Local Flair

Local Flair Issue 24: Luxe Carriers

Upon becoming pregnant for the second time, I am keen to make the new born phase to come a little easier in any way I can. I came across babywearing, and I knew that is what I want to do with my second baby. I began my research and came across Luxe Carriers, UAE’s online experts in babywearing, helping you choose the right baby carrier for your family, where you can shop online from their range of baby carriers as well as book a consultation. In this feature of Local Flair, I speak to the founder, Sarah Lander, and learn more about the ins and outs of babywearing. P.S. Giveaway at the end of the post!

Before I delve in, I just want to highlight the advantages of babywearing, as quoted from the Luxe Carriers website.

“Medical professionals agree that infants thrive through touch; “wearing” your baby is another way to meet this need. The benefits of babywearing don’t end there … babywearing offers many other advantages – Babywearing International”

• Babies are happier as they cry less
• Babies are healthier
• Parents are more confident and in tune with their babies needs when they are being warn
• Great for parent baby bonding
• Convenient

For more FAQs regarding babywearing, please click here.

A little insight into the founder, Sarah, and how Luxe Carriers began.

Sarah, mother of two children aged 5 and 7 years old, comes from a teaching background, being a specialist in Music. She has been residing in Dubai for the last eleven years.

Sarah faced numerous difficulties with her first born, and baby wearing her baby boy was a bit of a hit and miss. However, during her second pregnancy, she was gifted a Boba Stretchy Wrap during her pregnancy, and this little gift turned out to be a life saver in helping her raise a toddler as well as a newborn over the course of the coming months. Having suffered from post natal depression with both kids, she felt the effects were less severe with her second child due to having her daughter so close to her, and being able to learn her cues faster. This experience inspired her to share the benefits of babywearing with other mothers who faced a similar experience.

At the end of 2012, Sarah became the co-owner of an online baby business and joined the Dubai Babywearing Group. She loved the regular monthly meetings that were held to bring together like minded baby wearers, yet felt there wasn’t enough widespread knowledge about this practice. When the previous admin of the group, Vanessa, stepped down Sarah became the co-leader of the group.

Therefore, 2 years ago in 2014, Luxe Carriers was born as a natural progression of wanting to spread the knowledge of how to safely wear your baby so both parent and child can get the best out of it. Apart from the knowledge acquired through the helpful facebook group, Sarah has also attained her training with the London School of Baby Wearing to become a qualified Babywearing Consultant.

The most rewarding part of being the founder of Luxe Carriers

For Sarah, the education side of her business is paramount, because she is ultimately connecting mums to their babies through imparting the knowledge she has, and watching the positive results before her eyes is very rewarding.

The most challenging aspect and how Sarah has overcome it

Licensing the business, and the other expenses that come with running a business, which can often try to kill the passion behind the business idea is rather difficult. Also, Sarah finds marketing herself for her consultations quite challenging as she is essentially selling herself, yet she knows that this advice and knowledge is very important to pass on to baby wearers for them to get the best out their baby carrier.

I love that the website includes video tutorials, which are key in understanding how to babywear for a first timer like me. What’s the most unique trait about Luxe Carriers?

Video tutorials are great to give you an overview on how to use a carrier. However, Sarah finds that a one on one consultation is the only way you can really ensure that you are doing it correctly and safely.

The most unique trait that you won’t find anywhere else is that Luxe Carriers specialise in babywearing. The personalised consultations by Sarah come from a qualified background, and therefore you know you can trust, ensuring that your baby wearing journey is off to a good start.

You offer an extensive range of brands on your website. What is the criteria when choosing which brands to sell to Luxe Carriers customers?

All brands sold by Luxe Carriers are ergonomic for both parent and child, ensuring a healthy spine and hip development for the baby as well as a good fit to the wearer’s body.

Current best sellers on Luxe Carriers

The Tula Ergonomic Carrier and Hana Stretchy Wrap are the most favourable.

How important is it to have a consultation service alongside selling carriers on the website? 

Sarah believes a consultation service is very important because different carriers will suit different mothers and their needs. A carrier is very different to buying a stroller, because you are asking two bodies to become one, therefore one baby carrier may not necessarily work for another. Sarah recounts an experience of a personal consultation she did with a lady who was at her wits end, being sleep deprived with baby that suffered from reflux. After the consultation and getting the baby in a Hana wrap, in a upright position, the mother’s mental state improved so much. The mother was able to sleep more, get out and about with the baby, who was also crying less, and overall she felt like babywearing had completely changed everything for her. This is why a consultation is so important according to Sarah.

A day in Sarah’s life, as the founder of Luxe Carriers

Sarah’s day begins with snoozing her alarm at 5.45 am, and shortly after beginning her day at 6 am. The morning is spent with the usual routine of getting the kids to school by 7.30 am, after which she has been visiting the Pop Up Store at Dubai Garden Centre for the past month. Most of Sarah’s day is taken over by meetings, consultations and carrier fittings, admin work and answering questions about babywearing. Returning back home after the school pick up, Sarah spends the rest of the day with her children until they are in bed.

Juggling the business alongside with family life

Sarah does feel that getting the right balance between business and family is extremely challenging. Especially since starting the pop up shop, her weekends have been taken over by work, Sarah admits. She understands that her children are growing up fast, and she tries her hardest to be there as much as possible. She ensures she achieves this balance by allotting dedicated times for work and emails, and ensuring she spends the afternoon with her kids, without any distractions, even if this means completing all social media work on her phone in the half an hour she has in the car whilst waiting for her kids.

As her work begins to demand more and more of her time, Sarah is also looking into options of expanding her work force by hiring others and outsourcing some of her tasks, to keep that family-work balance intact.

Advice to other mothers in the UAE planning to start a business

Sarah advises that self care is very important when running a business. Don’t loose yourself in between being the best mother and the best businesswoman, leaving no time to love and pamper yourself. She says how do we expect ourselves to go straight to sleep after a full day of juggling motherhood and work, so take up that hobby you have been thinking of, or try out the exercise class you have been wanting to do. Make sure to disconnect from everything and put yourself first too.

Luxe Carriers in 5 years time

Sarah would love to see the business expand further and be the center of babywearing in the GCC, as well as creating awareness about the benefits of baby wearing amongst both the locals as well as the expats here.

Learn more about babywearing…

Feel free to visit to the Luxe Carriers Pop Up Shop on the Mezzanine Floor of Dubai Garden Center (Open 9 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays), where Sarah is hosting a Coffee Morning every Tuesday for those that would like to know more. You can also join the Dubai Babywearing Facebook group to gain support from like minded baby wearers who are available to offer advice and share their knowledge about this wonderful journey.

Giveaway! 

Luxe Carriers and Mummy On My Mind are holding a giveaway for your chance to win a Hana Baby Carrier worth AED 390! The giveaway will run from 22^nd October to 29^th October. All you have to do is:

• Follow mummyonmymind and luxecarriers on Instagram
• Like and comment on the photo of the Luxe Carriers giveaway with the hashtag #LCgiveaway
• Tag 5 of your friends who would be interested in the comments section of the photo.

Please Note: This giveaway is open to UAE residents only, and is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administrated by or associated with Instagram. All the best!

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A post shared by Zeyna S | MummyOnMyMind (@mummyonmymind)

Thank you so much Sarah for giving us a deeper insight into your ambition and drive behind Luxe Carriers. If you are interested in seeing what more Luxe Carriers have to offer, head on over to the website: https://luxecarriers.com/

You can also stay updated through their Facebook and Instagram.

Note: All photographs in this post belong to Luxe Carriers and have been used by the owner’s permission.