Thank you for your purchase of a Gracie and Sam
carrier! Please:
Keep these instructions for future use.
Check for ripped seams, torn straps or fabric, and
damaged fasteners before each use.
Never use a soft carrier when balance or mobility
is impaired because of exercise, drowsiness, or
medical conditions.
Never use as oft carrier while engaging in
activities such as cooking and cleaning which
involve a heat source or exposure to chemicals.
Never wear a soft carrier while driving or being a
passenger in a motor vehicle.
Review enclosed Fall and Suffocation Warnings
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Your carrier is made of all
natural fibers, and the fabrics were pre-washed and
pre-shrunk before construction. Feel free to machine
wash the carrier, using a gentle cycle to prevent
unnecessary strain on stitching and in cold water to
preserve the integrity of the fabric designs and colors.
Your carrier can also be tumble dried. A quick tip to
prevent the long straps tangling your entire load into
one big lump is to wash and dry the carrier in a
pillowcase or large lingerie/mesh laundry bag. Iron on
cotton or linen setting.
WEARING INFANTS: There are several ways to wear
your baby in a mei tai and several ways to "load" the
child. Keep in mind that infants are easily
overstimulated and should be carried facing you (not
forward) so he or she can snuggle down when a break
is needed. Infants can be worn legs out if the seat is
drawn in narrow enough, or loaded in a frog position,
with knees drawn up to the abdomen rather than in a
wide straddle. In frog position, roll a hand towel and
fold it under the bum, to make a kind of seat within the
carrier and relieve some pressure against their
legs/ankles. Make sure head is well supported.
VARIATIONS: The shoulder straps of the mei tai
should be brought under the bum (over one leg, under
the other) and tied behind you. If you instead tie
behind baby's back, do not put the knot directly behind
baby where it will press on the back, and try to keep
the straps spread wide instead of pulled into thinner
"ropes." As the baby's neck becomes stronger and he
or she seems more interested in the wider world, a
front facing seat is possible by positioning baby in a
cross-legged, "Indian" style position within the pouch.
This is a bit less hands-free as it is not as secure as
when baby faces you, so please do take care when
bending or moving quickly to keep a hand on baby.
There is no single way to wear a baby, and in many
cases, the baby will let you know what he or she finds
most comfortable. If your child is a bit contrary while
or right after tying on, sway or walk a bit and let him
or her get settled. If your baby seems genuinely
distressed after you've put him or her "on", check strap
positioning isn't coming across in an uncomfortable
way to them (how it sits against the spine, if they're
sitting crookedly so that the leg is pinched, etc). If all
seems well and the child continues to cry, perhaps
consider trying again later or using a different hold.
Please be particularly cautious with your baby in the
kitchen and/or while eating. Do not cook while
wearing your child, and do not drink hot beverages or
eat hot food over your child.
I've included instructions for wearing a child in the
front position. There are further instructions for the
various positions of babywearing and the different
methods of "loading" at www.thebabywearer.com. Go
to the articles on "Using Your Babycarrier" and then
the "Asian Inspired Carriers." This site in general is
very diverse in information related to baby wearing
and is a great meeting place amongst the global baby
wearing community.
~Valerie
Owner & Maker
Gracie and Sam, LLC Mei Tais are CPSIA compliant.
Gracie and Sam, LLC is a member of the Baby Carrier
Industry Alliance (BCIA)
How to Wear Your
New Mei Tai
Product Registration can be done at
gracieandsamshop.com/registration.
Questions can be sent to
[email protected]
or
PO Box 423, Conneautville, PA 16406
Front Carry Instructions
1. For a Refined mei tai, place carrier around your
waist as if it were an apron, with the inside facing
out and the outside dangling against your knees.
Carriers with support belts do not need to follow
this step (see far right photos).
1a. Place waist belt around your hip or waist. If
using a tie waist, tie a double knot so that the belt
sits snugly on your hip or waist. If using a buckle,
connect the male buckle with the female buckle
until you hear a "click". Tighten remaining
webbing strap until belt sits snugly on your hip or
waist. Ensure remaining webbing is inserted through
the slider along the belt.
Ensure waist strap (tie and buckle) is not twisted.
3. Position the child against your tummy and chest and
adjust the bottom of the pouch/seat accordingly. A
smaller child will call for the seat to be closer to the rib
cage, for a larger child, you can have it tied lower.
(Optional - You can roll the bottom to shorten it, if
need be - this excess roll will be hidden within the
pouch part after everything is tied.) The key to
positioning is that the child's head should be close
enough to kiss.
3. Bring the carrier up along baby's back.
4 & 5. While holding baby securely, bring one strap
over the shoulder and then the other.
6 & 7. Still holding baby securely with one arm, reach
behind your back, bring the opposite strap to the front
(left shoulder strap comes around right side rib and
vice versa). Adjust by tugging on straps while giving a
slight bounce to baby. Ensure straps are not twisted
and are snug at all points.
8 & 9. If tying behind baby's back, spread the straps
and tie knot off-center. It is strongly recommended to
instead bring straps under the bum, going over the first
leg and under the other to bring straps around for final
tie-off behind you (see photo below). Tie straps
securely in a double knot and any excess tails are
tucked in so as to not get caught on anything.
10. Happy baby wearing!
For Support Belt model Mei Tai (ie, Linen Luxe), note
the support belt is not turned under, but sits under body
of carrier. This carry also shows the shoulder straps
properly brought around, over the first leg and under
the other to be tied in the back. Baby is close enough
to kiss and easily visible to wearer even with hood up.
TIPS:
 When you lean over, baby should not start to
separate from you or create a significant gap
between your bodies. Adjust ties to be snugger if
this is the case.
 If you find the straps to be "grabby" against your
clothes as you try to tighten, hold up and out as
you pull and then bring back in towards your
body.
 Do not lean over without giving extra support to
baby to alleviate any risk of slipping from the
carrier, particularly with smaller babies.
 If the seat is too wide for baby's legs (should be
knee to knee), you can cinch it in with a scarf to
make it narrower - legs should dangle freely.
 Baby's bum and knees should form a "M", with
the knees riding higher than the hips. Shift baby's
weight and leg position to achieve this.