Have Baby stand behind you while you squat or kneel. Lay the cloth on the floor
around you in a big U shape, with the pit of the U by your bottom, and the
tails of the U out in front of your knees. Bend your arms at the elbows, elbows
out in front of you, hands reaching back over your shoulders, wrists next to
your ears. Grab Baby's hands, and guide her onto your back. Her little boobies
should be at or above your shoulder blades. She should be high enough to look
over your shoulders, or lay her head on the back of your neck. Once you have
her that high, lean forward while pulling her forearms, so that her body curves
onto your back. Now, keep your upper back curved forward, and reach behind your
bottom to grab the cloth. Spread it out between your out-stretched arms.
Keeping your arms straight, raise and lower your arms in a big arc at your
sides, bringing the cloth down onto Baby's shoulders. As the cloth passes your
shoulders, bend your arms at the elbows. Turn your head to the left and grab
the top rail of the cloth on the left in your teeth. Continuing to hold the
left cloth firmly in your teeth, turn your head to the right and grab the top
rail of the cloth on the right in your teeth. Hold the top rail of the cloth
quite firmly in your teeth while you reach behind yourself again and grab the
bottom rail of the cloth from near Baby's bottom. Slide your fingers along the
bottom rail, tightening it, as your hands get closer to your shoulders. Fold
the bottom rail under the top rail as it passes over your shoulders. Now, let
go of the top rail (from you teeth) and tighten the top rail. Grab the top and
bottom rails at your shoulders with your left hand on the left side and right
hand on the right side. Shimmy the cloth and Baby as you tighten both rails
again. Slide your hands along the cloth, pulling down towards the floor,
keeping plenty of tension on the cloth so that it remains tight. Once your arms
are fully extended behind you, stand up straight to let Baby's body weight
settle onto your back, and her legs come down some. Cross the cloth behind her,
under her bottom, passing the left cloth to the right hand and vice versa.
Continuing to hold the cloth firmly in each fist, slide your hands along the
cloth, pulling forwards towards your breasts. Put your upper arms down against
your sides, firmly locking the cloth between your ribs and your biceps.
Continuing to hold the cloth firmly in each fist, slide your hands along the
cloth, and tuck the left side between your knees. Bundle up the right cloth and
stick it through the left shoulder strap using your right hand on the bundle
and your left hand on the shoulder strap. Pull it out to your left, with your
left hand, and extend your left arm out straight out to your side so that the
strap across your chest has no slack. Repeat with the left cloth. This cotton
saree is 45 inches by 6 yards (18 feet).
Most people can do this with a cloth 22 to 45 inches wide and 4 to 6 yards
long. The lighter the weight of the cloth, the wider it should be for comfort.
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