If I dislike the waistband of a SSC, will I dislike a half buckle?

rainy214

New member
Hi all! I have a bigger baby (3 months old, 15.5 lbs). Our first kid was tiny and didn’t love being worn when older, so I mostly used a Solly wrap with him. Been loving the Solly again this time, but we’re sizing out of it now. I’ve got two hand-me-down SSCs (Beco Gemini and some kind of Ergobaby) but I really dislike the waistband sitting on top of my hips.

I’ve been looking into mei dais or half buckles, specifically from Lenny Lamb, Girasol, and Didymos. I like the idea of ease and the storage compartment on a half buckle, but I’m afraid I’ll have the same dislike of the waistband. Maybe DidyKlick is the right way to go? I’m also concerned that this kiddo is going to be huge and want to get a carrier that will last a while. Any thoughts on what I should do? Thanks!!
 
@rainy214 Ergobaby and beco both have fairly firm waistbands. Wrap companies who also make half buckles tend to use much softer waistbands so you mighr find it's less of an issue. Lenny lambs are quite nice though their shoulder straps are long and if you don't like your buckles at the side thar might be a concern.
 
@rainy214 I have an ergo baby embrace I love for when they are little, it’s super comfy for me to wear around the house and even sit and lounge in. 10/10 would recommend to all new parents, my husband even uses this one.

I have a happy baby revolution (that I never use forward facing so I should have gotten an original) that lives in my car that I use for when they are bigger (basically too heavy for the embrace) and we go anywhere that I want to strap them in for, this poor carrier has been beaten to heck and back and is still running. I sometimes throw my four year old to back carry… which leads to..

I also have a toddler lenny lamb mai dei that’s great for my 2 & 4 year olds and it’s amazing how light they are to wear around in it.

Finally I have a linen ring sling that I use vaguely interchangeably with the happy baby. It was great for my oldest who demanded front facing as I would hip carry him in it and he could look forward. My second was content to snuggle in the happy baby facing me so I didn’t use it as much.
 
@marsbars Ah nice, that’s kind of what I was hoping. I wish there was a place near me I could try them on! I might give the Lenny Hybrid a try if I can find one with a decent return policy. Thanks!!
 
@rainy214 My regular carriers are a Didyklick (4U) and a Fidella FlyTai (mei dai), along with several buckle carriers from Kinderpack. I personally think that if you dislike having the buckle carrier waistband, a half buckle probably isn’t for you, since it has the same waistband. My FlyTai is my most comfortable carrier - I think the meh dai tied waistband is most comfortable. But I don’t like the long tails for times when I have to tie it when I’m away from home, since they’d drag on the ground and get dirty, so I basically only use it if I’m popping the baby in at home and walking out (which is still a lot because we live in an urban place and walk many places).
 
@js0174 Thanks for weighing in! I think you’re probably right and I should go with a mei dai. I wasn’t familiar with Fidella, will check them out!
 
@rainy214 I hate my SSCs. I’ve tried the Ergo 360, Ergo Original, and Beco Gemini. All give me lower back pain.

The Ring Sling was okay. I liked it less once my baby got heavier, although some love it even with toddlers. 😮

I LOVE my Meh Tai. I got it from my Buy Nothing group on a borrow and it’s the comfiest I’ve tried. I haven’t tried a half buckle, mostly because I think the waistband will be a pain point for me. I want to try a Onbuhimo next (but my baby is old enough for a back carry).
 
@servant10 I feel like we’re on a similar baby wearing path! My gut is that the ring sling is going to not evenly distribute the weight of my big guy. One more vote for the meh dai/tai then! I’ll ask my BN group too before I shell out. Thanks!
 
@rainy214 The Lenny Lamb wrap tai has a super soft waistband that can be tied apron style. I don't much like the big stiff SSC waistband like on an Ergo original (which is the best of the few SSCs I've personally tried), and the wrap tai waistband is totally different.

I have a standard (not toddler) wrap tai that was my main carrier from about 11 to 23 months. I've used it a couple of times since then as a backup. Kiddo is over 30 lbs and tall, and the panel is definitely a bit small for him now, but it was still comfy for everyone. So I'd say longevity is good!
 
@alexander7791 Good to know! I’m strongly considering this one. Maybe I’ll just go straight for this one instead of trying for the Lenny Hrybrid where I think I’m more likely to dislike the waistband. Thanks!
 
@rainy214 You can also tie a meh-dai carrier with the waistband up through the shoulder straps like an onbuhimo. A ring sling might be a great option for this stage, but a meh-dai will be a lot more versatile and long-term. I have a LennyLamb Wrap-Tai (toddler size) and my partner prefers a high back carry with the waistband tied through the shoulder straps whereas I prefer a more Tibetan style knotless finish.
 
@mark7871 I’ve also tried this - OP, if you go this route, just make sure to get a meh dai that doesn’t have a treaded waistband but rather a tied waistband. Hope and Plum’s waistband is threaded as an example - it has a ring on one side and therefore can’t be tied thru the shoulders.
 
@rainy214 For back wearing, definitely. I believe you can wear it on the front with small young babies, but the baby’s head would not be supported like in a Solly wrap - you would need to put a hand on baby’s head if you lean forward as in many SSCs with smaller babies. Maybe others can chime in.
 
Back
Top