Getting the Best Seat in a Meh Dai
**This post has been updated to reflect a change in terminology. The carrier formerly known as mei tai is now referred to as meh dai or bei dai. We will use meh dai to refer to this style of carrier in this blog entry. Please see our resources page for more information on this change.**
This post is part of our International Babywearing Week 2016 series. Today we focus on getting the best seat in meh dais.
Make sure the panel fits the baby The top of the panel should come up to the base of the neck for a newborn or to at least the armpits for a toddler. The panel should support the legs in an M position without hyperextending the knees. If the panel is too wide it can be cinched in with a hair elastic or ribbon. Some meh dai have built in cinching mechanisms.
Start from the bottom
When positioning baby in the carrier, have the waist straps tied, place baby’s bottom at the strap level, and smooth the carrier up baby’s back. Go “bottom up” instead of “top down” before positioning the top straps over your shoulders.
Bounce them in
Hold your straps up from your body, and gently bounce baby down into the seat or gently twist the hips back and forth (this move assumes baby has the necessary core strength for this). These moves help move baby into the seat and removes “slack”, or bunched up loose material that may be caught underneath baby.
Maintain tension as you tie off
This keeps baby from slumping in the carrier and helps protect baby's airway. Finish with a double knot.
Interested in trying out a meh dai? Need help with your carrier? Come see us at one of our monthly meetings.
