs aren’t in the M-position. The baby might be too low, or you feel that the wrap is too loose and the baby is somehow sliding around in it. It is probably clear to you that all of these points are connected with incorrect tightening. Only a close-fitting, tight wrap is able to keep the baby in the correct position throughout the whole time of babywearing. Only a perfect tightening will result in the ergonomic position. And thanks to this, the baby will have a beautiful, rounded back with the knees higher than the hips in the perfect M-position. Only a perfect tightening will ensure that the baby doesn’t slide in the wrap.

So, how can you achieve such a perfect tightening? First and foremost, you mustn’t be frightened. Tighten the wrap as much as you can. One of the greatest advantages of an elastic wrap is its elasticity, which will be appreciated by you as a beginner during tightening. Don’t be afraid of overdoing it because you won’t overdo it! Pull and pull the wrap to keep the tension. Suddenly, as if by magic, the baby will be in the correct position not only with respect to his or her body but also with respect to the position of the body. You see, it happens very rarely that the baby is too high (which happens most frequently due to incorrect preparation of the tightening process at the beginning). The problem is mostly rather to the contrary: the baby is too low. What is the solution? Tighten up. You’ll know whether everything is as it should be if you bend forwards and the baby doesn’t get slack in the wrap but stays in the same position all the time. If this isn't the case, you can easily start again completely from the beginning.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. What if the baby keeps crying during the tying procedure? And what if the baby cries even after you’ve completed this? Perhaps the baby doesn’t like it there and you don’t want to distress him or her… just don’t worry. Babies often cry during tying and at the beginning of babywearing because they feel that their mum is nervous, that she’s afraid and isn’t confident in tying yet. Then you’re moving in a sort of a vicious circle. But don’t give up. Mostly it just takes time to get it right and when tying becomes a routine to you, the baby will become much calmer. Babies frequently calm down if you go for a walk, so try to go out with a tied wrap – staying outside in the fresh air will be both beneficial to you and your baby.

Just the same, if you’re not certain that you’re doing everything correctly, you can check whether you’re not making the most frequent beginner mistakes mums fight with at the beginning of babywearing. For instance, the position of the baby’s head. The head should not be bent backwards, or forwards. It should be exactly on the same axis as the backbone. Besides the above-mentioned tightening, you will ensure this by securing the head using the cloth of the wrap (at least in the first few months). Another frequent mistake is the bad position of the baby’s arms – you see, both arms should be in the same position, best laid on your breast. Remember to check the arms before the final tightening because you won’t be able to adjust them afterwards. If anything looks a bit fishy to you at any time during babywearing, it’s always better to take the baby out and to redo the tightening just for peace of mind, or to try doing it again later on. You’ll forget what hard work it was during the first tying in no time! ☺