Calling all babywearing experts....Help me pick a mei tai!

[tanyam926]

Hi guys, I need help deciding which mei tai to buy since I have never had one before.

First I will give you some info:

My babe is almost 4 months, but a big boy. He is about 15-16 lbs and very tall. So very heavy. He loves to be worn and I wear him constantly when out and a lot at home too.

I have a ring sling, a maya wrap pouch, and a moby wrap. I love the ease of use of the ring sling but it makes my shoulders hurt after a little while. I used the pouch more when he was first born as I can't adjust it easily (the zippered/button one). I love my moby bc it's so comfortable but as he gets older he is less comfortable being so tight against me (which I have to do to keep him up and not banging around my knees).

So I am going to get a mei tai and I need advice. I have been looking around and could use some personal suggestions.

My main concern is getting one that has wide enough shoulders so my back and neck don't hurt. For that reason I like the Ball Baby Overall. What do you think?

Are there any others w/wide wrap style shoulders? I am willing to pay $100 bc I will use it all the time.

TIA!

[MoonStarFalling]

I had an Eden velveteen mt. They have wide straps as well. I thought it was extremely comfortable. I really liked the wide waist strap too. It was also very pretty on.

[fireweed]

I have the Ball Baby Overall, and I love it. I have neck and upper back issues, and it is the most comfy carrier, second only to my wrap. I find it distributes babys weight really evenly across my back, almost as good as a wrap. Highly recommended!!

[rmzbm]

Kozy is my favorite, straps are wide. www.kozycarrier.com

[TefferTWH]

What about a SSC? We have a BH, but I know I'm going to want an SSC when my daughter gets as big as your baby.

Did you check over at thebabywearer? Their FSOT is filled with good stuff.

[cchrissyy]

since you want wide shoulder straps it sound slike the BBO is just the thing

[tanyam926]

Thanks guys!

Teffer, what is an SSC?

[cotopaxi]

I think BBO is one of the best carriers for the money. It's the only unpadded MT I would even think about wearing with my 20-month-old (she's only 19 pound though ftr!!).

Another good one is Beanslings. It has wide straps but is also lightly padded, both at the shoulders and waist, so it's a bit more supportive even than BBO. It is another that is a real bargain for the amount of support provided.

Definitely browse thebabywearer's fsot for deals. I often see BBOs on there for $45 including shipping.

An SSC is a soft structured carrier. It usually has a padded foam waist and buckles instead of ties at the waist and/or shoulder. They are usually designed to transfer more weight to the hips instead of the back/shoulders. The good ones tend to be a bit more expensive than MTs, but you can get some good deals. To me there is a tradeoff - being petite, I find it hard to get an excellent fit in most SSCs because I just can't get them adjusted quite right to be snug enough, whereas an MT provides a really custom fit via the ties. However, the foam waist of the SSC really does absorb a lot of the weight.

[Quirky]

If it were me I'd probably go for a soft structured carrier and start getting him up on my back for most carries. The hip belt of a SSC will transfer most of his weight to your hips, so that your shoulders won't be taking the brunt of it. Also, there's usually more shoulder padding in an SSC to help cushion the weight that is on your shoulders.

My third baby is heavy and tall, too, and I found we outgrew most of our MTs pretty early on.