By Carly Kirsch, Newly Nested Baby Planners

You might think that after 10 months of caring for baby inside your body that one of the first things you’d consider is continuing to carry your baby on the outside of your body after birth.

Say what?

I know you’re thinking this might be the last thing you’d possibly want to do after not being able to see your toes for so long and finally not being pregnant anymore.

However, baby wearing is one of the best things you and your partner can do for your baby once they arrive – and it’s been around for a lot longer than strollers and bouncy seats!

According to Baby Wearing International just a few benefits to wearing baby include:

• A happier baby
• A baby who cries less
• Parents & caregivers may be more confident
• Caregivers can respond better to baby’s needs
• Lastly, it’s just easier

I know that I personally felt that when I was able to safely wear my kids when they were babies, my days were indeed easier! I could get more accomplished and when I was out and about, I could chase my toddler while wearing my newborn. Also, since there are so many types of carriers I could choose from, I was able to wear both my kids despite their sizes, weights and age differences. Today, I still use the same carrier to carry my now 3 ½ year old daughter and my 2 year old son!

Denise Xagorarakis of  OC Baby Planner shares that her personal preference is to “ use a stretchy wrap until about 15 pounds and then switching to the Ergo.”

However, there’s no one carrier fits all needs and most people end up purchasing multiple types of carriers. So, here is an overview of some favorite carries from the team here at IBPA:

• Soft wraps & woven wraps – These are made of cloth and can be tied and wrapped around the body to support the weight of the baby/toddler within the folds of the cloth.  They vary in material and are very versatile.  Melissa Moog of ItsaBelly Baby Planners shares “The Moby Wrap & Boba’s Sleepy Wrap are also great baby carriers, but there are so many to choose from!”
• Soft Structured Carriers – These are carriers that include straps, buckles, waist and back support and most may be used from birth to ages 4 and beyond.  Some are able to be worn on the front of the body and allow for an easy back carry as well.  My personal favorite is a Beco Butterfly 2 carrier and the Beco brand.  Kristen DiCicco Rogers of The Baby Coordinators baby planning shares a story about her recent experience with her Ergo carrier – another very popular choice among parents today.  “A couple of weeks ago a went on a 3 mile walk with a 25lb 1 yr in the Ergo and my back felt great after! I was so pleasantly surprised!”
• Sling Carriers – There are a few kinds of slings.  There are Ring Slings, Rebozo and one piece fabric pouch slings.  In any form, slings are easy to use and offer versatility and ease of use for any age.
• Mei Tais – A Mei Tai originates from China and is a combination of sorts for a soft structured carrier and a wrap offering a little of both.

A great resource for all things baby wearing is TheBabyWearer.com. The web site is packed with detailed information and offers forums, chat rooms and a whole community to discuss and exchange information with babywearers everywhere. Another great place to go for information on babywearing (and SO much more) is KellyMom.

Now – with all this said and with anything regarding our babies and children, there are some precautions and safety measures to be aware of with baby wearing.

So a few words of caution:

• Always make sure there is no part of your carrier obstructing your baby’s airways – the nose and mouth should always be free of fabric or the carrier
• Never do anything while baby wearing that you wouldn’t do when holding a baby in your arms – i.e. cooking, carrying awkward items, running or vigorous exercise, etc.
• Always read directions and visit the manufacturer’s web sites for videos or instructions.  (I recommend that you even practice wearing, wrapping, tying or buckling your carrier a few times before using it with your baby – sounds silly but at first it can seem tricky!)
• Use the carrier as it is intended – i.e. do not try a back carry with a carrier that does not allow for that type of use
• Make sure the carrier you are using is suitable for the weight and age of your baby/child
• Check your carriers for rips, tears or defects to make sure they are safe for use and able to properly work to carry the weight of your baby/child

One other health concern to note and be aware of is offered from Stephanie Zerr of Birth Matters. Stephanie shares this this link regarding Hip Dysplasia with the use of products.

For more information on baby wearing – find a local Baby Planner near you and we are always happy to help!

• Have you researched your local market and know if you have a good target market to secure clients in? You are looking for people who can afford your services and have the disposable income to pay you.
• Do you have a passion and related background in helping new parents specifically in dealing with pregnancy, birthing and parenting situations?
• Are you business savvy?
• Do you have a good head for marketing and sales?
• Do you have $1,000 -$3,000 to spend in your initial start-up costs (this budget would be for the essentials like your website, logo, marketing collateral, business registration etc.)?
• Do you have at least 15-20 hours a week to devote to launching a business?

