Mei tai

[TeacupTempest]

Tell me about mei tai slings?

Are they all essentially the same? Some better than others?

My baby is 14 weeks and fighting to get her head free in our moby and I think she is starting to dislike being so wrapped up.

Looking for another option. We already have a liberty pouch sling so looking for something to go over both shoulders.

Thanks

Although they are essentially the same basic construction (a roughly square shaped panel with straps from all four corners) they vary hugely. I run a sling meet/library and people have brought along things varying from the very good to the shoddily-constructed, uncomfortable and frankly imo unsafe.

For that reason I would recommend an established brand. It will also hold its value better if you decide you don't get on with it. They come up 2nd hand quite a lot on either ebay or more so on www.naturalmamas.co.uk for sale forum.

Are you anywhere near a sling meet or sling library so you can go and try things in person? Different shapes and strap types work for different people www.slingmeet.co.uk

I made one based on some pattern I found on the internet. Mine also disliked any of the wraps, and both I, my DP, and now my sister and her DP have used the mei-tai very happily, in various styles of carry.

My other sister has a commercially bought one, which is fine, but I found that it was more proscriptive of how the baby should be sat whereas my very plain one let DS stand up (!), sit froggy style, or with his legs out, let my 5 foot tall-ness carry him on my front, or on my back, and let my 6 foot DP do the same.

Thank you.

Not near a sling library unfortunately but will check out naturalmamas.

Making my own would be completely beyond me!

What are the established brands? Babyhawk? Ellaroo?

I think my sister's is a babyhawk - it seems nice - the fabric is lovely and soft and padded and I will say that the buckle/clip things are probably easier if there's only one user (so you don't have to keep adjusting) of the mei-tai than the long dangling tie-straps I had to have on mine. I don't know if you can use it back carry (although I only started doing that once he was getting a bit heavy on my front for longer walks) - about 8 months), and I don't know how long you can use it though I think DSis is still using it with her nearly one year old.

I would recommend some kind of pocket - I ended up stuffing my keys/purse in with the baby, but that's not ideal

Ha! I do that with my liberty sling. Purse, keys, gloves. Running out of room for baby!

I've got the babyhawk mei tai. It's great dd is about 16and a half pounds and I can barely feel her weight. It's fairly easy to do back carry but my dd doesn't like it so we just front carry. I bought it from ebay for around £15.

Wow! I could only find babyhawk around £65 on eBay!

Its second hand and still in good condition but the pattern panel bit is a bit faded and not great looking so I got a bargain.

I love my ellaroo mei tai but there are two models they do, I thought ibwas buying one with a hood but when it arrived it was the one which doesn't have a hood. It's a bit if a pain when ds is sleeping tbh.

Also I only spent £5 on mine!!! If you have a nectar crd you can convert points into amazon vouchers. I did this wih £60 worth of points so only had to add a fiver of my own money:)

Ok I had an Amazon voucher so just bit the bullet and ordered a babyhawk. Will think of it as half price!

God I hope she likes it!