I think I am stupid-I just cannot tie my wrap sling onto my back

[claireybee]

without either nearly dropping ds, or him dangling somewhere near my knees.

Any tips?

Or do I need to use this as an excuse to buy a Mei Tai?!?

how old is ds? did your sling come with instructions?
if you lie him on the sling and gather it up around him you should be able to swing him over onto your back and then sort the rest of the material out and pull it all tight.
it just takes a lot of practice

that said, a mei tai is always very useful.

But if you are nervous of swinging your child over your shoulder, you could try this:
Put sling on a chair, put child/baby on sling, back-up to the chair then lift sides of sling,pulling up over shoulders. Put your hand under lo bum to support of you like. Stand up, then deal with the rest of the fabric. WSorks with older baby/toddler.

Or buy a mei tai. I have a podaegi as DH can never get the hang of a back carry with the didymos.

remember to lean forward to, helps keep baby in place while you're tying the rest

Thanks everyone. DS is 5 months, been sitting since 16 weeks though. Can't manage it with dd (nearly 2) either though. Sling did come with instructions but I can't seem to do it as they say-it's the getting the ends over shoulder and around baby that I have probs with, just end up in a big tangle!

claireybee - IME back wearing with a wrap has a steep learning curve, but well worth getting the hang of! It took me several months before it clicked, I think it does get easier as your baby gets older as well, they tend to grip on more themselves once they're older which really helps.

I'd post on www.thebabywearer.com if you want specific tips, there is a wealth of information there and you will get a lot of help, especially if you can post action photos. There are also lots of video tutorials on youtube which may help (haven't got any links as I'm at work at the moment!)

Mei tais are much easier and a useful addition to any baby carrier stash collection, but IME never quite as comfortable as a well-tied wrap

Have found different instructions online and have managed to get him on-doesn't feel quite right as shoulders are aching a bit though-think he is too low on my back perhaps. He has fallen asleep though (normally a mission!) so he must be quite comfy.

At the moment I use the sling a lot where I take him in and out-eg when we take dd to toddlers I'll put him in then take him out once we get there, back in once he gets tired, out for a feed etc-will I ever be able to do this with him on my back or am I always going to need a mirror and several attempts to get him on??

the best instruction dvd I have used is the didymos one. I still do the 'toss' over the shoulder method with ds who is 2.9yrs old.

Claireybee, have you seen the Calyx baby carrier on here:

mamagear.com

Definitely on my wish list.

if you search 'rucksack carry' and tibetan back carry' on youtube or google you can get loads of vids.