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Someone Had to Think of It! New Juvenile Products and Apparel Brands at ABC Kids Expo Walking into the Las Vegas Convention Center where the ABC Kids Expo (September 10-13) is held shocked this sometimes jaded New Yorker. I'm used to the new and improved ENK Children's Club Show, which has recently gone from a pleasant but industrial ambiance to something resembling a chic Soho style lounge. In Las Vegas, oddly enough, the setting is entirely glitz free. The hall where the exhibition is held serves as no more than a backdrop for the nearly 1,000 exhibitors. Aesthetics aside, the Expo was an eye-opening, exuberant affair, abuzz with new inventors and manufacturers. Entrepreneurs couldn't wait to show off their products, and I was swept up in their fervor. I'm a total sucker for beautifully designed items, especially if they're practical, so I was thrilled with most of what I was shown. So many of the products were attractively presented and thoughtfully conceived. Everything included in the roundup below will go a long way toward making the world a better place for infants and easing the stressful lives of their parents.
GADGETS AND INVENTIONS ANGEL MILK Company: The Angel Milk Group, Inc. INVENTORS: Michelle Harrington and Karen Russo Wholesale prices: $1.49 per sachet, sold in 12-pack cases for $17.88. $9.99 per can sold 12 cans to case at $119.88. Angel Milk sounds heavenly doesn't it? It should. After mixing the powder with milk, the drink serves as a one shot, everything a mother-to-be needs, nutrient rich shake. It's fortified with vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, folic acid, and blended with minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium. The low in sugar drink also contains herbal extracts of chamomile, dandelion, ginger and marshmallow. Best of all, it comes in three flavors: Chocolate Decadence, Strawberry Passion and Pina Colada Dream, that are delicious and none top 120 calories, so they're guilt free, too.
Tel: 800 ANGEL-76 / 310-547-1185 E-mail: cust.service@theangelmilkgroup.com
BINKY BUDDY Company: WM Company LLC. INVENTOR: Kelly Whitehead Wholesale prices: $2.95 each I'm glad to see the pacifier is PC again. When my daughter was born 16 years ago, people were abandoning the device so their infants could "express themselves." Yeah, right. Now people understand that babies cry when they need soothing, and the pacifier (aka the "other nipple") does just that. There's one problem though, they tend to fall from the infant's mouth often, which means parents have to pick them up, wash them off, then do it all over again two minutes later. The Binky Buddy helps put an end to all that. It's a simple item that looks like a cloth covered pencil case. You slip the pacifier's ring through a band on the BB and the extension hangs about seven and a half inches down. It can fit into a carseat strap or swaddling, and it stays close enough to a baby's mouth so they can stop sucking and turn away, then retrieve it again on their own. The BB was created by Whitehead who noticed nurses in the neonatal nursery where she worked, using a crude version of the device made of a small hospital towel tied through a pacifier ring. (Comes in pink or green.)
Tel: 909-797-7079 / 909.771.9978 E-mail: info@binkybuddyusa.com
DREAM MOVER Company: Dream Mover USA INVENTOR: Mason Turner Wholesale prices: $95 The Dream Mover is a brilliant invention that's so practical you have to wonder why no one has thought of it before. The item is a light weight, rectangular plastic mat that's motorized so it moves gently back and forth, doing exactly what your baby wants you to do - rock them forever. The mat moves at the same rate as a mother's resting heart beat, 60-70 bpm, and emits a soothing "swooshing" sound akin to what a baby hears in the womb. You place a child in a baby seat or stroller on the mat and it serves as an extra pair of hands that never grow tired. It can even be left on overnight. I predict a bottle of wine and an uninterrupted hour of "Seinfeld" in your future. Amen.
