5 Best Products for Moms by Mompreneurs

Redbook

by Ava Feuer, REDBOOK

 More and more moms are making their mark as entrepreneurs, a phenomenon that makes a whole lot of sense. After all, mothers have to be organized, driven multi-taskers just to get through their hectic days. When they notice something's not quite right, they have to be resourceful, a trait with which these five moms/inventors/superwomen are familiar. When they couldn't find a parenting product they needed, they invented their own, realized they were on to something, and turned their ideas into successful business. Check out five great creations for moms, by moms:

The Nanny Caddy


 Celena Lentz knows how easily a missing pacifier or box of baby wipes can ruin an afternoon out of the house. Frustrated by the screams and cries that ensued in these situations, she invented Nanny Caddy in 2008. The teal and purple kiosks can now be found in airports, zoos, amusement parks, and aquariums, and dispense such items as diapers, sippy cups, nursing wraps, and sunblock. Isn't that convenient?

Related: The 10 Least Helpful, Most Irritating Parenting Tips Ever

Mabel's Labels


Julie Cole, a mother of six, was constantly baffled by the things that got lost in her house, never to be found. Did they go home with her son's playdate? Did the washing machine eat them? Did someone mistake them for trash and toss them in the garbage? So, Cole and three other women - all of who have business backgrounds - launched Mabel's Labels, a line of customizable sticky, clothing, and safety alert labels. Available in bright colors and fun designs, they'll alert everyone that Sam is allergic to peanuts, and that the Dora lunchbox belongs to Jenna.

BUNCHEES Baby Bottle Bibs


Monica Jones was sick of her two boys' bibs and onesies becoming soaked with excess formula every time she fed them. After noticing a scrunchy nearby, she slipped the '80s style hair accessory around the bottleneck in order to catch the leakage. Epiphany! The next day, she created a fancier prototype on her sewing machine, and enlisted friends and family to try them out. Thus arrived BUNCHEES Baby Bottle Bibs.

Related: 7 Secrets of Low-Stress Families

Sniffle Buddies


 If your child suffers from allergies, you can sympathize with J. Kelly Mayes. Tired of chasing her son around the playground with tissues - an activity that was no fun for either of them -- Mayes slipped a sweatband around the two-year-old's wrist. The idea was, he could use it to wipe his nose without rubbing his germy hands all over his face, and she could toss it in the wash when they got home. It worked, and Sniffle Buddies were born. They're not just helpful to sniffly children: ten percents of proceeds go to charity, with a new cause chosen every month.

Tilty Cup


Sippy cups may be spill-proof, but they have a fatal flaw. While watching her nine-month-old daughter attempt to drink juice out of one of the cups, Allyson Phillips observed that her daughter had to assume an uncomfortable chugging position in order to enjoy her beverage. Phillips responded by inventing Tilty Cup, a sippy cup with an internally slanted wall. The alteration made finishing the last drops of juice easier, and encouraged a smoother transition to grown-up cups. That tastes good!

Which product do you think is the most helpful? If you could invent a product to simply your, and your child's life, what would it be?

Related: The Great Mom Debate: Is It Okay to Have a Favorite Child?

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