First, make a pouch with the body of the sling. Put the sling on as you normally would, and then pull the lower edge upwards on your chest so that you've formed a pouch with the sling. You'll want the lower edge (now the inner edge) to be nice and tight, so pull on the part of the tail that corresponds to that edge (if your sling isn't twisted, it will be the outside edge of the tail).

Pick up your baby and cradle her in the arm the rings are on, with her head towards the rings.

Open the sling with your other hand, and slip the baby into the pouch. You'll probably want her head at least 4 inches away from the rings, for your comfort and to keep her head from bumping them!

It's also important to make sure that the fabric is not covering the baby's face, and that she's not too deep in the pouch. Her neck should be in a neutral position -- not tipped far back or forward or sideways -- to keep her airway clear, and her mouth and nose should be clear for breathing (not squashed into your breast). You can tuck a small pillow, rolled-up fabric, or the sling's tail under her head to keep it clear of the sides of the sling fabric.

Tighten the sling until it is nice and snug, and your baby feels secure. You can tighten the upper and lower edges -- and even the body of the sling -- independently, by pulling on each in turn. If the sling is difficult to adjust, you can hold the rings apart slightly with one hand, while pulling with the other.

If you are unused to the sling, it is a good idea to adjust it while you are sitting down, to minimize the potential risk to the baby should it slip. Until you feel confident in wearing your baby, it is helpful to keep an arm around the baby in the sling.

It may be possible to nurse in the cradle hold with the baby's head towards the rings, but I've never figured it out! (If you do, let me know how!) I generally have my baby's head away from the rings.

Cradle the baby with her head away from the rings.

Pull the sling around her, so that her feet stick out the end (tiny infants may keep their feet in the sling, but Sophia is 6 weeks old in these pictures and is already too long for that). Adjust the fabric around her bottom and sides so that she is secure.

You may want to cover the baby's head with the sling in order to keep her secure, but if you will be holding her with your non-dominant arm, it's not strictly necessary. Tighten the sling until you are both comfortable. It will probably be significantly tighter than in the normal cradle hold. You may need to loosen the lower edge while tightening the upper edge. It is a good idea to practice this while sitting down, for safety's sake.

With practice, you can nurse hands-free, but it will probably take some time. I wasn't able to nurse Stephen hands-free for a couple of months, but with Sophia, it's been pretty easy from day one. This is a big help when I'm chasing Stephen around!

You can use the sling tail to cover up, if you desire. This is most helpful when you are learning to breastfeed in the sling, or when you are getting things set up. It is especially useful for infants who are easily distracted when nursing in public, as the cover can keep her eyes, and your breasts, covered up :)

Just a note...when you're first learning how to breastfeed in a sling, it's tricky to do it hands-free right from the start. It took me several months to really get the hang of it with my firstborn, but with my second, it was a lot easier. When you're just starting out, or with a tiny newborn, I recommend keeping your arm inside the sling, supporting the baby's head as you would when nursing without the sling. Once your baby has better head control, and you're more comfortable with the sling, you can have your arm in the sling when getting latched on, then take out your arm once the baby is latched on correctly. Having even one hand free (as the sling will take most of the baby's weight) can be a major help when you're newly post-partum and trying to get things done! For more tips and help, see The Babywearer's "Breastfeeding and Babywearing" forum (requires a free login, but this forum can be a lifesaver for new babywearers!).