What's In My Educator Bag This Week

I change up the collection of carriers that I take to each meeting, consult, playdate, and class depending on what the focus is for that event. On this particular day I had no idea what was ahead so I had a really well-rounded bunch of carriers with me. I thought it'd be fun to go over what I have and why!

To cart around all my gear, I use an old suitcase that is pretty much too big for us to use when we travel so I'm free to keep things in it between events. At first I thought the suitcase was going to be too large for what I need to cart around but it's really just the right size. Especially for an event like today when I have a little bit of everything. In my giant suitcase we have:

1. ​Dolls. Weighted dolls are great stand-ins so the new babywearer can gain some confidence before they turn their attention to baby again. It can be difficult to care for an infant and focus on learning a new skill, so the dolls come in handy when they're needed. Today I have my toddler size doll in my case (Dietz Demo Dolls) and my newborn size was in use (diy article coming soon for that one!). I also had my baby with me but he was off playing.

2. 2Lambie Reverse Onbuhimo. I love having this option around for babywearers who want to expand their skills to more types of carriers. This one is really fun to show off because of the beautiful wrap conversion, the nice wide wrap straps, and all the fun things that can be done with it. This carrier really adds some excitement and inspiration to my bag.

​3. Beco Ring Sling. My bag doesn't feel complete without a ring sling, and this one is what I reach for most because mine has a nice long tail so it is very versatile, it has a teaching rail with orange stitching, and it can fold up even smaller than what I show here so it is very portable.

4. Kindred Montauk Charcoal woven wrap size 6. I have been using this wrap to teach Front Wrap Cross Carry for well over a year. It is soft and broken in and a neutral color that most people like.

5. Emmeline Textiles Amelia Stone woven wrap size 6. This is a new addition I picked up at the WEAR conference. I love it for teaching because it has stripes of alternating weaves structures: wide stripes of satin weave and more narrow stripes of crepe weave. It provides a tactile cue about wear the wrap lies and what to tighten. It is becoming a fast favorite.

6. Tekhni Chloris Chroma woven wrap size 3. This is my super short wrap in case anyone asks what one could do with the really short ones.

7. Lalu Wovens Volare Indigo Bunting woven wrap size 8. I always bring a longer wrap for when a longer base size is needed. Volare is the perfect long wrap because it is light and airy while being cushy and soft.

8. Ergo. Even though I'm a wrapper at heart, I get questions about soft structured carriers all the time so I try to keep a couple options in my bag. The Ergo is a good one to have handy because available everywhere and is a common baby registry item so if people find they really like it they can get it at major stores that same day.

9. CatBird Baby Pikkolo carrier. I like presenting this option of an SSC that doesn't need an infant insert. Almost all the major brands of carriers now have options that don't require an insert, so this carrier lets me talk about features that this one does or doesn't have compared to the others.

10. Infantino Mei Deh. This one is also accessible at local stores and has been brought to me for troubleshooting before, so I keep one handy so I can teach with mine while my student wears theirs.

​11. Moby wrap in bamboo/cotton blend. The new Moby wraps are so soft and so much more thin than the originals. People often bring me an old hand-me-down Moby so I keep the softer and cooler version around to compare, and to teach stretchies as a great newborn-to-toddler option (yes I totally think Moby's are good for toddler ups too when they are needed!).

12. My collection of pouches. There are THREE whole pouches wadded up in this small space in my suitcase. I keep XS, M, and XL sizes in my case. Pouches are an inexpensive and very portable carrier, perfect for folding up small and keeping in a bag for emergency purposes, or general convenience. I love to teach this option!

​13. Cassiope No. 4 Magpie woven wrap size 4. This is the wrap that I wore my 18-month-old in when we arrived. There's no way I could hold him in arms or chase him down the sidewalk while toting my giant and heavy babywearing suitcase behind me. And if I'm also bringing a mirror, there's no way I have the arms to wrangle my toddler. Babywearing to the rescue!

​Other things not pictured: the newborn size demo doll I mentioned, also my Tekhni Tag-a-long filled with sling rings, soft measuring tape, business cards, and my carry journal (basically a written form of the tutorials page with a few more notes). Also by "knotty shawl" for teaching knots. I carry fliers for my Babywearing International chapter and a giant bottle of water so I never feel parched while teaching (that's the worst!).

If you're an educator or group facilitator, what do you bring with you to babywearing events?

This article is not sponsored by any company or group. This article is not an endorsement of one particular carrier or brand over another.