Carry of the Week: the Mei Tai

For all you “woven wrap” babywearers, our regular “Carry of the Week” (COTW) will be returning next Friday. For this week, let’s talk about the Mei Tai! Some popular Mei Tai brands include: the Infantino Sash (a very budget-friendly option available at the “big box stores” like Target, Walmart, Buy Buy Baby, and Babies R Us for around $30-35), the FreeHand Mei Tai (retails for approximately $50-75), the Babyhawk Mei Tai (retails for approximately $80-90), and the Kozy Carrier Mei Tai (retails for approximately $70-115). There are also several companies that make custom Mei Tais in various price ranges.

To learn more about Mei Tais, check out our blog post “All About Mei Tais and Other Asian-Inspired Baby Carriers”

Check out the video tutorials linked below for some great tips on how to use a Mei Tai!

Safety: Please read our Disclaimer and also please keep in mind that if this is your first time doing a back carry, or even this using this particular style of carrier, you should have a spotter and/or practice over a soft surface such as a bed or a couch, or even kneeling on a carpeted floor. You can also practice with a doll or stuffed animal first until you feel comfortable.

If you are a beginner Mei Tai user, we recommend that your child be approximately 6 months old, with good neck control/head support, and able to sit before attempting any back carry.

How to use a Mei Tai for a Newborn or Smaller Baby

Mei Tai Front Carry

Mei Tai Hip Carry

Mei Tai Back Carry – Hip Scoot Method

Mei Tai Back Carry – Superman Toss Method

Carry of the Week #2

COTW #2: Back Wrap Cross Carry / BWCC

Last week we focused on the foundation of learning to use a wrap: the Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) and Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (PWCC), and variations of the FWCC. Once babywearers get these carries down, they are often anxious to try something new! And new woven wrap users are often equally as eager to learn back carries, so this week we will be introducing the Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) – this is a great back carry to start with for so many reasons!

If you’re still learning (or just starting to learn!) back carries using a woven wrap, you are probably familiar with the workout you get from trying to tie a baby on your back with a wrap – the sweating, the awkward position, the sore thighs/arms/stomach from standing at that awful 45 degree, semi-squat position angle.

Well, good news! This week’s Carry of the Week is a really nice one to start back carries with because it has some great features including a knot that you tie right away after getting baby on your back to give some added comfort knowing your baby is tied securely to you before moving on. It also has some nice stopping points for you to pause and catch your breath and figure out what the next step is without completely messing up your wrap job.

The version we like to recommend incorporates a chest belt into the BWCC (video tutorials posted below). This chest belt is nice because it gives you a knot to secure baby right after you get them on your back. The chestbelt also keeps the wrap out of your arm pits (a common complaint of some back carries), and is also pretty easy on the shoulders. BWCC is a great carry for those who struggle with getting a good seat or for those who have a little one who is a “seat popper” because the last two passes of the carry compensate for a popped seat as long as those passes are nice and snug and nicely spread across your baby’s back and bottom.

One important note: BWCC is a naturally lower / mid-back carry because of how the wrap comes under your arms, knots at the chest, and then goes over your shoulders from the front rather than how most back carries have the shoulder passes come over your shoulder first thing (which tends to lift baby and keep them up). But that knot/chestbelt of the BWCC is what makes it such a great beginner back carry! Also, being a carry that has baby sit a little bit lower on your back makes the BWCC a nice naptime or cuddling carry because they can really snuggle into and against your back.

Try the BWCC out and let us know what you think…and be sure to check back in next week to see what carry we’ll feature next!

Safety: Please read our Disclaimer and also keep in mind that if this is your first time doing a back carry, or even this particular carry, you should have a spotter and/or practice over a soft surface such as a bed or a couch, or even kneeling on a carpeted floor. You can also practice with a doll or stuffed animal first until you feel comfortable.

If you are a beginner with woven wraps, we recommend that your child be approximately 6 months old, with good neck control/head support, and able to sit before attempting any back carry.

Stretchy wraps (such as the Moby, Boba Wrap, DIY knit wraps, etc) should NOT be used for back carries.

Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) – with a chestbelt

Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) – with a chestbelt / tied “Tibetan” (no verbal instructions, but some great tips are demonstrated!)

Carry Of The Month #1

COTM #1: Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC), Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (PWCC), and FWCC Variations

We will be starting our Carry of the Month with the classic Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) and its sister, the Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (PWCC). For those of you that have been using wraps for a while, you probably have both of these down pat, as they are (more than likely), the first techniques that most of us used to wrap our babies. So, for you, we have some FWCC Variations below (last 4 videos)…try them out and let us know what you think!

For those that are just venturing into wrapping, or want to learn more, this is a great, all-around carrier for a variety of wrap types (stretchy wraps, gauze wraps, hybrid wraps, wovens, DIY wraps, you name it!). FWCC and PWCC are also great for smaller babies and for beginner babywearers! However, even experienced babywearers often fall back on the FWCC as it is an amazingly comfy, easy to learn, and very secure carry – even with those “leg straightening babies”.

FWCC is great for all ages, from newborn to toddler, and it’s relatively easy to learn and tie. PWCC (or as some may know from their Moby Wrap experience, the “Hug Hold”) is great for stretchy wraps and smaller babies (although you can use the PWCC with wovens, too!). While there are several variations of FWCC/PWCC, for the “average” sized mama, a size 6 wrap works best (although more petite babywearers may be able to use a 5).

The most important thing to remember (as always) is to get a good seat – knees above bum and fabric spreading from knee-to-knee. For those teeny newborns, also make sure you have good head support – you can either tuck their head in or roll up a blanket or burp rag and fold it into the horizontal panel to provide more support for their head (once you’re all wrapped up).

Safety: If this is your first time using a wrap, or even this particular carry, please be sure to practice wrapping your baby over a soft surface such as a bed or a couch. You can even practice with a doll or stuffed animal first until you feel comfortable with making a “seat” and securing the passes and tying the wrap. Working near a mirror or reflective surface is also helpful so that you can better see how your baby is positioned in the carry and whether or not you have their knees above their bum and fabric spread from knee-to-knee.

Be sure to check back in next month to see what our next COTM will be!

Front Wrap Cross Carry / FWCC

Front Wrap Cross Carry / FWCC – with wrap folded/shoulder variation

Front Wrap Cross Carry / FWCC – with a Newborn

FWCC and PWCC (Pocket Wrap Cross Carry)

FWCC

FWCC VARIATIONS

FWCC Tied at Shoulder / FWCC TAS (for longer wrap)

Half Front Wrap Cross Carry (for mid-length wrap)

Semi-Front Wrap Cross Carry (for short- to mid-length wrap)

FWCC Tied at Shoulder – with a Newborn