When my son was very little, I spent a lot of time carrying him – he wouldn’t have it any other way, having rejected the pram on multiple occasions with raucous hollering (anyone would have thought I was trying to kill him rather than give him a comfortable place to lie). This made getting out and about a difficult thing, until I discovered baby carriers.
I went the standard course that many parents go with baby carriers. I initially made the mistake of buying a Bjorn-like, crotch-dangler contraption. It was the ultimate shoulder torture device and my son didn’t look particularly comfortable either – although he didn’t let out a squeak in protest (anything but the pram)! I later found out that such a device is not recommended by Paediatricians, Physiotherapists and Chiropractors, due to the position the baby’s hips are held in, whilst their legs are allowed to dangle in such a manner.
Armed with my new-found knowledge that baby should be seated in the optimal ‘M’ position – knees higher than bottom, I then bought myself the only ergonomic buckled carrier that I could find sufficient positive reviews about … an Ergo Baby Carrier. I really had no idea of the other options available and scarcely had the time to do the research. All of my friends either used Bjorns or Ergos, so I couldn’t glean any additional ideas from them.
I decided on the Ergo Sport model, mainly because I wanted a carrier that my muscular, 6’5″ partner could also use. It was also touted to be cooler than many other buckled carriers – this I thought, would be useful for the hot South Australian summer. However, in short, I hated the Ergo and it turned out to be an incredible waste of money for us. I didn’t like the insert for the hot Australian Summer but without it, the carrier absolutely consumed my son until well over 6 months of age (despite him being 95th percentile for height). My son was an ‘arms out’ kind of a baby. He hated being swaddled and equally detested having his arms constrained in a baby carrier.
So I shelved the Ergo for when my son was older, as no matter how I tried, I just could not adjust it to suit his needs at around 6 months of age. When he was finally big enough to tolerate the carrier, I found it ridiculously uncomfortable – it tugged on my shoulders no matter how I adjusted it, in a front carry particularly, and surprisingly even in a back carry. I just couldn’t adjust it down enough for my frame for it to be supportive enough. My son was also a notorious baby carrier leaner – and the height of the body panel of the Ergo was not sufficient to prevent him from doing this.
You know that old saying ‘Your mother knows best’?! Well it turns out my mum really did, when it came to babywearing at least. My mum enlightened me to how she used to carry me in a ‘mei tai’ that she had sewn herself. She insisted it was incredibly comfortable for both her and myself, and that it was the only way that she could get anything done or go anywhere without me howling. I originally dismissed her comments as I didn’t think that a mei tai would be suitable for a newborn. I should have done my research – turns out they are absolutely perfect for newborns, even premmies, like my son. If I had have known I would have ditched the sleepy wrap that I used initially (and also hated!).
Anyway, when my son was around 5 months I decided that I would try a mei tai as nothing else was working for us. I first invested in a Gerobaby mei tai and a half buckle carrier. These were the Bomb. Oh my gosh, I was in baby carrying heaven from the moment I put one on. It was so comfortable for me. It was also obviously incredibly comfortable for my son as he would be happily worn in it for hours. I found the learning curve for tying the carrier to be quite quick and soon learnt the art of tying the straps under tension (with the gentle bounce to get the best positioning for my son).
As soon as I put the mei tai on, I was impressed by how I could achieve such a very exact and secure fit, that I had not been able to achieve in other carriers I had thus far tried. My son seemed better positioned in it than the other carriers, and as an added bonus, he felt absolutely weightless – no shoulder pull or lumbar spine pain. Amazing! Of note, my partner could also get a great fit, without the fiddly adjustments required for buckled carriers. The versatility of the me tai was fabulous – the panel could be left at standard height to provide a head rest when my son was tired, or if he was wide awake, the body base could be rolled to shorten the panel and allow him to ride with arms out. We wore those carriers every day without fail, for hours, for months and months. They held up beautifully, even after multiple washes, and they received countless compliments. Even those who were dubious about babywearing had to admit ‘He sure does look comfortable!’
The mei tai is the bomb of baby carriers for the following reasons:
– Adjustability between users and suitability for all body sizes and shapes.
– Ease of use – no buckles to worry about. I can get my mei tai on in less than a minute and can do so straight from the car.
