help - new user of Caboo Close with uncooperative 4-week-old

[HardCheese]

Hi everyone - this is my first post here, and I'm a first-time mother and first-time sling user, so forgive me if I'm asking stupid things. It's all a bit overwhelming. Would be grateful for any advice from experienced sling users.

My baby is four weeks old tomorrow, and won't go into his pushchair with hysterical screaming, so using a sling is the only way we can leave the house at the moment. We bought a Caboo Close carrier before he was born, and now I can't decide whether I'm not using it quite right (though have studied video and diagrams) or whether it's just the wrong sling type for my baby.

He's a strong, alert, active baby, and doesn't seem to much enjoy being in the sling - even though I dress him lightly, he seems to get very hot and bothered and to hate being confined, and struggles a lot and gets fractious. He especially seems to hate not being able to see, and being squished against my chest, and goes nuts if I try to support his head with one of the straps. He's happiest leaning outwards away from my chest, but this feels very precarious, his head isn't supported and I end up having to support him with both hands, plus it's tough on my back.

Can anyone offer any advice? Am I doing something wrong, or should I change slings? If so, any recommendations for my needs? Or advice on reconciling an uncooperative baby to being worn? He's gets very fractious, but I really need to make wearing him in a sling work, as I'm finding new motherhood very isolating, and need to get out of the house.

Thanks in advance.

If you make sure you pull up more of the outer layer to support his neck, you won't need to use the cross pieces as much to support it, and consequently they won't be quite as in his face - as in this picture here www.liverpoolslinglibrary.co.uk/Slings/Close-Parent-Carrier-Caboo-Carrier

Some babies take to a sling immediately, some get used to it over time. Movement helps a lot - put him in then go straight outside for a good pace walk and I suspect he'll soon fall asleep. Keep doing that for a bit and after a while you'll just have to dance around the room for a minute or two, then after a bit more you won't have to dance around at all - he'll just be comfortable in the sling even without movement.

I do think the Close Sling is quite hot - I'd dress him very lightly indeed indoors and even outside he won't require all that much clothing.

Are you near a sling meet or sling library? www.slingmeet.co.uk You might find if someone can help you in person to adjust the Close you can make it work for you both. Or they might have something else you can try that works better for you. Slings are a very personal thing - different styles suit different mums and different babies.

I used a Close carrier for about four or five months with DS1 and he loved being tucked up in it. DS2 however (8 wo) wants his head poking out so he can see what's going on!

I tend to just pull the cross band up so it is supporting the back of his neck and let him get on with it. He leans back a bit but is straining against the sling to do so not flopping back IYSWIM. He soon falls asleep when I then tuck him in and use the side strap to support his head fully.

Are you sure you have the "body" of the carrier on tight enough? Even if my LO leans his head right back (and he is a big heavy baby) he doesn't really go very far! Remember you should be able to kiss the top of their head without straining downwards.

Sounds also like your LO will be ready to transition to a back carry in a few months - then they get a much better view over your shoulder so a sling meet would also be a good place to start looking for your next stage sling.

Also ditto about dressing lightly - I never put any extra clothes on baby to go out in the Close (bar a hat and possibly an extra pair of socks) unless it is really sub-zero, and even then I tend to wear a massive coat over both of us with a scarf / wrap to fill any gaps.

Even with a more "open" carrier like a Mei-tei I would very rarely have anything more than an extra hoody / cardi.

I saw someone the other day carrying a baby in a Close carrier wearing a fully padded pram suit! Poor wee thing must have been ROASTING.

mine goes nuts if I put the strap over her head too, she loves to be looking about unless she's asleep. I just make sure it's all on firmly and let her get on with it! In this warm weather she's only wearing a vest and nappy though! I also put a muslin square between us in this hot weather otherwise my cleavage gets sweaty, sicky and dribbly and starts smelling of cheese