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Mei Tai Positioning Whether you just had your baby, or are just new to the concept of babywearing, we hope this page will help you out! This is how I see many people wearing their Mei Tai. I first want to point out that this is indeed a SAFE carrying position, and if you like it and it is comfortable for you, go for it! What I am trying to show here is how the weight of the baby in this way of tying affects what the wearer feels comfort wise.
The red arrows show the way the baby's weight is pulling down, as well as when they lean back or if they push against you, how they pull out. The green arrows show the way the fabric is pulling on the wearer. Mathematically, the sum of the green vectors will have to equal the sum of the red vectors (minus weight of the carrier which in very minimal and the point is to visually show you what is happening, not provide the equations :) ). In other words, the green is where the wearer will FEEL the weight of the baby. As you can see, there is a LOT of downward weight at the shoulder area. The waist strap does carry some of the weight (transferring it to your waist/hips) but the shoulder/neck area does carry most of the weight. The Blue arrows show the pressure points the baby might be experiencing. They will feel the knot on their back supporting them. Because their bum in not specifically supported, the edges of the fabric support the legs up and might lead to red marks on the back of the legs. Comfort wise, you really want their bum to be at or above your belly button at all times. You can see in this picture that the bum is sagging under the bottom strap. With hours of wear, they can slump down more, sagging even lower.
If you are wearing your Mei Tai this way and experiencing neck/shoulder pain, or feel like you are constantly adjusting the straps, try tying under the bum. Here again the red arrows show the forces from the weight of the baby. Please note that their weight down far exceeds their pushing out.... however when you lean over, this shows where you will also feel the tug. The green is the tension in the fabric that is pulling on the wearer. The downward arrows are divided into two areas, not just the top shoulder/neck. Since the straps cross in an "X" behind the wearer, the weight of the baby is now being distributed across the back, not just shoulders. The pressure points are less for the baby as well - their bum is supported by the knot, where they will feel a pressure point. The blue box shows that the difference in the fabric at the back of the knee area - you can see it is looser and therefore not going to leave red marks. Comparing the two pictures, you can see that the bum is actually higher - level with the waist straps and at the wearers belly button. The actual comment from my child was "I like being higher" - they can feel a difference as well! But please do not just believe me - try it yourself and feel the difference! *NOTE - this position is for when the child is ready to have their feet out of the carrier. Newborns in the froggy, leg-in position, MUST be tied behind the back to close of the side so that they can not slide out. Only when a child has their legs out should you tie the knot under their bum. Our goal is to help you wear comfortably. This is not meant to be a complete analysis of the physics and forces involved. Many parents have come in feeling a great difference and more comfort when tying under the bum than behind the back. Please try it yourself! This site is designed and maintained by Anna Hubbard Located in Bloomington, IL |
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