The Best Mom Inventions
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. And moms, well, we have all sorts of great product ideas every single day. Like, say, a bin of blocks that would put itself away--wouldn't you buy that? Or a high chair with a food-repellant coating that never, ever got gunky? It's only a matter of time!
In the meantime, our world is full of incredible, smartly designed products and inventions dreamed up by moms seeking a new solution to the everyday frustrations of raising kids. Grace Welch just couldn't get her son to stay on his narrow changing pad, and thus, Patemm, the genius round mat was born. And how many kids (and moms!) have fallen in love with the Baby Einstein series? Another great mom idea. Click above to read about more great products invented by moms--because really, we always know best, don't we?
1. Patemm: Anyone who has ever changed a baby on the go--or at home, for that matter--knows that getting them to stay put on those flimsy travel pads is nearly impossible. This oversized, wipeable round mat changes everything. With plenty of space and genius pockets to store wipes, diapers and more, it folds into a neat square bundle that can be carried around as its own diaper bag or neatly stashed inside of one. Mom of four Grace Welch designed it to unfold and fold with one hand without any snaps or Velcro, just smart handles that hold it all together when folded.
2. Tinkle Targets: If you've ever potty trained a boy, you know it's messy business. Mom Ann Neale devised these disposable paper targets, in fun designs like rockets and race cars, to keep things neat and tidy during target practice.
3. Toilet Paper Saver: Only a mom could be behind this ingenious device, which meters out toilet paper in adult-size lengths, making unspooling rolls at a time a thing of the past. Mom inventor Tamara Monosoff was working in the Clinton administration in 2003 when she came up with this clever tool, which simply clips to your roll of toilet paper to shut down the shenanigans. Sorry, toddlers.
4. Baby Einstein: Mom and Baby Einstein inventor Julie Clark wanted to share her love of art with her baby, but the books and videos on the market weren't cutting it. So she filmed the first video in her basement, launching a successful series of products that has introduced children around the world to Mozart, Van Gogh and more.
5. Sippy Straw Cleaners: Let's get real: Sippy cups are gross. Yes, they keep liquids in check, but all those valves and straws can get pretty icky, especially when milk is involved. Jennifer Reyes, an eco-conscious mom who wanted her kids' cups to be clean, developed a teeny scrubby straw which fits easily into all size sippy straws. These tiny tools pack a lot of punch.
6. Snack Trap: Our vacuums are all heaving sighs of relief thanks to Christine Moss's invention, the Snack Trap. It started as a vinyl covering glue-gunned to a regular cup, with cut flaps to allow her little one's hands into the cup but keep her snacks from falling out. Now Snack Trap is a multi-million dollar business, and car seats everywhere are Cheerio-free.
7. Buzzy: Literally taking the sting out of needle pricks, Buzzy offers cold sensation and buzzing vibration, which are proven to significantly block pain on contact. Developed by Dr. Amy Baxter, who knew after watching her son endure painful vaccinations that she needed to find a solution, Buzzy has helped thousands of kids (and adults) deal with needles without pain.
8. Airborne: The fizzy tablets that get us through cold season were developed at home by a mom and teacher who was tired of bringing germs home with her from school. Victoria Knight-McDowell blended a mix of vitamins, electrolytes, amino acids and more to help ward off colds, and the rest, as they say, is history.
9. Aqueduck: If you've ever tried to lift your heavy toddler up to reach a stream of water from a faucet, you'll cheer when you learn about Aqueduck. A faucet extender invented by mom Susanna Lee, Aqueduck clips onto your faucet and pushes the stream of water toward the opposite wall of the sink, making the water much easier to reach for shorter arms. Hand washing is fun again!
10. gDiapers: The world's first cloth/disposable hybrid diaper was invented by an eco-savvy mom (OK, she had a little help from her husband) in Australia. Kim Graham-Nye was aghast at the waste disposable diapers caused, so she sought a green solution and invented the gDiaper--a biodegradable/flushable diaper liner that folds into a cloth diaper. They're adorably cute, easy to use, and so great for our environment.
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