When babywearing a newborn it is imperative you make sure the baby’s airway is unobstructed. Most commonly, this includes making sure the baby is not in a chin-to-chest position, which can partially or fully obstruct the baby’s airway. Newborns don’t have head and neck control so they can’t correct bad positioning on their own. Snuffling noises may indicate an airway impediment caused by positioning – always listen to your baby’s noises. Read this article on correct newborn positioning by M’Liss Stelzer. I attended M’Liss’s session at the Chicago Babywearing Conference on newborn positioning and it was a pleasure to meet such an intelligent and educated advocate for babywearing.
There are a lots of great tips about wearing a newborn (in LOTS of different carriers) on TheBabyWearer. This thread from a daddy in Australia is one of my favorites.
Instructions on the web:
Wraps:
Newborn cradle carry with a stretchy wrap, this YouTube video of a European daddy is one of my favorites – I sent it to my brother last summer when his daughter was born and it helped him a good deal.
Newborn carries at www.WrapYourBaby.com.
Ring Slings:
Preemies:
For more information about babywearing a premature infant, see this thread on www.TheBabyWearer.com. Please note that preemies are at enhanced risk for positional asphyxia because of their low muscle tone, and it is critical to keep their airways open and protected. For information about Kangaroo Mother Care, which involves a special kind of skin-to-skin babywearing, see this website.
-Larissa Wright-Elson
