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Instructions are under construction. Step-by-step photos are being added. Thank you for your understanding. Please contact me with questions at info@chameleoncarriers.com.

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safety warning:

general information:

Your Chameleon is made up of a rectangular body and 4 straps. The shorter straps will go around your waist and the longer ones will go over your shoulders and tie around or under your child.

Using your Chameleon is really very easy and will take less than a minute when you are used to it! All Mei Tai's require a little practice so please be patient with yourself and your Chameleon. Below are step-by-step instructions so you can get to know your Chameleon. I suggest making sure your child is fed and in a good mood when you try your Chameleon the first few times (a mirror or a helper might help, too, but aren't necessary). Once your child associates your Chameleon with relaxing, it will get lots of use! People find Chameleons especially useful for overtired children...get them in and get moving. :)

Any slack when tying will result in a less comfortable carry for both you and your child so do a little hop before that final tie to help make sure your child is as high as they can be and the straps are tight.

Because your Chameleon can be used for such a wide weight/size range, it may have more fabric than a newborn needs and it can be easily adjusted, if necessary, as noted below.

using the head support:

The knots hanging off of the top of your Chameleon Body slip through the loops on the shoulder straps (image A below). You can vary the support by using the following options in different combinations:

• Use either side individually or both together.
• Slip the knot under the loop either away from (image B) or toward (image C) your body. Toward you (from your shoulder to your neck) will make the head support tighter/smaller because it pulls the fabric across a wider area.
• Use the loops closest to your child for a looser head support and the loops further away for a tighter head support (it's still pretty loose so they can get plenty of air).

image A image B image C in action

front carry:

1. Find the shorter straps, these will go around your waist.

2. With the carrier body hanging down in front of you and the up-side down skin facing your legs, there are two ways to tie the Chameleon waist straps:

• For a small baby who might get lost in the fabric or to have an older child higher so their arms can be up and over the shoulder straps, you need to shorten the body of your Chameleon. Roll the bottom of the Chameleon body inward and tie the waist straps securely around you (experiment to find how many rolls works for your child).
• For your child to have more fabric to snuggle down into and support their heads, the waist straps should be tied such that the carrier body comes up from the waist.

You can tie a bow, half bow, or a square knot. Please tie what feels secure to you.

3. Put your child, facing you, on your chest.

4. Spread their legs to wrap around you or, if they are really little (like my 11 week old niece in the pictures), tuck their legs up under their bottom.

5. Hold them with one hand/arm and fold the carrier body up around them with the other hand.

6. Temporarily transfer both hands to the straps where they meet the carrier (get them there one hand at a time) and pull straight up to nestle your child into the bottom of the carrier.

7. Support them from the outside of the carrier and use your free hand to flip each long strap over each shoulder.

8. Reach behind you with your free hand and grab the strap that went over the opposite shoulder.

9. Pull the strap tight, make sure it's not twisted, pull it around the front, and hold it while you start supporting your child with the hand with the strap.

10. Let go with the empty hand and reach around your back to grab the loose strap coming off the opposite shoulder.

11. Pull it tight, making sure it's not twisted, and pull it around to the front.

12. Hold your child's weight with the straps and do a little bounce (and maybe a wiggle) to ensure that your Chameleon is snug.

13. Tie the straps under your child's bottom (either over or under their legs) or behind their back. I think under the bottom is more comfortable for older, heavier children. Always knot behind a little baby's back to help support them and to close the sides of the carrier.

(My sweet niece promtly fell asleep right after these pictures!)

breastfeeding in your chameleon:

You can breastfeed your child in the front carry. Depending on logistics, you may need to raise your breast or lower your child.

To lower your child:

1. Loosen the shoulder straps (but don't let go!).

2. Slowly feed out some length.

3. When they seem low enough, tie the straps again.

4. Help adjust them into the new, lower space and help them latch on.

5. Use the head support to provide any desired privacy or support.

6. When they are finished, lift them up high again and tie them in tight to decrease the strain on your back.

Hint: Layered clothing worn under or a loose button-up shirt/light jacket worn on top of your chameleon will keep your exposed sides covered and will be less obvious than a baby blanket cover-up. :) However, you don't have to wear anything special. I have surprised people who were checking out my chameleon for a while before discovering that I was nursing with my T-shirt pulled up in front.

