Since having Little Miss A I have really got into and started enjoying baby wearing. When she was tiny I used a sling as it was really easy to use and I could get her snuggled in nice and cosy. Now she is getting big, and much more wriggly, I have been struggling to find a carrier that we were both happy with.
I had seen the Mei Tai baby carriers but never really looked into one properly. When SnugiWraps offered to send me one to try I was really interested to see how it would work with a bigger baby.
I was sent a Classic Mei Tai in 'Zoology' material to try out with Little Miss A. The carrier is a simple design, having a piece of material to cover the child and four straps to tie.
I have found, in the past, baby carriers that require you to tie straps, quite tricky to use and certainly not something that I have been able to really use without assistance from Big Mr A.
When the carrier arrived I read through the instructions and it looked very straightforward to use so I gave it a try!
The carrier can be used in a variety of different ways, depending on how you and your baby feel comfiest. For very young babies and children you can have them on your front, facing you. As they get older you can put the carrier on your back or even your side so baby sits on your hip.
I found the easiest way to put the carrier on, by myself, was with Little Miss A on my front. You simply have to tie the straps around your waist then cross the shoulder straps over your back and tie them under baby's bottom. It was very easy to do on my own and Little Miss A was more than happy to be sat facing me for a short while.
I did find the back and hip holds a little more tricky to do by myself. It was OK getting the carrier and straps in the right place, it was more the fact I could not get them tight enough to make sure it was a secure and comfortable fit. I think with practice I will get the hang of it and, with help from Big Mr A, it was easy enough to make sure the carrier was secure and comfy.
Because of the padded straps, the carrier is very comfortable to wear and I felt it spread Little Miss A's weight better than other carriers I have had before. I found I could happily carry her around in it for a good length of time without it becoming uncomfortable or finding her too heavy.
Little Miss A appeared very comfortable in the carrier and only wriggled when she wanted to get down and walk by herself (usually when she spots something interesting she wants to run off and touch!).
The carriers from SnugiWraps are handmade to order (although there are some in stock). You can choose your own material from either the selection available on the website or alternative materials from their supplier (with a small extra charge).
The carrier received was really well made and the material of excellent quality. We have had no issues at all with the carrier since using it and I am very happy that it is of a quality that will last for some time.
Out of all of the different carriers I have tried, I think the Mei Tai is definitely one of the easiest and certainly most comfortable carriers I have used and I can see me continuing to use it with Little Miss A for some time to come. I think it would be the perfect carrier to take you from birth right up to toddlerhood!
It is certainly the sort of carrier I like to make sure we have with us in the car for both short trips out and full days away as I always think it is nice to have the option to carry Little Miss A when we are out and about and I know how much she enjoys it too!
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Disclaimer - We were sent the baby carrier in return for our honest review. All photographs were taken by me and are not to be used without my permission.
