Jess Hippey

Jess is an experienced carrying consultant based in Aberdeen, Scotland. As a mum to two boys who both had severe reflux, carrying was the only thing that soothed. Jess saw a need for parents to be able to try carriers on in person, not just at group sessions, but in the comfort of a home – and so Close and Calm was born. Jess has trained with several Baby Carrying schools, and became a Born to Carry trainer, delivering her first Peer Supporter courses in 2017.

Her vision for Close and Calm, is to impact the community with the benefits of carrying, to make carrying a mainstream occurrence. It is a vision to see Post Natal Depression reduced, babies’ settled, and community built as people are more free and able to venture out. Jess wants to see calm restored to the homes of newborns – and parenting becoming an exciting and encouraging period, instead of one of concern, loneliness and isolation. Through her grass roots connections with parents, caregivers and healthcare practitioners, she wants to set the foundation for the local community, in normalising the safe and regular use of carriers.

With the introduction of the Scottish Baby Box and Stretchy Wrap included, Jess supports and trains both NHS staff and parents to see a safe and high level of uptake of the carrier and provides drop in sessions demonstrating usage – aiming to capture a wide audience, both those who are keen and those who are unsure, by providing a safe, reassuring and neutral venue for people to observe, learn, and meet with other parents –to see that they’re not alone. She also works every week in her local neonatal unit, helping to promote and facilitate Skin to Skin care. Jess has written for the Close Enough to Kiss Babywearing Magazine, for Oscha Slings and her own website and works as a consultant for Oscha Slings, demonstrating their wraps and carriers to customers at events and answering carrying questions.

Jess enable parents, caregivers and healthcare practitioners to safely carry babies and children, through education, hiring of carriers, access to expert support and advice, and delivering training. She also works to promotes the benefits of carrying, recognising the impact that it has on children, caregivers and communities, raising both the profile and the accessibility of carrying in Scotland. Jess also runs a ‘Carriers without Barriers’ scheme ensuring that all families can access a carrier and has worked with Social Services to implement this scheme.

Jess is able to offer tailored training by request, and has a particular interest in training NHS Staff and healthcare practitioners, nurseries, childminders and local healthcare practitioners, as well as working with manufacturers to provide feedback on their carriers.