Stretchy wraps are amazing. They are super soft, snuggly and one of the best options for a newborn. However, often parents are worried that they don't give baby enough head support or are worried about how they are ment to support baby's head and neck. Instead parents often find themselves needing to hold baby's head, or worse get so worried they lose confidence and stop using the stretchy.
But actually stretchies do have more than enough support built in! A couple of simple tweaks in how you are using the wrap can make all the difference in how much support baby's neck has. There are 3 things to check, you can see talk through each of the 3 in the video or scroll down for each of the 3 described in detail below:
- Check how baby is sat in the sling. Ideally we want baby sat comfortably on their bottom, with their knees higher than their bum and their spine gentle curving bring their head to a gentle rest on your chest. However, babies can often end up a bit straightened up (with their knees lower than their bum and straighted spine) - particularly if they grumble and wiggle when going in. This isn't dangerous but it is less comfortable for them (as their weight is on their inner thighs rather than their bottom) and more importantly because of the way the pelvis, spine and skull connect means that their head is much more likely to roll backwards away from you. If this happens its an easy fix - simply slip your hands into the wrap and gently tuck their bum towards you gently lifting the legs and allowing baby to settle onto their bottom. Finally readjust the fabric so both layers support baby all the way to the backs of the knee. Viola! Now, due to the way the pelvis, spine and skull attach and how the verterbra stack... baby's head should gently rest on your chest and not be able to roll backwards dramatically.
- Pull the outer 3rd layer of the wrap up - right up to the back of babies neck. In fact ideally you want actually roll that top bit of the wrap so you have a couple of rolls sitting behind the back of baby's neck to support their head and neck. Often parents simply don't pull this layer up high enough. Often they leave most of the fabric near baby's bottom to support their weight and "stop them falling out", but actually it is the two straps crossing under baby's bottom that supports their weight and stops them falling out. The outer/3rd layer is there to hold the top part of the crossing straps in place and to support the upper torso and head. And to do this is needs to be pulled up - all the way to the top of baby's neck or base of their ear!
- Use a muslin to create a neck pillow for more support. In theory, provided your wrap is tight enough 1 and 2 should be enough to support baby's head and neck and you shouldn't need any other support. However, sometimes parents don't feel it is enough and if that is the case then you can build in more support in one of two ways. The first way is to use one of the cross passes to cover the back of baby's head. This is the way shown in most manuals. However, most baby's hate this and certainly won't tolerate it while awake (many won't tollerate it while asleep either). Instead the second way is my preferred method - roll up a muslin and tuck it into the top of the outer/3rd layer to create a neck pillow. Providing lovely soft but robust head and neck support ... and having the added side benefit of ensuring you have a muslin ready should you need one!
Voila! Nice, soft but securely supported neck!
As ever if you are struggling with your stretchy wrap, please do get in contact. A quick online consultation (or in person mini consult lockdown/tiers allowing) where you can receive real-time input and we can work together to get the root of the issue can make a huge difference! Clients are always suprised and releived to discover what difference just 20 minutes talking it through step by step can make! So please do get in touch if you'd like help with this or anything else.
-Madeleine
PS the wrap shown in the video is the Hana Baby Wrap and you can purchase your own here or do get in touch if you'd like to hire one - either to try before you buy or to hire for the whole fourth trimester period.