How to Tie a Mei Tai

There really is no "right" way to tie a Mei Tai baby carrier. The only guideline is however you and your little one are the most comfortable. So experiment with different methods. There are plenty out there that can be found via a simple search engine search. Here, I illustrate my favorite method for the front carry, and also what I think is the easiest.

 

1. Tie the hip belt around your hips (note: for the most weight support and comfort, tie it around your hip bones, NOT around your waist)

2. Throw the shoulder straps over your shoulder.

3. Pull the bodice out a little to make a pocket for your little one.

4. Grab the straps together behind your back.

5. Slide your little one right in and get him/her comfy.

6. Cross the straps behind your back wherever is the most comfortable for you.

7. Wrap the straps around to your front and around your little one, spreading them out or twisting them and positioning them wherever will be most comfortable for your little one.

8. Continue wrapping straps until you and your little one are as comfy as you desire. Again, straps can be placed wherever you desire, and you can secure the straps with either a knot or a bow, in front or in back.

 Another example of how you can cross the straps around your little one.

Features of the Comfy Cozy Carrier

Baby wearing/hands free Mei Tai wrap style carrier

• Extra thick, padded hipbelt to help support baby’s weight, so it’s not pulling on your poor back
• Wide, comfortable padded or sling style shoulder straps
  
• Fully reversible
• Binky tether to keep track of the soother when baby isn’t using it
• Padded headrest which converts to a sun/weather hood in one easy, fluid motion
• Optional accessory bag that is adjustable to any location on any of the straps for easy access to your cell phone, wallet, or whatever you need to stow

Advantages of The Comfy Cozy Carrier

The Comfy Cozy Baby Carrier – Baby wearing/hands free wrap or Mei Tai style carrier

By far the most comfortable, stylish, safe, snuggly way to carry your little one (newborn through preschooler).

• Carry baby close to you – have you ever used one of those regular front packs to try to hold your baby while you’re trying to do stuff around the house? It just doesn’t work! Baby swings away from you when you lean over, they’re not in tight, so can fall out the top. They don’t feel safe and secure, or snuggled up to you, which is what they wanted to begin with. This pack holds them as tightly as you desire directly to your body, and they will not fall away!

• Adjust the positions- with extra long straps, there are several ways to position your little one inside the pack and tie it so both mommy and baby are comfy-cozy: Sideways for sleeping, tummy to tummy for snuggling, face out for older, more curious babies, on your hip, and on the back for the growing little ones.

• Minimizes stress on infants’ hips - little hips are delicate, and packs that force newborns legs to straddle mommy can cause harsh stress on the joints, potentially creating hip problems that need big braces for several months to fix. In this pack, newborns can ball up in fetal position like they normally do, and still be safe and secure inside. As they grow bigger and the hip joints are more developed, you can position them however is comfy for both baby and mommy!

• Clear breathing for baby – so many hands free carriers engulf baby and smash their face either against the fabric of a sling or mommy’s front. There have been studies and news stories lately about how many newborns are being oxygen deprived when “worn” in these carriers. This pack is different, in that it keeps baby’s head upright and in a position for free breathing. If they turn their face into your chest, you can see it immediately and easily and quickly adjust their position.

• Doesn’t require lots of guess work and re-tying – many popular carriers are made with stretchy material, which seems comfy, until you try using it. You have to guess how much room to leave for baby and tie the whole thing on. Then if you guessed wrong, you have to keep guessing and checking until you get it right. Then, as baby sits in it, it stretches, and you need to keep adjusting it. What a pain! These carriers are made with strong, yet stylish and baby friendly, non-stretchy fabrics. You tie on the hip belt, throw the shoulder straps over your shoulders, slide baby in, then tie, and you’re good to go! Perfect fit the first time! And no stretching causing you to have to re-tie over and over. I have worn my baby for five hours and never had to adjust!

• Weight support – most carriers are just straps over your shoulders, perhaps with a skinny strap to go around your waist. What are those waist straps for, anyway? The only thing I can think is it’s their poor attempt at making you think it will help hold the carrier and baby close to you as you move around. Well, they fail. AND they kill your back in the process. This carrier has an extra wide, padded hip belt to help support much of baby’s weight on your hips instead of all pulling on your back. It’s so nice to distribute so much of their weight to your hips! Even wearing a 35 lb preschooler on your back is comfortable!