Ergo or Mei Tai??

[*EJ*]

DD is 12 months old and and just over 8kg. I used a hugabub a bit while she was younger. My main purpose for possibly getting another one is to take away with us in a few weeks time as i plan on doing lots of walking along the beach.

As she is not a tiny bub anymore i find the hugabub a bit hit and miss in getting her sitting right and with the right tension. So i was thinking i may have use for another style now. As she is that little bit bigger i still want to have the support so it does not hurt to carry her. So i was looking at the ergo but it's a lot to spend when i'm not sure how much use i will actually get out of is at these days the pram is quite suitable in most other situations.

I have seen the Mei Tai (brandnew) on ebay for $34 plus postage and the ergos (secondhand) are starting at the $50+ park. How do the Mei Tai's rate? Would i be safe getting one to these?

Thank ladies

[HotI]

I never found the mei tei comfortable. I like how the ergo waist band sits on the hips and carries the majority of the weight of the child. I would go Ergo.

[Tuesday's Child]

I found the ergo great for short periods of time, but my shoulders would start to ache. The advantage of a mei tei is that they are a more flexible in how you do them up. For example, in a back carry you can either cross the straps at your front or wear them backpack style.

If you're buying on ebay, beware of fakes, especially with ergos. Babes In Arms have info on what to look out for and also list authorised retailers.

[LuluHB]

I love my ergo. Tried quite a few carriers and it was the most comfortable for me.

[*EJ*]

Thanks ladies.

Gosh it's so hard to know which to choose when there's fors and againsts for both.

[LuluHB]

Do you know anyone who lives close to you with an ergo or mei tei that you can borrow and try out? If you don't know anyone close by, I'm happy to send you over my ergo for a trial - just need it back when this bub comes along!

[~Kim~]

I found when they got a bit heavier a SSC was better. I tried an ergo but my kids are long and I didn't find them deep enough. The mei teis that are that cheap may not be safe (there's no safety standard) unless they come from a reputable place.

If you get desperate EJ, I have a Babyhawk Oh-Snap SSC that I'm more than happy to post you to borrow.