We were sent a review of a SnugBaby mei tai, by Amanda Farren. Amanda has three children, and works from home on several business ventures, including Ella Annoucements and writes her fantastic blog, SuperWomanWannabe.
A few weeks back, I met Claire from SnugBaby at a Baby Fair. I’d spoken to Claire online beforehand so was very excited to meet her and her slings! Having three “older” children, aged 5, 3 and 1, I hadn’t really expected to be buying one of her slings though. They were surely beyond that stage. I’d used a ring sling for Joey occasionally, and Isabel didn’t really like it when she was little, so that was that.
However, being the woman that I am at these Baby Fairs, I had to have a nosey and have a try on… with a bear. I’d tested out a Mei Tai with Isabel a few weeks before (again being nosey at a fair!) and she’d loved it. But was it really worth parting with my cash for an 18 month old child? The Baby Fair: Coventry was approaching, and I knew I’d be flyering for days running up to the event, and some days Isabel may be with me. She’d recently learnt to climb out of her pushchair so I knew it was going to be impossible to keep her in there, so the decision was made. I’d buy a SnugBaby Sling!
I bought it home and tried it on. Isabel was enjoying it even on our tests around the house, but I was struggling with tying it alone. Being alone, and with a very heavy child, was a different matter. I tried and failed a few times. I went onto the SnugBaby website, and I read the instructions through – it seemed so simple just seeing it written there (with fantastic supporting images)… It surely couldn’t be that easy?!
It WAS that easy. I followed the instructions and hoisted Isabel onto my back tying it with ease. She was on! I’d done it myself, and it was easy! We used the sling for a few school runs, and I was watching Isabel in the mirrors of every car. She had the biggest grin plastered on her face! It was adorable. I was comfortable. Her hefty weight was barely anything at all. I can’t carry her for longer than a minute in my arm, but having her in the sling was simple.
It came to flyering, and unfortunately I didn’t get to use the sling. Chris did. Chris is a very… “I’m a man!” kind of guy. Not the most daddyish of daddys. He doesn’t do the whole “talking in a high pitched voice to children” kinda thing so I never in a million years imagined he’d say yes to wearing the sling, let alone actually ask to wear it. But he did. I wanted to get a photo of me and Isabel, but I couldn’t. I needed Chris around to be able to take the photo, but when Chris was around, he demanded that HE should wear the sling. I don’t get a look in.
Now the sling is used just as much as the pushchair, if not more. I always give Isabel a choice of sling or pushchair and she ALWAYS choses the sling… Oh no, sorry. She choses the “Ready, Steady, Go”, or Mummy’s “Back”. We wrap the sling around her back while she’s standing, and then say “Ready, Steady…” and she screams GO! at the top of her voice while I lift her onto my back. She then stays very still to let mummy tie it. So now she actually calls it the “Ready, Steady, Go!”.
Not once has she complained or moaned or cried when being in the sling. She loves it. She likes being close to mummy, and she likes being able to see everything around her. It’s fun. She often bounces up and down laughing hysterically. One day she was singing row row row your boat, but leaning from left to right to left to right really ferociously. I was wobbling all over the place. The kids were laughing, and people around were stopping and looking at her having a blast!
What I love is when she cuddles into me. She sometimes uses her arms to grasp around me and give me a huge hug. Or more often she just leans her head into my back/neck and lays there. Its just so lovely.
I worried that I wasn’t going to get much use out of it as she’s so “old”, but already we’ve got tons of wear from it (we’ve had it a month). I think 18 months is the perfect age for it! It’s when they get clingy and want to be picked up all the time. It makes that easy for me and keeps her happy. I do wish I’d bought one sooner, but am glad I still bought it when I did. So if anyone is thinking their toddler is too old, they’re not. Well, unless they’re like… 7.
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Our Sling Library has a Snugbaby which is very popular with smaller babies who don’t like legs in and parents who like an ‘easy’ option.
The Snugbaby mei tai has a unique self cinching waist which enables smaller babies to ride comfortably and maintains the critical ‘M’ position.
The shoulder straps have just the right angle and just the right amount of padding to ensure a really comfortable fit for the wearer.
The price is reasonable and there is a good selection of colours to choose from.
My only criticism of this sling is that larger babies and toddlers tend to have a bit of ‘leg dangling’ as a result of the cinching waist which makes it harder to maintain the ‘M’ position.
Overall I would give this sling a thumbs up.