Pictures of baby in MNM?

[quinnsmom]

I am having a difficult time getting my baby in my MNM pouch - in any position except the hip & tummy to tummy carry.

I have read all of the previous posts on the MNM pouch and see that a lot people feel the same way I do when the first get their pouch in that they think it is too small.

I have been trying to get my DS in the modified cradle position for days - but he seems kind of crushed as I am trying to put him in there and I haven't been able to get him completely in the pouch in that position. My son is 5 months, 18 lbs, 28". I don't think he is too big since there are pictures of Jen with her son Samuel in the pouch in this position when he was 30 lbs. I was really hoping that the modified cradle position would work.

I like the pictures that someone posted previously on this board with their child in the pouch in a "lounge position". I keep trying but this position hasen't worked for me either.

And I am a bit confused - on the MNM website it states that:

"The size tag is the back side of your pouch and the site info tag is the front of your pouch. If you wear the pouch backwards, the rails will not function correctly and the snaps will hang loose."

My pouch only has one tag - it's a size tag - so I guess that side is the back of the pouch. But on the MNM site there are pictures of babies in the pouches and it looks like the size tag (which appears to be larger than the site info tag) in the front.

http://www.mom-and-me-creations.com/peainpod.html

Are they wearing in the wrong position?
And should the snaps in the back be exposed on the flat side of the snap or should the part where the snaps actually snap together be facing out if I am snapped on the last two rows?

After reading all of the previous posts and looking at the mnm site I still feel as if I am wearing it wrong.

Does anyone have any pictures they can post with their babies in their pouches - perhaps in a position other than the hip/tummy to tummy that they can post with some advice om how to get my little guy in there?

Maybe I need a different style carrier if I want to wear my baby facing out.

Thanks! :)

[quikeye]

Kanga carry (please excuse weird bathroom lighting!)


1st, start w. babe against your shoulder you're wearing the pouch on, bum and legs up, and facing AWAY from you. Holding him under the legs & knees has always worked best with one hand for me.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19238.jpg


With your opposite hand, pull up on the outer rail of the pouch (the one not against your body) and pull it under babe's bum. I get it under his knees here. (I did it with my opposite hand then held it in place as I took the pic with my "opposite" hand-- keep 1 hand under babe's bum and use the other to pull the rail up under it).

NOT SHOWN IN PIC: Then, pull the inner rail (the one against your body) up against babe's back so it makes a place/pouch for babe to sit in. Once this is done, you can be sure babe won't fall as he has a place to sit, even as you adjust legs/etc.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19239.jpg


Help babe fold their legs "buddha"-lotus-indian etc style-- fold them in front of babe as if they were sitting that style on the floor. You can do one at a time, or both at the same time.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19240.jpg


Pull the front rail up over babe's crossed legs, and drop babe fully into pouch. My hand is on his bum in the pic, and the seam is in the middle of my body. When the seam is like this, it's the widest part of the pouch for abbe to sit in. So, make sure the seam is down there (doesn't have to be exact, but the closer it is, the more comfy it'll be for you.)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19241.jpg


Sitting lotus style/KANGA CARRY in the pouch :) Notice again the seam lined up with babe.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19242.jpg


I've had my son sit in this position w/ his legs dangling out (bum in), when he was fussy about having his feet inside. But, I never really felt comfy w/ it, thinking he could "launch" himself out of the pouch. Thankfully he's over that stage.

This carry uses a LOT of fabric, esp as babe gets older and their legs take up a lot of room inside. So, consider loosening the pouch if you find babe is too tight or too hard to get in. I also notice it gets harder once babe starts *really* getting heavy-- but my son liked it up until 10-11 months when we started using mainly the hip carry. He's 11+ months in this pic though, so possible for older babes to be carried this way.

[quikeye]

Half-cradle (modified?) I called this a half or modified cradle as babe is perpendicular to my body as in a cradle hold, but not lying down fully. He's sitting up, back straight & legs out-- in an "L" position.

Again, please excuse weird lighting :)


1st, start w. babe against the shoulder your pouch is on. Have babe held as you want them in the pouch (perpendicular to your body, back straight up). I hold him under his thighs, under the knees here.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19243.jpg


Then, use your opposite hand (hand not holding babe) and pull the front rail (one away from you) over babe's bum. My arm that's holding him hasn't moved, I'm bringing the pouch fabric up to him. (I used my opposite hand after setting the camera down! Held fabric w/ the same hand holding babe, but it's MUCH EASIER to use the opposite hand to help you! Let one hand hold babe, the other do the work).

