Day one only: CPD for consultants

We have been asked to give the opportunity to carrying consultants trained with other schools to sample our course, so here goes:

The day one only ticket!

It’s your opportunity to experience the depth of what we are offering without having to commit to the whole course. Day One is a fully packed day from 9am to 5.30pm UK time. We believe it represents us really well.
If you decide to sign up for the whole course at a later stage (either at the end of day one or much later), we will take off the cost of the day one ticket, so it won’t cost you twice!

So what are you waiting for!?!

 

[Image description 1: slide with text: “Day One Only: CPD for consultants.
You have trained with another school?
You have heard of Slingababy being like no-other?
Want to know what the fuss is about?
You’d love to attend the 4-day consultancy course, but you cannot justify the expense or you cannot make the logistics work….
Good news! We have just what you need to sample our Slingababy Love!”

Image description 2: slide with text: “Day One Only: CPD for consultants.
Come for day 1 of the consultancy course!
We cover:
Role and limitations of the consultant
Understanding human needs
Discussions on language of support
The two keys to a successful consultation
Baby physiology and anatomy: a different perspective
Baby handling and holding
5 different carrying positions: an overview
Introduction to woven wrapping”

Image description 3: slide with text: “Day One Only: CPD for consultants.
We believe that day 1 of the consultancy course is the perfect opportunity to discover what makes us special.
But what if you love it so much you want to come to the whole course? Or if you would like to join us at the next course?
Well you can! Good news is that we will take the cost of the Day One ticket off the total cost of the course.“]

Slingababy Christmas Competition 2021

Ho Ho Ho! It’s this time of year when Slingababy thinks they are Santa!

If you have followed us over the last few years then you will know that every December we run a competition to get places and vouchers for our courses.

This year will not be different apart that we run more courses now so you have more choice!

So what can you win?
A FREE place on a Slingababy course of your choice ran in 2022

What do you need to do?
1- Fill in this form (when ready): https://slingababy.co.uk/slingababy-2021-christmas-competition/
2- Share this post on your Facebook or Instagram wall with privacy set to public explaining why you are entering our competition
3- Comment here with a happy carrying memory
4- Spread some joy: pay compliments to strangers, bring a dish to your neighbour, tell a friend you miss them, add some food to your local foodbank collection point, sing out loud, dance in public, patch up a broken thing or relationship, tell yourself you’re amazing…. you choose!
5- Did you remember to fill the form and make your share public?

Can I enter for a friend?
You sure can, but you will have to check with them that we can have their email address because data and stuff….

When is the deadline?
Sunday the 19th at 8pm UK time

When is the winner announced?
Some time between the 24th and the 30th of December…. You’ll have to check in

* If you have accessibility needs, let us know and we will work something out. Slingababy aims to be an inclusive school

New course! The Advanced Stretchy Wrap course

The long awaited course for advanced stretchy wrap skills has arrived!

If you want to get your stretchy wrap teachings to the next level, this course is for you!

The Advanced Stretchy Wrap course is designed to support baby-carrying professionals. It is beneficial for baby-carrying consultants but also for doulas, antenatal course providers and health care professionals.

It aims to provide you with the tools to get the most out of your stretchy wraps so you can support families both in the early stages of parenthood and also for the first couple of years.

From optimising your pre-tie to going free style with wrapping around, from the standard front carries to hip and back carries, from narrow one-way to super stretchy two-way wraps, we will cover anything you need to know.  We will talk safety and risk assessment, we will explore various positions, we will debunk some myths, and all this through the usual Slingababy ethos!

The good news: this new course is currently available in-person!
We will work towards a remote version but for now you are going to need to either come to the first ever course in Coventry in January, or get groups together, just how we used to do.

All information about the course can be found here:

https://slingababy.co.uk/advanced-stretchy-wrap/

When is Slingababy going to start running in-person courses again

When is Slingababy going to start running in-person courses again?!

This question keeps being asked. We are finding it tricky to plan with restrictions, uncertainties, travel limitations and with feeling that people are uneasy about big logistical commitments in advance.

We have now decided on course dates for 2022 (click here!). We are currently planning to run these courses remotely but we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will reach a point when we can alternate remote courses and in-person courses.
In the meantime, we are willing to start organising in-person courses again and adding extra dates in for those! All you need to do is to get a group together, just like we used to do.

There is a Facebook group to help you meet other people interested in organising a course (click here for the link). You can also find other students through alternative places.

  • For a course in Devon, we are willing to organise a course from 3 participants.
  • For a course in England and Wales, we are willing to organise a course from 5 participants.
  • For a course in Scotland or Northern Ireland, we are willing to organise a course from 7 participants.
  • For an international course, we are willing to organise a course from 15 participants due to potential quarantining times. Please note that our International Pricing is only available for remote courses (click here for more info).

If you have a group already or would like to register interest, get in touch via email: info@slingababy.co.uk

We also have a brand new course that we will launch next month!! and this one will be run in person, so keep an eye out for this one!

