LueMai stretcher
I have owned the baby carrier LueMai from the Swiss manufacturer Tragebaby for a very long time now. I would like to tell you here about my experiences with it.
Information about the carrier and first impression
The baby carrier is a model that can be used for the entire carrying time. The manufacturer writes that the LueMai can be used from size 50 to about size 104. In my experience, the baby carrier has already fit well even with newborns with size 50/56, so that it has enabled an ergonomic posture and sufficient support. My son is now size 92/98 and the LueMai still fits very well, both in the bar width and the length of the back. The carrier is adjustable in the bar width by means of Velcro.
Further, it can also be changed in the length of the back. For this purpose, there is a second tunnel into which the abdominal belt is inserted for larger children. The LueMai from Tragebaby belongs to the classic mei tai's. This means that both the waist belt and the straps are for tying and knotting. The straps are attached to the back of the carrier with the help of rings, so the straps always adjust perfectly to the shoulder width of the wearer. The waist belt and the straps are softly padded and relatively wide. They are sewn from corduroy fabric. There is here the possibility to buy from the manufacturer a buckle belly strap in addition, so that this can be exchanged with the tied belly strap. The LueMai has two headrests of different sizes, which can be attached to the straps by loops.
In addition to the LueMai, Tragebaby also produces the MilaMai full-buckle carrier. I also reviewed this carrier in the review of the MilaMai. Tragebaby's baby carriers are one-of-a-kind, which means that no model is available twice. In addition, they are handmade. The price of the baby carrier is, among other things, due to the above-mentioned points significantly higher than many other baby carriers and amounts to including 19% VAT, which must still be paid here in Germany, to about 360 € upwards.
When carrying
My husband and I have now tested the carrier a lot. In addition, I have the stretcher again and again in my carrying consultations, so I can also judge the fit with small babies and also other proportions of the stretcher. The straps adapt very well to the shoulder width due to the ring system, which is why I had no problems with it despite relatively narrow shoulders and wide straps. Very pleasant I found the corduroy fabric on the shoulders. Meanwhile, my son weighs just under 12kg and I find the baby carrier still very comfortable, both front and back, although I prefer to wear the back because of his size. I find it a pity that the chest strap is not included as standard, because I find it more comfortable to wear on the back. However, it can be ordered additionally via the manufacturer.
My husband, initially somewhat "shocked" because of the high cost, quickly became the biggest fan of this carrier. He hardly uses any other carriers, although we would now really have enough choice at home.
At my consultation parents, the carrier fit very well in all cases. The straps were tight, so that the baby's view was not restricted. In some cases, the initially high purchase costs were a deterrent.
Washing
The manufacturer writes that a LueMai made of cotton or linen can be washed at 40 ° degrees in the washing machine. Although my carrier is only made of cotton, I still washed it only by hand. I had no problems at all. The drying time was fine. Accordingly, I can not say anything about machine washing.
Conclusion about the LueMai
I would spend the money for the LueMai again and again! I find that this investment is worth it all, because this carrier adapts perfectly to baby and wearer. Another thing to consider here is that it is a one-time cost, as it can be used from the beginning to the end of the carrying period. Qualitatively, the baby carrier is very high quality and I could not find any flaws or defects. It is visibly made with great attention to detail.