Tel: 832-295-0379 E-mail: mason@mydream-mover.com
GO ANYWHERE POTTY Company: MonthlyBreastExam.org INVENTORS: Roni Crystal and Nathan Halperin Wholesale price: $2.25 As much as we love our kids, traveling with them can be less than idyllic. Aside from the endless "Are we there yet?" there's the bathroom issue. Kids always need to use one when there isn't a lavatory for 50 miles. In that situation, the Go Anywhere Potty comes to the rescue. The invention is on the crude side; just a box with a hole that slips into a leak proof plastic bag after it's used. There are no bells and whistles and no cutesy illustrations, which is apt. This isn't something you'll want to retain as a souvenir of your trip. All the proceeds go to the MonthlyBreastExam organization (monthlybreastexam.org).
Tel: 800-303-8686 / (847) 920-9999 E-mail: customerservice@monthlybreastexam.org
THE MEDIBAG FIRST-AID KIT Company: Me4kidz, LLC (Medical Emergencies for Kids) INVENTOR: Richelle Nassos Wholesale prices: Approximately $12. If you're like most parents, you have Band-Aids in one place, ointments in another and your tweezers safely stowed in your makeup bag. That's fine until your little one cuts his knee or develops an allergic reaction to a bee sting, like Nassos's son did. That stressful experience which led to her scrambling for instructions and searching for medication while her boy howled in pain, led to the Medibag. Inside the bright red, child friendly tote is everything you need for minor injuries: A quick-action first-aid flip chart with instructions on treating burns, cuts, insect bites, choking and more; knee and elbow bandages; an instant cold pack; hypoallergenic first-aid tape; sterile gauze pads and other medical "must haves." It could prove to be a lifesaver.
Tel: 480-444-2332 E-mail: info@me4kidz.com
ITZBEEN BABY CARE TIMER Company: Coast Innovations INVENTOR: Greg Sheldon Retail price: $24.99 Sheldon, a mechanical engineer and stay-at-home dad, constantly asked his wife, Kris, "How long had it been since the baby ate?" or napped, or had a diaper change. Her response, "It's been an hour," for instance, prompted the name of Sheldon's invention. The ITZBEEN is a small, cleanly designed timer that allows a parent to keep track of essential baby chores. With clearly recognizable icons, a time can be set for when each of the four functions are completed (diaper change, bottle, nap and one other that can be chosen by the parent). Once programmed, the time begins at zero and counts up to display how long it's been since the task was completed. An optional alarm sounds when it's time to repeat each chore. Great for those bleary-eyed nights when new parents have serious brain fatigue. Tel: 707 237-7430 E-mail: greg@itzbeen.com
MIRACLE BLANKET Company: Jaydler Ltd. INVENTOR: Michael Gatten Wholesale prices: Contact manufacturer If this blanket does what doctors, nurses, and even the "Sleep Lady" Kim West says it does, than it truly is a miracle. The soft cotton knit wrap is shaped so that it can be pulled tight to swaddle a baby. It takes all of 45 seconds to put the infant's arms in the flaps and its feet into the foot pouch, and then roll them snugly like little burritos. The technique comforts the baby by reproducing the tight space they occupied during gestation. Heath Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain") even mentioned the blanket on the Tonight Show. "It's like a straight jacket for babies," he joked, "and it works." Wrapped in the Miracle Blanket, Ledger's daughter Matilda Rose now sleeps for hours without a peep. The company even produces a CD called "Maternal Whispers" with the sound of a mother's double-thump heartbeat. If the two don't work, there's always Ambien (for the parents, of course!)
Tel: 866-286-6386 E-mail: susan@miracleblanket.com
THE HANDYSITT Company: Sycamore Kidz INVENTORS: The HandySitt Company Ages: 7 months to 4 1/2 years; Retail price: $89 There's no denying that booster seats are a necessity: Without them every meal would mean a squirmy toddler sitting on our laps. But, pretty they ain't. The HandySitt is lightweight and folds in one motion by simply pushing the seat and back together. The seat fits most chairs and with its attractive design you may want to leave it at the table permanently. It's great for restaurant dining, too.
