I got my Mei Tai (like Kozy) - Am I doing something wrong?

[Heavenly]

I got my Mei Tai carrier and its beautiful and I can get her on my back easily but after 15 minutes it killed my lower back. I have the waist belt tied around and then I cross the shoulder straps across my chest (it totally kills in the backpack position) then back behind my back, under her legs and then around the front where I tie. But I thought you were supposed to be able to carry them for long periods of time. After 15 minutes I felt like my back was going to break! I do have a bad back but I'd heard that didn't matter. Anyways am I doing something wrong?

[Katie Bugs Mama]

You're using a whole different set of muscles that you used in whatever type of front carrier you used to carry her in. You probably need to work up to being able to carry her for long periods of time. I remember that I used to be able carry DD in her sling on my hip for hours with no problem but 20 minutes in a backpack left me in pain for days.

[Piglet68]

We now have a new Babywearing forum!!

So I'm going to move this thread there....

[lexbeach]

Re: I got my Mei Tai (like Kozy) - Am I doing something wrong?

Originally posted by Heavenly
I have the waist belt tied around and then I cross the shoulder straps across my chest (it totally kills in the backpack position) then back behind my back, under her legs and then around the front where I tie.

I have the Kozy, but I believe that the tying-on techniques are the same for the EBMT and the Kozy. I tie my Kozy on differently from what you've described. After you have the straps crossed over your chest, I would bring them down under your dd's bottom (over her thighs), and tie the straps there under dd's bottom.

The first time I put my kozy on, I didn't look at the instructions : and I put the straps underneath ds' legs instead of over them. I was in agony. So, I looked at the instructions and figured out I was doing it wrong.

I hope this helps!

Lex

[mom2noah]

I have a Kozy and I tie it under DS's butt. If you look at the picture of a Mei Tei on peppermint.com she is wearing with it tied under the butt as well. Here is the link.
http://store.peppermint.com/mei-tai-baby-carrier.html

Here are more pictures of the Kozy with it tied under the butt
http://www.geocities.com/kozycarrier/

[mom2noah]

Whoops, double post

[Peppamint]

I have a Kozy, and the straps can be done a couple of different ways.

For the back carry... I cross the straps over my chest and bring them around back and tie under ds' butt. You can also just bring each strap over your shoulder like a backpack and tie under baby's butt. Have you tried that?

For the front carry, I cross the straps behind my back and tie under ds' bottom.

Keep trying, for me this is the best carrier/sling I've used yet! Ds loves it too!

[Heavenly]

The straps are too long for me to just tie it under her bum. I tried that but the straps are too long and hang way down. I think I may have found the problem - tell me if this sounds right. I was holding her way up on my back, instead today I did it lower so she was kind of sitting on my bum. That didn't hurt at all. Is that the way its supposed to be?

I showed it to some women at my playgroup and now they all want one!

[Peppamint]

That sounds more like it. Here's the pictures at the Kozy site... http://www.geocities.com/kozycarrier/photos.html See how in the back carry pictures it looks like the baby's legs are looped around the parent's hips? Kinda like when you give a piggy back ride.

Glad you figured it out... and that it's painfree!

[lexbeach]

Re: the straps being too long, I deal with this problem by either tying them in a bow, or, after tying them under the baby's butt bringing them back around front and weaving them in with the waist strap. Unless the EBMT straps are much longer than those on the Kozy, either of these solutions should work okay for you.

I would not think that wearing your dd up higher on your back would be the problem. . . Sometimes my babies want to be up higher so that they can see more.

HTH!

Lex

[Tupelo Honey]

The EBMT straps are much longer than the Kozy's. You can still get more lift by bringing the straps over her thighs and under her butt, then back under to come around and tie. I think I am going to have the straps on my EBMT shortened because I'd rather just tie them under the tush

[Peppamint]

Wow... I'm glad I have a Kozy! I'm only 5'2" and I have to be careful not to let the straps drag on the ground (which is why it needs washing). I can't imagine if the straps were longer!