– Versality – can be used on front, hip and back, and babies and toddlers of all ages. Straps can be worn in many different ways to suit the individual wearer and to change the distribution of carrying support as your child progresses from newborn to toddler. I am a huge fan of being able to cross carrier straps at the back for a front carry – so much more comfortable – and the mei tai allows for this, whilst many buckled carriers don’t. The base can be rolled to shorten the panel. If your mei tai doesn’t have a cinching mechanism you can use a ribbon or similar easily to achieve this. You can also easily insert a rolled cloth nappy to give baby some additional height in the mei tai – if you are not a fan of rolling the base, or don’t want to roll it multiple times.
– Durability – a well made mei tai washes up well, are easy to iron and show very little sign of wear.
– Mei tais are appealing as a baby wearing option for both Mummy and Daddy (and Grandma and Grandpa!). You can design a mei tai with reversible prints: a masculine print on one side and a feminine print on the other. Alternatively, opt for a plain colour on one side and a feminine print on the other.
– The basic design has stood the test of time. Mei tai carriers have been used for eons. This is hardly surprising given such a simple and easy to use design, that is also super comfortable for baby and parent, and can be dressed up with lovely fabrics to make it look beautiful or funky.
– A good quality mei tai will always be cheaper to purchase than a buckled carrier of the same quality. They are truly very affordable and absolutely good value. A reasonable quality mei tai will hold its value well and sell for a reasonable price secondhand.
What to look for:
– Padded straps. Padded waist for older babies and toddlers (or use a babywearing support belt such as Catbird Baby’s).
– At least two layers of supportive cotton – canvas, twill, or similar. (A decorative lighter weight cotton panel may also be used.)
– Double or triple stitching on straps and body and either box stitching or batik stitching where the straps join the panel.
Many baby wearers opt for a woven wrap conversion mei tai. I just couldn’t justify the expense personally but it is another option you may want to consider. As the wrap straps flare, this provides additional support under the baby or toddler’s bottom and legs and may extend the life of the mei tai further into the toddler years (by then still providing knee to knee seated support, where standard size mei tais with regular straps may not).
Brands that I love (you can’t go wrong with these simple and affordable mei tais):
– Babyhawk. They have such a versatile number of stock prints. The carrier is very supportive even through to toddler years. I can still carry my 15+ kg toddler in my toddlerhawk. It doesn’t go knee to knee but because it folds up nice and small it is still a go to carrier for shopping trips and the like. I designed mine with a pocket – very handy. I would prefer the pocket to zip or close with velcro but if I really wanted to, I could add the velcro myself. My son has always liked the design of the carrier as where the straps join the body panel there is plenty of room for him to get his arms out, whilst still having good back support. it doesn’t have a hood however my son is not a sleep in carrier kind of a kid – this may be a consideration for if you intend to have a sleeping baby in the carrier.
– Freehand. This carrier has a little stretch and super comfy and ideal for newborns. Just make sure the carrier is genuine – there are many counterfeit sellers. An add-on hood can be purchased for the mei tai.
– Kozy. Countless parents rave about this mei tai for newborns and toddlers alike. It is a real workhorse carrier – you will get years of wear from it. I personally don’t like the fit as much as some other mei tais but since plenty of parents do I have included it in this list. It also doesn’t have a hood or a pocket (stock).
– Catbird Baby. This mei tai is beautifully made and I adore the strap angles – the mei tai fits so perfectly. The fabric is so lovely and soft whilst also being so supportive for both baby and wearer. The Catbird Baby is my favourite mei tai for its price point. Incredibly affordable and totally lovely. It is manufactured stock with a hood but no pocket.
– Melkaj. Beautifully made and every single mei tai is unique. These are truly artwork. They are also incredibly comfortable and priced well, given the amount of detail and hand-craft that goes into each one. These mei tais also come with a hood but no pocket. You could likely get a custom with a pocket.
– Two Mommas Designs. Simple but effective, these mei tais are loved by many. They are quality made with a great design that is incredibly comfortable. These mei tais come stock with a hood and a pocket design can be requested custom.
– Gerobaby. My first mei tai love! The padding on the straps and waist band is super comfortable. These mei tais do not have a hood but Morgan would certainly be able to make one if requested. A pocket is a worthwhile optional add-on. I would suggest that these mei tais would be best used from 3-4 months onwards. Morgan designed me a custom Toddler half buckle which I still use with my now 24 month old. Her work is fabulous and very reasonably priced.
Trust me, a mei tai is an absolutely essential baby purchase. You won’t regret it. Instructions for use can be located on most of the above linked web-sites. Let me know which brand you have or intend on purchasing. Do you have any other recommendations?
mummyversion0point1 