Tel: 866-524-8805 / (970) 484-6041 E-mail: Jessica@sycamorekids.com
UTTERLY YOURS BREAST PILLOW Company: Utterly Yours INVENTORS: Anita Jamshidi Wholesale prices: $10 for sizes small, medium and large; $18 for extra large It takes a mother to understand that new moms need a little extra support. That's why Jamshidi invented the Utterly Yours breast pillow. The wedge shaped design, available in four sizes, sits beneath the breast so there's no hand lifting necessary during feeding. The item is made of high-density memory foam that does the job while feeling incredibly soft. After nursing, the pillow returns to its original shape. Too bad the breast doesn't do the same.
Tel: 408-859-6052 E-mail: info@utterlyyours.com
THE ZAKY Company: Zakeez INVENTOR: Yamile C. Jackson, PhD, PE Wholesale prices: $12.50 - $23 There are never enough hands with all the feeding, changing and stroking an infant requires. The Zaky literally gives new parents a spare. Developed by Jackson, the mother of a preemie, the ergonomic hand-shaped pillow covered in soft fleece, offers soothing, subtle pressure and gentle support, just like a resting hand. It can be used atop a baby's back or as a side support. Nurses and doctors have adopted the item as a surrogate faux-mom for newborns in their care.
Tel: 713-942-8186 E-mail: yamile@zakeez.com
FURNITURE PRESSLOCK FURNITURE Company: Presslock Furniture DESIGNER: Fred Debien Wholesale prices: Approximately $18-$250 Who doesn't love simple, easy-to-assemble furniture that looks great? Trouble is, it's hard to find. When Debien, a life long wood worker became a grandfather, he wanted to create items with parts that joined together with a minimum of fuss, and that would last a lifetime. PressLock Furniture is his answer. Each item, fashioned from either MDF (medium density fiberboard) or HDPE (high density polyethylene), is made with only a handful of pieces. A special locking device is employed so the parts will never disengage when in use, but can easily be taken apart for storage. The furniture is strong, too. That's Debien standing on the desk chair.
Tel: 800-783-4702 E-mail: presslock@presslockfurniture.com
HIGH CHAIRS VICTORIA STATEN BABY SEAT Company: Victoria Staten DESIGNER: Victoria Staten Wholesale prices: Contact manufacturer Staten sourced a rich brown faux suede with a distressed finish and uses it to cover her collection of highchairs, playpens, baby seats and diaper bags. The look is earthy, yet modern and exceptionally tactile.
Tel: 651.334.4107 E-mail: trussell@madamarproductions.com
BEDDING/BLANKETS MANHATTAN KIDS BEDDING COLLECTION Company: Manhattan Kids, LLC. DESIGNER: Manhattan Kids design team Wholesale prices: $49-$69 for coordinated sets This new Manhattan-based company offers all cotton bedding with playful themes at reasonable prices. The "Farmyard Chic" group works several prints - a toile, polka dot and ticking stripe - with animal appliqués. It could be one busy little barn, but the black and white combination and graphic critters keep the look elegant.
Tel: 212-845-9488 E-mail: susanfiore@manhattankidshome.com
MILO & GABBY BEDDING Company: Milo & Gabby DESIGNER: Karen and Steve Keller Wholesale prices: Contact manufacturer Milo & Gabby make pillowcases with friendly animal faces and protruding ears and paws. Now kids can take their favorite pet to bed without getting fur all over the blankets. Matching sheets finish the look.
Tel: 206-407-3376 E-mail: sales@miloandgabby.com
PIXEL BEDDING Company: Pixel DESIGNER: Shannon Svensrud Wholesale prices: $16-$140 You may already know Svensrud from her Pixel Modern Pieces infant/toddler apparel and gift sets collections. Now she's turned to bedding and the result is just as playful as her clothing line. The "Scary Fish" group features a sea of Orca wannabes making a light lunch of starfish and guppies. It only sounds creepy.
