There’s No “Aging Out” of Babywearing Education

In the babywearing world, there’s an idea that keeps resurfacing: that once your own children have “aged out” of carriers, your time as a babywearing educator has also come to an end.

At CBWS, we’ve been pushing back on this notion for over a decade—and it’s still a conversation we need to keep having.

Because here’s the truth: babywearing education doesn’t have an expiration date.

The Value of Experience

When educators step back from babywearing simply because their own babywearing season has ended, we lose something priceless: years of insight, troubleshooting strategies, and refined teaching skills. These educators have witnessed trends shift, worked with countless families, and developed a nuanced understanding of how carrying evolves over time.

That knowledge is not tied to the age of their own child. It’s tied to their ability to teach and guide others.

Parenthood Isn’t a Prerequisite

Equally important: you don’t need to be a parent at all to be an extraordinary babywearing educator.

Some of the most effective consultants and educators have never had children of their own. Why? Because being a babywearing educator is not about replaying your personal story—it’s about understanding infant development, caregiver needs, and how carriers can support both.

In fact, personal experience can sometimes get in the way. If an educator relies only on “what worked for me,” they may unintentionally miss the unique needs of the parent standing in front of them. A consultant who approaches with curiosity, technical knowledge, and flexibility is better equipped to help families find solutions that truly fit their lives.

The Role of the Educator

Parents are doing the learning. The babywearing consultant is the guide.

Just as a lactation consultant doesn’t need to be actively breastfeeding to provide excellent care, a babywearing educator doesn’t need to be wearing their own child to teach babywearing well. The role is about perspective, not proximity—it’s about helping families navigate their own journey, not replicating yours.

Keeping the Knowledge Alive

When experienced educators “age out,” our community loses experiential knowledge that can’t be easily replaced. We end up reinventing the wheel, leaving the next generation of educators to repeat the same learning curves.

Babywearing work is too important, too impactful, to let that knowledge fade away.

Babywearing education isn’t defined by your child’s age, or whether you have children at all. It’s defined by your ability to teach, to support, and to meet families where they are.

There’s no “aging out” of this work. And our community is stronger when we keep every voice, every perspective, and every bit of hard-earned wisdom in the conversation.