Sometimes, babies just need to be carried. Unfortunately, it just isn’t practical to have an infant in your arms all day long, especially when you have other children or a lot of household chores to do! If you have a large baby blanket or square of cloth, though, you can fashion a sling quickly and easily to carry your newborn, older infant or even a toddler, leaving your hands free to continue working.
You will need a sturdy blanket or piece of fabric, just about anything cotton or fleece will work. Avoid knits or anything too stretchy since these can be difficult to adjust and may be distorted after use as a sling. The blanket should be at least 3´ square, although larger is necessary for older babies and toddlers.
Once you have your blanket or cloth, lay it out on the bed or a table and fold it in half diagonally, to form a triangle. Note that if you only have a rectangular piece of fabric, you can still do this, it just won’t look as neat and will have two points hanging down when you fold it in half.
Take the two corners that are formed, so the fold is at the top of the triangle, with the two loose points hanging down. Tie the two corners together. This will take a bit of practice, you will probably have to tie them two or three times the first time you try this before the fit is perfect. You want to have a double knot. Now, put your head and one arm through the loop formed by the tied off corners.
The points of the triangle should be hanging at your waist. You are now ready to put your baby in. There are two ways to do this, use whichever one feels more natural to you.
The first way to insert the baby is to put the sling on, then pull the top away from your body. Put the baby over your shoulder and stick his feet through the loop, then pull him down so he is covered by the fabric at an angle, with the head sticking up. Tuck the remainder of the fabric under his body, towards you. This will hold the baby in. From here, you can adjust where his head sits by moving him up or down in the sling.
The second way to insert the baby is to put the tied off sling on the bed, with the knot facing up and the rest of the fabric spread out as much as possible. Lay the baby on a 45º angle in the sling, then bend over and put your head and arm through the loop. You want the baby’s head to be on the same side that the sling goes over the arm.
A few tips to make things easier:
Having someone else adjust the knot once you have the baby in the sling is good the first time. Hold the baby in the position you want him, while another person tightens or loosens the knot.
You can use this sling on your back as well, although it is usually easier to have someone help you put the baby in. Alternatively, you can use one of the above techniques to put the baby into the sling, then slide it around to your back. You will likely have to tighten the knot once the baby is on your back, since breasts take up a lot of room.
For added security, you can tie a strip of cloth loosely around your middle, under the baby’s bottom when he is upright on your back. This gives the child more support and is a good way to keep toddlers from moving too much.
Toddlers and older babies can also be swung around to the side, to side on your hip. Tighten the knot accordingly, so the child is securely held in place. This position is not suitable for babies who are unable to hold their heads up yet.
There you have it, a quick and easy baby sling from a blanket you already have kicking around!
