Getting to Know You Series

Featuring Amie Santana Hudson, President and VBE

 

Husband, Michael, and Johnny

Hi I’m Amie, the Co-Founder of this group and President of this chapter of Babywearing International. A little about myself; I’m married to a soldier who is stationed at Ft.Riley, but I’m a Manhattan local. I went to grade school through my first year of college here. We have three children: Johnny 9, Michael 4, and Karina 2 and two dogs Cosmo & Pixie. Besides babywearing, my hobbies include reading, decorating cakes, and knitting.

 

When we were stationed at JBLM in Washington State, I saw quite a few moms with their babies in wraps all around the post and town. So when we got pregnant with Michael I knew I wanted to babywear and I got a Moby. Oh my! I was overwhelmed by all the fabric, but with the help of YouTube and my husband we figured out how to use our Moby with Michael. Shortly later I discovered my local babywearing group and submersed myself to learn all the knowledge. Michael was a big baby and by 6mo had pretty much outgrown the Moby and was constantly sagging so I got my very first wrap conversion ring sling and my first woven wrap. The local babywearing leaders taught me to how to ruck and I was hooked! The rest is history.

 

 Karina and I

When we PCS’ed back to Manhattan I was pregnant with Karina and sad to leave such an awesome and close knit community. I started chatting with Sabrina, a local mom in the Kansas Crunchy Moms group, and expressed how much I missed my babywearing group. Sabrina and I started Flint Hills Babywearers and that’s how this group got started! We began holding very informal meetings and a small library was started from donations from our awesome members. I met Michelle and Emily and saw how great they were with caregivers and asked if they would like to join us as leaders. Emily and I went on to affiliate our group with Babywearing International and become VBE’s to help spread our love of wearing our babies close. I love this group, meeting and helping caregivers has been an awesome experience I never envisioned for myself and I’m so happy that I get to do this. So feel free to come say “Hi!” when you see me at a meeting or in public. I can’t wait to meet you and help you on your babywearing journey.

How Do Meetings Work?

 

Find a spot to settle in

 

Sign in on the orange tablet

 

Listen to introductions and safety information

 

Tell us what you're here to learn

 

Bring your carrier to a leader or pick from the library

 

Get your babywearing on and meet other caregivers

 

Before you leave, buy a membership and borrow a carrier!

 

 

 

 

When you arrive please find a spot to set your stuff and come back to the entry table to sign in on the orange tablet, usually manned by a CSV in a white headband. About 20 minutes in an educator (orange headband) will start introductions and our safety brief. This includes examples of safe airway, proper body position and checking for comfort.

 

 

After the safety brief they will ask what everyone is there for that day. Just shout out what you want to learn or get help with. Then we will break into groups and start helping. We usually group by carrier type: buckles and mei tais, ringslings and wraps. You'll see demos and get hands-on help with the carrier of your choosing. Try on a few different carriers to see what you feel most comfortable in.

When everyone has been helped and everyone is mingling, we start library checkouts.  If you'd like to rent a carrier without a membership the Rental Fee is $10 and a collateral check for the price of the carrier you chose. This check is returned to you at the next meeting when you return the carrier. Rentals are from one meeting to the next. Manhattan rentals are to be returned at Manhattan meetings, On-Post or JC rentals returned at the next non-Manhattan meeting.

If you wish to buy a membership now is a great time to do so. It's only $30/year to become a Sustaining Member of BWI. Sustaining Members borrow from the library for free, as well as gain access to Members Only Events and Members Wrapping group. Your proceeds go towards growing our lending library, prizes for events, admin items and a small portion goes to Babywearing International parent organization to keep them running to bring babywearing safety to the masses.

 

So don’t be afraid, we don’t bite (but the babies might!) Join us at our next meeting, other caregivers and children are always welcome! 

You can find future events here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BWIofManhattan/