Babywearing can be a bit intimidating because there are just so many options (though cloth diapering is even scarier)! We have two carriers, and between them our five-month old has yet to touch a stroller. I'd thought people with multiple carriers were just looking for ways to spend money, but they're definitely good for different situations.
The mei tai
Pros:
- Very comfortable and easy on the back, even after an hour or more.
- Several different positions and carries: facing in, facing out, legs in, legs out, on the back, etc.
- Basic positioning is very simple, I had no problem getting it on and the baby in comfortably the very first time.
- Great for a wide range of sizes. We started using it at just a couple days old, and many people use them up to 35 lbs.
- Baby is very secure in it, even asleep. I truly have both hands free.
Cons:
- Difficult to store and carry neatly; those long straps want to fall everywhere.
- Takes a minute or two to put on and take off, and sometimes you feel like you're wrestling with an octopus.
- Wearing it without the baby looks and feels a bit goofy.
- I found it difficult to figure out how to nurse in it, though some women love their mei tais specifically because they find it easy to nurse in. I did work it out eventually, though switching from regular wear to nursing takes major readjustment of the carrier.
Best for:
- Anytime the baby will be in the carrier for a single long stretch - walks or hikes, or shopping trips to a single store.
The pouch sling:
Pros:
- Very quick and easy to get on and off, and the baby in and out.
- Compact, easy to stick in the diaper bag to carry around.
- Cheap - cost $20 used vs the mei tai's $60 used.
- Wearing it without the baby in it looks minimally silly.
- I find it much easier to nurse in. Once I figured out how to correctly position the baby for carrying, I made a minor adjustment and was nursing.
- Several ways to carry the baby, though fewer than the mei tai.
Cons:
- The #1 biggest problem: Because the weight is distributed unevenly, the sling hurts my back if I wear it for too long at a stretch.
- The baby is already getting too big for it. Soon I'll only be able to hold him in the hip carry, which requires one hand to balance him and isn't a position where he can nurse.
- Pretty much all carries will require you to use one hand now and then to steady the baby and keep him from leaning too far to one side. It's never a truly hands-free carrier the way the mei tai is.
- It took me a couple of days and quite a few YouTube videos to figure out correct positioning at first.
- Positioning is especially tricky before the baby has good head control. I don't recommend it for a newborn.
Best for:
- Short trips, or times when you'll be making several stops and the baby will be in and out of the carrier a lot.
- I use it more than the mei tai around the house; I toss him in it when I need a free hand to put laundry in or make myself lunch and he's feeling too clingy to be set down for a few minutes. I also use it when I want to nurse him while getting things done.
- Because it's so compact, this is the carrier I toss in the diaper bag when I'm not really expecting to need one, but you never know when you'll pop into the grocery store for something on the way home.
Overall, I love them both and find that between the two of them I'm covered for just about any situation. I'm disappointed that he's outgrowing the sling so soon; I'm considering getting a ring sling, since they're more adjustable for size, but with all that fabric it does lose the compact portability of the pouch sling.
(In case you are wondering, my sling is a Hotsling, and my mei tai is from Mei Tai Baby. Very pleased with both brands, both are very well-made!)
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