About Babywearing

Babywearing Position - The Cradle Hold

Flickr: babywearing

In the Cradle Hold is one of the most popular babywearing positions for newborns. The carrier is used like a hammock, with your baby worn in a lying or semi-reclined position against your chest. It’s similar to how you naturally would cradle her in your arms, only the baby is supported by the baby carrier.

With a sling or pouch, your baby’s head would point towards the shoulder the carrier is supported by.

Sometimes parents may prefer to reverse baby’s position and put baby’s head on the opposite side. This is particularly convenient for breastfeeding mothers when they want to feed their baby, so this variation of the cradle hold is often called the Reverse Cradle Hold or the Nursing Cradle Hold.

This video from Hotslings shows how easy it is to use the Cradle Hold with a sling or pouch

Instructions For The Cradle Hold Using A Sling

• Hold the sling in front of you and place it over your head, putting one arm through, bandolier style.
• If your sling has rings and a tail, they should be just in front of your shoulder when properly positioning. The right spot is about where you may wear a brooch.
• Arrange the fabric so that you have a little pocket for your baby, almost like a hammock, directly in front of you.
• Spread the pocket as wide as you can before you pick up your baby, so you can easily position her inside.
• Now pick up your baby, facing her towards you, and hold her high on your shoulder. Gently lower her into the sling pocket so that you are facing each other, tummy-to-tummy.
• When the baby is comfortably in the sling, with her head either inside or outside the sling, pull the tail of the sling to tighten it. You can make the sling fit more snugly by adjusting the top and bottom rail independently.

A similar position is the Reverse Cradle Carry, where your baby’s head at the side opposite to where the pouch rests on your shoulder. This carry position is especially useful for nursing, including hands free nursing. Position the baby into the pouch from her head to her bottom, her legs can hang out the side and do not need to be tucked inside the sling.