Mei tie tricks of the trade?

[cat13]

I just got a mei tie for my 12 week old and really like it, but it's definitely cumbersome when I'm out and want to take DS out of the carrier. For example, it's my favorite carrier for shopping. Yesterday, I tried to keep it tied to my waist after I put DS in his carseat, but then I had a huge lapful of carrier, with straps dragging on the ground. I tossed them over one shoulder and it worked ok, but I thought that there has to be a better way.  Any tips or tricks of the trade that you know of to make life easier with a mei tie?

Also, any tips for me on getting him into a high back carry? He is a little refluxy if I press too much on his tummy, so I got totally covered in spit up on the times I try to put him on my back. I think it wasn't from the movement, but from when I was bent over trying to tie him in. (I did it this way) Do I just have to wait for his stomach to mature, or is there something else I could be doing?

TIA!

[AdinaL]

I usually took of the shoulder straps and twisted it around to the back, then re-tied the shoulder straps around my waist.  Then it was out of the way, but didn't require completely taking it off and putting it back on.

I never had much luck with high back carry, so I don't have any input there.

[Mom2M]

The only thing I can think of that might change the pressure on his belly is the way you get him to your back. If you scoot him around with his belly touching you, that might be more pressure than if you flip him on in a superman toss. Then his belly doesn't touch anything until he is actually on your back while you are tying it. I don't know how you could change the angle that you bend over because it just wouldn't feel safe to me if I were more upright without the baby tied in already. Maybe a cloth over your shoulders to cover you while you get him tied on!

I just took off the mei tai, I don't like having all the fabric on me when I'm not using it.

Also, just to mention it, I love tying even higher than that with a mei tai. If you tie the waist straps actually above your breasts and then the shoulder straps around your waist, you get a really high carry and they can see right over your shoulder!
I couldn't imagine how that would work until I actually tried it and it was so comfortable!