Fit Check - Preemie 3 Weeks Corrected

[u/IncreasinglyPoor]

How does this look? I think the only mistake I made was he had footed pajamas on this time, but I believe he should be barefoot.

My guy is 9 weeks actual, 3 corrected and 10 pounds. I do have him in the newborn carry with his feet tucked. Thanks!

[u/tertullian321]

Arms have to be tucked in at this stage, and your wrap looks a bit loose. Think swimsuit tight before you put baby in. Baby needs three layers of wrap over them from knee to knee, shoulder to shoulder, and nape of neck to bum so you need to spread your passes out a lot more. You don't need to tuck their head at all, especially if the wrap is tight enough and the passes are spread, but if you do always keep it from going past their ear. 

Legs out from birth is now considered best practice but this would be a good time to make that transition. 

I'll summon automod safety so you can see examples of safe fits. 

[u/AutoModerator → u/tertullian321]

Airway Safety & How to Position Baby Ergonomically

• Baby should always be worn high on your chest, with the top of their head resting on your collarbones. Their head should be uncovered and free from fabric and headrests. Their legs should be in a spread squat position with knees higher than their bottom, and their spine should gently curve outward. The carrier should mimic how you naturally hold baby on your chest. Don't forget to do a pelvic tuck once baby is situated.

• This is a quick video of the safety checklist you'll want to run through when putting baby into any carrier or wrap. There's an acronym to remember, TICKS.

• This is a great babywearing safety overview. It's worth noting that carriers are not inherently safe, and there have been injuries and even fatalities from misuse.

• Here is an album of safe newborn carrier fits.

• Unfortunately, some carriers don't include very good instructions (or include dated or dangerous instructions that can potentially be a hazard for baby's airway). The TICKS of babywearing (referenced above) should take precedence over the manufacturer's instructions. The most important thing to remember is that your human baby must have access to fresh air at all times. They cannot have their head swaddled in fabric, or their mouth or nose obstructed. Seeing the top of their head down in a carrier, or a sliver of their face between wrap passes is not good enough. It's also crucial that you don't world face in any stretchy wraps or stretch carriers, despite some brands recklessly recommending it. Baby can sag and slump, and the fabric can end up cutting into their neck or even choke them.

• World facing (where baby is facing forward away from your body) is never necessary. If you feel it's a feature you want it's important that your baby is developed enough for that position. They must be at minimum tripod sitting, but ideally sitting unassisted without support. They need to be developed enough to hold open their own airway. Forward facing a newborn who can't support their own head, or forward facing a sleeping baby of any age, is a positional asphyxiation hazard. Most manufacturers recommend limiting wear sessions in this position to ~20 minutes, as it's very awkward for baby's hips and spine, as well as your spine. It's also important to use a big bulky carrier with lots of padding to cushion that awkward position, like an Ergobaby. You do not want a carrier where baby hangs from their crotch with zero hip support. Here's a more detailed article on world facing.

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[u/IncreasinglyPoor → u/AutoModerator]

Is this too tight now?

[u/Impossible-Ship-1442 → u/IncreasinglyPoor]

Nope looks nice and tight to me! 

[u/tertullian321 → u/IncreasinglyPoor]

No, do you see how the fabric is smooth here and full of ripples in your first picture? That's how you can tell it's tightened appropriately. I would adjust the legs though.  This is a good visual: https://youtube.com/shorts/sRIvKtYCuY0?si=L0EDecaooiWDeOWA