Nursing in any baby carrier takes patience and practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll likely find it’s well worth the effort. Soon enough, you’ll be able to nurse baby discreetly anytime, anywhere—whether that’s at the playground while pushing your toddler on a swing, at a barbecue while you catch up with friends, or at home while you prepare dinner. If you’re ready to wrap ‘n nurse, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Master the Wrap First
Before you try breastfeeding while babywearing, we recommend being comfortable doing each separately first. Both activities come with their own learning curve, so it can be difficult to combine them right out of the gate! We also suggest that baby have some head and neck control before you attempt to nurse while babywearing.
Once you feel confident nursing and wearing your wrap, here’s how to do both at the same time.
How to Nurse in the Solly Wrap
- To nurse in your Solly Wrap, we recommend wrapping baby in the classic carry with their legs out.
- To begin nursing, loosen your double knot, feed yourself some slack, and then re-tie the knot.
- Work the slack through your carrier until you can lower baby just enough to reach your breast.
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Do not at any point cover baby’s face. Baby’s face should remain visible and unobstructed at all times.
*Note that you will still need to support baby’s head while nursing, and the carry is no longer considered hands-free. - Once baby has unlatched, adjust them and retighten your carrierso baby can again rest on your chest above your breasts. (This is really important, even if baby has fallen asleep!)
- To retighten, lift baby back above your breasts, work that slack back through the carrier toward the knot, and re-tie your double knot.
Want a visual demonstration? Take a look at this tutorial.
If you decide to take the baby out to nurse and want to place them back in afterward, try using this method (at the 25:25-minute mark) so you don't have to re-tie your wrap each time.
Other Things to Remember When Nursing While Babywearing
- Baby should remain upright tummy-to-tummy and well-supported during the entire nursing session.
- Do not use the Solly Wrap to wear or nurse in the cradle carry (baby in a horizontal position).
- If baby falls asleep while nursing, you’ll still need to readjust to bring baby back up above the breasts.
- If baby doesn't feel as secure as when you first placed them in, you may need to take baby out and redo the carrier.
Personalized Support Options
Breastfeeding in your Solly Wrap will look a little different for everyone depending on body type, baby’s preference, etc. If you’d like personalized recommendations or a one-on-one tutorial to walk you through it, I’d love to help. Feel free to email me at advice@sollybaby.com or schedule a free consultation.
