October 9, 2011
FAQ: Where can a buy a Button Tai?
Labels:
FAQ
Currently, Button Tais and Tiny Tais are only available for sale in my Etsy Shop. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, this will be changing. I am in the process of learning more detailed HTML editing so I can set up my own site where I will be able to list my carriers in a more professional manner.
September 29, 2011
September 11, 2011
September 8, 2011
September 6, 2011
Pleased to announce...
Labels:
button tai shop,
etsy,
pictures
My Etsy shop is officially open! :) Please check out the four irresistible Button Tais up for sale! Keep posted for more to come...
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| Sunburst Flowers |
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Blue and Grey |
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| Go Green Checkers |
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| Blue Asian Stars |
August 31, 2011
"Mei Tai"--the best baby carrier.
Labels:
styles of carriers
There are so many different types of parents out there with different lifestyles and body types, so of course the mei tai is not the perfect carrier for everyone, but I would love to share with you why I think the mei tai covers more bases than any other style of carrier.
I don't think there is a carrier out there that can do a position/function that a mei tai can't. The standard positions most parents use with their babies are the front carry (facing wearer), back carry, and side carry. A mei tai can easily meet all three functions--and not just meet but meet comfortably! Additionally, you can do a "high back carry" and a front forward-facing carry. These two positions can be tremendously helpful at times! Some of the most popular carriers right now include wrap slings (both stretch and woven), ring slings, and soft frame backpacks (such as the Ergo or the Beco). As a lover of babywearing in general, I appreciate each of those carrier types for their own unique qualities (I actually own at least one of each), however, I have not found any one of them to perform ALL of the functions a basic mei tai does.
For instance, wrap slings are tremendously comfortable...for about 4 months out of the year and before your child gets to a certain weight. 5 yards of fabric wrapped in every way around you can get very warm, especially when you tuck a little personal heater inside :). This is great in the winter but awful in the summer! Also, wrap slings can do many positions--front carry forward facing, front carry wearer facing, back carry, side carry (although that one is a little awkward) but it cannot do a high back carry and many people have described how they loved the stretch wrap sling when their baby was little but the heavier the child got the more it pulled on the stretchy material, constricting the mother, and becoming increasingly more uncomfortable. (The woven wrap is said to hold up better with heavier children.) Another point against a wrap sling is that they are difficult to put on without the fabric dragging on the ground a lot. This is fine when you are at home but try putting it on in a dirty parking lot without getting it dirty and you will have trouble. Finally (not to rag on wrap slings), the learning curve to use one can be overwhelming--especially for a first time baby wearer. Companies that sell wrap slings do have very helpful instructions but many people find that they just get lost in trying to wrap and tie 5 yards of fabric in just the right way.
Ring slings are probably my favorite carrier next to mei tais. Some people really don't like them but I have found them basic, relatively versatile, and easy. Anytime I need to put my baby in a carrier quick, I grab a ring sling. Some particular downsides to the ring sling, however, are that it puts all the weight on one shoulder thus being a lot harder on your back, and that it doesn't allow for as many positions. The ring sling only accommodates front carry (facing wearer), and side carry, well. Front carry (forward facing) can be done but because the legs have to be tucked in to do this many babies outgrow it quickly. Back carry is not secure but can be used in an emergency.
Soft frame backpacks are claimed by many to be the most comfortable for long periods of time. The shoulder straps tend to be amply padded and the structure of the carrier a bit more hefty than a fabric-only (wrap sling, ring sling, mei tai, etc) carrier. The Ergo, for instance, has been long-preferred by active parents as a way to comfortably carry their infant/toddler/child for hours. Criticisms of a soft frame backpack, however, are that they tend to be less versatile (only able to carry the child in very specific positions) and can be difficult/tedious to adjust. An example: if you wanted to nurse your baby in a soft frame backpack most people would have to loosen various parts of the shoulder straps--which would be more difficult than it would be in a carrier of a more simple design. One final downside is that in order to wear a newborn in most soft-frame backpacks, a specific newborn insert is necessary (in the case of the Ergo, the infant insert has to be purchased separately).