Tel: 415-543-1714 E-mail: info@pixelpieces.com
APPAREL BABY SOY LAYETTE WEAR Company: Baby Soy USA DESIGNER: Amy Liang Sizes: Layette; Wholesale prices: $1.75-$11 We know all about sustainable farming, now we have sustainable fabrics. Baby Soy utilizes soybean fiber made of leftover proteins from soybean oil, tofu and soy milk production. The processing makes use of natural materials that would go to waste and doesn't demand more from nature to produce additional goods. The fabric feels so soft it's being touted as "vegetable cashmere." None of that would matter, of course, if the items weren't attractive, but they are: simple shapes, great colors, tons of mix and match options. A winner.
Tel: 626-289-7770 / 888-SOY-SOFT E-mail: customercare@babysoyusa.com
BEBELLO Company: Bebello DESIGNER: Alexi and Gabriela Drosu Wholesale prices: $11.50-$15 Who doesn't love a versatile little jumper? Bebello does one better with its reversible garment. The jumper goes from mod graphic houndstooth print to a soft aqua embroidered with a feather in one fast turn inside out. Let's you put off doing the laundry for one more day.
Tel: (323) 230-9356 / 888 417-5232 E-mail: alexi@bebello.com
MILK FACTORY QUICK WICK ACTIVEWEAR Company: Milk Factory Survival Gear for Families DESIGNER: Tomi Eng and Penny Setos Sizes: NB-5T; Wholesale prices: Contact manufacturer There's a lot to like about this small collection of modern activewear. The simple designs feature "CoolBest" a high performance cloth that wicks moisture from the body and dries faster than cotton. Flat-lock stitching means no scratchy seams, and the stain and wrinkle resistant fabric is UPF 40 (standard cloth is only UPF 7). Their line of changing pads, blankets and bags are just as practical.
Tel: 866-480-6455 / 778-371-8201 E-mail: info@milkfactory.com
T-O-O-O CUTE! BABY INC. CLOTHING Company: T-O-O-O Cute! Baby Inc. DESIGNER: Nicole Lathouse Sizes: NB-4; Wholesale prices: $7.50-$22 Lathouse worked as an illustrator for Carter's before launching her collection. She's designed whimsical characters and heat transferred or embroidered them on Pima cotton T-shirts or little dresses. It's a charming line that is sure to attract gift buyers.
Tel: 404-886-2121 E-mail: Nicole@tooocute.com
BABY JAK KNITWEAR Company: Baby Jak DESIGNERS: Rebecca Raimondi and Lisa Churton Sizes: 3-24 months; Wholesale prices: $8.50-$18.50 These little knit sets are colored in soft tones of the season's hottest hues: rich rose and sky blue. The striped jacket has a hood for warmth. A coordinating striped hat is available for a three-piece ensemble.
Tel: 916-381-1330 E-mail: customerservice@babyjak.com
FOOTWEAR BULRUSHES Company: Ohsosoft Baby Designs, Inc. DESIGNER: Christy Stinson Sizes: Preemie to 3.5 years; Wholesale prices: $21-$34
Bulrushes' booties are made of soft, New Zealand sheepskin and are meant to be worn barefoot. These cozy little beauties, come unadorned, or bejeweled and edged with a fur cuff. Either way, their comfort and good looks means they'll become a child's favorite footwear. Tel: 949-369-6282 E-mail: christystinson@sbcglobal.net
BAGS MY ROYAL HEINIE DIAPER BAG Company: Two Hot Mamas, LLC DESIGNERS: Denise Goldman and Karen Rappaport Wholesale prices: Bags $18.50; diaper pads $4 This slim, attractive tote fits easily into any bag, but is large enough to accommodate up to six diapers and a hefty stack of wipes. What makes the item different is one patent-pending feature: an internal wipes dispenser that allows mom to pull the cloths directly from the front of the bag. No more fussing around at the changing table with a crying infant. It's as good as a royal flush.
Tel: 305-673-6707 E-mail: info@myroyalheinie.com
THE SIDEKICK BY PARENTS OF INVENTION Company: Parents of Invention DESIGNER: Laine Caspi Wholesale price: $40 Walking with a big diaper bag bumping one hip and a baby perched on the other leaves parents looking and feeling like pack mules. The Sidekick makes lugging one's ever increasing load simpler by adding an attachable child carrier to the bag. Buckle the seat, fasten the waist strap that keeps the works in place, and you've got a streamlined tote/carrier to go.
