"getting used to sling" -- how long should it take?

[NYSarah]

I've been trying to get a sling to work with my very clingy but big baby (9 lbs 1 oz at birth, and already bigger at just 3 weeks). So far she has not liked the slings I tried (New Native -- hated it; Hotsling -- well, they sent me the wrong size so that could be the trouble there; just got the KKAFP today and she doesn't love it but likes it more than the other 2).

I noticed that all of the slings I'm seeing say that a baby may need up to a week to get used to being in a sling. I can't imagine that I should let her cry everytime I put her in a sling for a week or so!

Right now she's fast asleep in the KKAFP but every 10-15 minutes wakes up enough to realize where she is and screams hysterically until I calm her down and get her to fall back asleep. This only takes maybe 30 seconds but it's stressful for both of us!

Has anyone else had this much trouble getting their baby to relax in a sling, and if so, how quickly did they get used to it? Is it possible for a baby to actually refuse to be worn in a sling?

right now she's in the T2T position (she likes to sleep on me that way, so I thought she'd like it best) -- should I try another?

she hates being swaddled with a passion, so maybe she doesn't like feeling confined?

Any ideas would be great...thanks!

[quikeye]

Hi! Oh I miss carrying my little one in the pouch! :)

The best advice I received & can give about wearing a babe in a pouch for the 1st time is to *move*. I'm not sure if you're walking, or running errands with it-- or even just around the house (though, I don't wear mine much around the house, except lately now that he's older I wear him in the kitchen-- I can't get dishes washed lately without it!)

(nak)

It's really nice to go for walks when they're so little, gets you used to wearing them (& them used to being worn). Mine didn't like being swaddled either but loved the pouch... I think when he as younger, I wore him a lot & it got him used to being worn... we both prefer it now.

You may want oto wear her in a cradle position instead of t2t. Cradle puts her in a recelined position, easy to fall asleep in, and you body motion will get her rocking. t2t might be too much, as it keeps her vertiicle instead of horizontal (as shes on your chest lying down, I assume you're horizontal).

Also, she may not like to be completely enveloped by the pouch. Mine liked it & couold be ahppy with fabric covering his face-- some littlw ones don't like it and cry. You can prop her up or lessen the amt of fabirc covering her by placing a rolled up blabnket under her, or you could not lie her flat on her back but more at a 45 degree angle. You could also pull UP the fabric of the back rail high on your ches-- this will reduce the amt of fabric of the front rail & reduce what's covering her face. Some like to see and not sleep in it-- you could keep her in a 45 degree angle and pull the front rail's fabric behind her shoulders to kee her propped up & face out of the pouch. When theyre so little you can manipulate them into more positions than when theyre ytounger.

Best of luckto you!! please post w. any questions!

[NYSarah]

Thanks for all the suggestions! The weather's keeping me inside right now but I am trying to walk her around the house.

The reason I thought T2T might work is that she actually can fall asleep in the front carrier (the only thing I had in the house I could wear her in) and will sleep for a couple hours in it at times. I think the two things bothering her the most are not being able to see well, like you mentioned, and having her legs folded. I realized that she really likes sticking her legs out straight or having them dangle. I will try cradle hold later today (next time she's up and in a happy mood) and see how that goes!

thanks