With a mei tai carrier and your baby in front

This position is suitable for babies who can comfortably support their heads (from about 3 months old).

Note: In the photos below I am 7 months pregnant and my Vasilis is 15 kilos!

1. Hold the mei tai in front of you by the short straps (the waist ones). If your mei tai has a “good” side, then it should now be “facing” your legs.

2. Tie the mei tai around your waist, like an apron. You can make a knot or a bow.

3. Hold your baby in front of you and help it open its little legs around your waist. (Smaller babies don’t need to spread their legs very much, as long as their little knees are high.)

4. Always supporting your baby, open its little legs and lift the body of your mei tai up between them. (If needed, you can lightly “gather” the body of your mei tai so it fits between the baby’s legs.)

5. Throw both straps back over your shoulders.

6. Holding your baby over the mei tai with one hand, reach your other hand behind your back and grab the strap hanging from your opposite shoulder.

7. Guide it around your waist and bring it in front of you.

8. It is important to pull it tight enough, so that it isn’t loose at any point and so that it “stretches” the mei tai at the front (from the opposite side), embracing your baby.

9. Continuing to hold the strap, you will now support your baby with this hand, while with the other you will repeat the same process with the other strap.

10. The straps will be crossed on your back. Make sure they aren’t twisted at any point and that they are spread out well so you feel comfortable.

11. Make sure once more that you have tightened the straps enough. If necessary, hold the straps with both hands and do a little jump on the spot, so that for a second the baby’s weight comes off the mei tai and you can pull them forward, tightening them as needed.

12. Tie the straps in a knot or a bow under your baby’s bottom.

13. You could also tie them behind the baby’s back if your baby is still small and light.

14. … or cross them under its bottom and tie them behind your back (especially if your waist is very slim and the straps in front of you are long).

(See all the alternative ways of tying.)

15. You are ready for walks! Your baby is safe and comfortable in your mei tai!

Note: If you want, you can breastfeed your baby from this position! You just need to loosen the straps a little so your baby comes down to the right height in front of your chest! Don’t forget to tighten them again once your baby is finished, so you are comfortable!

The little girl in the photo is 3 months old and fell asleep breastfeeding in the mei tai. What a sweet sight!

Here you can watch a video of breastfeeding a newborn baby in a mei tai carrier!

As long as it supports its head, your baby can, if it wants, have its arms outside the carrier to feel freer!

The baby in the video below is 45 days old and the mum wears her in a mei tai carrier. She has chosen the legs-out position (which is an ideal position for the baby’s hips and its correct development).

back: Instructions with mei-tai