If your child would prefer to nurse in a semi-reclined position, you can loosen one of the shoulder straps more and support their head with the crook of your arm on that side. Not completely hands-free, but you can still be mobile and have full use of one hand. :)

tying on a sleeping child:

If your child is already asleep in arms and you'd like to tie them on:

1. Find a free hand to get out your chameleon and slip the head support knots through the loops on the shoulder straps (just choose any combination for now and adjust later).

2. Hold them against your chest with one hand and put the Chameleon body on their back.

3. Transfer your support to the outside of the carrier and use your free hand to flip the straps over your shoulders.

4. Continue with the regular front carry instructions, but you will tie the shoulder straps under their bottom first to hold their weight so you can use two hands to tie the waist straps. When you are done, untie the shoulder straps and adjust your child so they are in a more comfortable position and then tie the shoulder straps tight.

5. Adjust the head support as necessary.

regular back carry:

With a little practice, you will be able to tie your child on your back with ease and confidence!

1. Tie the waist straps snuggly with the carrier body behind you and the knot in front.

2. There are many ways to get your child back there by yourself. Here are three ways I have done it, but please experiment to see what works best and feels safest for you.

• Pick them up with your hands, thumbs down, under their arms with your right under their left and your left under their right. Spin them through the air over your shoulder and onto your back.
• Put them on your hip, lean forward and away from them a little, and take your arm from behind them and put it in front of them. They are now on your hip, but their head is behind your arm/shoulder. Lean forward until your back is parallel with the floor, hold them with both hands, and use little bounces to move them across your back until they are centered.
• Hold them high on your chest and rotate their legs over one of your shoulders and then lower them down.

3. Once your child is centered on your back, hold them with one hand, pull the carrier body up with the other hand, and get the straps over your shoulders to your front...they can go under or over your child's arms depending on their size and preference.

4. Now either cris-cross straps across your chest OR pull directly back under your arms like backpack straps.

5. Tie straps under your child's bottom OR criss-cross at the back of their bottom and then bring under their legs to your front and tie OR go around their back and bring to the front again to tie (always use this last one for small babies).

high back carry:

This is the same as the regular back carry, but you start by tying the waist straps around/above your chest (instead of around your waist) and use the backpack style for the shoulder straps.

This carry works great if your child likes to see over your shoulder, but isn't tall enough to do so in the regular back carry. It is also great for men because their center of gravity is in their shoulders so the closer your child's weight is to their shoulders, the more comfortable they will be.

hip carry:

If you use the hip carry frequently, remember to alternate hips to decrease the unilateral strain on both your back and your child's neck.

1. Shorten the body of the carrier by rolling it inward until it is short enough to go under their arms (and your arm!) when you are finished.

2. Tie the waist straps around your waist such that the chameleon body is face-down against one hip.

3. Place your child on your hip.

4. While supporting them with one arm, bring the Body up behind them with the other hand.

5. Bring the front shoulder strap under their arm, across your body, and throw it back over your shoulder.

6. Reach behind you and grab the other strap and bring it under their arm and around your torso to the front OR up and over your shoulder to the front (on top of the first strap).

7. Tie the straps under your child, doing a little hop to ensure that they are as high as possible on your hip.

To remove a Skin, reach inside the Body's frame and pull out Skin one side at a time, detaching the velcro strips.

To install a Skin, lay it on top of the Body's frame, feel under the Skin's velcro strips to line them up with the Body's velcro, place a flat hand in the middle of the Skin, use your other hand to tuck the edges into the Body, adjust velcro placement, if necessary, and press down on the Body along both sides of the frame. (I couldn't take the picture and use both hands. I typically keep one hand flat to hold the Skin in place while I tuck with the other hand.)

Your Chameleon Body and Skins can be machine washed and dried (use cold water and gentle settings). Separate Skin from Body before washing and wash with similar colors. All fabrics were pre-washed in a mild detergent before sewing. The Chameleon Body is made from %100 cotton twill so it's durable and breathable. It will soften up with use, but will remain strong and secure. If a certain Skin requires dry-cleaning (very rare because I usually stick to cotton!), I will indicate it on the "create and buy" page.