You probably all know by now just how much I love my woven wraps. They’re especially versatile, which is just what I need with my wonky body! Can’t have fabric on one shoulder? No problem! Need to be able to pop baby in and out? No problem! However, particularly when Elise’s cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) was undiagnosed, there were times when I just couldn’t wrap her! Being a novice, it was hard to wrap a newborn writhing around in pain. Which is where my Didymos Meh Dai came in very handy!
A note first about terminology: Didymos refer to their Meh Dai’s as a Didy-Tai. This is a practice other brands also adopt. There is a lot of discussion around the correct name of Asian tie-on carriers. I’m not going to add anything to this discussion, as it isn’t my place. What I will say is that I understand Meh Dai to be the more appropriate and preferred terminology.
Our first experience of the Didymos Meh Dai was when It’s A Sling Thing sent us some carriers to try. In our parcel was their Didymos green waves Meh Dai. You’re probably wondering what a Meh Dai is at this point. The best way I can describe it is a carrier made of woven wrap fabric that has a square main panel with wrap straps attached to each corner. It’s comfortable to wear, soft and mouldable like a woven wrap, but feels more structured and is quicker and easier to tie.
When we received It’s A Sling Thing’s Didymos Meh Dai, I was initially frustrated by it. I couldn’t figure how/where to know the waist band that didn’t leave a knot on my back – no good as a wheelchair user. What I should’ve done was message Em and Jenni from It’s A Sling Thing and ask them for advice. But, being the headstrong, independent and stubborn person I am, coupled with horrendous PMS symptoms, I didn’t and just got frustrated with it.
That was, until Elise and I had to make it out of the house for a GP’s appointment. Elise had vomited all over two wraps and was squirming so much that there was no way I was going to be able to get her safely wrapped to me, despite having been trying for at least half an hour. By this time, we needed to leave the house, or we’d miss the appointment. So, I grabbed the Didymos Meh Dai on loan to us, tied it on, popped Elise in and off we went.
I still hadn’t figured out how not to tie the Didymos Meh Dai without the knot on my back, so I was expecting to be in a lot of pain by the time we returned from the doctor’s surgery. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Because the know was created with light to medium woven wrap fabric, having a knot on my back wasn’t too much of a challenge for the short time we were using this carrier. I loved the convenience of being able to quickly get Elise ready and know she was safe. So, I started to experiment with tying my waistband knot in different places. I quickly stumbled across what’s now my go-to: Tying the Didymos Meh Dai on one side and taking the longer tail through the body of the carrier, so that Elise ends up sitting on it. This way, I avoid getting the fabric caught up in my wheels.
Once I had this sussed, the Didymos Meh Dai on loan from It’s A Sling Thing got a LOT of use. As time drew closer to the end of our loan period, I knew that I had to get one of my own. By a stroke of luck, I came across the Didymos Meh Dai in Rosalinde, a double-faced weave that consists of one grey side and one pink, on Amazon for half price! I couldn’t believe my luck. There was no way I could afford the £100+ of the other Didymos Meh Dai carriers, but this one for (I think it was £57) was within my budget.
A word about Amazon: The Didymos Meh Dai carriers, woven wraps and ring slings usually come down in price as stock numbers begin to dwindle. Along the same lines as the shopping channel on The Apprentice, 2018. I was lucky that I spotted Rosalinde at the right time. If you are going to try to snap up a bargain on Amazon, it’s worth putting all of the slings you’re interested in into a wish list, so you can quickly check back daily in the hope of spotting a bargain.
Now that I’ve talked about the how’s and the why’s, let’s talk about the Didymos Meh Dai itself.
One of the things I really liked as soon as I put on It’s A Sling Thing’s green waves Didymos Meh Dai was that it’s adjustable. So it can be used for newborn babies, right up to toddlers – without having to but the ‘next size up’ like you have to with some slings. The main place that you’re likely to need to adjust is the waist band. It needs to be small for a newborn so that their hips aren’t over extended, but it needs to be much wider for a toddler so that the carrier supports them from ‘knee to knee’. For me, adjusting this Meh Dai was easy – there’s a chord in the waistband and where you knot it determines how wide the base of the carrier is to support your baby. Once set in the right place for your baby, you’re good to go! You just need to remember to periodically check that the seat is still wide enough for your baby, as they grow at an alarming rate!
Another thing that I loved straight away about the Didymos Meh Dai was that it had an additional panel, a hood that, when gathered up with the toggles, provided good neck support for Elise when she was a newborn. This is particularly important for me as a wheelchair user, as the pavements in our area aren’t wheelchair friendly.
So, when I spotted a half price bargain on Amazon, I decided to invest in my own, and I’m so glad I did! The carrier I found is a Didymos Meh Dai in Rosalinde, one of their doublefaced colourways. While the green waves and Rosalinde fabrics are different, the Meh Dai’s themselves are the same. Having a Meh Dai of my own hasn’t just been useful for me, it’s also allowed family members to wear Elise.
While woven wraps have a steep learning curve and buckles need to be adjusted between wearers, Meh Dais are a universal size. The wrap straps of the Didymos Meh Dai mean that family members could all wear Elise with the same carrier, tying the waist and straps to their own body size and shape. My sister and brother-in-law have really enjoyed wearing Elise and my 9 year old niece is keen to try too!
The Didymos Meh Dai was exactly what I wanted it to be
- supportive for a newborn
- adjustable to grow with Elise
- quick and easy to put on (once set up for her size)
- able to spread the shoulder straps for even weight distribution
- not having to knot in the back
- good for family members to use too.
Something I didn’t consider when I bought my Rosalinde Meh Dai was that it would also be good for getting Elise onto my back. And, while my Didymos Meh Dai hasn’t been as comfortable as my woven wraps for back carrying (probably as a result of being new to back carrying and not down to the carrier itself), it’s helped me gain confidence in getting her onto my back and has been a good option when I need to get her up quickly.
The only down side of the Didymos Meh Dai for me has been that I’ve found the toggles difficult to adjust with my hEDS. They’re quite stiff and I’ve found that they cause my fingers to hyperextend. But, with my oval eight finger splints on, the few times I need to adjust the toggles (as Elise grows), are worth it for all of the fantastic benefits of this Meh Dai.
If you’re interested in trying the Didymos Meh Dai, I’d highly recommend hiring from It’s A Sling Thing. If you’re looking to buy and have time to wait for a good deal, I’d recommend keeping an eye on Amazon. I’ve created a wish list of products I’d like if the price is right, so I can quickly and easily check back at the click of a button. If you’re wanting a Didymos Meh Dai straight away, you can find them available to buy for £105-115 on Amazon, using the link above.
Have you tried a Didymos Meh Dai, or another brand of Meh Dai?
How did you get on with it/them?
Find me on:
Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | YouTube
You can also check out my babywearing Instagram and Facebook page!
2 Comments