Mei Tais - Soft Structured Carriers - Woven Wraps - Stretchy Wraps - Pouches - Ring Slings - Babywearing coats

Evymama is your source for baby carrier expertise in Toronto, Canada! The Evymamas have tried and tested many baby carriers-- we've done the research for you, and are ready to guide you through choosing this vital piece of parenting equipment.

Evymama can teach you to carry twins in a sling, or how to wear a baby while pregnant! We have Toronto's best selection of baby slings, wrap baby carriers, Mei Tai baby carriers, soft structured baby carriers, pouches, and podeagis. This is a partial catalogue of the baby carriers we stock. For inquiries please contact the boutique at (416) 913-0546.

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Mei Tais

A Mei Tai is an extremely versatile baby carrier of Chinese origin. It is composed of a rectangular body with four straps. While traditional Mei Tais typically have four narrow straps of equal length, Western versions of this baby carrier usually have shorter straps for the waist and longer, wider, and sometimes padded straps for the shoulders, to allow for more variation in wearing them. Many modern versions of this baby carrier have a headrest or even a sleeping hood to hold up the head of the sleeping child, particularly useful when they are positioned on your back.

What remains of the traditional Mei Tai is their decorative aspect and their enduring practicality. Mothers and fathers alike enjoy wearing this workhorse of a baby carrier. Most are reversible from a decorative side to a plain solid coloured one, allowing for more wearability.

Children can comfortably be worn in a Mei Tai from birth to about 35lbs. The Evymamas have found that wearing a tired-out 4 year-old on your back in this carrier is also quite possible, meaning that a Mei Tai is one of the few carriers that can truly be said to take your child from birth until they no longer wish to be carried.

Mei Tai in a nutshell:

Back, front or hip positions

Easy to use

birth to toddlerhood

Excellent distribution of weight

ideal for sharing between partners

fashionable

Baby can nurse in the carrier once they have some head control

Will accomodate wearers of all sizes

Soft Structured Baby Carriers

Good Soft structured baby carriers are essentially Mei Tais with buckles. It is essential that your baby carrier offers good support for both the wearer and the baby, that the fabric is breathable and natural wherever possible, and most importantly, that the childs legs do not dangle from it, which strains their leg sockets and compresses their spine. Once your baby is old enough to be held in your arms on the hip, they should be in a seated position (legs astride). Prior to this they may be held in these carriers in the froggy position, legs tucked in, or in various modified cradle holds, in some cases with the aid of an infant insert.

The Evymamas do not generally recommend wearing a newborn or young baby in the facing out position, as they can become overstimulated this way. It is also a position that can put undue strain on their spines in certain soft structured carriers. We do not carry any questionable baby carriers of this type, but do have some facing-out carrier options that allow baby to be held facing out in the favourable seated position.

Soft Structured Baby Carrier in a nutshell:

Back, front and sometimes hip positions

Easy to use

Many can be worn from birth to toddlerhood

Excellent distribution of weight

Ideal for sharing between partners

Sporty-chic

Baby can nurse in some of these carriers once they have some head control

Will accomodate wearers of most sizes, sometimes with the addition of a waist extender.

Ring Slings

Ring slings are quite a versatile baby carrier type. They are comprised of a long piece of fabric of varying lengths and widths, with two rings that act as a buckle. It goes on like a sash (think Miss America) and is tightened by pulling on the tail of the sling. Finer adjustments are made by pulling on the rails, or edges. The baby can be held either upright in a froggy position or in a cradle hold at birth, and later on can be held on the hip, the back, and in a variety of ways.

The Evymamas have found that this type of carrier is best for young babies, and for older or heavier children only if you are taking a quick trip and need your hands free for a little while. Once baby is 15 to 20 lbs, many parents find that the weight on one shoulder is too much to bear for any length of time.

Ring Sling in a nutshell:

Mainly front or hip positions, sometimes back position

Easy to use

Ideally, birth to 15 or 20 lbs

Good distribution of weight on the one shoulder

Most can be shared between partners

Express your personal style with a variety of prints and colours

Baby can nurse in this carrier from birth

Petite or larger wearers may require a more customized length

Woven or Stretchy

Wrap-style carriers

There is evidence that human beings have evolved togther with baby carriers of one type or another, and wraps are as old as baby wearing itself. There are nearly endless uses for a woven wrap-style baby carrier.

There are both knit (stretchy) and woven wrap carriers. Stretchy wraps ar best suited for younger, lighter babies as they will sag under the weight of an older child.

A wrap can become a blanket on a cold day, a sunshade on a sunny day, a change pad when you forgot yours, a rain cover when it's wet, a seatbelt when there's no highchair. We could go on.

Wraps can be worn on the front, back, or hip, with the baby facing in or out. A wrap will take your baby from birth until they no longer wish to be carried. Children of all ages can nurse easily in a wrap.

If the Evymamas could take only one item with them to a deserted island, it would be their woven wrap carrier. Ask us to show you how to nurse your newborn 100% hands-free in your wrap-- you'll be so happy you did!

Wrap in a nutshell:

Can be worn in any position you can dream up

With practice, you'll become a pro.

Woven wraps are ideal from birth to toddlerhood

Near perfect distribution of weight

Ideal for sharing between partners

Fashionable and mama-cool

Baby can nurse from the second they're born

Long versions will accomodate wearers of all sizes in all carries 

Pouch-Style baby Carriers

Pouches are for the laissez-faire personality. They are simple and elegant, easy to put on and take off, and are available in a wide array of fabrics.

They are not designed for sharing, however. Your pouch must be fitted to you exactly, and certain brands may fit certain people better than others. There is not as much versatility with a pouch as with other baby carriers, but they are certainly lovely and easy to pack in your purse.

The Evymamas feel that pouches are best for newborns and smaller babies, or for older, heavier children on short trips with them on your your hip in the carrier. Small babies can only be held in the cradle position in these carriers, and older children can be held upright.

Pouch in a nutshell:

Easy to use

Ideally from birth to 15 or 20 lbs

Good distribution of weight on the one shoulder

Not designed for sharing

Fashionable

Baby can nurse in the carrier once they have some head control

Size of baby dictates baby's position in the carrier