Held: Baton Rouge 2025

HELD: Baton Rouge

Our circle continues the discussion on in-arms holds, carrier deep dives, complex cases, and adds a turn of its collective lens toward the pelvic floor—the unseen foundation of every lift, sway, and clicked buckle.

Together with Elise Hall, and Heather Gunter, MSN, APRN-CNM, IBCLC* we’ll unpack how different carrier/carrying styles shift pressure paths through the core, how lingering pregnancy changes alter load tolerance, and why even short bouts of awkward in-arm holding can echo as pain symptoms or lower-back pain months later.

Expect to feel those forces in real time: we’ll test carrier fits, simulate everyday caregiving tasks, and map what “supportive alignment” actually looks and feels like in the body.

From there, we widen the view to every set of helping hands. Grandparents who hoist grandbabies, partners who step in after a long workday, and sitters who balance a toddler on one hip all experience pelvic-floor demands that differ from those of primary caregivers.

Together, we’ll craft micro-strengthening drills that professionals can teach on the spot, ensuring each caregiver learns to lift, shift, and soothe without compromising pelvic health or comfort.

By day’s end, HELD: Baton Rouge will add new case study notes, hold-variation techniques, and fit checkpoints to the HELD knowledge base—resources the next host city can build on, just as you will in your practice the very next morning. 

*Details on our other cross-disciplinary voices soon!

What We’ll Explore Together in Baton Rouge

• Pelvic floor 101 for carrying professionals: what it does, how it's affected by common carrying behaviors, and why it matters more than we think.
• Pressure mapping + postural alignment: feel how load shifts through the body during real-time tasks like baby lifting, hip carries, and transfers.
• Unpacking in-arm holding: explore how short bouts of awkward holding can trigger long-term symptoms, and how to coach caregivers on safer alternatives.
• Core coordination over core strength: rethink “strength” through a functional lens and create micro-movements that support postpartum recovery.
• Support beyond the primary caregiver: address the hidden physical demands on grandparents, sitters, and partners—and how to prepare them.
• Hands-on carrier lab: compare different carriers and holds to observe pelvic and core engagement across positions.
• Complex Case Studies: expand your toolkit to use with your clients or with your own body-care routine.

Baton Rouge Prelim Schedule

(Exact flow may shift—but the body awareness stays on point.)

Who is HELD For?