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So I've been using the ring sling when we leave the house to wear DS. The other day I was trying to do something in the house and he was going through one of his clusterfeeding episodes and I tried to use the ring sling to BF him and work at the same time. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the hold right to comfortably BF him in the RS. Is it possible that ability to BF in a carrier depends on your boobs (size, nipple position, etc.)?
I've heard that it's easier once the baby has some head control and you don't have any engorgement (I didn't try until DS had head control so I don't have personal experience to fall back on with newborns.). It helps to be able to manipulate the boob some. And if the kid can keep his head there and adjust with movement helps a lot too. Boob size does affect it because you have to find out what works best for you and keep messing with the adjusting. Have you tried with a wrap (you have a stretchy right if I remember correctly?)?
Let me do some searching around and see what I can't find. :)
ETA: Where you trying a cradle hold or upright? Did you loosen the RS upright and latch him first before tightening and adjusting? I know common advice I see is to get the baby BFing first and then fit the carrier around him and you to support him rather than your arm supporting him.
Found this helpful tidbit: "For nursing in a carrier you generally do have to wear the baby lower than you otherwise would, but you can also lift up your breast so as to avoid having to loosen the carrier too much. Especially with an older baby or toddler who can latch on kind of any old way. More generously endowed mamas often find it helpful to use a folded burpcloth or the like under the breast to "prop" it up, thus freeing the hand that would otherwise be necessary to hold it in place."
I always wore DD in the cradle hold (only way she would be worn) which made it way simpler than trying to readjust from a proper tummy-to-tummy hold, but I think the advice to loosen your carrier, get the baby nursing, and then adjust it around him is probably the easiest way to get started. Then once you are comfy with that, you might be able to just get him there straight from a regular hold...but start slow and be patient with yourself! There's definitely a learning curve to these things.
I think boob size makes a difference. I'm just a B still and my boobs don't move much so I can't really lift them to her. I always do cradle hold for nursing and can only seem to figure it out with her feet on the ring side, otherwise I never feel like she is secure. Even then I usually end up putting my arm under her head while she is nursing. If I get the RS tight enough to hold her latched on without my arm, I feel like it prevents her from letting go when she needs to.
I read on TBW that some larger chested women tend to have the baby much lower and some still feel like they need to support with their arm so that the baby isn't squished into their boob.
Jackie sent me a great YouTube video made by the Sakura Bloom lady that I can try to find if you haven't seen it.
Becky for some reason I couldn't find that video last night! I'll look again later if you can't find it.
It's soooooo easy to BF in the RS once kids can latch themselves on and are willing to BF in "weird"/off positions. Kole is still super duper little. Keep trying Anna! :)
Yeah--I definitely still used my arm for some support when she was tiny, and had her feet on the ring side. (We always wore like that, though--I pretty much just had to push the inner fabric down and we were in position)
I was trying the cradle hold with the feet on the ring side. I had him nursing already and then attempted to adjust it to him to hold him there, but when I tightened it around him it flattened him against me and smooshed him into my chest. I'm a large B/small C cup. I just couldn't get him to stay in the angle that was comfortable for both of us once I started tightening the sling.
Maybe I'll just wait on that part until he's older.
Pay close attention to how your tightening. Tighten inch by inch watching which direction and how much you're pulling. You don't necessarily have to tighten the rails either. You can achieve a good cradle carry with the middle being more taught than the top rail if that makes sense. Your boobs are smaller than mine so I know you CAN do this. But he's little, you've got a toddler to chase after, and more. It takes time and effort to get BFing in a carrier down. Remember even if it's just one hand carry, it's still giving you one free hand to help Lyla out with something. :)
Let me search for videos....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr0Vn...1zCQvTSblheOE=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j84sV...EMokjhAqO_bdw=
This sounds a lot like my experiences. Im assuming as she gets older it will get easier but for now I just go with one hand free and figure at least I can move around instead of being stuck sitting down.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnaRO