Recently, I have been thinking of the days when B was just a tiny little one. The days and nights were often very rough, and with a husband deployed for a good deal of her infancy and with living overseas, I was often desparate for something, ANYTHING that could help. Enter the sling-- my savior!
A little background. From the start, B was a screamer. She would scream for hours on end, day and night, and though we were dismissed by the doctors initially, she had obvious signs of painful, silent reflux. She was a comfort nurser and nursed 24/7, she did not sleep, she constantly wanted to be held, and even when held, she spent much of her time being very very upset. My attempts at elimination diets did not produce much in the way of results, and formula wasn't an option for us. The docs said it “might be colic” and I used to joke with my husband when she was screaming that it must be 6-8pm SOMEWHERE (the typical time frame for nightly colic, apparently).
We started using the mei tai sling when she was about 3-4 weeks old and once I started, there was no going back. It kept her upright against my chest and though she would always scream for the first 10 minutes, she would instantly settle down after the time had passed. The best part was that she would even SLEEP in this sling for as much as 30-45 minutes at a time. She felt more relaxed and her breathing was more regular. Not only was it great to have my hands free to do some things, but it was wonderful to get a “break” without having to set my baby down and listen to her scream. Since she was in the sling, she was still being held, she was still feeling that reassurance, but I was getting to remove a little bit of the burden and allowing the sling to do some of the work.
Once she was about 3 months old, I switched to the maya wrap (again, slinging her in the upright position against my chest). I could take her anywhere in the sling, I could nurse her in it and at night when she couldn't sleep, I could put her in the sling and give my tired arms a rest. It folded up flat in my diaper bag for the rare moment when she wasn't actually in it (I remember many a miserable car ride when I fantasized about being able to safely sling her while driving. If only someone could have invented such a device!!!)
Initially, I was intimidated by the slings. I knew I had wanted to use one but when pregnant, I could never decide on what one to get. My friend bought us the mei tai and really, it ended up being the perfect sling for a newby slinger! It goes on in a very concrete way so there isn't a lot of room for error. It was extremely comfy and easy on my back. Plus, B LIKED it and it made her SLEEP. I was sold! The Maya ring sling intimidated me a little bit more, but once I got the hang of it (maybe took a few days), it was very easy to get B in and out of it without much thought and without much time. Both slings can accommodate a child of 8-35 pounds, and if used properly, can be used with newborns. B is now 25 lbs and I can still sling her with ease and comfort. Both are versatile and allow you to wear your baby on your hip, chest, or back. Both are GREAT (in my opinion) for babies and toddlers with PI and/or reflux, since you can sling them upright, among other positions. And, if you are super ambitious and crafty, you can actually make your own. You have to be sure to buy proper rings for a ring sling and to buy appropriate fabric for a mei tai style, but it can definitely be done!
Every mama needs a break but not every mama has someone who can swoop in to relieve her at those trying times. The slings were my relief, B's comfort, and an integral part of our bonding and attachment that I will always treasure.
A little background. From the start, B was a screamer. She would scream for hours on end, day and night, and though we were dismissed by the doctors initially, she had obvious signs of painful, silent reflux. She was a comfort nurser and nursed 24/7, she did not sleep, she constantly wanted to be held, and even when held, she spent much of her time being very very upset. My attempts at elimination diets did not produce much in the way of results, and formula wasn't an option for us. The docs said it “might be colic” and I used to joke with my husband when she was screaming that it must be 6-8pm SOMEWHERE (the typical time frame for nightly colic, apparently).
We started using the mei tai sling when she was about 3-4 weeks old and once I started, there was no going back. It kept her upright against my chest and though she would always scream for the first 10 minutes, she would instantly settle down after the time had passed. The best part was that she would even SLEEP in this sling for as much as 30-45 minutes at a time. She felt more relaxed and her breathing was more regular. Not only was it great to have my hands free to do some things, but it was wonderful to get a “break” without having to set my baby down and listen to her scream. Since she was in the sling, she was still being held, she was still feeling that reassurance, but I was getting to remove a little bit of the burden and allowing the sling to do some of the work.
Once she was about 3 months old, I switched to the maya wrap (again, slinging her in the upright position against my chest). I could take her anywhere in the sling, I could nurse her in it and at night when she couldn't sleep, I could put her in the sling and give my tired arms a rest. It folded up flat in my diaper bag for the rare moment when she wasn't actually in it (I remember many a miserable car ride when I fantasized about being able to safely sling her while driving. If only someone could have invented such a device!!!)
Initially, I was intimidated by the slings. I knew I had wanted to use one but when pregnant, I could never decide on what one to get. My friend bought us the mei tai and really, it ended up being the perfect sling for a newby slinger! It goes on in a very concrete way so there isn't a lot of room for error. It was extremely comfy and easy on my back. Plus, B LIKED it and it made her SLEEP. I was sold! The Maya ring sling intimidated me a little bit more, but once I got the hang of it (maybe took a few days), it was very easy to get B in and out of it without much thought and without much time. Both slings can accommodate a child of 8-35 pounds, and if used properly, can be used with newborns. B is now 25 lbs and I can still sling her with ease and comfort. Both are versatile and allow you to wear your baby on your hip, chest, or back. Both are GREAT (in my opinion) for babies and toddlers with PI and/or reflux, since you can sling them upright, among other positions. And, if you are super ambitious and crafty, you can actually make your own. You have to be sure to buy proper rings for a ring sling and to buy appropriate fabric for a mei tai style, but it can definitely be done!
Every mama needs a break but not every mama has someone who can swoop in to relieve her at those trying times. The slings were my relief, B's comfort, and an integral part of our bonding and attachment that I will always treasure.
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