The most popular question we get asked is “do I need to be certified”? Our answer to this question is no. IBPA does not recognize any baby planning certification programs currently and frankly believes our niche still needs to mature in order to gain strong credibility. However, if you decide to get certified by any organization we advise that you do your research into who is the certifying body (ex. is it industry recognized) and what value are you gaining for that investment. We advise that before you invest any amount of money into a baby planning business you should determine if you have a local market to sell to first. Afterall, if you don’t have a market you won’t have clients to sell to and who’ll eventually purchase your services. We’ve seen many baby planning businesses fail within the first year because they do not do their market research. Once you do your market research and find that you have a viable market we suggest you spend your money wisely on items such as:

• a great website with strong SEO (strong site engine optimization can help people find your site easily on the internet through key search words)
• a professional looking logo and graphics
• marketing collateral
• marketing tools such as Constant Contact
• business start-up advice from a baby planning/maternity concierge expert, business attorney, business accountant
• become a Child Passenger Seat Technician through SafeKids Worldwide
• look at joining organizations like the International Association for Child Safety and brush up on your child safety background
• experience as a lactation consultant, doula, midwife, nurse, child birth educator, counseling, background in early childhood education or baby product retail are all excellent skills to have on your resume

We also believe spending more than $3,000 on your start-up budget is really unnecessary unless you’re looking at building a major website, database and marketing machine with all of the bells and whistles.

If you have any questions related to How to Become a Baby Planner please email us at info@internationalbabyplanners.com or call #503-297-5326. We’re happy to help you if we can!

Good luck if you’re launching your baby planning business and please consider joining IBPA once you’ve started your business.

(and no we’re not referring to that political “Tea Party”- it’s all about safety & babies)

Grab your cup of tea or favorite beverage and log into IBPA’s first Safety Soiree ~ where we’ll discuss
“Car Seat Safety and How to Choose One” with special guests and industry experts JPMA and Britax.
One lucky tweeting participant will win a Britax Advocate Car Seat valued at $369.99.

See below for more details on how to register for the event along with a quick Twitter party overview.

IBPA “Twitter Tea Party” Highlights:

Host:  International Baby Planner Association
Date:  Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Time:  7-8 PM PST
Location: TweetGrid.com hashtag, #IBPABabyPlanner
Topic:  “Car Seat Safety and How to Choose One”
Prize:  Britax Advocate CS Car Seat
RSVP: Please RSVP by May 16th to Melissa@InternationalBabyPlanners.com with email and Twitter ID to attend and be eligible for the prize.

Special Guest Industry Experts:

Britax has been a leader in mobile safety for more than 70 years, with a legacy of leadership in developing innovations that enhance the safety of child car seats and improve their ease of installation and use.

JPMA is a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry. JPMA represents 250 companies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico who manufacture, import and/or distribute infant products such as cribs, car seats, strollers, bedding, and a wide range of accessories and decorative items.

Twitter Party Information:

What is a Twitter Party?
A Twitter party is an online discussion that focuses on a few related topics.   It is simple and fun to join in the conversation by posting comments or asking questions via Twitter.

How Do I Participate?

You must register by emailing Melissa@InternationalBabyPlanners.com by May 16th with your Twitter ID.  If you do not have a Twitter account you can easily create one in advance by visiting www.Twitter.com.

How Do I Join In and Keep up with the Conversation?
Join the party by using TweetGrid.com and enter the hashtag  #IBPABabyPlanner to join the event.  A hashtag is simply the sign “#” with a name attached to it. Tweet Grid will automatically include the hashtag on your tweets after you have entered the party.  You will be able to follow the tweeting discussions in real-time.

When is the IBPA “Twitter Tea Party?”
The IBPA Twitter Tea Party will be held on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 from 7-8PM PST.

Why Should I Join in on the Fun?
The IBPA Twitter Tea Party will give you the opportunity to network with other parents, expecting couples and industry experts on child car seat safety. It will be a great chance to ask all of the questions you have about car seats and how to choose one.   One lucky participant will also win a Britax Car Seat!!!!!!

IBPA “Twitter Tea Party” Rules and Regulations:
1. Be nice to other tweeters in the party! We all have opinions so let’s respect our differences and share advice.
2. This a stress free environment to tweet about important issues – relax and have fun!
3. This Twitter party giveaway is for United States and Canadian residents only.
4. You must register by May 16, 2010 via email to Melissa@Internationalbabyplanners.com with your Twitter ID and actually attend the party to be eligible to win.
5. You must be 18 years or older to participate.
6. There will be one winner randomly drawn after the party is over from the list of registered participants.
7. Winner will be notified via email via the registered email address by May 21, 2010 by a member of the International Baby Planner Association.

If you live in NYC or likely in the tri-state area, you know all about Big City Moms.  For those outside this area, an introduction:  Big City Moms is the destination for moms, moms to be and families and the premiere social event group in NYC.  Big City Moms was founded by sisters Risa Goldberg and Leslie Venokur six years ago.

