Put the sling on as you normally would, and then pull the bottom edge upwards on your chest so that you've formed a pouch with the sling. You'll want the now-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). You may wish to start with the rings a little bit higher than the corsage position, as they can move slightly when you tighten the sling later.

If you want her head on the side opposite the rings, cradle her with your opposite arm, just as you would if you weren't wearing the sling.

Open the sling with your other hand, and slip the baby into the pouch with your arm still around her. Keep supporting her head if she is a newborn.

Supporting her head with the hand on the same side as the rings, slip your arm out from underneath her. Now you can tighten the sling.

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.

You will need to 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. The series of pictures below shows first adjusting the top rail, then the bottom (inside) rail, and then the body of the sling (if the baby feels too deep in the sling).

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.

The technique is similar for the cradle hold with the baby's head on the same side as the rings, but you will want to start with her head at least 4" from the rings, to avoid having them touch her head when the sling is fully adjusted. It's also a little easier to do a semi-sitting position with her head on the ring side.

You can nurse with the baby on either side relative to the rings; smaller-breasted women may prefer to nurse on the ring side, while larger-breasted women may prefer the opposite. Being the latter, I don't have pictures of the former, but the technique will be essentially the same.

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.

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 :)

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!

For nursing in the football hold (especially helpful after a c-section), start with the rings high on your shoulder. Place the baby in a cradle hold, with her head about 8-12" from the rings (depending on your size and build – smaller women will need less distance than larger women). The goal is for her head to end up at breast level when she is shifted backwards in the next step.

Hold the rings with your ring hand and support the baby's weight with your other hand. Gently pull the rings down at the same time you move the baby around towards your back. (This is a good maneuver to get familiar with in other positions, too; supporting your baby's weight is key for moving the sling and keeping the tension correct.) The rings should end up in corsage position and the baby's head in the proper position for nursing.