Meet the team – slinglibrary.com

Josée

slinglibrary — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 13:34:23 +0000

My name is Josée, I’m the mother of 2 wonderful children , I am originally from Montreal (Canada) and have been living in Huddersfield for nearly 11 years. I am the current volunteer coordinator for the sling library and I help with admin and fundraising.

When I was pregnant with my first, I wondered where we would store a pram in our house. I looked at parents struggling to get the bus with a pram, sometimes not having space for them to get on and having to wait for the next. As I didn’t drive at the time and we didn’t have a car, I was worried that the frustration of public transport with a baby would make it difficult for me to go anywhere after giving birth. Thankfully, an old acquaintance from high school introduced me to the wonders of slings and babywearing. I was fascinated. She told me about sling libraries and my first thought was that there most likely wouldn’t be one in my town. I googled Sling Library Huddersfield and I was absolutely amazed to see we had a local one. I contacted Yolanda by email straight away and she came to my house to show me and my husband how to use slings and the benefits of babywearing. We fell in love with a wrap and we were hooked. I spent a lot of my time as a new mum hanging out at the sling library to meet other mums, to gain confidence breastfeeding in public and to learn more about slings. I carried my daughter in a wrap (stretchy, hybrid or woven) until she was 20 months old when I switched to a buckle carrier for back carries. I continued carrying her until I was 16 weeks pregnant with her brother (she was just over 3yo) and am still carrying my son now (2.5 yo) and hope to continue for as long as it is mutually beneficial.

As a way of showing my gratitude for the valuable impact that the sling library had on my journey into motherhood, I volunteered at several sling library sessions. After starting a wonderful new job, it was difficult for me to continue in that role, but Yolanda asked me if I would like to help as a volunteer coordinator and I accepted. I am also helping with fundraising and other admin tasks as necessary. I pop in at library sessions whenever I can, but generally work from home. If you would like to volunteer for the sling library, please contact us on Facebook. We are always looking for new people to join our team.

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Rachel

slinglibrary — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:48:54 +0000

I am a busy mum of 2, aged 3 & 1. I have a husband, a home, a cat and a nursing career – as well as a sling library and selling eco friendly cleaning items. The only way I fit this all in is by using my slings.

When I was pregnant with my first I heard about slings, so I researched and bought one. I didn’t do that bad a job, in fact, I still fit people to my first sling! However my technique was all wrong, I didn’t feel confident with the sling, even pegging the washing out was difficult in it. So I found the sling library. From there I was taught how to wear it correctly, and then progressed through different slings until I accidentally bought a sling library…..ok it was’nt an accident. I love what the sling library gave me, both in terms of hiring and trying, or simply advice, I’d volunteered and loved the camaraderie and sense of belonging and usefulness at a time where everything is about the digestive tract (teeth food or poo). I completed my Masters education and the chance to give back and grow the sling library brand became available, how could I turn it down!

Now when I go to work, my children see me helping people, they have formed friendships with me and they can be good demonstation aids too! You can find me at the Holmfirth sling library every week

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Trish

slinglibrary — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 17:52:38 +0000

Trish has been carrying babies and toddlers in one way or another since 2009 having decided very quickly after her first child that Huddersfield was not the most pram friendly town – far too many steps and hills! From this practical start developed an interest in slings and carriers of all types and how carrying could be beneficial to your baby. As an ex-teacher, Trish is keen on spreading the knowledge about slings and is thrilled to be part of the current expansion of sling library.

You can find Trish at the Colne Valley sling library every week

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Yola

slinglibrary — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 17:06:45 +0000

My name is Yolanda and I am a sling-a-holic…

When pregnant with my first child in 2008 we were bewildered by the amount of stuff baby retailers and health care providers told us we needed to help raise a happy healthy baby. What you need lists came at us from all sides, info packs from the midwife, baby magazines, on-line forums etc. Both friends and family would ask have you got everything? Are you ready?

I sat in the car in a car park, eating my lunch and waiting for a work call on my mobile. I must have been about 5m pregnant. I watched a lady and her mother get out of a car, go to the boot and proceed to extract a huge contraption, erect it, add a carry cot, faff around with blankets and hoods, get a very small baby out of the car seat, put it in the pram, faff some more. They walked 200 yards to the cash machine, stood in line jiggling the now crying new born in the pram, taking it in turns to put their heads in and talk to the baby. They then proceeded to use the cash point, walked back to the car and reversed the whole process. I decided then and there that we wouldn’t buy into the retail frenzy that seemed to posses all the new mums-to-be that we were meeting, we would buy the essentials and then see if we needed anything else when the time came.

I had read about babywearing and some of the benefits and it made sense to me that keeping baby close when out and about would help us both feel more secure so a sling was already on my list of essentials. We didn’t go anywhere that I could think off where a pram would be more appropriate than a sling. So I crossed pram off my list, thinking we could get a push chair later if we needed one. I then started to research the world of slings…

…Over 8 years, hundreds of slings tried and tested, and another baby later I am now a Trageschule, slingababy, and school of babywearing, trained babywearing consultant. I am the director of slinglibrary.com, my aim is to help you on your babywearing journey and you can find me every week at the Huddersfield and Halifax sling libraries

We also offer training to become a sling librarian yourself. Drop us an email to find out more.

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