How to Wear Your Sling Baby in the Maya Wrap

Generally Speaking

PRACTICE... using the sling before you put your infant in. Get used to taking your Maya Wrap on and off, and shortening and lengthening the sling before you put your infant in for the first time. If you are concerned at all practice on a doll. Everyone feels akward at first, don't worry, you and your baby will find that your sling adjusts to fit you! While you are getting used to wearing your baby, support him with your hands. As you go through the learning phase of moving and reacting, the urge to support your baby with your hands is instinctive. After you become a babywearing veteran, you can safely carry your baby in the sling with one or both hands free.

Get MOVING. Babies feel more secure when movement is taking place. As soon as your infant is in the sling, start moving and talking. The more comfortable you are, the happier you baby will be. If after a few moments your baby seems unhappy. TRY AGAIN LATER. When you both are more relaxed. Also make sure you feed baby before putting her in the sling. Something that worked good for me was using the sling like a BLANKET while I was holding my baby. As he would relax, I would gently cinch the sling tight around him. If you would like more babywearing information you can order an instructional video for $5.00 (Video is included free with each $49.00 order for a sling.) You can also give me a call or email me with any questions you have, I want you to love your sling like I love mine! Ordering you Maya Wrap is easy, click order....

Above all, RELAX! There will be no tests here, just many hours of happy babywearing in your future!

Step by Step Instructions...

A. Grasp the Maya Wrap with rings at front and tail hanging down.

B. Pass your Maya Wrap over your head and rest the shoulder cap on your shoulder; the sling portion will be under the opposite arm. The rings are at front positioned approximately where you would pin a corsage) with the tail hanging down. The rings must be kept in this position at all times or the baby holder will not open properly. You should pull any slack fabric from behind your back. Do not slide the cap off your shoulder. The sling may be worn on either shoulder. To adjust the sling for a smaller parent, lift baby with one hand to "unlock" rings and pull down on the tail with opposite hand. To enlarge the sling, lift up on the bottom of upper ring and pull down on the sack portion with your other hand.

C. If the sling rings are "unbuckled," pass the tail through both rings, then loop the tail over the top ring and pass the tail back through between the two rings coming out through the bottom ring as shown. The sling should be adjusted to position the baby just where you would hold him/her with your arms. For example, when your baby is nursing, he or she would lie just under your bust line, not down on your tummy. The tail should be far enough through the rings for you to grip securely. IMPORTANT: Be sure the tail is looped through the rings correctly to ensure it does not slip.

D. To place baby in a horizontal position to either sleep or nurse, loosen the tail to make plenty of room in the "sack" where the baby lies. Make sure the rings stay high on your chest. Stretch the sack out evenly in front horizontally, by pulling on the rings and lifting the material you have slung through. Position baby’s head away from the rings. As baby grows, his or her feet can hang out. Pull material up for discreet nursing, or to shade baby from sun or cold wind. NOTE: If you have a smaller baby who may look lost in the bottom of the Maya Wrap, tighten up you fabric and use the excess tail for a pillow.

E. To incline a tiny newborn for better head support, tighten the tail up to make the sack smaller, tucking excess fabric behind your back. Pull the sack out straight in front of you. Lie baby on his/her back with head toward rings. Remember to keep the rings high on your chest as previously described.

F. To sit baby facing forward, tighten the tail to about medium, depending on the size of your baby. Pull the sack straight out in front of you. Cross baby’s legs Indian style and sit him/her down in the pouch. Babys head should rest against the center of your chest. If your baby cries when you first put him/her in the sling, and he/she is in it properly, you might try again later when you are both in a relaxed mood. In comparison, some babies cry the first time they are put in a bath tub, but as they become used to it they learn to love it.

G. Baby can face tummy to tummy with you, too. Little infants can put their legs in the sack, while larger babies put their legs out. Position the fabric either up against your waist to create a curved bag with baby’s legs in, or tuck the fabric under baby’s bottom with legs out. Tighten the tail snug. This is a great nursing position for older babies as well.

H. To carry a larger child on your hip, pull the sack to your side, straddle baby on hip as usual, making sure the fabric is pulled tightly under baby’s bottom to create a seat. One leg will be behind your hip, the other in front. Both legs should hang out of the sling. Lift baby with one hand while pulling the tail with the other to tighten the sack so baby is closer to your side. Pull the outer fabric up as high as you like to support your baby behind his/her back or head. To carry baby on your back, position baby same as hip straddle, then slide sling and baby behind your arm.

I. You can remove your Maya Wrap without waking baby by simply lying the baby down and backing out of the sling while slipping it over your head.

There you have it, your very own Sling Baby!