NOT SHOWN IN PIC: Then bring the back rail (the rail next to your body) up to surround babe with your opposite hand. Now, there's a secure place to deposit babe into as you position them further...
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19244.jpg


Next, bring the front rail of the pouch up over babe's shoulder, and the back rail as well. This helps support babe to sit up in the pouch, and I find when I position the rail across his back 1st (before fully putting him inside), it makes for a better support. Particularly helpful when babe doesn't have super neck control. Remember to help babe to remain sitting straight up, it'll be easier to get them in straight than to reposition later.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19245.jpg


Now I have him "surrounded" by the fabric the way I want him to be, I lower him fully into the pouch, bum 1st. His legs are still out here; you could leave them dangling if you wanted-- I would just pull the front rail to be under his knees and then they can hang, but babe will still be "inside" the pouch & held securely. Show off the cute shoes :) I keep his legs elevated until I get him bum into the pouch, makes shifting easier if I don't get him in "right" the 1st time.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19246.jpg


And finally legs fully in the pouch. His bum is in my hand, and his legs are straight out (against the crook of my arm). Notice how great the head support is for babes who are still wobbly... I didn't feel comfy w/ kanga or t2t positions until I was *sure* he had great head control, and this was our fav position for a long time.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19247.jpg

[quikeye]

Hi again :)

For the pouch being too small, you may want to try out a larger snap position (or are you in the largest position now?) when 1st experimenting w/ getting babe in, esp. if this is their 1st time being worn. The pics that I took were all in a larger snap position than I'd usually wear, since it's easier to get babe in that way (more stretch room), but isn't as comfy when you wear them (as babe starts to hang low, pulling more weight on your shoulder than being worn tightly against the chest, taking some of the pressure off your shoulder). There is a lot of stretch to the fabric, don't hesitate to pull it wide open if you're having a hard time getting babe in. Also, if this is babe's 1st time being worn, they may protest, making it harder. Practice with not smooshing them in @ 1st at a looser snap setting... once they feel okay with it, they'll let you manipulate them any which way. :)

I was thinking, the easiest way to get abbe into *any* position in a pouch is having them already in that position before you put them in. Sounds weird, but if you want babe facing out, put them in that position against your shoulder before putting them in. Same for cradle or any modified cradle-- if you want them perpendicular ot your body, putting them in that way makes it much easier than trying to accomodate/change them once they're in the pouch. Looking @ the pics above, notice for the cradle he's already perp to me when I start getting him in, but for the kanga he's facing out already... This was like a lightbulb moment when I 1st starter carrying other than the cradle-- I kept trying to shift him inside & he'd get all upset about it. Now, if I don't have him in like I want once his bum hits the bottom of the pouch, I just take him out & try again.

No tag? Did you get one of those beautiful tie-dyed ones from ebay?? :) ::dr00l:: But yes, the size tag should be in if you don't ahve the tag that says "mom and me pouch"-- another way to think about it is you don't want the flap of extra snaps hanging loose outside the pouch (when not in the loosest snap setting), you want them in against your back. Actually, other than a worry babe or someone would pull the loose end & unsnap the pouch from the outside, I don't think there's that big of a deal in wearing it "inside out" other than aesthetic ones... I took a look @ the pics (and saw some of me & Kai!! :)) and didn't see anyone w/ a size tag facing out... Jen used to make them w/ 2 tags (one size that's against your chest, and one "mom and me" tag that faces out). Maybe not anymore-- and I do know some moms remove the mom and me tag as they don't like the look (I don't mind).

How snaps should look when on your back (what ppl will see from behind)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19249.jpg

Wrong way:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19250.jpg

When Kai wakes up we can take more pics if you're looking for other position pics-- :) Please post if I'm confusing you more than helping; re-reading this I'm confusing myself a little!

[quinnsmom]

Wow Aija - THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your pictures are unbelievabley helpful! I am such a visual person - it's been hard for me to get my son in the pouch just by reading the directions on the mnm page. Even though there are pictures there - your pictures made it extremely clear.

I am going to try it step by step as you suggested above. I do think that my pouch may be too small though. You mentioned that you had your pouch on the loosest setting for picture taking purposes. But I have mine snapped on the last two rows - and is not that loose (or even close). Can I wear the pouch with just one row of snaps snapped? I wonder if I washed and dried it - I will be able to stretch it out more?

I know I am doing something wrong. I just got back from Target where I carried Quinn in the pouch - hip carry - and my back is killing me. And that just shouldn't be. This is my first pouch - I guess I need more practice!

Yes I did get a BEAUTIFUL pouch on Ebay - dyed "painted dessert" - it's gorgeous. I so want it to work for us!

Thank you for taking the time to post with all of your pictures. You 're so helpful and thorough in your explanations! I will post in a few days and let you know of my progress.

:)

[msjd123]

Try looking at the pictures here: http://www.hotslings.com/pages/WearingInstructions.php

Ironically, her son's name is also Quinn. :) It isn't the same sling, but it's also a pouch, so the concept is the same.

Sarah

[quinnsmom]

Thanks Sarah! That site is helpful.