We can’t wait to get back to meeting you in the flesh

New course! Boobies and more

We are so excited to announce that we have partnered with the incredible J’Nel Metherell to deliver a brand new course: Slingababy breastfeeding peer support course!

We wanted to bring some extra depth to those who have attended the Feeding and Carrying Advocacy Course and it was really important to us to be done by someone we trust who understands the Slingababy ethos. J’Nel is an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and La Leche League Leader (Breastfeeding counsellor) with a huge passion for bodywork and its impact on the breastfeeding relationship. She is also the founder of Milk Mentors, a breastfeeding peer support organisation that covers three counties.
J’Nel and Lorette have known each other for over a decade and are both passionate about supporting parents through their own unique journeys.

Both carrying and feeding are not activities happening in a vacuum so it makes sense to start bringing all these skills together, united by our loving compassionate outlook.

So can anyone become a Slingababy breastfeeding peer supporter? Yes, but to access this course you must have attended the Feeding and Carrying Advocacy course first as some of the concepts covered in this course are used as part of the breastfeeding peer support course curriculum.

You will find more information about this course here: https://slingababy.co.uk/breastfeeding-peer-support/

International Pricing

Going online to teach has brought an amazing international dimension to our courses. We have always loved travelling and meeting people from various cultures but as always, money has been a barrier for many.
Since the start of Slingababy, we have been committed to making our courses affordable and to facilitate spreading costs.
Despite our efforts, finances are varying so much internationally and we are just out of budgets for some countries.
Recently we were contacted regarding scholarships and this led us to look into how we could find solutions to make it possible for everyone to get to our teachings.

We are so pleased to bring our solution forward and we are hoping it will help people from all over the world to access our courses.
We have decided to offer a pro-rata system per country depending on the average income for this country compared to the UK for all our remote and online courses.

Any country with an average income equal or above to the UK average income will pay our full prices (£575 for consultancy, £100 for peer support, £100 for feeding and carrying advocacy).
Any country with an average income which is lower to the UK average income will have the option to pay as little as pro rata. As personal finances are different for all families, we would like to encourage you to pay as much as you can afford, if you can afford more then the pro-rata price.

For examples:
India which has an average income of 10% of that in the UK will have the opportunity to pay 10% of our course fees so £57.50 for consultancy, £10 for peer support, £10 for feeding and carrying advocacy.
Greece could access our courses for £230 for consultancy, £40 for peer support, £40 for feeding and carrying advocacy.

We would still offer our payment plan options to spread the costs.

As you may have guessed this is quite a gamble as our overheads in the UK are still high. We are therefore also launching a campaign to support Slingababy’s commitment to spreading its message of love through “buy me a coffee” https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Slingababy  You can support us as a one-off or as a monthly membership.

So how do you find out, the minimum price for your country? Just get in touch and we will do the maths! We are working on a table with most countries’ prices and have already got a few in.

Wishing you a wonderful European Babywearing Week and we’re hoping to hear from you soon!

 

Change, grief and joy

A  lot has changed in the last year. Of course, this comes as no surprise and I am sure has affected you also in many ways.

Slingababy moved to online teaching and the slings stayed in storage. We hoped things would return to the previous format but it looks like we will be in limbo for a while yet. After much pondering, I decided that it was time to let the slings go so they could return to their purpose of loving and connecting. So I packed my van full with the extensive collection and drove them to the amazing Jeni at Little Possums Pre-loved.
I was expecting a long task but I was not ready for the emotional journey I was about to embark.

You see, the sling collection is more than a bunch of slings. It is a collection of stories, anecdotes and feelings. It is my story, my mothering, my chapter and it is woven with many other lives along the way. I am sure many of you will identify with some of the aspects of this story.

It all started with the birth of my son in 2010. There was one sling (a Je Porte mon Bebe in lavender and chestnut), then there was a second so I could wash the first, then came the colour variations. After a few months of carrying, I went on my first consultancy course and discovered the extensive world of slings and possibilities. I was hooked. I wanted all the types, all the styles, all the options. At the time, I was feeling very lonely as my relationship with my son’s father was crumbling, so many of the early slings were bought to fill the void. It won’t surprise you that the void was not filled but the sling shelves were looking rather full. As I opened the school, the sling collection was modest and grew slowly to start with. From purchases of the heart, I started to add the practical ones. Really, it started with my loved slings and grew to a mix of personal ones and specifically purchased ones. As the school grew, I started to meet many manufacturers and the donations started to make their ways into the collection. When I got pregnant with my daughter, I was excited about the prospect of trying some of these new gorgeous slings. So overall, when I look at the sling collection, I see my children (now 10 and 6). I see the hard times and the good times. I see the parenting and the relationships. I see my growth. I see Slingababy. I see the many consultants and their growth. I see the boomerang slings. I see tears and laughter. I see friendships. I see times moving. I see life.

I am not a materialistic person. I live in a tiny home and enjoy a very simple life but these slings have been a big part of my life and as Jeni and I were going through the huge pile taking over her living room, I couldn’t help but feel all the feels come out*. I wanted to tell all the stories. I wanted to hold onto them that little bit longer.

