Mei Tai Carriers - All the same?

Cyndel - posted on 05/28/2012

Not all are created equal.
I love the wrap conversion Mei Tie I made, It is so comfortable! It has very wide 8" unpadded shoulder straps, that spread out the weight so well that padding isn't necessary.
Also many traditional ones are not padded nearly enough.

Nursing in a Mei Tie is easy just shift everything a little closer to what ever breast baby will feed from make sure their arm is under not over the shoulder strap and you can use the sleeping hood if you have one as a cover.

Julie - posted on 04/10/2012

Friends and family have told me Babyhawk is the best mei tai.

Babyhawk wasnt around when I had my kids, but now I buy Babyhawks for gifts!

Brenda - posted on 04/02/2010

Lisa: I know that NOW... LOL! :)

Erin - posted on 04/02/2010

I just bought one called the Kozy Carrier, its very comfy with wide canvas straps, i havent tried nursing in it but the webiste made it seem very easy!

Emily - posted on 03/31/2010

I don't think there are any particular brands that are better for nursing as they're all the same basic structure. But every brand is a little different and there are HUGE differences in comfort. I've seen some cheap $20 ones on ebay that look dreadfully uncomfortable, not to mention unsafe. All I can say is, you get what you pay for. I would not trust a cheap mei tai. $20 would be the minimum it would cost for quality materials alone (like heavy enough weight cloth for the straps). Then you figure you're adding labor on to that.... etc.

I generally look for brands that use heavy weight canvas, twill, or denim for the straps. Also wider straps are usually more comfy.

Erin - posted on 03/31/2010

So then, is there a particular brand that's more conducive to nursing?

Minnie - posted on 03/31/2010

A ten buck mei tai, Brenda! LOL. Yeah, I would stay away from something that costs only ten bucks but should typically use $20 in materials. LOL.

Vicki - posted on 03/31/2010

There are so many different ones! I have two mei tais, one I made myself using this pattern http://scanditute.blogspot.com/ and a maya tie. I used the homemade one from about 2 days old. I somehow made the body too small which was great when he was little but not so great when older. The maya tie has a large body and wonderful wide wrap like straps that are very supportive. I can easily lug around my 10kg heffalump 9 month old front or back.

Brenda - posted on 03/23/2010

All I have to say is wide straps! I have one with about three inch wide fabric straps, no padding, and it hurts my back to use it since my buggaboo is so darn heavy. I got mine on ebay for ten bucks, a hand made one, but not very good!



I used my Hotsling more because it has no straps, and that's a help and I can hip carry with it.

Geralyn - posted on 03/23/2010

Erin, I had the same question - the company has quite a few different ones....

Geralyn - posted on 03/23/2010

Lisa, wasn't there a Mei Tai carrier that was good for nursing babies without getting exposed? I was thinking of getting that one for when our little one arrives.... I think it was a Mei Tai...

Minnie - posted on 03/23/2010

I make my own. I prefer a strap about 4 1/2 inches wide (for both the waist and shoulder straps). I put in two layers of batting in the waist and shoulder straps.



I like a longer carrier so that the baby's head is supported even when older.



My straps are at about a 30 degree angle to the body, rather than 45, and some carriers are either straight up, or straight out to the side.



So it depends on your preferences, and your body type. Some carriers aren't as deep as others, some aren't as wide, etc.



I didn't want to bother wasting money on an expensive carrier that I might not like, so I just sewed my own, experimenting with fabric, size of the body, and angle of the straps.



I find a lot of people tend towards Kozy or Babyhawk, but not sure if it's comfort or just that those are the two biggest makers out there.



To answer your question, no I don't think all mei tais would be equally comfortable.