Bio
The basics:I’m Laurel McCarthy nee Hilfiker, wife to James (JJ) McCarthy and mommy to Jack (age 4) and Maddy (two in December). We live in Napa, CA. I hail originally from the East Coast, via Washington DC and New York City. JJ and I moved to California in 1999 and to Napa in 2000. In some ways I still feel like a “newbie” to California but my entire mommyhood has been spent here, and that changes everything!
How I got started in babywearing:
When Jack was born, I registered for and duly received a Baby Björn, which had been recommended to me by friends. I loved being able to be close to my son while hiking, doing things around the house and even exercising in the mom-baby class at the Queen. And I LOVED being stroller-free at the grocery store, on crowded San Franciso streets and at the mall. I was devastated to discover that when he hit the 20 lb mark (at 5 months), I could no longer use the Björn since it hurt my back, shoulders and neck to carry him for more than just a short time. Then I discovered the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch (KKAFP). That was the best baby gear purchase I’ve ever made. I loved cuddling with my son and keeping him close to me but also being able to to do other things, like Christmas shopping without a cumbersome stroller. Of course, that first sling led to experimentation with countless other carriers, some of which I returned, many of which got added to my "stash."
Since then, I’ve been sharing the babywearing love all over Napa! Everywhere I carried my children, it seemed, parents approached me to ask about my carriers, often commenting “I wish I’d known about those when my child was small!” I found that I enjoyed educating others about the many benefits of wearing your baby and showing them that using slings and carriers is easy, fun and stylish, too. I began my biz as a guest speaker at the Queen of the Valley's postpartum mom's speaker series and then expanded to teaching monthly classes and offering private sessions. Eventually, I realized I needed to start selling carriers, too, since none of my favorties are offered at retail here in Napa. And thus my little business was born…
My “Qualifications”
First of all, I’m a mom of two, so I’ve been there, done that! Secondly, I’m obsessive about thoroughly researching EVERY baby purchase I make, which is why I feel confident that the carriers I’m offering for demonstration and sale are some of the best on the (ever-expanding) market.
Oh, and I have my Masters in Social Work from Hunter College in NYC and am licensed in California (hence the LCSW title thing). In my day job, I work with families on welfare for the County of Solano. I consider my babywearing venture an extension of my personal and professional mission to provide support and assistance to other parents in whatever way that I can.