[quikeye]

Hi, Kai woke up later that day & I took some more wearing pics of him, since he was being so cooperative :) He pulled at the sling I left on the couch and brought it to me... not that I think he was really telling me something other than the snaps were fun to point at, but it got me in it again :)


Align pouch seam to be in the middle of your body, so when babe is sitting "straddling" you, their bum will be in that seam pocket. Start babe out against your chest...
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19284.jpg


Hike them up over your shoulder (his stomach is on my shoulder-- he's big so your babe may not go as far up. Position babe to a point where you will be comfortable enough to pull the sling down in order to slip babe in-- and also comfortable with your grip on babe at the same time)...
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19285.jpg


Bring babe's legs into sling against your body, and pull up on the front rail (leaving the back rail behind babe's legs-- babe will be against your body).

NOT SHOWN IN PIC: Pull back rail down and out, in order to create a "shelf" for babe to sit in. The width of the pouch will give babe great coverage in the back and under their knees, as long as the sling is open all the way to do so.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19286.jpg


Once sling is situated under babe's bum & thighs, lower fully into pouch where pocket has been created. Legs can go out around your torso, or however is comfy for you and child. (I can't get mine to bring his legs in when we're in this position.)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19287.jpg


Side view... Seam isn't perfect, but comfortable enough for me. Mine likes to point his legs straight out in this position. I actually didn't like it until he was larger-- I felt when he was too small that my torso's width would stretch his legs too open & be uncomfortable. That was just me :)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19288.jpg

[quikeye]

Cradle w/ older babe... same as cradle for younger, except I mainly have his legs hanging out of the pouch, otherwise it is too cramped in there. And I will either support his head up out of the pouch, or have his head lying down for ease of nursing (and being totally covered as well).


Start with babe in semi-reclining position, as before.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19289.jpg


Holding in position, bring outer & inner rail around babe, over the shoulder but under the head, as in the above cradle instructions. Use one hand to hold babe steadily in position, and one to manipulate sling's fabric around babe.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19290.jpg


Drop babe into pouch once situated as above. Here fabric is holding his head up-- he is much more reclined than above but you can't really tell that he's sitting at a 45 degree angle as opposed to straight up. It's also comfortable, a little more strain on my neck. But I put him in this way when I want to be able to nurse & then have him sit up again (or the other way around), without having to take the pouch off and reposition later.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19291.jpg


Removing the support of the front rail, babe is reclined inside the pouch at an angle suitable for nursing (he's not fully reclined). He doesn't like this position unless he wants to nurse-- hence the happy face :)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19292.jpg


And here's after picking him back up from being fully reclined. I also have positioned his legs in a way that the front rail is under his thighs & knees-- the above pic has the rail supporting his legs pointing straight out. I find this way to be mroe comfortable.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19293.jpg


Jen has some other nursing pics on her site of older babes nursing, but all on the opposite side (sitting up & leaning to the exposed/not covered by sling breast). I am more comfortable w/ mine, but it does mean a lot of coverup for babe (mine doesn't mind when he's hungry, some do). So you could also wear another way for nursing, I just am more comfortable being totally covered when nip. I recently posted pics of us nursing in this position while @ Epcot, and no one was the wiser.

[quikeye]

No worries, Kai loves being worn and I like trying out new positions (we get in a rut sometimes & I forget how sweet other positions can be).

When i took the pics, I had my sling looser than that I would normally wear (one row looser), but it wasn't on the loosest setting. My sling is a med-large, and I have a lot of wiggle room as far as opening it goes (it was supposed to be for dh, but he never wears it so I ganked it). I would say that when I wear mine, generally it is conformed to my body but not tight-- if I pulled it away from my body, I would guess there to be about 4-6" of space btw me and the sling fabric (not stretching it away, just lifting it). I find most of the stretch "work" being done by the outer rail as it holds ds in.

I think mnm site recommends 2 rows of snaps, says 1 may be okay for newborn... I've not worn mine on 1 row before (since I always had extra rows), but my KKAFP only uses one row of snaps, so it may be okay. With 2 rows I've never worried about it opening (very solid), you may want to try at home and see what you think.

You may be able to wash it & stretch it, although that's usually the treatment reccomended to bounce this particular sling back *into* shape once it's been stretched out by wearing (after a period of time, in even one wearing the hemp fabrc stretches, esp if babe's total weight is being supported by fabric as in the cradle carry) ... Are your measurements in sync w/ the mnm's site size recommendations?

Weird about hip carry, since some of babe's weight should be distributed on your hip and the rest of the weight supported by the pouch should be the disbursed over your shoulder... I find this carry to be the most comfortable since all of their weight isn't on my shoulder being carried. The pics I posted above for t2t can also be used for hip carry-- just place seam over your hip & babe can wrap their legs around your torso after being inserted the same way. Careful if you decide to use only 1 row in this carry, as the snaps will be across your shoulder/chest instead of your back.

