Desperate to find the right "fit"

[sraplayas]

Wrap and/or mei-tai?
Help me find the right "fit"?

I have neck and shoulder pain--overall tension and also pinpoint pain between my shoulderblades mostly from babywearing--correctly!

I use a soft-carrier pack and 2 types of fitted pouches. Used these with dd, now 4yrs, and had no problems--up to 3yrs! But w/ ds, 4mos, it has become painful as he's grown.

So...I've narrowed it down to a Mei-Tai and/or some type of wrap.

Please help! I am 5'2 and though still losing baby weight, under 115lb, and busty. ds is at least 15lbs. We live in a coastal area where it doesn't get below 32F and the average year round temp is in the 60's. I babywear all day long--housework, walking, shopping, standing in church, sitting at the computer, etc..

I've read the very helpful article in Mothering's babywearing edition and scanned a few great websites. The issue is there are so many types of wraps and mei-tais that has me stuck. I know the big ones--maya wrap and babyhawk--but are they the best for my needs/bodytype? also are both necessary?

[baturay]

Your location sounds lovely!

Even though Maya Wrap has the name "wrap", it is not actually a wrap, but a ring sling. It's a great ring sling, but I would recommend two shoulder support for more comfort.

There are a lot of brands of mei tais and wraps and it is hard to chose, but once you browse through the various brands then you can start narrowing them down by choosing the colors you like most.

Here are some brands to get you started ~
For mei tais, check out Kozy, Freehand, Babyhawk, Catbird Baby, Keep Your Baby Close and hopefully others will recommend more.

For wraps, I'd go with woven wrap since you are carrying already 15lbs and growing. Check out Ellaroo, Girasol, Didymos, Neobulle, BBslen, Vatani, Bali Baby Breeze...and there even more, but these are some to get you started.

[jmo]

I have both a moby wrap and a freehand mei tai and I much prefer the mei tai. I feel like ds (7 wks, about 12 lbs) is more supported in the mei tai and it's so much eaiser to put on. I have neck/shoulder pain too and the mei tai has been the best carrier. I still use the moby on occasion but the mei tai is my go to carrier. The prints you can get are so pretty too.

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

My MOM Tai is my favorite comfy MT. If you do a back carry, I recommend tieing Tibetan style for extra support. Another wrap I find super supportive is Bebina.

[syd'smom]

Are you a different weight than when you wore your older little one?? If so, that can greatly change the fit of a carrier (and thereby your comfort), especially for a pouch. What kind of soft-pack carrier did you use? I've *ahem* tried just about every carrier out there (a local vendor is a friend who lets me try new fluffies, and yes I own several).

You definitely want a 2-shouldered carrier like a nice woven wrap (didymos, storchenweige, girasol, hoppediz) or a mei-tai (mom tai, kozy, ball baby, etc.) or a soft structured carrier (calyx, ergo, beco, etc.)

Happy shopping!

[Lunaria]

I love wrapping and would also recommend a woven wrap. But if you decide to go for a mei tai, check out mangobaby mei tais. They have a wide body and wide unpadded straps that make it feel more like a wrap carrier, very supportive and comfortable. I personally am not a big fan of the small bodied, padded strap mei tais.

Jenny

PS. Lucky baby getting all that mama time!

[Malva]

I will third (or forth?) the recommendation for a woven wrap.

[pixiepunk]

for back issues you will probably find that back carries are a lot more comfortable than front carries. I think your best bet is going to be a good sturdy mei tai like a Kozy, or else a structured carrier - if you're new to back carrying you might prefer a Beco Butterfly or a Calyx that has a 'seat' for the baby which makes it easier to put the carrier/baby on.

i have neck/shoulder issues and have never been able to get comfortable in a woven wrap. i also think a woven wrap is hot (well, it's hot for me when the weather's warm) so being in a place where it's warm most of the year i think you'd be better off with something that allows more air flow and that doesn't have as many layers wrapped around you and your baby, another reason for the MT or SSC suggestion.

the thing about babywearing is that it's very individual - one person loves their babyhawk, another swears by their Kozy. all the carriers on the market have different attributes (angle of straps, length of straps, materials they're made of, amount of padding, length and width of the body of the carrier) that make them feel different when you're wearing them, and alot of it boils down to personal preference and what feels best on your body (and what makes your LO most comfy). but going with a big name carrier that has a lot of good reviews and is known to be a good quality is a good place to start. and buying gently used is a great way to try things out without spending a ton of money. you can usually get used Kozys and Babyhawks for around $45ppd over on thebabywearer.com in the FSOT forum. in fact you could probably get a woven wrap *and* a MT for what you'd normally pay for just a new woven wrap, or get a good quality SSC for what a brand new MT would cost.

