This is one of our most popular questions about one of most popular baby carriers! How to nurse baby in your Beco! After 14 months of BFing almost daily in my Butterfly, I wrote down the steps for you! Hope these instructions help you to have a successful babywearing experience and to  your Beco!

According to La Leche League, extended Breastfeeding is any baby 1 years or older who is still nursing habitually.  LLLI categorizes toddlers’ reasons for breastfeeding as nutrition, comfort, security, as a way to calm down, and for reassurance.  Other than nutrition, these generalizations describe the babyworn toddler to a T!  And as for the extended BFing  mothers, La Leche says that we use it as a way to enjoy the closeness & to offer comfort to children who are otherwise occupied with becoming a “big kid” and don’t need their mommies quite as much as before their 1st year birthday!  As the mother of a 14 month old who has learned to walk, then run & dance within a week, I know that I am searching for any way to get my little guy to give me a cuddle. If that means offering milk even when it is inconvenient (at the beach when he was covered with sand!) or wearing him even when my body could use the rest, I will grab the chance and do whatever I can for a quick snuggle!  And if I can combine both comforts and nurse my walking, talking toddler in my baby carrier and maybe even get him to fall asleep while I’m wearing him, hooray for me and everyone else had better tiptoe and be quiet as to not wake “the baby!”  Don’t pack away your slings just because your child has started walking!  Keep them accessible and handy.  1 mom I know uses her retired Maya Wrap Ring Sling as decoration in her 6 year old daughter’s room to remind both of them of the good ol’ days.  If possible, don’t bring a stroller so that when your new walker’s legs get tired, you have nowhere to put them except in your carrier!  And if your toddler requests to be held, rejoice and, as the women say at LLLI, “Never refuse!”

Breastfeeding Instructions in your Beco Butterfly II

To be able to breastfeed in your Beco carrier is the ultimate goal since, especially in those first months, a smooth transition from feeding to napping to awake time is critical. If you can succeed at keeping baby content during those transitions, you are golden and your baby is happy!  Thus, the importance of an excellent baby carrier that you can nurse your baby in easily and quickly.

With the Beco Butterfly, you can choose whichever is more comfortable for you, to nurse your baby in the upper part of the Y shaped panel or push the fabric to the center to feed baby on the outside of the panel. Either way works fine, and depending on your body structure, you will know which way is more feasible for your body type. This also depends on how many babies you have nursed and how elastic your breast tissue is!

My friend Laura found it easiest to simply push the fabric to the side, lower her nursing tank on the appropriate side, and latch on her 6 month old in a very upright position.

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For a lower position, unbuckle the shoulder clip for the side you want to start on, and loosen the shoulder strap by pulling on the buckle under your arm or the buckle attached to the front panel depending on which version of Beco you have. Pull the Y up and out of the way, push the nursing tank down, and get baby’s head low enough to be able to latch on properly. Once you have latched on, with a smaller baby, you will be able to rebuckle the top buckle to hold baby’s head in place, but as your baby’s noggin grows bigger and heavier, you may find that you will need to hold baby’s head to support the weight and keep baby from pulling your breast while nursing. Once baby is finished, rebuckle the top clip and tighten the shoulder strap again by pulling down or away on the dangling strap under your arm.

Don’t worry, it’s NOT hard, but you do need to get used to it.  Keep trying, otherwise, you can take baby out of the Butterfly, leaving the Y part on your body, and simply nurse your baby in your lap like you are used to.  If really easy breastfeeding is your goal, you may want to take a look at the Beco Gemini which does not have the internal insert, making breastfeeding as easy as pie!

*happy babywearing*