The KāhuBaby Story

The KahuBaby Story

KāhuBaby, simple togetherness. It’s difficult to find an exact point in time, and say “that’s where KāhuBaby begun”. KāhuBaby has been an evolution, rather than a birth. But I know the place that KāhuBaby started, if not the date.

KāhuBaby began in Aoteoroa (New Zealand). With sand between toes, sunlight on water, lightness and freedom. Kāhu is a hawk, embodying simple freedom and soaring between papa (the earth mother) and Rangi (the sky father).

I’m Carissa, KāhuBaby’s founder and designer. I met Martin a few years after arriving in the Lake District, England – and that is another step in the KāhuBaby journey. Later welcoming our own tiny people to share the world with, and without family nearby to help, I needed ways to still enjoy freedom and wanderings around the Lakes. And ways to just get stuff done.

Baby carriers and slings seemed the obvious answer to keeping our children close and having our hands free. We tried various combinations of wraps and carriers – some worked well, and others less so. Friends with babies had also tried various different baby carriers and not always had success with them. We weren’t always sure how to use the carriers we had, either.

A lovely friend suggested that I open a sling library in our area; a place where local families could try different carriers out for a small hire fee and also have trained advice for fitting and positioning. This short conversation was the beginnings of Koala Slings, which later grew into an online shop stocking a range of quality slings and baby carriers. I trained as a sling consultant with Slingababy, which gave me the confidence to help families carry their children in the way that best suited their family and their situation.

KāhuBaby has evolved through my work with hundreds of parents, carers, and their children. The KāhuBaby Carrier embodies my passion for carrying our children and helping families to build strong attachments – Simple Togetherness. I hope KāhuBaby frees you to share your world with your baby.