[sraplayas]

Originally Posted by syd'smom

Are you a different weight than when you wore your older little one?? If so, that can greatly change the fit of a carrier (and thereby your comfort), especially for a pouch. What kind of soft-pack carrier did you use? I've *ahem* tried just about every carrier out there (a local vendor is a friend who lets me try new fluffies, and yes I own several).

You definitely want a 2-shouldered carrier like a nice woven wrap (didymos, storchenweige, girasol, hoppediz) or a mei-tai (mom tai, kozy, ball baby, etc.) or a soft structured carrier (calyx, ergo, beco, etc.)

Happy shopping!

i am using the sutemi in the front carry position. ds is 16 1/2 lbs and already one strap is making a welt occaisionally on the left shoulderblade. i am the same weight as i was with dd.

question--how do the mei-tais look in front for the back carry? i am wondering b/c as i said i am busty and the crossover look does not flatter me!

[baturay]

Originally Posted by sraplayas

question--how do the mei-tais look in front for the back carry? i am wondering b/c as i said i am busty and the crossover look does not flatter me!

You can do back pack style shoulders instead of crossing them in the front.

[sraplayas]

okay, i like the mangobaby MT alot but how different is this going to feel than my sutemi? i need the weight off my shoulders and i hate buckles!

also, the woven wraps are really nice looking...i'm not sure what the difference is except for fabric selection (i like the indio ruby/didymos)...

pixiepunk mentioned looking on the babywearer FSOT forum for deals--any other tips on this? i would prefer to purchase a new item just b/c i know what shape mine are in after dd! but wow! i could end up spending 250. if i buy bith new--yikes! i am a diehard BW so don't get me wrong---thet are sooo worth it!

[EdnaMarie]

Originally Posted by sraplayas

Wrap and/or mei-tai?
Help me find the right "fit"?

I have neck and shoulder pain--overall tension and also pinpoint pain between my shoulderblades mostly from babywearing--correctly!

I use a soft-carrier pack and 2 types of fitted pouches. Used these with dd, now 4yrs, and had no problems--up to 3yrs! But w/ ds, 4mos, it has become painful as he's grown.

So...I've narrowed it down to a Mei-Tai and/or some type of wrap.

Please help! I am 5'2 and though still losing baby weight, under 115lb, and busty. ds is at least 15lbs. We live in a coastal area where it doesn't get below 32F and the average year round temp is in the 60's. I babywear all day long--housework, walking, shopping, standing in church, sitting at the computer, etc..

I've read the very helpful article in Mothering's babywearing edition and scanned a few great websites. The issue is there are so many types of wraps and mei-tais that has me stuck. I know the big ones--maya wrap and babyhawk--but are they the best for my needs/bodytype? also are both necessary?

Ohhhh, well, okay, I hate to complicate things but a narrow podaegi has the versatility of the wrap in terms of ties, but is light like a MT and less stretchy than most wraps. Something to consider. Ellaroo made great ones but you'd have to get one used because they don't make them anymore.

As a 5'5" person at around the same weight, in a slightly cooler climate (Pac NW, near the mountain) I find my podaegi great, which would compare more to a mei tai than a wrap.

Also, I personally find it easier to get a podaegi in position (and a mei tai, they are similar in that respect) than a wrap on the back, which as a PP mentioned is probably easier on the back for chores.

Oh, and NB- Ellaroo carriers, the MT, narrow podaegi, and wide podaegi, have all fit me and I'm a XS / S in shirts, fairly short torsoed. They have some room for a bigger torso but the base is not too wide which is really nice. Plus they have great workmanship and customer service. So I recommend them for a small lady like you.

