Want to become more involved?

Interested in becoming involved in the leadership of our group? There are two methods: become a volunteer babywearing educator (VBE) or general leadership member. Both require the person be a dues-paying member of Babywearing International of the Triangle and be actively involved in the group.

A non-VBE leadership member could assist by managing contacts with vendors, coordinating meeting times, group outreach, hospitality and greeting members, etc.

A VBE is someone who has passed both a written and practical exam administered by a Babywearing International Master Babywearing Educator (MBE).  All of our VBEs have been accredited by Babywearing International.

Some of the benefits of accreditation through Babywearing International is a solid and well rounded background on the 4 basic styles of babywearing (1 shouldered carriers, wraps, asian baby carriers and soft structured carriers), More emphasis on practical application than other programs and the ability to receive your accreditation while you study the portions of babywearing that you are passionate about.

Our accredited educators receive continuing education on a monthly basis, support from Babywearing International in regards to group growth and library additions and liability insurance to protect you while you teach.

Please contact us through email if you are interested in becoming more involved in the group.

And the winner is…

Amber Nic!

We have a new N Raleigh/S Durham meeting home!

The N Raleigh/S Durham meeting that usually takes place at Smartmomma will be held Thursday, May 16th from 10:00-noon at South Regional Library in Durham, NC.  It’s at the corner of S Alston Ave and NC Hwy 54.  To use Google Maps, enter “4505 S Alston Ave, Durham, NC, 27713″.

Starting in June, we will have our North Raleigh/South Durham meeting at the Brier Creek Earth Fare.  We are so excited to have a new home!  This meeting will be the third Monday of the month from 10am to noon.  This Earth Fare is only a little further North from Smartmomma so it will be a good location for many of you.

We may be adding in an additional Durham location if the South Regional Library is popular but we can only reserve the space 30 days in advance and we are not guaranteed a specific day or time.  Likewise, it will be announced each month rather than being a recurring event.

Since Smartmomma is closing, we have moved the N Raleigh meeting

The N Raleigh/S Durham meeting that usually takes place at Smartmomma will be held Thursday, May 16th from 10:00-noon at South Regional Library in Durham, NC.  It’s at the corner of S Alston Ave and NC Hwy 54.  To use Google Maps, enter “4505 S Alston Ave, Durham, NC, 27713″.

For those who have carriers due 5/27 (that were checked out at our “we’re in the woods” meeting in Umstead Park), this means the carriers are due back to the Durham meeting on 5/16.

If that date/location doesn’t work for you, you can drop your carrier off with one of the VBEs or “helpers”-email for clarification OR you can return the carrier to the WBWC meeting on this Saturday (5/4) or the SBB meeting on 5/18.

Important policy changes and meeting changes

• We will be discontinuing the waitlist. It has caused a lot of extra work for the volunteers and many times it’s caused problems with carriers not being there on time or being checked out again because people on the waitlist weren’t present. We will honor the waitlist as it stood Saturday afternoon but we will not be adding any more names to the waitlist.
• The April 22nd meeting (usually Smartmomma) will be in one of the shelters at Umstead Park.

Park at the lot with the blue arrow and then meet us at the closest shelter on the trail.

• The May 27th meeting (usually Smartmomma) will be somewhere new, preferably still the same Monday. We are in the process of sourcing that location.

We will be structuring the meetings more rigidly.

In the past we have allowed check-ins and check-outs to occur throughout the meeting but our meetings have become much larger. As such, we need for people to return due carriers at or before 11am and we will begin checking out carriers at 11:30.

10:00am- Introductions, sign-in

10:15am- 101 demo using whichever carriers are checked into the library, followed by some preliminary hands-on help with the newer attendees

11:00am- Targeted check-in time for carriers due that day; we will ask that those coming for a switch out from the library to arrive at/before 11

11:30am- Check-outs can begin; chat/social section of meeting

12:00pm- End of meeting

“Is babywearing a new thing?”

We had a babywearing meeting this morning and I loved helping the new moms.  We often suggest expectant mothers to attend ahead of the birth as well, just to get an idea of the options and also to meet like minded people.

One expectant mother brought her husband and mother with her and the mother asked me whether babywearing originated from a specific country.  I told her that humans have been figuring out ways to carry their babies and toddlers without their hands for hundreds, if not thousands of years and in less westernized nations, it was such a normal thing that they didn’t actually call it babywearing.  There isn’t an actual name for it, it’s so normal.  Although some people may portray babywearing as a yuppie/hipster thing, it’s really something that most people do out of necessity more than anything else.

Babywearing helps caregivers be more involved with their older children, instills confidence in the baby/toddler, and allows for bonding.  In addition, it helps strengthen nursing relationships and helps sleep cycles.

Check out this cool video of a woman in Canada explaining her reasons for babywearing in 1963.

Location change! We will not be meeting at Smartmomma on 4-22-13 (Monday morning at 10am)

Location change!  We will not be meeting at Smartmomma on 4-22-13 (Monday morning at 10am)

Yesterday we were notified by Smartmomma that they could not accomodate our group for our April or May meeting.  We are investigating other locations and will announce the location as soon as possible.  We anticipate it will happen on the same day and at the same time.

Sorry for the inconvenience.  It may be easier to attend the Sweetbottoms meeting this Saturday morning at 10am.

We are adding members and carriers!

We have been adding members so quickly!  We just purchased some new carriers including a Zara Blossom 5, made by Ellevil and will be receiving a toddler Action Baby Carrier.  Come join in the fun!