Back carrier for round the house

[FeatheredHeart]

I saw the recent back carrying topic talking about the Ergo / Patapum, Connecta, Beco, Yamo and Kozy & am looking for a bit more advice. Also a recent post suggested baby / toddlerhawk and a babytrekker.

I hired a Joey mei tai as a trial but

• I can't put the backcarry on the baby on my own; the straps end up round his legs rather than supporting his bottom as I just can't reach behind and high enough to tie the straps. I remember the physios saying I'm not that flexible in my back.
  

• it takes a while to put on so not ideal when just nipping out of the car / upstairs to keep the baby out of the way of the toddler
• straps can easily slide onto his legs and pinch them
• his head doesn't always get great support esp when he's sleeping (he's 5 months)
• although it fits me (I'm 6 foot) I have a rubbish back and although the weight seemed quite well distributed there wasn't any support across the middle / lower back which I'm used to with my baby bjorn.

I'd like one that's:

• good for me at 6 foot and has good back support as I have a rubbish back
• I would like one that's not going to have any buckle / hard bits against his cheek when he falls asleep 'aboard'
• that supports the wide apart legs position, as opposed to babybjorn style

It would be a bonus if:

• I can b/f the baby in a front carry position
• I can put a tired toddler into when we're in town with the pram.

Does this narrow down the field a bit, or are they all still ok?

[letsblowthistacostand]

I've recently fallen in love with my onbuhimo--it's like a mei tai but with rings at the bottom corners instead of straps. It's so easy to get a kid on your back in it, you just kind of wrap it around the baby and fling her onto your back, then thread the straps through the rings and tie. It's not the most supportive carrier I've used (more supportive than the bjorn though) but so, so easy, folds up small, dd2 so comfy in it that she now refuses any other carrier. DH loves it too.

Podeagis are similar and meant to be more supportive (I think). Also like a mei tai but with a long body and no bottom straps. You fling baby onto your back and then tie the straps in various ways, youtube has lots of videos. Think they are also supposed to be nice for tall people (all short here!)

Best thing about both carriers is you can get DC way up high on your back so he/she can look over your shoulder. DD2 very nosy so it suits her.

Not sure where to buy in the UK (am in the US) but I got mine used in great condition. Hope that helps!

[foxytocin]

i'd say get yourself to a sling meet. (google it) ordinarily, having a bad back should not preclude you using a MT.

one thing to do is to watch videos on you tube of different styles of back carries. try searching you tube with 'hip scoot'. natual mamas dot co dot uk has some great video tutorials linked to the forum. follow the links babywearing - mei tais to find them.

getting the straps round his legs rather than bottom doesn't sound quite right to me. (the straps do not support their bottoms. it is for tightening) their bottoms should be more or less the height of their knees when they are bent. have a look at different pics of back carries to see what I mean.

[FeatheredHeart]

I don't think I can face the MT ever again - deeply traumatic for me and ds2 . Can't ever remember such screams - or maybe it was just the proximity to my ear! Especially when at a precarious moment ds1 grabs the ties and starts twisting them around my legs . And there were good instructions with pics. It's not that I don't get how to tie it, I just can't seem to get my arms back and up enough to tie the shoulder straps around and across him. And I am truly desperate for a back carry sling so we've had a lot of goes. I can do it if I have help, but I generally don't. I am going to 2 sling meets in the next 2 weeks.

Thanks for your ideas.