Oh, and also, tee-hee, you can easily wear a po on back w/o crossing in the front, using the Tibetan carry.

[sraplayas]

[QUOTE=EdnaMarie;13815100]Ohhhh, well, okay, I hate to complicate things but a narrow podaegi has the versatility of the wrap in terms of ties, but is light like a MT and less stretchy than most wraps. Something to consider. Ellaroo made great ones but you'd have to get one used because they don't make them anymore.

As a 5'5" person at around the same weight, in a slightly cooler climate (Pac NW, near the mountain) I find my podaegi great, which would compare more to a mei tai than a wrap.[QUOTE]

EdnaMarie, thanks for the info on the podegi. i'll look into it. The podegis in the photos I looked at look like alot of extra fabric hanging around--what is it for and is it hot?

This is the wonderful thing about babywearing--so many beautiful options--argh. if only i had the income to support collecting each type.

[sraplayas]

oh--one other Q: are My Bei Bei considered podegis or in a class all by themselves? any comments on these?

[EdnaMarie]

Originally Posted by sraplayas

oh--one other Q: are My Bei Bei considered podegis or in a class all by themselves? any comments on these?

The wide or traditional po fabric wraps all the way around the body to keep baby warm. The narrow po has less fabric.

My Bei Bei looks like some related carrier... the Hmong is also like a narrow po. So any of those would work as well though I cannot speak to the quality of the MBB brand.

Darn, I'm all infatuated by the designs now, though! Ack!

[sraplayas]

could i wrap my baby in a ready-made "scarf" from the local market--here in MX? if so, what exactly would i be looking for in terms of type of material and width/length of fabric? advantages/disadvantages?

also--just wondering which of the above-mentioned mei-tei, bei-bei, podegi, etc. can do the back carry without crossing in the front and not put too much pressure on my shoulders? (I am a bit mastitis-prone )

[Devaskyla]

I'd guess the "scarf" waould be a rebozo? You can wrap with them, but only short carries, probably mostly one shouldered stuff, that's usually how I see rebozo's being worn.

As for your question about used stuff, used wraps are generally better than new ones because they've been softened up/broken in. As for other carriers, the moms on the babywearer are pretty good about letting you know the condition of things. There seems to be a lot of stuff that gets sold after being used only a few times.

[pixiepunk]

generally rebozos are too short to do two-shouldered carries with. which makes them nice for quick up and down carries (much like a ring sling, except with a slip knot instead of rings), but can be hard on your shoulder/neck for longer wear times, and not as hands-free as two-shouldered options. but occasionally you'll see a rebozo that's 3+meters in length and you could definitely do a two-shouldered rucksack carry with one that long.

make sure if you try a rebozo to get 100% cotton, a lot of the cheaper ones are now made with synthetic material which isn't going to breathe well in the heat and might irritate baby's sensitive skin.

any brand of MT or podaegi or similar can be worn without crossing the straps in front. i can't stand how that feels,and i've never worn them that way, i always just bring them straight under my arms and then behind baby. www.kozycarrier.com has lots of good pictures and wearing instructions which would be a good place to look. oh, and youtube has tons of videos too.

as the pp mentioned, usually people on TBW who are selling used post lots of pictures and describe carrier condition very thoroughly. sometimes they're selling it new in the package or after being worn only a couple of times. they're not all being sold after being worn a ton. plus a lot of people there own a *lot* of carriers, so even if they had it for a year or two, it might only have been worn once every couple of months during that time. for example i just sold a Kozy about a month ago. i had 2 kozys, and for whatever reason i always grabbed for one and not the other. I had that carrier for about 9 months, maybe wore it 6 times tops? it had never been washed, and it was pretty much indistinguishable from a brand new one. i sold it for $45 because i wasn't using it and wanted the money to buy something different that would get some use. and ones that are more worn-in go for even less most times. the thing is, if you're not sure you'll like the carrier, it might be worth it for you to buy a used one for like $30, try it out for a while to see if you like it. if you love it you could always buy yourself a new one with fabric you love, and keep the other as a spare for your car or for when the other is being washed, or when you're going to the beach and you don't want to get your pretty one all sandy or whatever. i like having at least one carrier that i don't mind abusing