Newborn in Baby Bjorn - breathing normally?

[devmum]

Hi,

My DH has used the Baby Bjorn City carrier successfully with our son but when I try he is slumped right over (face almost touching his chest) and pressed into boobs so that his breathing gets really loud. He's nearly five weeks old and weighs 9lb (the instructions say it is suitable for babies over 8lb).

Does anyone have any experience using this carrier with a newborn? I tried Googling for instructions / videos but all the images are of models (i.e. no boobs) carrying babies a lot bigger than 9lb.

I've given up now, but any advice would be appreciated. We live in a first floor flat and I had a c-section so unless DH is with me to get the buggy down the stairs I can't get out. And the weather is so lovely! :(

Thanks.

The way to know that your baby is in the right position in a front-upright sling, is that you can easily kiss them on the top of their head. IME, with all my big babies, this meant that they were nestled between and supported by my boobs.

Are you a lot smaller than dh? It could be that just pulling the sidestraps down is not enough to tighten the sling, but that you need to slide the buckle further up where they crossat the back.

Thanks everyone for your help. Sorry for taking so long to reply, the tiny tyrant has been keeping me on a short leash.

Loopymumsy - that doc was a real help. Made me realise it wasn't just hormones and lack of sleep making me paranoid, and good to know what to look out for.

PrettyCandles - spot on about adjusting the buckle at the back, once I'd done that baby was more upright and his breathing was normal. I can't believe I didn't spot that - blame the sleep deprivation!

Thanks again.

No ... actually I don't think you are being paranoid at all.

My son is now 4 and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 6 months old. It is mild thankfully.

However I often wonder whether he might have been starved of some oxygen (I'm sure I am very wrong though!) when he was all scrunched up in the baby bjorn and grunting away as a new born.

I've got a 4 month old now and was very cautious this time.