PLease recommend a great back carrier

[Snapdragon]

hi

Ds is 10 months. We have mostly used the babyhawk mei tei as a front carrier. He is ready for back carry, and I am looking for something really easy to put him in that we can still do things while wearing him (myself or my husband) like maybe a back pack. We have tried the mei tei as back carry but I find it a pita to get him in it and then he sits low on it. We also have an ergo that we never use but we could try it for back carry. But I was looking more for something that is more like a comfy back pack type thing so that he can see above our sholders- any  recommendaitons? I prefer not a frame pack or somehting heavy- ideally a non frame(non metal) comfy back pack that is easy to get him in and out of. IT doesn't have to actually be that he can see over the shoulder- I just thoght he might stay in it longer happily if we were doing things if he could see something other than our back.

[crunchy_mommy]

I would at least try the Ergo with a back carry -- I just got one & my 2yo DS LOVES it.

[clovergirl]

I second giving the Ergo a try, since you already have it.  Also, you could try to do a high back carry with your mei tai.  Instead of tying the waist strap around your waist, try it a little higher up (we usually say right under the breasts for women).  This will have the baby riding higher and able to peek over your shoulder.

The other type of carrier that works well for a high back carry is a woven wrap.  But if you find the mei tai hard to use on your back you may find the wrap too much, as most people consider it to have a higher learning curve.  That said, do you have any babywearing groups nearby?  Getting some hands on help either with you mei tai/Ergo or being able to try some other options may make it easier for you to figure out what actually works best for you.

[GoGoGirl]

I don't like our Ergo for back carries at all...I don't think there's a way to wear it higher so the baby can see over your shoulder.  Most backpacky type carriers (soft structured carriers/SSCs/buckle carriers) can't be worn in high back carries, to the best of my knowledge.  For the baby to be able to see over your shoulder, you'd have to have the bottom strap higher than your waist, closer to your bust.  I don't think any SSCs allow that, they're usually designed to wear the waist strap closer to your hips.

I think it's worth a shot for you to try your BH in a high back carry.  That's how I did all my mei tai back carries until DD was around 18 months.  I also LOVE my woven wraps for high back carries.  There's a little more of a learning curve with woven wraps but they're so comfortable that it's worth it!

[Mom2M]

I would definitely give the high back carry a try with a mei tai.  It sounds so weird to tie the waist straps around your chest but it was amazingly comfortable and she loved peeking over my shoulder!

[Snapdragon]

Is there any reason not to get a back pack type? I like the idea of placing him in it first and then putting it on- it seems easier with a squirmy baby. Any good back pack types to recommend?

[crunchy_mommy]

I've never seen a backpack without a frame that you could put them in without it on, but I really don't know... However it is much easier for me to put my squirmy guy in the Ergo than to put him in our framed backpack and then try to get the backpack on without straining my back or him tipping himself over or something (and it's not very comfortable, at least not compared to the Ergo or my wrap!)

[Lauren710]

There are soft structured carriers with an infant insert/panel that holds baby in place and allows you to put baby in first and then put the carrier on.. I know the Beco Butterfly II and some of the newer Olives and Applesauce have an insert like this, I'm not exactly sure what else does but I think there may be a couple others too. It's really not that hard to do without it if you practice a few times, though.. TBH I think it'd just annoy me at this point. I learned how to back wrap with a squirmy baby and while it was a bit of a challenge at first, it wasn't impossible, and I've found wraps to be more comfortable than anything else so that was worth it for me.

ETA: Just went back and read the original post again.. He'll probably still sit too low to be able to see anything in the carriers I mentioned above. High back carry with your mei tai or with a woven wrap will be your best bet. You could certainly try the Ergo, since you already have it, just to see how he'll tolerate being on your back and not being able to see. My DD hated not being able to see in a back carry with the Ergo, but just being able to get her on my back easily by myself gave me the confidence to try other back carries and eventually to get into wrapping.