Sabine de Hoop is 35 years old and lives in Delft in the Netherlands. She’s got two kids. Tygo is 4 years old, and Amy is 2. As a physical therapist she’s got a great background to link with babywearing. Her aim is to bring together those fields.
Nestwärme: How popular is babywearing in your country? Sabine de Hoop: I really feel it is becoming more popular. Babywearing consultants are sprouting from everywhere. Some journals publiced about babywearing recently. It seems like it is finally becoming less hippy and more normal. When I started carrying my son 4 years ago there were not many people around me carrying as well. But now many of my friends do. Or maybe it’s because they feel obligated to carry beause they know me? 🙂
Why did you want to become a babywearing consultant and which school did you visit? For the past 13 years my main job was being a childrens physical therapist in a rehabilitation centre. When my oldest was born, he cried a whole lot! Someone told me me I should carry him when he was 3 months old and saw me being stressed and tired. Babywearing gave me so much! I realized that in my education to become a physical therapist I never received knowledge about babywearing. So many physical therapists treat babies with developmental problems and no one learns about babywearing during the 7 years of study. So I decided that needed to be changed.
How did you want to change it?
In my idea there are so many kids and parents who could benefit from babywearing and I really feel babywearing could be a part of the physical therapy treatment. So I followed a course to become a “zorgprofessional“, a person with (para)medical education also schooled to show parents how to carry their kids, and specialised by doing a course about babywearing kids with a develepmental disorder. I did those courses at “zorgdragen“. And now I am active in the medical commission of our association for babywearing consultants. I also want to make it my mission to tell other physical therapists the basic idea of babywearing and why they schould get themself schooled to become a “zorgproffesional” to help them perfect their treatments. In march I will give my first lecture on a congress in the Netherlands.
How important is it for you and/or your clients to wear babys ergonomically? Especially with babies with developmental problems I think it is really important to try and find the most ideal posture for both parent and baby. But the norm is not always reachable. I think it is important to always give costumized advise. Everyone is different and exceptions to the “rules” are sometimes nessecary and can even be for the best.
How many parents are you „teaching“ per month? In my job as a physical therapist I think about 2 per month. As a “normal babywearing consultant” around 4 per month. I just started last summer and I still have my youngest at home on my days off. In two years she will go to school and I will be able to work more time as a babywearing consultant.
What’s the thing, most parents ask or have trouble with concerning babywearing? Most of them simply just have no idea 🙂 I love the teaching part. I love seeing them sucking up information and being proud of themselves when they master the skill.
How big is your «consultancy stash»? Right now I have 4 dolls, 2 stretchy wraps, 6 carriers, 2 ringslings, 5 babywearing coats and 8 woven wraps.
What’s your favourite wrap and/or carrier and what’s the favourite product chosen by your clients?
My own favourite wrap is my sling studio falling feathers puffin. I love the high tussah blend. It is soft, moldable, thin both so cushy and strong. So easy to tighten, and so grippy. It has got it all 🙂 I really am not a fan of carriers when it comes to personal preferences while babywearing. I miss the cosyness a wrap provides. The wrap I use the most for consultancies is a Hoppediz panama and that is also the wrap most of the parents I see decide to buy as first wrap after the consultation. My favourite carrier, that also most people love the best is a Bondolino.
What’s the word for babywearing in your language?
To carry is “dragen” in dutch. But for babywearing we don’t have our own word. I guess it would be “babydragen“.
Thank you for giving us those insights into babywearing in the Netherlands! 🙂
Marloes de Graaf
Marloes de Graaf lives in The Hague, a city in the west of the Netherlands. She’s a mother of 2 children, Max, 6 years old and Nena, 2 in December.
Nestwärme: How popular is babywearing in your country? Marloes de Graaf: When I started to wear Max I often felt like an alien. Babywearing wasn’t that common. I knew most of the babywearers and I live in a big city! But since than babywearing has taken a flight. It is becoming more and more popular every day! Now no day goes by without seeing another person babywearing!
Why did you want to become a babywearing consultant and which school did you visit?
As I said, babywearing wasn’t that common when I started to carry my son. A lot of people asked me questions. And I loved to answer them, but I knew I wanted to know more so I could help other people better. And I wanted to know more myself, so that I knew that what I was telling people was right. I did my course at Instituut voor Hechting.
How important is it for you and/or your clients to wear babys ergonomically?
What I find the most important is that the babywearer and the babies are happy and safe. I believe there is a way of babywearing for everyone. Of course, ideally the babies have the spread-squat position and the rounded back and close enough to kiss. But sometimes you need to ‘break the rules‘. But yes, ergonomically carrying is important, for me and my clients.
How many parents are you „teaching“ per month?
That is different every month. Sometimes 10, sometimes 20, sometimes even more. I help a lot of people online, too.
What’s the thing, most parents ask or have trouble with concerning babywearing?
A lot of people want to learn to carry their children on their back. Practicing with wearing on your belly is easier for a lot of people and I understand that. You can see your child, there are a lot of tutorials online. But carrying on your back scares parents. After learning how they can do it, they don’t find it scary at all anymore. A lot of my teaching also involves fancy/ring finishes, for the more trained parents. And I have a slinglibrary with more than 60 different carriers and a lot of wraps. So people love to come and try things.
How big is your «consultancy stash»?
Big, sometimes I’m a bit ashamed 🙂 As I said, I have more than 60 different carriers. And I believe about 50 wraps. I don’t count it often, because sometimes I think it’s too much and I need to bring the numbers down. But there are so much lovely carriers and wraps, so that thought is never in my mind for long.
I can totally relate to that! 😀 What’s your favourite wrap and/or carrier and what’s the favourite product chosen by your clients?
I absolutely love my Woven Wings wraps. Oberon (a black and red wrap, most people connect me to that wrap) will never leave. But I’m also very attached to my Hoppediz Timbuktu, the wrap it all started with. And the carrier I love the most is my Integra. My clients choose so much different things. We really try and figure out what is the best for them and most of the times it’s not the carrier they had in mind before they came. I think Hoppediz and Didymos are the most chosen ones wrapwise. If they have a bit more budget they chose Woven Wings. And with carriers it’s Kokadi, Isara and Integra I think.
Nestwärme: How popular is babywearing in your country? Charlotte Stolker: Babywearing is getting more and more popular in our country.
Why did you want to become a babywearing consultant and which school did you visit?
When I was pregnant with my second child, I was wondering how to do everything with 2 kids. How can I go outside, to the park, do the groceries, go to the playground. I went online and saw the babywearing community and was hooked. After a while I was looking for more information and came across The TrageSchule Dresden and did the first course. It was great! And I wanted more, and I did the advance course and the certification. I loved it and I still want more.
How important is it for you and/or your clients to wear babys ergonomically?
For me it’s the only way to carry your child, of course. For the parents who come to me it is also important. If they have questions about why this is the best way I nicely explain and show them how and why. And I let them feel the difference.
How many parents are you „teaching“ per month?
It varies per month but an average of 3 to 4 is normal (this year).
What’s the thing, most parents ask or have trouble with concerning babywearing?
Is he/she sitting right? Is this the correct way for the M-position? How long can I carry my child, on a day or in longterm?
How big is your « consultancy stash »?
Big! 13 wraps in size 2-9, and 20 carriers from baby to toddler-size and 5 ring slings (I also have a Sling Library)
What’s your favourite wrap and/or carrier and what’s the favourite product chosen by your clients?
My and my little girl (4,5 yrs) prefer a ringsling, we love it! The clients choose what they like, that is very individual 😉
