Parent Inspiration
The story of Hummingbird Infant’s "warm, calm, connected " vision with product line “inspired by parent needs” starts with Dana.
Dana is a mommy ninja. She can eat a naked burrito while feeding her baby. Dana is a mom of five. She has lived both in the US and Nicaragua. While Pregnant with #5 we were volunteering together at the local elementary school. Alas! FINALLY, a valid excuse to get out of sorting papers. Santos was born. Soon after I was invited into Dana’s home. I asked her if I could watch her day in the life with Santos.
While I argue any parent bringing their baby home is immediately an expert, there was something about having 5 kids, a fiance and different global view that intrigued me. I was keen to learn her tricks and what is most important in her parenting process. I had worked in the juvenile product industry on product development, so I love this stuff. My mind was ticking. Watching. Wondering. Ready to learn.
And did I ever learn. Bath time.
“Ok, where’s the tub?” I asked.
“Those bulky things? I think I had one once. No thanks. I’ve become a bit more “simple living” having lived in Nicaragua. Seriously? Who wants to store that big hunk of plastic?!” Dana replied.
- Got it. A bulky tub for a tiny baby is not necessary (at least by the time you get to #5).
Expecting to go to her kitchen sink, she instead led me to a tiny hand washing sink. It was shell shaped. She tossed a washcloth in there and started the water.
I expected her to use that cloth to scrub Santos down in a counter bath. Nope.
“I throw the terry cloth down there to soften the sink.”
- Got it. Lots of towels. Softening the hard and not-so-comforting sink with towels in and out of bath. Curious.
“So, have you ever used a bath sling with the fabric over a wire frame for bathing?” I asked. I mean, they’re soft. They cradle. They position well.
“Those are too far away from the warm water. I figure they would just slide down anyway. Plus, I like holding Santos,” said Dana
- Got it. She’s a ninja mom able to hold her wet, slippery little guy. I’m in awe.
“Is this a typical bath time?”
“Yes. I do what I can with these zillion towels to wash him in sections and keep him warm. But, he cries. He’s still cold and a little mad.”
- Even super experienced ninja mom Dana has an unmet need. Despite her best efforts with towels and bathing in sections, Santos was cold, mad, and letting us hear it.
She was confidently bathing with towels, washcloths and even a muslin swaddle. She had everything she needed right there. She was washing in sections. She was awing me. Despite her efforts, Santos wasn’t happy.
What about the rest of her house? What does Dana want and need? What does she appreciate?
There were swaddles everywhere. She double swaddles him after a bath to calm him down. She has extra padded sleep locations, she has lavender; in other words she’s definitely a mom who appreciates some comfort and soothing for baby Santos. The sense of touch, helping him relax, and him getting sleep for his own good and “so I can cuddle with my guy and nurture our relationship,” is important to her. So, this not-so-soothing bath didn’t sit well.
- Got it. Warm, loving, connected parenting is important to her. Santos goes from a soothing, lavender and swaddled environment to bath. He hates it. Despite her best efforts, nothing beats being cuddled.
And that was the light bulb moment. Hummingbird Infant’s “inspired by parent needs” moment.
How do we bring that nurturing to first baths?
So, we tested out different scenarios and settled in on a neoprene bath swaddle to keep babies like Santos warmer longer in the tub, give parents a better grip, and bring a sense of confidence to the warm, loving, connected experience. Some parents feel they can skip the bulky infant tub all together. Others like to use the Warm Hug Bath Swaddle™ in conjunction with their existing plastic or fabric tub or sling.
So, thanks to moms like Dana and other new moms who followed, the Warm Hug™ Bath Swaddle was born. Along with the Warm Heart™ and the Chubber Scrubber™ and Hummingbird Infant as a company.
Inspired by a Dana’s need to be a mommy ninja at her baby’s bath, while softening, warming and calming the experience. Built upon by the other parent testers who followed. Cheers to our inspiring parents who choose love. Choose Warm Hugs and Warm Hearts.