Hi, I’m Lukeyta.
I'm a Babywearing Consultant certified through Centre for Babywearing Studies. I’m based in Melbourne, VIC and the person behind Gathered & Held. I help parents and carers across Melbourne (and virtually, across Australia) carry their babies safely, comfortably, and confidently, using what they already have.
How Gathered & Held began
What you can expect from me
My qualifications
Let’s figure it out together
Before my son was born, I knew I wanted to try babywearing. I also knew almost nothing about it. The only carrier I knew of were the types you saw on TV, yet I decided to jump straight into the deep end with ring slings and woven wraps; beautiful, wonderful yet not exactly beginner-friendly.
What followed was a steep and sometimes frustrating learning curve. But somewhere in the middle of it, I fell completely in love. Babywearing turned out to be more than practical, it was genuinely enjoyable. It made the everyday softer. It made hard days more manageable. It gave me my hands back without ever putting my baby down.
The only thing that ever got in the way was not having someone to show me how.
That's why Gathered & Held exists. I want to be the person I wish I'd had at the start, someone patient, knowledgeable, and on your side, who can meet you where you are and help you figure out what works for you and your baby.
I believe babywearing should be for everyone - not just for the families who can afford the most expensive carrier on the market. So my approach is simple: we work with what you already have, or what genuinely suits your life and budget. No upselling. No pressure to buy the carrier I get a commission on (I don't have one). No making you feel like your current setup isn't good enough.
If a brand ends up in my recommendations, it's because I believe in it, because it's ergonomic, comfortable, safe, and made to last. I especially love carriers that grow with your baby, so you're not buying something new every few months and adding to landfill. And I'll always take quality natural fabrics over cheap polyester, mesh, and plastic hardware.
Most of all, safety comes first. Every consultation is grounded in the TICKS safe babywearing guidelines, and I'll always show you how to check your carry yourself, so you can feel confident long after I've left your living room.
I'm certified through the Centre for Babywearing Studies (CBWS), one of the most respected babywearing educator programs internationally. I'm fully insured through IICT, and I'm committed to ongoing learning, because babywearing research, gear, and best practice keep evolving, and I want to keep evolving with them.
I have long-term plans to train as a doula and to open a sling library here in Melbourne, so families can try before they buy. Gathered & Held was named with all of that in mind - a space where parents feel gathered in, and little ones feel held.
Whether you've got a brand-new baby and a carrier still in the box, a toddler who's outgrown your old setup, or a pile of slings and wraps you're not sure what to do with, I'd love to help.
Book a consultation, send me a question, or just come say hi. There's no such thing as a silly question here.