There is only one "imperfection" in the mei tai style of carrier, in my opinion. It does not do the side carry perfectly. That position can be a little awkward and probably most mei tai owners will not use it. Apart from that, the mei tai is exceptionally comfortable and versatile. Wide padded waist and shoulder straps distribute weight comfortably; the "wrapping" element a mei tai utilizes enables you to accommodate a child of any size (newborn included, no insert necessary), however the straps are not so long that you are not able to keep them off the ground while putting on one in a dirty area; the amount of fabric used in the making of a mei tai is surprisingly conservative thus making it a lightweight choice to wear during hot summer months or to conveniently bring along in your diaper bag. The conclusion? Mei tais are comfortable, versatile, easy to nurse in, easy to put on, accommodates your baby wearing needs from birth to whenever you don't want to be carrying them anymore, and, most importantly, are just suave. :)
I don't think there is a carrier out there that can do a position/function that a mei tai can't. The standard positions most parents use with their babies are the front carry (facing wearer), back carry, and side carry. A mei tai can easily meet all three functions--and not just meet but meet comfortably! Additionally, you can do a "high back carry" and a front forward-facing carry. These two positions can be tremendously helpful at times! Some of the most popular carriers right now include wrap slings (both stretch and woven), ring slings, and soft frame backpacks (such as the Ergo or the Beco). As a lover of babywearing in general, I appreciate each of those carrier types for their own unique qualities (I actually own at least one of each), however, I have not found any one of them to perform ALL of the functions a basic mei tai does.
For instance, wrap slings are tremendously comfortable...for about 4 months out of the year and before your child gets to a certain weight. 5 yards of fabric wrapped in every way around you can get very warm, especially when you tuck a little personal heater inside :). This is great in the winter but awful in the summer! Also, wrap slings can do many positions--front carry forward facing, front carry wearer facing, back carry, side carry (although that one is a little awkward) but it cannot do a high back carry and many people have described how they loved the stretch wrap sling when their baby was little but the heavier the child got the more it pulled on the stretchy material, constricting the mother, and becoming increasingly more uncomfortable. (The woven wrap is said to hold up better with heavier children.) Another point against a wrap sling is that they are difficult to put on without the fabric dragging on the ground a lot. This is fine when you are at home but try putting it on in a dirty parking lot without getting it dirty and you will have trouble. Finally (not to rag on wrap slings), the learning curve to use one can be overwhelming--especially for a first time baby wearer. Companies that sell wrap slings do have very helpful instructions but many people find that they just get lost in trying to wrap and tie 5 yards of fabric in just the right way.
Ring slings are probably my favorite carrier next to mei tais. Some people really don't like them but I have found them basic, relatively versatile, and easy. Anytime I need to put my baby in a carrier quick, I grab a ring sling. Some particular downsides to the ring sling, however, are that it puts all the weight on one shoulder thus being a lot harder on your back, and that it doesn't allow for as many positions. The ring sling only accommodates front carry (facing wearer), and side carry, well. Front carry (forward facing) can be done but because the legs have to be tucked in to do this many babies outgrow it quickly. Back carry is not secure but can be used in an emergency.
Soft frame backpacks are claimed by many to be the most comfortable for long periods of time. The shoulder straps tend to be amply padded and the structure of the carrier a bit more hefty than a fabric-only (wrap sling, ring sling, mei tai, etc) carrier. The Ergo, for instance, has been long-preferred by active parents as a way to comfortably carry their infant/toddler/child for hours. Criticisms of a soft frame backpack, however, are that they tend to be less versatile (only able to carry the child in very specific positions) and can be difficult/tedious to adjust. An example: if you wanted to nurse your baby in a soft frame backpack most people would have to loosen various parts of the shoulder straps--which would be more difficult than it would be in a carrier of a more simple design. One final downside is that in order to wear a newborn in most soft-frame backpacks, a specific newborn insert is necessary (in the case of the Ergo, the infant insert has to be purchased separately).
There is only one "imperfection" in the mei tai style of carrier, in my opinion. It does not do the side carry perfectly. That position can be a little awkward and probably most mei tai owners will not use it. Apart from that, the mei tai is exceptionally comfortable and versatile. Wide padded waist and shoulder straps distribute weight comfortably; the "wrapping" element a mei tai utilizes enables you to accommodate a child of any size (newborn included, no insert necessary), however the straps are not so long that you are not able to keep them off the ground while putting on one in a dirty area; the amount of fabric used in the making of a mei tai is surprisingly conservative thus making it a lightweight choice to wear during hot summer months or to conveniently bring along in your diaper bag. The conclusion? Mei tais are comfortable, versatile, easy to nurse in, easy to put on, accommodates your baby wearing needs from birth to whenever you don't want to be carrying them anymore, and, most importantly, are just suave. :)
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