Your baby should have good control of his head before carrying him in this position. Open the sling to form a pouch and raise the bottom fabric to just underneath your breasts. Hold your baby in front of you, facing forward, cross his legs, and place him butt first into the sling. Pull up on the top fabric to make sure he is secure in the pouch.

Hold your baby high on your shoulder and slide baby's legs through the sling. Place baby on your hip as you would normally carry him. Adjust the bottom fabric under your baby's butt and behind his knees. The top fabric should be high on the baby's back. Baby's arms can be either in or out of the sling.

You can carry your newborn in the cradle hold, with his head near the side with the rings and his feet by your belly. For this position, put your baby in butt first. Always ensure that there is fabric between you and your baby. If your baby looks like he is sinking down too far, reach your hand behind his head, down to his butt and pull him up a bit. You can also lift him higher on your body and tighten the sling. You can tighen the top and bottom portions separately by pulling on just that part of the tail. As your baby is settling into the sling, bounce, rock, or walk, as babies usually like these motions. You can also breastfeed in this position.

This position usually works best when your baby is nursing on the opposite side of the rings. Therefore, if your baby needs to nurse on the right, put the sling on with the rings on the left. When your baby gets taller, his legs can stick out of the sling. Always make sure there is fabric between you and your baby and that his butt is secured in the pouch.

For the snuggle hold the baby is placed on your chest with his head under your chin. The bottom of the sling is placed underneath his butt. His legs can either be hanging down out of the sling or can be crossed inside the sling. For a newborn, I recommend leaving your baby's feet inside the sling and wearing your baby very high on your chest. Put your sling on and hold your newborn on your chest as you normally would. Use the sling as if it were a blanket and wrap it around your baby. You can then tighten the sling. As your baby gets older you can let his legs hang out of the sling. And for even older babies, they can eventually straddle their legs around your waist.

           Picture 1 how to wear

If you are going to wear your sling on your right shoulder, hold the rings in your right hand with the tail hanging down in front. Slip your left arm in the sling and bring it over your head to rest on your right shoulder (pictures 1 and 2). The rings should be on your chest where you would wear a corsage. You can fan the shoulder portion of the sling over your entire shoulder and slightly down your arm (picture 4). Open the sling to form a pouch (picture 3). The sling is tightened by pulling down on the tail while supporting the weight of your baby. To loosen the sling, support the weight of your baby and lift up on the bottom ring, or pull the fabric back through the rings.

To re-thread the rings I fold the end of the sling in half and then in half again. Feed the fabric through both rings and then back through the bottom ring. You can also cinch up the bottom of the sling (like an accordion) and then feed it through the rings.

     Picture 2 of how to wear

      Picture 3 how to wear

      Picture 4 how to wear

   Wallabay slings are great for bonding and nursing ! As a birth doula I totally recommend these.