# anyone else's baby hate the cradle hold?



## sadiesmom (Feb 18, 2005)

My daughter absolutely hates the cradle hold, (I have a hotsling). I thought I was wearing it wrong, that it was too small, that I just wasn't "doing it right", but have come to realize that she just doesn't like that position. She turns beet red and starts crying after a few minutes. She's not quite old enough for the kangaroo hold - she still can't hold her head up. But I'm afraid that she won't like the sling at all by then cause she's not used to it. Any thoughts?


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## Tupelo Honey (Mar 24, 2004)

Lots of babies don't like lying down in the sling unless they're asleep. Does your pouch fit snugly enough to do an upright carry, with her feet inside it 'froggy" style and her body lying against your chest? Lots of babies prefer this hold. Also, there are tricks to making the cradle hold more upright and tolerable. Try:
-putting a folded receiving blanket behind her head and shoulders to prop her up
-Holding her with her side against your body in a very upright, L-shaped seated position and lowering her into the pouch so she remains in that upright or semi-reclining position, rather than lying way doen in the sling. (You can see step-by-step instructions for this at tbw.com under articles, labeled as "Semi-reclining newborn hold).

Also, most babies get used to the sling by being in it when you are moving around a lot. try putting her in when you can take a quick, brisk walk, and let her be lulled by the movement and/or entertained by the sights. This will help her get used to the sling so you can use it more around the house.


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## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

Both my kids hated the cradle hold, and werent too fond of having their legs tucked up in the sling in any position. They both were/are pudgy babies and having their legs squished in there would make them grunt and turn red. So I gave up on slings. We like wraps much better!


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

Julia screamed like I was killing her anytime I tried to put her in the cradle hold, unless it was for a feeding or she was asleep. I actually wound up giving up the sling for a few weeks until she got enough head control to try some other positions. By two months, though, she could hand an upright position if I pulled the sling up behind her head for support, and she would tolerate the semi-upright position, like a kangaroo hold, with her legs crossed, only angled sideways for head support.

She was also only happy being worn if I was up and walking/dancing/pacing. She has never liked to be worn while I sit down, unless she's sleeping or feeding.

Give it time, and keep trying different positions. I almost gave up on babywearing completely and I'm so glad I kept persisting.


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

Argh. My dd would never let me use it, even as a brand new baby. She always had to be in the crosslegged forward sit or the modified forward sit. I just had to support her with my arm so she wouldn't slump over. She still refuses to lay down in the sling at all.


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## sadiesmom (Feb 18, 2005)

Good to know we're not the only ones! I'm going to keep trying different holds - I didn't want to give up so fast, but she obviously wasn't into it.


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## *solsticemama* (Feb 8, 2003)

Ds didn't like the cradle hold and as a result neither did I. At the time I didn't realized that I could have worn him tummy to tummy in my OTSBH so I switched to a bjorn for the first couple months. By the time he was about 3.5 months he was able to ride on my hip and from then on it was various slings and wraps for us. He's 26 months now and I just slung all 34 lbs of him down a long flight of stairs with a bag of groceries in each hand and my bag slung across my front


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## bartleby (Oct 28, 2003)

My baby hated/hates the cradle hold too because she can't stand having her legs confined. (Her legs have been in nearly constant motion from day one.) At one point, I figured out I could put her in a modified cradle hold with her legs sticking out on the rings side of the sling (I have a Maya Wrap). But that wasn't really the greatest for either of us. Nowadays, just as I was about to give up on my sling, having never totally gotten the hang of it, we are pretty good at a vertical hold, with her legs hanging out the bottom. So, I guess I would say don't give up entirely! My baby's enjoyment of the sling has changed over time, as has her tolerance for certain positions. So in general I would say that what she doesn't like now, she may well be fine with in the future (or at the very least, she will have graduated to being able to try other positions). Good luck!


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## TereasaT (Aug 24, 2004)

I agree. Keep on trying different positions. Babies go through phases of what they like and want. My DS hated the cradle hold in the beginning whether he was in a carrier or in my arms unless he was BF or already asleep. Now, he's fine with it. Before, he didn't care whether his legs were tucked in or out. Now, he is just beginning to get an opinion about it and sometimes wants his legs free. He also hates facing out which I don't mind because I prefer to see his cute, little face and loves it when he snuggles into my chest. Thank goodness he loves the back carry. He's only 5 months old so as you can see over this short course of time, I've just tried to figure out what he likes and try to accommodate him as best I can. I'm sure he'll continue to let me know what he likes and doesn't like.

Tereasa


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

My baby hated it and could only be held upright tummy to tummy, or preferred her Snugli. This was before I learned about her reflux and the severity of it. Many reflux babies cannot stand the cradle hold because it causes them to reflux. You may not see the spit-up come out, it may only make it halfway up to the mouth, but it still hurts.

Darshani


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## darwinphish (Feb 13, 2005)

This is the only hold my 2mos. DD will tolerate:

http://www.thebabywearer.com/article.../SRNewborn.htm

I have a peekaboo fleece pouch... seems a lot like the hotsling! Good luck and keep trying!


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

mine too.. willow cant stand to lay down in the swing... she has to be sitting or tummy to tummy which is easy enough in my ring sling, but I am having a heck of a time getting any use out of my non adjustable pouch


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## boricuaqueen327 (Oct 11, 2004)

My dd always hated the cradle hold, in a sling, or outside one because of reflux. With her, it's always been upright positioning. Only recently has she been letting me rock her for a few minutes lyaing down. The rest of the time it's hip carry or rocking/holding her tummy to tummy when sh'es not playing or eating.


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