Help! Baby cries in the carrier!
Why is my baby crying in the carrier?
Your baby, when worn in an Asteraki carrier, is in the best possible position.
If the positioning is correct, a baby in an Asteraki will cry for only two reasons:
- Either they would be crying anyway (e.g., sleepy, hungry, need a diaper change),
- or YOU are not feeling like your usual self — and your baby senses it.
So let’s start with the assumption that the baby is otherwise calm: not hungry, not sleepy, not needing a change, and would be calm if held in your arms. Then:
If someone says, “My baby doesn’t seem happy in the carrier,” we want to check three things:
A. How you’re wearing it.
B. What you’re doing while wearing it.
C. How you feel while wearing it.
How are you wearing it?
For all Asteraki carriers, there are video instructions — message us to receive them (many are unlisted and not public — the only way to access them is if we send you links to them).
Start by checking the basics:
– Is your baby positioned properly?
– Is the carrier adjusted for your baby’s age and weight?
– Are you wearing it too low, or too far from your body?
– Is your baby’s head covered or buried too deeply?
– Are you still using newborn settings even though your baby can support their head? If they can hold their head up but can’t see out, they might get frustrated.
Most adjustments are very simple — we’re here to help!
What do you do while wearing it?
No mom anywhere in the world picks up her baby and stays completely still for more than 10 minutes. And no mom stands in front of a mirror holding her baby, wondering if the head is right, or the legs are OK. So don’t do that with the carrier either.
Parents tell me in sessions:
– We go for walks — the Asteraki is perfect. We go to the pediatrician — he says the baby’s position looks great. I do chores at home — everything’s fine. I have just one complaint.
– Tell me, what’s the complaint?
– Well, when I sit at the computer to write while wearing the baby, they fuss.
– And what happens when you sit with the baby in your arms?
– Oh, don’t even ask. This baby never lets me sit! They want me not only standing — they want me walking.
– So they’re not crying because they’re in the carrier. They’re crying because you’re sitting!
You could sit while babywearing — if your baby tolerates sitting at all!
The baby in the Asteraki is in your arms. Do what you would do if they were in your arms. If they usually take a pacifier, give them one while worn. If they usually want you walking, they’ll want the same thing in the carrier. Same baby, same position — but with free hands and more comfort for you.
How do YOU feel when wearing the carrier?
How *you* feel matters a lot. If you wear your baby with a bit of nervousness (understandable, since you’re trying something new), or if you’re unsure — wondering whether your baby likes it — your heartbeat is a bit faster, and your baby can feel it. If you’re not calm, your baby thinks: “If mom’s not relaxed, something must be wrong.”
It’s crucial that you feel relaxed when wearing your baby. In these close-carrying positions, your baby hears your hea
