Best adjustable pouch for preemie?

[kwc]

My cousin will be bringing her second child home from the hospital in about a month, and I want to get her something to carry him around/ protect him from the outside world on their very occasional outings.
She and her DH have intermittently had back problems and used a Bjorn some with their incredibly mellow first child, but that will probably not work now due to the prematurity and their worsening backs. Adjustability is key as her weight will be shifting a bunch in the next few months and I don't want them to be discouraged by an incorrect size.

I have a KKAFP and a MnM that I can lend her, but am wondering if I should get her a Zolo pouch, Mamma's Milk or KKACP as it's warm here and will be very warm this summer. I wonder if the Zolo pouch is too deep?
They have no sling experience at all and would freak at a ring sling.

Or should I just lend them my KKAFP and MnM until they get used to it, then buy them a Moby?

Thanks,
Karen

[npace19147]

My DD was born preemie and we loved the Moby. It does have a bit of a learning curve but I think it is the best thing - very soft and supportive, good head support, one size fits all. Maybe if you point them towards some info on the importance of kangaroo carrying with a preemie it would help?

This is from askdrsears.com:

BABYWEARING THE PREMATURE INFANT

A premature baby, especially one with medical problems needing weeks or months of intensive care, is deprived of those final weeks or months in the womb. Instead, baby must grow in an outside womb. The problem is that outside wombs are static. They don't move. Research has shown that a premature baby whose "womb" moves gains weight faster and has fewer stop-breathing (apnea) episodes. Specialists in newborn care have fabricated a variety of moving wombs, such as oscillating waterbeds.

A group of newborn-care specialists in South America made an ingenious discovery. Some hospitals could not afford incubators and all the technology needed to care for prematures. They were forced to use the mother. These preemies were wrapped around their mothers in a sling like wrap, a custom called "packing." To everyone's amazement, the babies thrived as well as, or even better than, the technologically cared-for babies.

The researchers concluded that the close proximity to mother helped the babies thrive. Being close to mother entices baby to feed more frequently. Mother's warmth kept the baby warm; mother's movement calmed the baby, enabling the baby to divert energy from crying to growing. Mother's breathing movements stimulated baby's breathing, so that these babies had fewer stop-breathing episodes. Mother acted as sort of a respiratory pacemaker for baby's breathing.

As soon as a premature baby no longer needs oxygen and intravenous therapy and enters the growing phase, we encourage mothers to wear their babies as much as possible, a practice called "kangaroo care" .

[kwc]

Thanks Nancy!

Although they are not very AP/ Dr. Sears-esque, they are already learning about the benefits of kangaroo care/ touch. I will send them your quote! I think they are pretty overwhelmed right now so I was thinking that a pouch would be less intimidating than a wrap but I was just looking at my MnM and the pouch seems pretty deep (though I wore my newborn tummy-to-tummy in the KKAFP for hours at a time). I am now thinking that cradle carry may not work for a tiny newborn (thus needing a stretchy KKAFP or Moby type carrier)

At what age did you start using the Moby? I know it doesn't have a video like the HAB does, it it obvious how snug to tie it? Did you need two people when you first started using it?

I will wait a couple of weeks to see how much reflux he has before deciding whether to get a light or dark color!

Thanks!

[npace19147]

I know it is scary and overwhelming to have a baby in the ICN, I hope they are all doing OK.

We actually started with a New Native, but it was uncomfortable and I felt like I needed to check every minute to make sure she was still breathing! DD was 4lbs 12oz when she came home from the hospital and by 5lbs we had switched to the Moby. Very comfy and also I found it reassuring b/c in the T2T I could see her at all times. It comes with very good printed instructions and definitely does not need two people to do. It looks/seems complicated at first but gets easier with a little practice and now I can do it in two seconds without thinking about it. :)

DD did have reflux and I got the black just b/c I figured it would go with everything. The Moby goes straight through washer and dryer so it is easy to clean.

Let me know if you need any more info!