Big City Moms and the Bump Founders

Now with over 30,000 members, an online community and events like seminars, family fun days, mommy and me classes, expectant events held every day, BCM is the place to be all over the city.  Their “flagship” event is the twice- annual Biggest Baby Shower where moms-to-be can meet and greet roughly one hundred national vendors and local service providers in a couple of hours and which boasts of new mommy seminars and most talked about, highly coveted gift bags.  It’s become so popular that it outgrew its original location at the American Girl Place and this was the first time it was held at the Park East Ballroom.

The event draws lots of moms, press and, this year, baby planners!  Several International Baby Planner Association members were there:   Premier Baby Concierge, Sweet Pea Baby Planners, Jamie the Baby Guy, and Bottles to Britches.   While we speak often on conference calls and via emails, it was great to meet face-to-face, an opportunity that is usually reserved for IBPA’s annual meeting at the ABC Kids Show in Vegas!

The seminars were well-attended, the food was great, the gift bags were bursting!  All in all, Big City Moms “delivered!”   It was a pleasure for me to sit in on the “New York City Mom Survival Guide” seminar by the Knot and the Bump founder, Carley Roney, and to meet her afterwards.   There was an excitement in the air; and it was a success for both moms and vendors.  I would definitely suggest this event to all moms-to-be, as well as baby planners and vendors, who are in NYC or can make the trip.

Want to see more? Click here to check out the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower April 2010 Video!

Ah, the gift bags!

Sweet Pea NYC and Premier Baby Concierge at BCM

Bump Founder Carely Roney and Shannon Choe (PBC)

Tell us about your most interesting baby planning job.

I helped a grandmother plan a baby shower and it was very eye-opening including these women in their 70’s in the games we play these days.

What qualities should an ideal baby planner have?

An ideal baby planner should be able to listen to the parents needs and make suggestions to help them fill those needs, along with building confidence in their abilities to parent, even if that means reaching out to other professionals in order to do that.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I’m a veteran journalist, specializing in the consumer and medical fields, and write for several publications and web sites, reaching out to my contacts in the industry, ranging from the AAP to ACOG.  It’s this access to the experts that I feel makes me different than other baby planners and more able to get to the heart of what’s happening with parents these days.  I also have four children and know what it’s like to feel like the worst mom on earth and the best mom, too.  Knowing you help is out there is very comforting and something I hope to offer other parents as a baby planner.

What are your specialties as a baby planner?

I have built a network of baby planners around the globe, from my headquarters in Atlanta to a certified fitness instructor in Italy to a shower party specialist in Tennessee.  Each planner brings something special to the profession and we network with each other to help all of our clients.

What is the nicest thing a client has ever said about you/your services/your business?

I had a client say they really appreciated my guidance in a particular product they bought because without my help they would have wasted money on the wrong thing (this was a particular car seat that they could use much longer because of varying weight limits).

How do you stay current on trends in the baby and child industry?

As a journalist, I deal each day with investigating the latest products and trends and it folds over into my role as a baby planner, reviewing products and getting to the bottom of the trends, then sharing them with my clients and readers who follow our newsletters and blogs.

We are very excited to announce that IBPA has joined forces with some of the best known experts and professionals in the country. Our prominent Trusted Advisory board members are nationally known for their industry knowledge. All have been chosen specifically because of the passion, credibility, background and years of experience they bring to their field. Together, IBPA and our Trusted Advisory Board strive to bring awareness to the baby planning industry and strengthen the credibility of our profession. Our experts also help IBPA to keep up with the latest research as related to their category which in turn always connects us to the best and most current information possible. In turn, having direct access to our expert panel helps our baby planners provide high quality service and up-to-date industry knowledge to help new families globally in areas such as but not limited to maternity, pregnancy, non-toxic baby products, pediatrics, business and marketing.

We are extremely proud of our experts and their partnership with IBPA allowing us to bring you top of the line industry knowledge as baby planning professionals!

Jamie Grayson, The Baby Guy NYC

Let’s peek into his world and find out what happens with baby planning in the city!

What uniquely qualifies you to be a baby planning expert?

I am listed as the ” Best Baby Gear Guru” in the Best of New York issue of New York Magazine.  I am a man, single, no kids and somehow I had the good fortune to fall into this industry.  I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I was an actor for years.  I was hired to demonstrate the Bugaboo Frog at a baby store like a trade show and learned everything in the store.  I read everything I could get my hands on.  The rest is history.

How did your company get its name?

I AM the baby guy….lol

What is the nicest thing a client has ever said about you/your services/your business?

When a client tells me that I have educated them and helped to ease the transition into parenthood that is always the most rewarding part of my job.

How do you stay current on trends in the baby and child industry?

I am the resident Gear Guy for StrollerTraffic.com and I am very involved in different aspects of the industry–charity work, education and retail.



The main reason we decided to change our name to the International Baby Planner Association was because we believe that the baby planning industry should have an organization that sets high standards for what we do as professional businesses all over the world. IBPA  has become a leader in the baby planning industry through our perseverance over the last 4 years because of our growing membership and we are excited to see continued growth internationally!