I aleady have 1 back carrier but it is not comfortable at all. I will be needing a new one for this spring. I operate a vegetable stand and will need to carry my baby with me to take care of the stand as well as pick veggies from the garden. So he will need to be in the carrier for 1-2 hours. He already weighs 17 lbs and is only 4 months old so the carrier needs to be comfortable for a heavy kid. I have a couple of mai tai carriers that I have made and they are super comfortable for carrying in front but so far very uncomfortable on my back. Any suggestions for backpack carriers?? Or even good ways to wear mai tai's? Thanks!!!
I made another Mei Tai and started to where my son on my back so that I could get things done. He loved it and frequently fell asleep. It wasn't as comfortable for me though. I decided to spend the money ($92!) and buy the Ergo baby carrier, so many of you suggested it and there was rave reviews everywhere. I just opened and tried it on immediately. It was like I was carrying a feather!! I even tried on my 2 year and found it equally as comfortable. It really places all of the weight on your hips instead of on your shoulders. You can wear it in lots of different ways and up to a 5 year old child! If any is looking for a present or baby carrier BUY AN ERGO!!
I've been looking into this for myself. A lot of my friends have recommended the Ergo baby carrier. You can use it on the front or on the back. I know it goes up to at least 40 pounds. I've even spoken to a couple of strangers in the mall that I've seen using it. Everyone I've spoken to loves it and highly recommends it. They say that it distributes the weight evenly.
Good luck. Hope my research helps you out.
I would go with the ergo, i am actually holding my 2 year old daughter in it at this moment sleeping while i am writing this. She is comfortable and so am I. We use it all the time and I have nothing at all to complain about. You can use it front, back and hip. Hope it works for you
I have an ERGO baby carrier that i think is the best thing going. I can still carry my 3 year old in it and it's very comfortable.
l.
What kind of a carry are you using for the back carry in the mei tai. I know a lot of people who say the back carry is uncomfortable, but love using a high back carry. Here's a link to instructions if you haven't seen it already - scroll down to find high back -http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/instructions.html. I do have friends who recommend tieing both straps above your breasts.
I haven't used any of the backpack carriers personally. The ones I have seen/have friends that used, don't look as secure to me as the mei tai. Another option might be a woven wrap. There are a variety of carries that can be used on the back and, personally, I've found the wraps to be most comfortable for babywearing.
S.
I know what its like to have a big baby to carry around. My son is 7 months old and weighs over 20 pounds. I found a product called The Ultimate Baby wrap from babiesrus.com. It's a piece of fabric that you wrap around your body. It will hold the baby in 5 positions, including on your back. Plus it holds up to 35 pounds.I love it. It cost around $50 but that included shipping and handling.I wear mine every time I go shopping. My son enjoys "hanging out" on my chest and watching all the people. Someone also told me about a website called slinglings.com. They sell slings that also hold up to 35 pounds. These are made according to your measurements.
I had a traditional backpack carrier for my 1st child and I know what you mean about it being uncomfotable. The Baby wrap is so comfortable. I reccomend it to everyone I come in contact with that is having a baby or knows someone having a baby. Good luck.
try the moby wrap. It can be tied in 20 different ways. You can find it at mobywrap.com
You can find cheaper used ones on ebay and craigslist.
good luck
To get the Mai Tai comfortable on your back, you have to have your baby's head as high as yours--not hanging low on your back. I just use a regular wrap (floor to shoulders(around neck) and down to the floor on the other side). It is so comfortable and he loves it!
My bear is almost 19mo and 35lbs.
And I love this site in general!
http://www.mamatoto.org/Default.aspx?tabid=186
Keep up the great work!!!
I second the moby wrap. It's super comfortable. The Ergo-baby is popular among my friends.
I have the ergo and love it too!
I have a Patapum Toddler and can carry my 24 lb 21 month old for many hours in it. It goes up to 62 lbs!!! It is very similar to the Ergo, but costs a little less. They also make a Patapum Baby for younger children.
I second the Ergo. My daughter has lived in it since she was born, practically. (Now nearly 13 months old!) However I've also heard great things about the Patapum. And I found with a Mei Tai for an extended back carry, I wanted a few things: well-padded shoulder straps, lightly padded waist and extra long straps, so I could lexi-twist in the back AND tie tibetan in the front. But I prefer my Ergo over just about anything! Good luck, A.! (Oh, and for what it's worth, I couldn't use a ring sling or do a one-shoulder carry with my baby once she weighed more than 12-15 pounds
Hi, A.!
Have you ever tried a ring sling at all? I know that I once looked at several backpack carriers & found that they were all SO heavy that they were just not a possibility for me to deal with. I, however, used my ring sling either on my hips or on my back & did much better with that. Plus, since a ring sling allows for so many different positions, I found that once my daughter started to feel to heavy, that I could switch sides that she was on or switch the position that she was in & that would relieve my discomfort.
At the risk of spamming myself, I actually make baby slings & have a little company called THING-A-MA-SLING. Last month, we took a family trip to FL & I carried my son (who was probably about 16 lbs) in my sling for 10 hours straight, 3 days in a row & my back was fine! I couldn't believe it! My back is notorious for being bad & it was fine!
If you live locally, (I live in Easton), I'd be happy to meet with you one day so that you can try out a sling if you think you might be interested. I also invite you to check out my site: www.ThingaMaSling.com in the meantime if you would like to. Most of my inventory is not on there, but there is a link to view some of it on there.
Where is the veggie stand located? I love buying local, fresh veggies!!!
Good luck!
A.
Sounds like you need a good old fashioned Gerry carrier, the ones used for hiking. Their a lot more structured than a wrap or mai tai, certainly not as fashionable but really good for long term wear. I can wear my little 18 pounder with ease on a good long hike w/o back pain and i have chronic back problems too. I'd search for one online or at a consignment store, I haven't seen any in stores. But they pop up all the time at Goodwill!
I've had 2 of the Gerry carrier types and loved both of them. The good thing about them is the frame keeps the child high enough away from your back and head. The secret is to get the waist tight enough so that the kids weight is balanced on your hips and not your back. Both of my kids have spent whole days being carried around. My son is now almost 35 lbs and I'm looking to get another one for this summer since we've worn out the first 2.
I used a front carrier made by Jeep and it was surprisingly comfortable and durable... If they make a backpack carrier I would check it out. It was inexpensive, the colors were simple, and the material is comfy and washes well. I used it until my daughter was around 15 pounds or so, and only stopped because she is super active, but I do not recall the exact weight limit. Good luck!!