You may also be able to find some other advice on www.thebabywearer.com -- great, helpful site as well on babywearing. HTH!

[megulis]

You should archive this somewhere on a site. This visual representation is very helpful. All this reading about slings is making me reminiscent about wearing my ds, and now I want a baby just to have an excuse to wear the many slings I have! LOL!

I haven't tried many of the carries you took pictures of, but now I wish I could. At 26 lbs, I really am not carrying my ds in slings much; I don't carry him much at all.

Your baby looks adorable in the sling and in his outfit!

[hapahaolegirl]

Thank you so much for posting these pics! I have a hotsling but I have been trying to figure out other ways to hold DD. I could not figure out the hip carry for the life of me. Thank you!

Kristen

[quikeye]

Thanks all for the kind words-- I've saved copies of the pics for myself (too many pics of ds... yay for digicam!), maybe when i get reading about ftp I'll figure out how to upload a new page to my website or blog. I have a ball wearing ds and love showing him off in his pouches/carriers... When I wear him, people more and more address Kai & say "Oh! You're not going to fit anymore! You'll have to go in your stroller!" and I just think, maybe I'll keep carrying him til he's eighteen (DH's and my running joke). I'd need a bigger pouch then, though. :)

Couldn't love the pouches more-- I thought I would retire them once I got my kozy, but it's been all pouch all the time around here since it got cold. And esp my mom and me... so cozy for both of us.

Let me know if you want any other pics or explanations & I'll try to be more explicit.

Kristen, I'm a hapahaole grrl too! :) w00t...

[quinnsmom]

These pictures really are great! What an excellent resource.

Alas - after all of the awesome advice and pics that you posted - I think I may have to sell my pouch :(.

I contacted Jen at mnm and asked her some questions about my pouch and about possibley exchanging it - and found out that all Ebay sales are final. She gave me some tips to try - a lot of the same stuff you said. But the bottom line is - I got the wrong size. I told her my measurements and she said that I am at the large end of a small (which is what I got). But I know now that I need a medium!

Oh well. I will probably list it on Ebay or post a msg on the thebabywearer.com

I am pretty bummed! x(

The pictures of you and Kai are so great - you guys look so cozy. I'll just get another pouch.

In your opinion, the mnm pouches are the comfiest? I have been reading about the KKAFP on this board - and people are raving about them. I'm wondering if I should try another kind - or just get a new mnm in MEDIUM!

Thanks again for all of your pictures. I know I will keep referring back to them for awhile.

[quikeye]

Bummer about it being the wrong size :( But, I bet you could find a buyer pretty easily at www.thebabywearer.com, www.mothering.com, groups.yahoo.com/babywearingSWAP, groups.yahoo.com/BBBswap or you could always email the people who bid on the pouch on ebay & offer it to them @ a small discount from your cost or what their bid price was. I'd VERY MUCH recommend using babywearingSWAP or BBBswap, I've bought/sold from both lists and had a great experience in general.

I *love* my mnm. I have a kkafp but rarely wear it. Find it too warm in my climate (except right now), since we get reasonably warm days. My reasoning (totally my opinion only, as the kkafp has many fans & is a great product):
* I prefer the hemp, as it's cooler, dyed one of my favorite colors (yay!), and I like supporting the hemp industry in practice. The kkafp has a great "grip" on babe and molds well, stretches less (as it's not a natural fiber & will return to it's shape once babe is out)-- but I still prefer the mnm. As far as color, dh loves when I wear ds in this one, so of course it makes me love it more than my kkafp (which I don't even know if he knows that I own).
*The rails on the mnm have come in handy for me now -- I use them now to hold babe's head in cradle (see above) and behind his shoulders and it's nice having that padding instead of the seam of the kkafp. Now as I wear on hip/t2t the rails pad under babe's legs, the rail is a nice padding against his legs.
*The shoulder on the mnm is thinner, where the kkafp's is longer & goes over the cap of your shoulder. I find it very comfortable, but prefer to not lose the use of my arm as I do w/ the kkafp. That's my tradeoff...

Plus, I loved working w/ Jen in making my pouches (I had 2 but sold one, as I really like the orange). She's super and I liked supporting her business (nothing against KK, I just preferred working w. a WAHM to create a personal item -- same as I liked ordering my custom diaper bag from WW. It's just that I own nothing else that's custom, and I like that this is (special) :)

But, the KKAFP is great! I would just buy the one that appeals to you visually if the differences aren't a big deal to you. Totally check out babywearingswap-- you may even find a med mnm on there. I think you ahve to be a member of these boards for 50 posts to join bbbswap, but you're close :)

Good luck! Rambling & dh wants his pc back :)

[quinnsmom]

Thanks for the web site info. I am a member of thebabywearer - but didn't know about the other sites. I will join!