Kozy Mei Tai or Baby/Toddlerhawk? Sling fans help!

**Mrs Flowers** · 26-03-2009, 09:06pm

Ok so I'm getting better at the whole sling thing! I have an Ellaroo Mei Hip which I LOVE! But it's not good for longer carries for comfort. I have been looking at mei tais and am interested in Kozy or Babyhawk (or maybe Toddlerhawk - I've heard you can fold it to make the body shorter if baby is inbetween baby and toddler size). Not sure which would be better. Anyone any experience of these?? TIA!!

Puffy · 26-03-2009, 09:12pm

Dunno but I will atch with interest as I am DESPERATE for a mei tai/babyhawk atm

**Mrs Flowers** · 26-03-2009, 09:15pm

I am a bit scared of getting back carries right though!

**Islander** · 26-03-2009, 09:21pm

I've got both a Kozy and a Babyhawk and they are both very good mei-tais. I think I find the Kozy slightly more comfy but that could be because it's one I've had for years and I'm really used to it. The Babyhawk is newer.

Sorry I'm not much help to you there but I reckon you won't go far wrong with either.

D x

**Mrs Flowers** · 26-03-2009, 09:25pm

any tips for getting the back carry sorted on your own?

**Islander** · 26-03-2009, 09:39pm

I actually find the Santa Toss method easiest though it scared the life out of me the first time I did it.

I did it from crouching on the floor when I wasn't so confident so it wasn't far to let down (drop - no I never did) a child.

Stand or sit child on floor. Wrap body of mei-tai round their back with top straps under their armpits. Gather top straps together in front of their chest - quite tightly. I toss over my left shoulder so I grip straps tightly together in both hands with the left hand uppermost. Hoist child by the straps and pop them over the left shoulder like santa lifting his sack on - it's actually only a very short lift. Child is now on your back and you have straps over shoulder still grasped in your hands. Bend well forward so child is lying on your back, hold straps either under chin or between knees. Quickly get waist strap under childs legs and tied round waist. then take right shoulder strap over right shoulder have a bounce and a wiggle about to get comfy and do up shoulder straps in whatever way you fancy. Sounds immensely complicated but it really isn't. Practice with a big teddy first.

Alternatively you can put them in the sling on your hip, tie waistbelt and scoot them round to the back, then do up the shoulder straps. I use this method sometimes when I'm not wearing too many layers but find it does tend to bunch up all my clothes and if either of us are wearing fleece or wool the whole lot velcroes together and it's just about impossible. It's easier in the Babyhawk as the straps are made of more slippery fabric than the Kozy.

Another method is sit the baby on the carrier on a bed or sofa, back up them as closely as you can, tie the waist strap then lean back and pull them up by the shoulder straps and tie up. You do need a bed or sofa or the tailgate of a car to do this from though.

There are youtube clips for all of these I think.

D x