Upcoming Events-August 4th Meeting

Our August meeting's topic is going to be about carrying your newborn, but as always we will have other carriers on hand and will help you out with any problems/questions you might have.

Again remember that the September and October meetings are going to be cancelled for the births of our babies, but please feel free to contact us with any of your questions or concerns.

September/October Meetings Cancelled

September and October Meetings will be canceled due to both leaders having their babies! If you do need help in the mean time however please email us as we can help one on one.

Mei Tai Front Carry Photo Instructions

*Always check your straps making sure everything on your carrier is secure and safe *

Start off by first not being pregnant so you can tie around your actual waist, I am actually tying a little lower than I normally would. Notice how I let the carrier hang down like an apron to tie ( hence apron style)

For the knot in the back I usually tie two knots or a square knot

This is where you would place the baby in the carrier, making sure the legs are spread and the knees are above the bum so that the baby is literally sitting.

After you have tied the bottom straps bring the top straps over your shoulders.

Notice how the apron style gives you a seat for the baby and also shortens the body of the carrier slightly.

Cross the straps behind you making sure you don't get any twists. Any type of twist will cause discomfort while wearing.

Bring the straps back around to the front and tie. In this picture I would be tying behind the baby's back which I prefer to do even if they are toddlers but you can tie under the bum or do what is called a Lexi-Twist which creates an X over the front and you tie in the back.

Next is Non Apron style I am using a Silly Goose Mei Tai which was made specifically for this style of tying. Notice how I am holding the carrier in this picture below I am making sure that the back of the carrier is on the front of my body.

Tie the waist straps like you would above making sure there are no twists. Bring the shoulder straps over and cross them in the back again making sure there are no twists in the straps.

In this picture you can see that the whole body of the Mei Tai is showing and not folded under like what would happen if you tied it Apron Style.

Tie behind the baby's back or whichever method you prefer making sure everything is snug. The most common mistake with tying a Mei Tai is tying everything far too loose, you should barely be able to get a finger between the waist strap and your body.

The picture below gives you an idea of how very different each Mei Tai Body makes each carrier.

For more Photo or Video Guides please see the Alabama Slingers website

July 7th Meeting- Asian Baby Carriers

As with every carrier we must discuss the issue of safety. ALWAYS check your carrier for any rips , tears , or defects before using, making sure the straps and where they connect are secure. Most mei tais (prounounced May-Ties) have an X box sewn where the straps connect to the body of the carrier if you don't see those, check for at least two rows of stitching to secure the straps to the body.
First we'll start with Mei Tais which is essentially a body of fabric with two short straps ( waist straps) and two long straps( shoulder straps) attached. These can be angled or straight, padded or unpadded. The body shapes also vary between brands and all these options are out there to find the perfect fit for you and your child. Some people love padded straps, some people love unpadded, it's all in what is the most comfortable option for you.

These are just a fraction of the many Mei Tai Styles available!

Above is a New Style Sachi with Padded and Angled bottom straps notice also the contoured body and added headrest.

Above is an Old Style Sachi Mei Tai with Angled Bottom Straps and Padded top straps, I find this particular mei tai to be a great shape for little babies.

Above is a DIY Ball Baby Overall Pattern Mei Tai ( pattern can be found here), straight straps on the bottom and unpadded straps on the top. I find this to be an ideal carrier for toddlers.

Above is a Silly Goose Mei Tai, this has straight bottom straps and padded top straps. This Mei tai is meant to be tied Non Apron Style because of it's adjustable bottom.

The Difference between Apron and Non Apron is quite simple with the Apron style of tying on your Mei Tai you just let the carrier hang like an apron down and tie onto your waist. Whereas the other is makking sure the back of the strap and carrier on directly on the front of you not folded over. You can view the differences in the next post on How to do a basic front carry in a Mei Tai.

The next carriers are called Podegis (Poe-deh-gees)

Traditionally, a podegi is a Korean baby carrier that consists of a wide blanket with two straight straps on either side with the weight mostly held on the torso. The modern podegi has a narrow blanket with either straight or angled straps and can be worn as a torso or a two shouldered carry. These carriers require more of a learning curve than Mei Tai, but with time they can be an even faster and more convenient way to carry your child. One reason for this I find is that you don’t have an extra set of straps to pre tie which allows you to hold a fussy baby and strap them on w/o having to set them down.

Above is my own pattern for an unpadded Podegi, The blanket( or body) of the Podegi is rounded on the bottom and the straps are angled and without any padding.

Above is another example of an Unpadded Podegi however the blanket/body of the Podegi is angled I find this style works better with older babies.

Above is a Padded Strapped Podegi which I find is the easiest to learn on for anyone new to Podegis.

You can find Video and Photo Instructions on how to use these carriers on the Alabama Slingers website and also in the upcoming posts :)

Upcoming Events/ July 7th Meeting

Our next meeting is July 7th and I am really excited to show our Asian Baby Carriers Off :) We have a few different types to try and would love if you brought in your DIY Mei Tais! http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/ has a few different varieties on her website to make, but my favorite is the Ball Baby Overall Pattern all it takes is 2-3 yards of decorator fabric/twill.

One of the major factors keeping people from babywearing is the expense of quality carriers, so before each meeting I highly encourage people to make something! I'll help in any way I can to make sure you have a quality, safe, and comfy carrier for you and your little one.

Of course we wil have all different types of carriers to try out so if an Asian Baby Carrier doesn't work for you we will find something that will!