H E L D

Educator-Only Immersion

Friday

The weekend begins with dedicated learning and connection time exclusively for babywearing consultants, educators, and group leaders.

In prep for HELD, we'll spend time in our Carrier Lab, where you’ll:

• Explore the structure, function, and design of carriers from trusted babywearing-first brands.
• Brands that value the education-and-support way we work.
• Brands that value our POV.

We'll preview a few case studies for HELD, so you'll:

• be prepared to share how infant carrying and baby carriers could make an impact in our real-life client contexts.
• have time to share and test your ideas in a safe, no-way-to-fail space
• feel ready to present infant carrying to allied professionals

OK, let's be real, then we'll end the night grabbing something to eat and hanging out in the hotel lobby until bedtime!

This kind of hands-on, thoughtful exploration rarely fits into standard conferences, but it fundamentally changes how you teach, assess, and support families.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration at HELD

Saturday

Saturday anchors the weekend with HELD, the interdisciplinary event that brings babywearing consultants, educators, and group leaders together with allied professionals such as pediatricians, RNs, pediatric physical therapists, occupational therapists, midwives, lactation professionals, and other perinatal specialists.

This is where everything connects.

During HELD, you will:

• Apply what you explored on Friday to collaborative case studies
• Discover how other professionals approach movement, development, feeding, regulation, and support
• Practice translating babywearing expertise into a shared language that strengthens referral relationships and builds bridges of understanding. 

This fun, immersive day will have you moving in and out of small groups and (of course) carriers. We'll look at real-life parent-baby models to see what changes, what works, and what doesn't. You'll build meaningful relationships with allied professionals and strengthen your role on the perinatal care team.

Allied professionals interested in HELD can learn more here.

Educator-Only Master Class

Sunday

The weekend concludes with a Master Class led by Joanna, supported by the facilitators and hosts, ensuring a rich, babywearing-focused wrap-up. Beyond capturing and discussing options arising from HELD, we'll go further to look at alternative carriers and carrying options, and discuss what 'support' might really look like if we want people to adopt the practice of extended holding. Expect time on toddler wearing, weather-related topics, and open discussion.

This session goes beyond foundational skills and focuses on:

• Advanced concepts and emerging ideas in babywearing education and support
• Nuanced approaches for your teaching challenges and in-the-moment decision-making
• Thoughtful discussion that integrates research, practice, and lived experience

This is rare access to deep mentorship, reflection, and synthesis. Time and space, many educators simply don’t get elsewhere.