Huggies® Brand Mominspired™ Grant Program

Mothers of Invention - 2011 Winners

Congratulations To Our Newest Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program Recipients!

Nobody does a better job figuring out what parents need than those who are with their little one daily. And many of our favorite products have been inspired by just that: real-life, day-to-day parenting experiences. That's why we at Huggies are helping moms like you take ideas from your memorable parenting moments and make them a reality with our Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program.

Inspired by a need and acting on it - our two classes of entrepreneurial grant award recipients have designed amazingly unique products that nurture the relationship between parent and child. We asked these creative moms to tell us what inspired their innovation and what the future has in store for their ideas. Now you can dive into the fascinating world of entrepreneurship and see how moms like you are striving to make parenting easier around the world.

• Romy Taormina :: PsiBands
  Many women battling nausea during pregnancy are desperate to find drug-free relief for their ongoing queasiness. Stylish Psi Bands are FDA-cleared acupressure wristbands for the relief of nausea due to morning sickness (pregnancy), motion sickness/travel, anesthesia and chemotherapy.
• Charlena Smith :: Intone
  A baby’s cries are a language of their own. For new parents, babysitters or daycare teachers, trying to decipher what an infant wants is simply a matter of trial and error. The Intone helps shorten that learning curve by translating a baby’s cries and helping parents or caregivers log sleeping, feeding and changing patterns.
• Lauren Levy :: Magnificient Baby
  When changing and dressing a wiggly baby, time is of the essence. Smart Close™ magnetic fasteners in Magnificent Baby’s clothing make changing time faster, simpler and more pleasant for babies, parents and caregivers.

• Katrena Shirley :: Dreemie Preemie
  Baby books are an age-old way to record a child’s milestones. But what if baby’s first milestones include moving from a feeding tube to a bottle? Dreemie Preemie baby book pages mark the medical and developmental changes that are unique to premature infants and babies needing special care at birth.
• Laura Pilcher :: Colic Cradler
  Comforting a colicky baby sometimes just takes the right soothing touch. The Colic Cradler mimics abdominal pressure on an infant’s stomach to help relieve distress from colic, giving parents a hands-free way to comfort their child.
• Becky Rasmussen :: MyBirthClass
  A majority of expectant parents may never get to a childbirth class because of busy schedules or prohibitive fees. MyBirthClass DVDs give busy parents expert, comprehensive and convenient childbirth education at an affordable price.

• Stacy Harfert :: Bobee
  Nothing slows down a diaper change quite like searching for a clean diaper or struggling with a pack of wipes. The wall-mounted Bobee™ Diaper and Wipe Dispenser keeps diapers and wipes in one convenient place, away from curious little hands and off the changing table’s limited surface.
• Kristi Gorinas :: DadPack
  A diaper bag is akin to a parent’s traveling all-in-one toolbox, though it’s typically only designed with moms in mind. The rugged, leather-look DadPack, equipped with an EZ-wipe system, gives fathers a diaper bag to call their own.
• Suzanne Hansen :: Baby Sleep Coach Program
  Many new parents come to the tiring realization that their baby just doesn’t “sleep like a baby.” Ruby Sky Coaching wants to help, with personalized online sleep coaching programs that support a range of parenting philosophies and respond to the individual needs of tired families.

Mothers of Invention - 2010 Winners

• Allyson Phillips :: TILTY Cup
  Creating a successful experience with the first step towards independent feeding, the TILTY Cup is a spill-proof training cup with an internal angled wall that allows children to drink without tipping the cup past half way, making the transition from a bottle easier and the transition to a regular cup a success.
• Amy Baxter :: Buzzy Pain Relief
  Dr. Amy Baxter started MMJ Labs to help parents reduce their kids' pain. Buzzy is a small plastic bee that uses cooling and vibration to block sharp pain from shots or stings, and Bee-Stractor cards pull attention away from pain to clever designs with questions.
• Amy Hilbrich Davis :: Balance MAP
  An online tool that creates individualized action plans to guide mothers towards achieving greater balance, success, and happiness.

• Déa Viola :: The Mama Taco Towel™
  Designed to aid parents and caregivers with bath time, The Baby Flamingo Co.'s The Mama Taco Towel™ and Lettuce Wash Your Fingers and Tomatoes Washcloth and Sponge Set™ uses a unique hands-free design, so you can focus on keeping your children clean and safe.
• Joan Henehan :: QuickZip! Crib Sheet
  Simplifying how parents change crib sheets, Clouds and Stars, Inc.'s QuickZip! Crib Sheet uses a two-piece sheet design to remove the hassle of having to lift up the entire mattress.
• Leslie Espowe :: The Water Wrap
  Providing the hands-free convenience of a wrap carrier for the shower and pool, The Water Wrap uses a mesh material to help you hold your little one securely in any environment.

• Linda Varga :: ezShade
  A UPF 50+ portable curtain that instantly attaches to any umbrella or canopy, ezShade helps you keep the shade just where you want it to protect your little ones.
• Lynette Mattke :: PicPocket Books
  Using portable devices like iPhones to lessen your load when taking your children out, PicPocket Books uses the iTunes platform to help parents on the go bring books without all the weight.
• Michelle Staley :: Busy
  Providing an organized system for parents with children on oxygen, Busy Breathers LLC's Busy Breather Backpack makes packing for everyday outings simple and hassle-free.

• Monica Jones :: BUNCHEES
  Solving the everyday messes of bottle-feeding, Ritzy Bitzy Designs' BUNCHEES Baby Bottle Bibs absorb the unexpected drips that come from leaky bottles and user error.
• Robin McCoy-Ramirez :: SoothEaze Blanket
  Created to mimic the familiar surrounding of the womb, SoothEaze Blanket combines a swaddling blanket with the sounds of the womb to help infants sleep.
• Sandra Frawley :: BabyBindle
  Adding convenience to running errands, BabyBindle lessens the load moms and dads have to carry when making short trips throughout the day by attaching to car seats and strollers.