Introduction: How to Use an Ergo Carrier to Calm Your Baby to Sleep

About: Our mission is to help assist parents in experimenting with natural ways to help put their baby to sleep. Visit www.Baby2Sleep.net & www.BabyWearingMama.org for more information. See you there!

Welcome! 

My name is Jen, and I'm a babywearing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, homeschooling mama to four amazing littles -- Zoe (9), Niko (5), and Vi & Manny (the crazy two-year-old twins).  Days get pretty nutty around here!  Once I found out I had twins on the way, I knew that babywearing had just transitioned from something I had loved and believed in with my first two babies to an absolute necessity for daily survival.  And once the twins came, we added the perfect recipe for total sleeplessness...preemies with acid reflux.  At that point, babywearing became the single most important piece of my twin infant parenting puzzle.  At the end of it all, I had learned this:  Ergo carrier = sleeping baby.

Whether you are having a singleton or multiples, an Ergo can be the single most important piece of baby equipment you buy. And cheap substitutes are just not a replacement - your back will tell you that within minutes of trying one out (mine sure did!)

Luck, love, and wonder to you on this amazing journey called parenting!

Wishing you peace,
Jen
http://babywearingmama.org

Step 1: Grab Your Ergo!

The most important step in babywearing is making sure your Ergo is handy!  (I'm famous for forgetting mine in the car...)

Step 2: Align Your Ergo

Hold your Ergo carrier by the waistband so that the warning label is facing you, right side up.  This holds true whether you are planning to front or back carry.

Note*  if you will be carrying an infant, you should also purchase the "infant insert" for your Ergo.  This positions the infant correctly in the carrier, and reduces the chances of improper carrying and/or injury.

Step 3: Put Your Ergo On

1.  For front carry, put the warning label up against your lower belly and wrap the waistband around your waist.

2.  For back carry, put the warning label up against your lower back and wrap the waistband around your waist.

3.  Thread the buckle clip through the safety loop on the receiving end.

4.  Insert the clip into the clip receptacle.

5.  That's it!  Your Ergo is now ready to use.

Step 4: Put Your Baby in Your Ergo

  1. Lift baby so that her belly is facing you -- this is NOT a front-facing carrier.
  2. For front carry (belly to belly):
    • Place baby's belly against yours, allowing legs to hang to either side of the Ergo body.
    • Using one hand to support baby, draw the body of the Ergo up over baby's back.
    • Insert one of your arms into the Ergo strap.
    • Switch your supporting hand.
    • Insert your other arm into the Ergo strap.
    • Ensure that baby is fully seated in the Ergo -- her bottom will be resting well inside the body of the Ergo, and the pouch should rise to cover most, if not all, of her back.
    • Draw the cross clip between your two arm straps across your chest and click to close.
  3. For back carry (on your back):
    • While leaning forward, using either a pass-around or an over-the-shoulder toss (for older babies ONLY), place the baby's belly against your lower back.
    • Using one hand to support baby, draw the body of the Ergo up over baby's back.
    • Insert one of your arms into the Ergo strap.
    • Switch your supporting hand.
    • Insert your other arm into the Ergo strap.
    • Ensure that baby is fully seated in the Ergo -- her bottom will be resting well inside the body of the Ergo, and the pouch should rise to cover most, if not all, of her back.
    • Draw the cross clip between your two arm straps across your back and click to close. You may need someone's help to clip this, as it will be resting between your shoulder blades.
  4. Enjoy the amazing bonding experience!
    • New babies love to be carried belly to belly...try wearing your Ergo topless for great skin-to-skin time (or for Kangaroo care for your preemie.)
    • Fussy babies will settle when they are up close to you!
    • Colic - or reflux - babies, sleep well in an upright position.  Try keeping your newborn in the Ergo for 20-30 minutes after a feed.  He will fall asleep faster and suffer far less discomfort (translation:  you will get to sleep more!) is you give him that extended amount of upright time.

Note*  The pic of Vi asleep on my back was taken at Sesame Place in PA...during their Halloween parade!  Translate: Even a noisy crowd, loud music, and her favorite dancing Sesame Street characters couldn't keep her awake once in her comfy Ergo!