Freehand Mei Tai Baby Carrier Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a mother of 3 and have gone tried many different types of baby carriers, and this is by far my favorite one.To be fair, I did not buy from Amazon, but directly from BabyHawk.Their website is awesome & I was able to design my own.If you don't mind waiting a little longer, its the way to go.

I have used, the ring sling, the Baby Bjorn, the pouch sling, to name a few, but the Mei Tai is by far my favorite.My first child LOVED to be in a carrier, but the ring sling started to really hurt my back once she was a few months old.I couldn't carrier her in it for more than half an hour or so.My second child HATED all carriers - but I hadn't tried the Mei Tai - I bought a pouch sling (Hotsling) which he screamed whenever I put him in.So we tried a Baby Bjorn, which he liked for a week, then screamed.With my third, I decided to wait & try out all those above.The Ring Sling was too bulky to take anywhere (its a padded style).The Baby Bjorn was just plain hard to put on.The pouch sling he outgrew in a few weeks (or maybe we outgrew together - I am 5'10 and the Hotslings are NOT adjustable).

I researched carriers & read many reviews before deciding on BabyHawk Mei Tais.IMO the pros & cons are as follows:

PROS
ADJUSTABLE: Unlike the pouch sling the design of the sling allows for growth of the child & variance in size of the wearer - one size really does fit all
MULTIPOSITIONAL: Unlike the Baby Bjorn - and the pouch sling to an extent - the Mei Tai can be worn many different ways - front, back, different ways to tie.There is a way that will feel best for you.
STYLE:If you decide to design your own - you have hundreds of options to suit your style - This can be a fashion statement as well as a baby carrier
SIZE:This can be folded down to a small carrying pouch (included) that can be tucked into a diaper bag or stroller.Not much larger than a folded Hotsling.
EASE OF USE: The first couple times are tricky - but after 3 times, I can put in a cranky screaming baby & put down a quiet sleeping baby no problem - much easier than the Baby Bjorn IMO.
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION:I have big babies - my six week old is 14 pounds - this carrier distributes weight better than the other 3 types IMO.
HANDS FREE:Unlike the pouch sling or ring sling, you can free up both hands with this carrier.So you can puch a shopping cart & hold onto a toddler at the same time.Or maybe hold your baby & eat?

CONS:
EXPENSIVE: The Mei Tai is more expensive (relatively) than a ring sling or pouch sling.You can spend extra if you design your own & add pockets & toy rings.I find the expense worth it.
EASE OF USE:I put this in the CON category as well because the first few times are difficult - practice at home in front of a mirror.Also because the ties are so long, I would not want to put this on standing in dirt, or someplace with dirty floors.The straps will drag - there is no way around this.
REPOSITIONING:You will need to check your baby & positioning of the straps every so often.As our weight shifts, I usually adjust mine about 30 minutes afterputting it on.Its like your favorite pair of jeans - they loosen up some minutes after putting them on right out of the wash.

SUMMARY:I found this Mei Tai to be very versatile, simple to use, & stylish.It distributes weight nicely & is small enough to pack around.I would highly reccommend this to anyone with a baby that likes to be held a lot.

UPDATE:I have owned this carrier for over a month and I use it EVERYDAY.My infant HATES his infant carrier unless its in the car and we are moving - so I put him in the Mei Tai for all trips out of the house - the mall, the grocery store, my older child's school.I have mastered the art of putting it on in the parking lot - I just stand in front of the van door, and carefully drape the long ties in the van before securing my baby.This leaves my hands free for my toddler/shoppin cart/latte.I also wear this at home at least once a day.My son is 2 months old and 15 pounds - I can handle about 2 hours at a time - even my husband is starting to wear this now after seeing how much our baby enjoys being in it.I get compliments on this all the time, and all my expecting friends want to borrow it.We love it!

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Product Description:
The FreeHandTM borrows it's design from an asian style carrier that has been used for centuries. Versatility is the key. One size will work for both mom and dad (gramma, uncle, aunt, etc), and the FreeHandTM will carry a child up to 35 pounds comfortably. In addition, it can be worn safely on your front, back or hip. The Mei Tai design consists of a main panel of designer fabric, two long padded shoulder straps and two waist straps. What will you do with your Freehands?

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