Product Focus: Mei Tai Baby Carrier

The Tibetan Carry (High Back Carry)

Looking for an easy way to carry an infant?  Need a real babywearing solution for cold weather? Or would you just like to get out into the mountains again with your baby on your back? Then the Tibetan Carry may be just what you are looking for. 

This baby carrying technique was developed in the high Himalayas in Tibet.  Parents there have traditionally carried their children on their backs for long treks up and down the highest passes in the world. In the harsh native climate they have developed a method that keeps even older infants safe, warm and content for long periods of time.  This carry, known as the “Tibetan Carry” or simply, “High Back Carry”, can be used to carry an older baby or infant comfortably for hours on end.  And no expensive backpack frame is necessary, either! It can be done with a basic mei tai or even a traditional wrap.  The wrap variation is particularly widespread in Bhutan and Nepal, while the mei tai is traditionally carried in Tibet and China.

The Tibetan Carry can easily be adapted to our western lifestyle, but a little know how is necessary.  You can try to do it with a wrap, but most people find that the cloth just gets to thick around the chest area.  Not only can it be hot and uncomfortable, but it also looks pretty strange, too.  The carry works best with a mei tai. Let's look at how it works:

The baby sits high up on the upper back.  His upper body is usually outside of the mei tai with his arms free to move around.  Babies love this position because it puts their heads up so high that they can look out over the shoulder of their parent and see the world around them.  A baby that will complain after a few minutes on the back in a soft pack carrier may be content for hours in a mei tai.  And it is very comfortable, too.  The mei tai is tied so high that the entire weight of the infant goes on to the parent's shoulders.  This frees up the entire back, making the infant seem almost weightless.  It is excellent for parents who get lower back pain using a soft pack carrier, where the weight of the infant rests on the lower back and waist.   And best of all, you can easily put a coat around you and your baby in winter.  The Tibetan Carry is the ultimate winter babywearing solution.

It may seem surprising, but this carry is so comfortable that you can carry an infant like this for hours.  There is simply no comparison to the lower back positions achieved by wraps, soft pack carriers and mei tais.   But it is not as easy to learn as these other carrying options, so it is best to get familiar with a mei tai first, learn the basic back carry and then go from there.

The Tibetan Carry:  Mei Tai instructions (for babies 9 months old and older)

Tie the shorter ends of the mei tai right underneath your armpits and above your chest. This needs to initially be as tight as you can manage and still breathe comfortably.  Bend forward and position your baby on your back so that her legs stick out on either side of the mei tai.  Holding on to her with one hand on the flat of her back, grasp the two longer top ties with your other hand. Now the key: bounce gently up and down so that the baby sinks down deep into the mei tai as you stand upright. Pull tightly on the straps! Bring them around to the front as usual in the back carry and then cross the ties again in the back, doing a lexi cross as in the picture below.  Bring the ties again to the front. Now you can either just tie them across your chest, or, for more stability: bring the right tie up and behind the right strap, the left tie up and behind the left strap and then tie them in the middle. 

It is also possible to simply cross the ties very high in the front as in the photo of the Tibetan mother above.  Experiment around and see what works best for you and your baby. You might find that you can position the baby best by sitting on a couch or chair instead of bending over. It also helps to have a second pair of hands to help put position the baby in the beginning.  Good luck and have a good time!

 

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