I have now shed many tears and I know that there are more tears coming. As I am typing this post, more are making their way out of my heart and onto my cheeks. The grief…. The grief of the early years, the grief of change, the grief of the last year… A page is turning but I know that it is bittersweet, not just bitter. So I look at the joy and I think of the unknown new chapters coming to my life and Slingababy’s. I think of the collection of slings and imagine the joy they will bring. I hope they are loved. I sure did put a big piece of my heart in them.

 

 

If you don’t know about Jeni’s work check Little Possums Pre-loved on Facebook. She brings second-hand slings to families with extremely reasonable prices and payment plan options.
And if you fell in love with any of the slings during the Slingababy course, you may find it on her shelves.

If you end-up buying one of the slings from the Slingababy collection, please please please share a picture with us.

* the sling that opened the flood gates: Didymos Lena

Growing school

Slingababy has grown a lot since we posted similar news 3 years ago!
We now have over 500 consultants, over 100 peer supporters, and now we are even training feeding and carrying advocates. We have travelled overseas, we have had people joining us from all over the world with more than 20 nationalities represented within our consulting community.

Whilst this is fantastic news for babies everywhere, we want to ensure we can keep up with looking after you after your training, to the same high quality standard we’ve always strived for. This means that, despite trying our hardest to keep our prices down, we are going to need to increase them slightly. The consultancy course package (plenty more than the 4 day course!) will now be £575 and the one day courses will be £100. We can still facilitate payment plans, so do not be afraid to ask!

Good night 2017 and good morning 2018!!!

 

First of all we want to wish everyone a wonderful year ahead, full of love, full of connection, full of growth, full of learning, full of laughter, full of life!

 

2017 has been a busy year and 2018 will likely be just the same which makes us very happy.

So here are the stats:

  • We now have 401 consultants, 117 of them were trained in 2017. They are spread over 6 continents and are from 20 countries!
  • 17 consultants completed their training by receiving enough positive feedback from their customers and by submitting a project that benefited the wider community.
  • We trained 55 Peer supporters
  • We ran 17 consultancy courses
  • We ran 4 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshops for free for our existing consultants.
  • We had 2 social get-togethers, one of them being a week long camp for our families.
  • We had too many interactions on our Facebook group to actually count them!
  • We opened our sister branch in New Zealand and they trained 11 consultants!
  • We offered over £3000 worth of vouchers for 2018 during our yearly Christmas Competition.

It has been quite a year 🙂 And we are ever so proud to keep working on improving the support we give to our existing consultants and peer supporters. Come on, let 2018 be the year you join us too!

Learning and growing, how about marketing?

At Slingababy, we do take a lot of pride in how we support our existing consultants. Once the course is completed, the support is delivered in three main areas: a very active Facebook support group, constant growth of the course and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Explaining how these three key elements work always feel like we’re blowing our own trumpet, and in a world where confidence and arrogance are sometimes confused, it is a step we struggle to make public. So putting our big pants on, we have this blog post for you!

The Slingababy Consultants Facebook group is a place that we like to qualify as the best place on the internet. It has nearly 400 members. That is 400 people who have the same passion for supporting families. Questions are always welcome, and the answers bring a new dimension to our learning. We sometimes go on a tangent because both learning, carrying and humans are complex topics that are intertwined in a manner just as complex. Learning and growth are encouraged, whether as an active participant or as a by-stander. The members of this group one day decided to call themselves a family and the term stuck. The Slingababy family is a supportive, encouraging environment. It is a place where falling and making mistakes brings deeper learning, whilst being supported back up by the great hug that is this family. A clip that we recently shared in our group and that, you too, may enjoy summarises this approach.

 

The Slingababy course is nearly 5 years old! We have been very lucky that we have had the opportunities to allow the course to grow in many directions, to fine tune the content and the delivery. Recently the very first attendee came again to re-sit the course. This is something we not only allow but encourage as we know how one can only learn what one is ready to learn, and this will evolve over time. It was such a proud moment to see from her eyes how far we had travelled down this path. We do encourage our consultants to share what they feel could be improved as well as doing our own reflective practice. Learning and growing are not linear paths, and the three key elements (Facebook group, course and CPD) feed into each other to make Slingababy the truly special experience that it is.

 

And it brings us to the Continuing Professional Development or CPD that we offer. Once you’ve completed the course, you get invited to attend two weekends a year. That is four workshops for free, every year! The topics are varied. We have covered many subjects: from direct sling use, to updating our teaching practice, to understanding the varied customers and how we can adapt to increase accessibility, to looking at the physical side of carrying for both children and adults, to understanding further about mental health, and also about general business skills. The latest session took place in October and one of our amazing consultants is the Marketing Manager at Ergobaby UK, Amanda Loveday. She came to inspire us and give us some skills towards more effective marketing.
We definitely needed this session and this blog post is about trying to make use of these new skills. We learnt about calls to action, so if you liked what you read here, about what we offer, if you would like to look into what we do further, I would like to invite you to check our Facebook reviews to see what our consultants think of their experience, and from there you may check our website too.

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