Babywearing consultant Rynette Tan has got three children, ages 3.5, 2.5 and 2 months. Together with her family she lives in Singapore.
Rynette Tan: Pretty popular! Back when I first started babywearing with my first child, there were a limited number of brands available, but now we’re spoilt for choice! I would say over the past two years babywearing has really gained popularity here in Singapore and I would even go as far as to say that majority of parents here now view baby carriers as an essential baby item.
There used to be a lot of stigma about babywearing (still exists, but less now) due to traditional beliefs about whether it’s ok for parents to have their babies’ legs so widely open while babywearing, but times have changed and we now see many babywearing grandparents!
Helping parents finding the right carrier
Awesome! Why did you want to become a babywearing consultant and which school did you visit?
As my love for babywearing grew, so did my stash of carriers! As I manufacturer my own like of Diaper Backpacks and already with a business infrastructure in place, it just made sense for me to start retailing carriers. As more parents started buying carriers from me, it became very important for me to expand my knowledge, in order for me to provide excellent and quality service to each one of my customers, hence my decision to become a certified babywearing consultant.
The joy and satisfaction of helping parents finding the right carrier or acquiring a skill (for example to learn how to use a ring sling correctly) motivates me to help even more parents. A lot of first-time parents remind me of how I was when I had my first child – I was lost and confused, and felt confined to being at home.
After babywearing and being able to go out and do things with my baby without the hassle of bringing a pram, I felt liberated and I really want to empower other parents to feel the same. I did my courses with Die Trageschule Dresden, under (the super awesome) Ulrike Hower!
How important is it for you and/or your clients to wear the baby ergonomically?
Extremely important! As a parent you want the best for your child – this includes babywearing the right way and ensuring that you help your child and your clients’ children be in the most optimal position they can be in to help their development.
“It’s about finding the most suitable carrier”
How many parents are you „teaching“ per month?
I honestly don’t know – I don’t keep track! I mostly do private consultations because I enjoy providing that quality service and full attention to cater to specific needs of my clients and their child/children. But I also do group classes and workshops, so the number of parents I assist really varies each month.
What’s the thing, most parents ask or have trouble with concerning babywearing ?
Most parents ask me what the “best carrier” is. I honestly don’t know how to answer that because everyone is different and we all have different needs and different body types – so I often explain to them that there is no “best carrier”, but rather it is about finding the most suitable carrier for you, that meets your needs at the price you’re willing to pay.
Baby carrier rental in Singapore
Very true! How big is your « consultancy stash » ?
I haven’t counted and don’t intend to (I don’t want my husband to know – oops!). But honestly it is difficult to count because I sell and distribute several brands of carriers so I have many demo pieces. I also have a baby carrier rental business and run travel programs so carriers are always in and out. But if I have to give a ball park figure and include all the types of carriers I have including SSCs, Meh-dais, onbuhimos, ring slings and wraps… possibly around 80-90?
Wow! What’s your favourite wrap and/or carrier and what’s the favourite product chosen by your clients ?
This is a tough one! My SSC of choice would be either the Emeibaby or LennyLamb’s LennyUp for the fit and functionality. As for ring slings – Chimparoo’s Air-O ring sling is my absolute favourite! I bring it everywhere I go – it is so light, folds down so small and dries insanely fast so that’s always in my handbag.
As for my favourite wrap – it has got to be my Ankalia Exclusive, Mako Garden City – soft enough to wrap my squish yet supportive enough for my toddlers – but of course I’m biased because we picked the colours! As for my clients, they love the Chimparoo Trek Air-O Woven. It’s possibly the most breathable carrier around – which is perfect for Singapore’s hot, tropical weather.
OMG, I just looked it up! Now I need to know if I’ve got a friend who’ll be in Singapore soon! :-O What’s the word for babywearing in your language ?
We speak english so babywearing! But I do get mandarin-speaking clients so in mandarin it’s:
揹巾穿戴
Thank you very much for your insights from Singapore – very interesting!
Here you can visit Rynette Tan’s business: https://www.13thirteen.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/13thirteensg and https://www.facebook.com/13thirteenrentals