Wearing a Lapa

I've recently been asked how to use a Lapa, which is like a sling to carry children in. It is a common sight in many African countries. The big difference with it is, unlike traditional baby carriers, it can be used with bigger children. Mikiyas has used even at 35 pounds, and I know he can keep using it for a while yet. The biggest difference of all though is the cost. Two meters of material from Wal-Mart only cost me $15.00 ... so I bought two styles. There is no extra padding in it like store bought carriers, but I don't have a problem with it personally, and a little extra padding could easily be added.

So here is a recent video of Mikiyas getting in the lapa with me. On this particular day he had asked me if he could go in it. He wasn't feeling 100% and wanted lots of cuddles, but knew I was busy. So Mikiyas rode around while I did laundry, made homemade soup, and did some other errands around the house. Then he went in it again during our Costco trip. When he was feeling better, I spun around in circles for a little ride, which definitely shows it's strength.

It can also be used with smaller children on the front, which is why I swung Mikiyas around to the front at the end of the video to show what it would look like. But babies tend to be lying down in the sling part on the front. To put babies or smaller children in it, it is easiest to lie them on the material on a bed, you sit at the end and lean back like you would lay on top of them and tie them on.

** Additional note: The width of the fabric is whatever Wal-Mart gave me when I bought the fabric. I didn't measure and did nothing with it. If I remember correctly, it was quite wide because they had it folded in half. You can't have it too wide. I did no sewing or amending to the fabric, however, anyone with a sewing machine [unlike me] may wish to sew the ends in because after washing they frey a bit.