When I was pregnant with my first, I knew that I wanted to babywear. However, once she was born, we didn’t babywear very much (but definitely could have been) until she was 6 months old. This time around, I really hoped babywearing would help me keep up with my toddler. I’m pleased to say that we have actually done a l o t of babywearing (largely due to our original bassinet order delaying 6 weeks).
But newborns are a touch more difficult to wear than, say 6 month olds. How do you babywear when they are floppy?
Generally, when baby is really new, you wear them with legs in, in froggy position. A lot of newborns seem to prefer this tighter positioning; though you can go legs out if your baby doesn’t like being scrunched up. The key with legs in is the ensure that baby’s bum is still getting their weight, and that they aren’t resting on their feet/ankles.
froggy the legs 
while supporting bum
When do you switch to legs out? When they seem uncomfortable with the froggy positioning, or they seem fine with legs out (maybe that’s easier for you to get right). My baby was okay with legs in for about 2 weeks, but then preferred legs out. He’s a pretty big baby (he gained 12.5% his bodyweight by 3 weeks), and I think being in froggy position was just less comfortable at that point.
Remember: either way, you want their legs and bum in an “M” shape, with bum lower than knees, to ensure they get a good seat. And it’s extra-important to keep baby close enough to kiss!
When it comes to newborns, the key to wearing them well is making sure you’ve got the carrier well-adjusted.
For ring slings, and woven wraps, that’s going to mean getting all the slack out––especially in the middle, across their back. If baby starts to go diagonal, simply readjust them, and continue tightening. Since their heads are floppy, it can be helpful to give them some extra support. In a woven wrap, you can take a thin towel, and then roll the top rail over it, creating a pillow of sorts. And in a ring sling, you can simply twist the tail, and tuck the top rail over it to hold it in place for baby.
legs out, and twisted tail 
tight across the back 
m shape
For a more structured carrier (SSC, meh dai, ect.), make sure you get a nice seat, and use a newborn insert, if necessary.
If you’re wondering what carrier is ‘best’ for a new baby…that’s really up to your own preference. To learn more about the different kinds of carriers, check out my extensive post about babywearing. Personally, if you want a one-and-done carrier, I’d go with a ring sling, because they are the easiest to use, once you figure them out; and they can be used newborn through toddler.
However, our Happy Baby SSC has been our carrier of choice the last month and a half. As previously mentioned, my new baby is fairly large (13.5 pounds at 6 weeks). This has made it less comfortable for me to wear him in a ring sling––as a newborn––because he’s big and floppy. Even with a neck ‘pillow’, I find myself using my arm to support him a bit. With our SSC, his head is supported all the way up, so I don’t have to do that job. When he gets neck control, I suspect we’ll transition back into more ring sling usage, as they are my go-to.
Do you have any other questions about wearing a newborn? I’d love to answer them for you, if I can! And if you did wear newborn, what was your favourite type of carrier to do that in?
