Mei Tai carriers were first seen in Asia hundreds of years ago when women would wrap their babies up in a large scrap of cloth and then wrap them around their bodies to carry them around while they did their housework or shopping or daily chores.

Today, the Mei Tai, which is pronounced may tie, is popular all over the globe. The Mei Tai carrier is a square or rectangular piece of quilted cloth with strips of cloth coming from all four corners of the square. These strips of cloth are what is wrapped around your body to keep the baby snug up against you so she or he doesn't fall to the ground. The square of cloth is where the baby sits. It's very versatile and can be used for newborns, infants, and even up to the toddler years.

You can wear the Mei Tai carriers on your front or on your back and the baby is safe and secure up against you while you shop, work around the house or go for a walk. Moms and dad's can each wear the Mei Tai carriers with the baby and be comfortable with it. They come in a variety of colors and many styles use black for the straps and the outline of the rectangular quilted section, which helps complement almost anything you are wearing.

When you first receive your Mei Tai carrier, you might be a little intimidated about how to put it on, but with a little practice, you will become an expert at placing the baby just right and tying the knots where they need to be to safely and securely carry your baby.

To wear your baby in front, start by tying the Mei Tai carrier, with the pattern side down, around your waist as if you were tying on an apron. Then you pick up your baby and hold him or her in front of you and bring the Mei Tai carrier up from your legs, snug around the baby and up over both of your shoulders. These will be the long straps that are going over both of your shoulders. Cross the two large straps in the back to make a large X and bring each of them back to the front of your body under your arms and tie them securely in a knot or a bow. And there you have it; baby will stay securely nestled in front of you until you are ready to remove them.

If you want to carry the baby on your back, it's a little trickier to do, but with a lot of practice, you can get it done without any help. The easiest way to start is to set the Mei Tai carrier on the couch or living room style chair, spreading out all four straps. Next you place the baby on top of the square and fold some of it up, over baby's legs. The bottom strap should now be across the tummy. Then you sit in front of the baby with your back towards him or her and wrap the baby's legs around your waist. You will then take the bottom two straps and tie them tightly around your waist and then pull the two larger straps up over the baby and your shoulder while you stand up, taking the baby with you. Cross the big straps in front of you, then again in back of you and bring them around to the front one more time and tie or knot them to securely tie the baby to your back. You are now ready to go!

For a little piece of history with a lot of style and versatility, the Mei Tai carriers cannot be outdone. You will enjoy the style and convenience and ease of use of Mei Tai carriers and so will your little one.