Tel: 818-345-9486 E-mail: lc@parentsofinvention.com
BIBS MALLY BIBS Company: Mally Bibs DESIGNER: Nicole Garza Wholesale price: $16 So your kid's into leather. It's not a big deal if their obsession is Mally's leather bibs. Each extra large reversible piece is made of butter soft hides. The front of the item is festooned with a friendly animal, car or rocket motif. Flip it over and you've got a two-tone bib with a pocket. A magnetic clasp closes the back so there are no strings to fuss with. After you wipe the bib off with a damp cloth, the magnets allow you to stick the apron on the fridge until the next meal.
Tel: 604-820-0502 / 877.497.BIBS E-mail: Nicole@mallybibs.com
SILLY BILLYZ LONG SLEEVED BIBS Company: Live, Love, Dream Inc. DESIGNER: Nicola Pere Sizes: 6 months to 4 years; Wholesale price: $6 Silly Billyz bibs are made of soft fleece and nylon backing. The long sleeved version sports nylon sleeves so children won't soil their outfits. The item is machine washable and dryable and is guaranteed not to stain or crack. Great for toddlers and their messy art projects.
Tel: 847-869-5530 / 866-313-553 E-mail: Deborah@livelovedream.com
APRONS GRACE ALLAITER NURSING APRON Company: Grace Allaiter DESIGNERS: Lisa Furuta and Kristin Sugihara Wholesale price: $19 Not all nursing aprons are created equal. Grace Allaiter's items employ sophisticated cotton prints and seersucker so they're breathable and stylish. Each item has a curved "view bar" at the neck that allows mom - and only mom - to watch as the baby feeds.
Tel: 808-342-3332 E-mail: info@gracemama.com
JEWELRY THE NURSING BRACELET BY UNIQUE MUMS Company: Unique Mums DESIGNER: Susan Lazor Wholesale prices: $15 for glass beads; $32.50 for semi precious stones This bracelet looks like an elegant piece of jewelry but functions as a timer for nursing moms. The glass or semiprecious beads are strung along a wire that wraps easily around the wrist so there are no clasps to struggle with. Each hour is marked off with a numbered hour bead and between them are solid colored beads that represent 15-minute intervals. So if a baby is fed every half hour, you move a marker charm to that setting, say from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you're ready. Switch the bracelet from one wrist to another, and that's the side for the next breast-feeding. Mothers of twins or more can add additional charms.
Tel: 347-365-9397 E-mail: sales@uniquemums.com
THE WAITING BAND BY TINY BAUBLES Company: Tiny Baubles, Inc. DESIGNER: Tina Huber and Sue Battani Wholesale price: $85 The Waiting Band is such a poignant gift to give a mom-to-be. The inside of the ring is inscribed with messages like "miracle," "always" and "little one." The band opens to accommodate prenatal swelling and will push together when it subsides. It's a lovely token that will always remind a mother of the child she carried, and the dear person who acknowledged that special time in her life.
Tel: 434-249-4749 / 888.838.7474 E-mail: sales@tiny-baubles.com
BATH PRODUCTS I DREAM BY ISABELLA'S DREAM Company: Isabella's Dream POTION MAKER: Lisa Biddle Wholesale prices: $7-$12 The five products in the I Dream line are made with wild or sustainable ingredients such as lavender, seaweed extract and sweet orange and grapeseed extract. The I Dream All Over Cleansing Wash and Shampoo smells like a garden after a rainfall and leaves hair and skin feeling smooth and lightly moisturized. The packaging is 100 percent recyclable. 10 percent of the company's profits go to children's aid organizations, so using the I Dream line is good for you - and good for them.
