Mei Tai Baby Carrier

M.,
Well I have a one year old that weights about 19 lbs. I recently got a Baby Hawk Mei Tai baby carrier and LOVE it for shopping.
I have tried all kinds of carriers and ended up hating all of them because of discomfort. Ring slings, slings, hip hammock, and the snuggle. With the Mei Tai I find that the weight is distributed evenly so it keeps things more comfortable. I would highly suggest that you get one that has some serious padding on the straps. I purchase one off of eBay that I ended sending back because the straps was cutting into my under arms. I was attending a Birthday party in my playgroup and was having a hard time keeping up with my 3 1/2 year old and my crawling one year old. A guest let me try on her Baby Hawk and I fell in love! It's hard to find a Baby Hawk brand for less than 80 dollars but it is possible if you surf the web. I found mine for 57 dollars on a craigs list in Calf! She accepted pay pal and it worked great for both of us.
It might be alittle pricey but I think it worth getting something made well and comfortable.
As for weight, most will carry a child up to 40 - 45 lbs though that prolly wouldn't be very comfortable. So I think with 26 lbs you should be good for one for a while. As for hubby if he's not on the extra big tummy side it should fit him fine. Also the resale value on these are very good! :)
Hope this helps,
C.

2 moms found this helpful

I love my Mei Tai! I still use it with my 3 1/2 year old daughter who weighs 33 pounds. I have one with padded shoulder straps, and just put her on my back. It's great for anyone to wear! My husband, father, sisters, and myself all use it for my daughters. It distributes the weight..and allows for free hands! Mine is also a Baby Hawk!
Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I can put a 6 year old in my mei-tai if I want to! :-)

If you are getting a custom made mei-tai (from Babyhawk or something) you can request XL straps, which are a little bit longer, and would definitely accomodate your husband!

If you can, I would definitely try and go to the local baby wearing meeting on Dec 15, there are tons of mamas there that would be more than willing to let you try on different carriers and show you different ways to use them

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DFWbabywearing

thebabywearer.com has a great forum with lots of pictures and reviews on there as well!

1 mom found this helpful

I second the Ergo, it is wonderful and well worth every penny!

1 mom found this helpful

Because of the way the mei-tei distributes the weight of the child you can use your mei-tei for years. It is secure enough to carry a kindergartner. And because the mei-tei is not pre-sized in the shoulder and waist straps so to speak they can be shared by a petite woman to a huge burly man. Practice with the wrap at home to perfect the tying before you go out and you'll have it done to perfection even with a squirming unccoperative toddler. http://store.peppermint.com/mei-tai.html
http://shop.nurturecenter.com/wrapcarriers.html
http://babiesbeyondborders.com/catalog.php?category=10/

1 mom found this helpful

I would suggest the Ergo Baby Carrier. It will grow with your child for years and will fit your husband and you both. I have one and love it. It is the most comfortable baby carrier I have owned and I've tried several. It can even hold a 90 pound adult!

www.ergobabycarrier.com

1 mom found this helpful