Mei Tai

I made a Mei Tai this weekend. It's an Asian baby carier. I guess you say it May Tie but I always want to say My Tie.

I have a Baby Bjorn and used it constantly when Zoë was smaller. I did all my grocery shopping with it, took walks, put her to sleep in church, basically I went everywhere in it. But with Ike I almost never put it on. I've used it once or twice but I just mostly haven't been interested. I made a pouch sling that I use a lot, but since it's a sling, it limits my activity quite a bit. I wanted another solution.

I looked around online at all the types of baby carriers that a person could make and I got interested in the Mei Tai. I found lots of patterns for it and decided that this one looked pretty good.

So yesterday I made it. It was a little complicated. I think a few months ago I would have been too nervous to try it. But I've had a lot of sewing practice lately and I was using only $2 worth of fabric (that I dyed myself) so I gave it a shot.

I'm so glad I did. I love it. It's really similar to a Bjorn but I think it's way more comfortable. Ike's weight is distributed much better across my back and hips and I think I don't look nearly so squished and squeezed when I'm wearing it.

Also it's more functional. He can face in or out and I can wear him on the front, like in these pictures, or on my back. Also it has a little hood flap that I can put up if he's sleeping or if it's really sunny. I also like the pocket on the front quite a bit. My hands can go in and give his bum a squeeze.

Ike was sleeping for these pictures so he was slumped down quite a bit. Before he fell asleep he was riding much higher with one arm hanging out the top. He fell asleep in just a few minutes. So that's a real plus.

The moral of this story is that I'd much rather have a Mei Tai that I made myself for $2 than a Baby Bjorn that I paid $80 for. Oh well. Live and learn.