Tel: 707-429-9502 E-mail: customerservice@isabellasdream.com
LITTLE TWIG BATH PRODUCTS Company: Little Twig POTION MAKERS: Lenie Ramos and Myrene Gison Wholesale prices: $2.50-$22 Little Twig all natural, organic bath products can be found in the nurseries of Gwen Stefani, Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow among other celebrities. Here's why: The beautifully packaged shampoos, baby wash, bubble bath and other items are all natural and organic, not tested on animals, reasonably priced and smell delicious. With scents like lavender, lemon and tea tree oil, and tangerine, lemon and rosemary, moms will be tempted to lather up, too.
Tel: 866-545-8944 / 310.648.7985 E-mail: contact@littletwig.com
ROSEMARY BABY BATH PRODUCTS Company: Rosemary Baby POTION MAKER: Alison Lister Wholesale prices: $4-$11.50 As you may have guessed from the company's name, Rosemary Baby is a line with a sense of humor. Lister, a licensed message therapist and "mother goddess," addresses the less than lovely side of pregnancy and child rearing with all natural, delightfully scented products. The "Pregnant Pause" line contains the "This is all His Fault" message oil because "it's just about all he's good for at this point"; and there's the "Not Tonight Cream" because, says Lister, "the way things are going, Not Tonight could become "Not Ever Again." For infants, Lister offers the "Precious Babykins" products that include "Daddy's Turn" after bath lotion. The light, chocolate scented cream, will help you "like your offspring that much better if they smell like something tasty." All joking aside, it's high quality goods with likable "attitude."
Tel: 323-255-3700 E-mail: rosemary@rosemarybaby.com
THE LITTLE BATH HAIR AND BODY PRODUCTS Company: The Little Bath POTION MAKER: Brooke Hansen Wholesale prices: $4.98-$9.50 Every Little Bath product is 99.5 percent natural, environmentally friendly and cruelty free. The fragrances are clean and fresh, especially those in the Baby Zen group that feature the green tea scent. Pure ingredients and agreeable, child appropriate aromas are important, but it's the adorable packaging that just may sell this line.
Tel: (805) 963-1953 E-mail: brooke@thelittlebath.com
BOOKS BABY BISTRO BOX AND THE TODDLER BISTRO BOX Company: Baby Bistro Brands AUTHOR: Christina E. Schmidt, M.S. Wholesale price: $12 for Baby Box, $14 for Toddler Box Even the under-three set can be "foodies" now that Baby Bistro and Toddler Bistro boxes are on the market. Inside each charmingly designed box, are note cards with up-to-date nutritional information, safety rules, shopping tips, recipe ideas and prenatal suggestions. So if you want to know if it's okay to feed junior honey before he's one, you'll know not to do it.
Tel: 805-403-3846 / (877) 340-8987 E-mail: bbb@babybistrobrands.com
THE MOM INVENTORS HANDBOOK Publishing House: McGraw-Hill Companies AUTHOR: Tamara Monosoff Retail price: $16.95 This inspiring book is a must-have for anyone marketing an invention. Being an entrepreneur herself, Monosoff knows what situations a new business person will encounter and offers advice on dealing with each one. With step-by-step instructions, she leads new entrepreneurs by the hand answering questions about research, patents, copyrights, trademarks and marketing and anything else that comes up in process of bringing a new item to the public. Examples of moms who have successfully marketed their products are included in the book.
Tel: 866-376-1122 Email: info@mominventors.com
MUSIC MOMMY AND DADDY ROCK VOLUMES ONE AND TWO Company: Mother's Intuition MUSICIANS: Phillip Bardowell and John Harb Wholesale price: Volume 1 $14.99; Volume 2 $14.99; 2-CD Set $24.99 Just because you're pregnant or a new parent doesn't mean you should be subjected to Raffi and other insipid child friendly musicians. Mommy and Daddy Rock offers hip, funny tunes with titles like "Hormonal Rage," and "Sex is my X". Bardowell, who co-wrote the music with Harb, was a member of the Beach Boys. Both CDs are guaranteed to get your groove on.
Tel: 866-450-4666 / 949-837-1163
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