Krysta Anderson, Lifestyle Reporter
The day your beautiful child arrives into this world is nothing short of amazing. All those months of waiting and anticipating finally over and you spend your quality time nurturing your little one. But what do you do when something as important as breastfeeding in public becomes a necessity?
Some run to the nearest restroom, while others brave face what is embarrassing for them in order to feed their child. Well, mothers can put those humiliating breastfeeding moments to rest thanks to Chesand Gregory's easy to use JChess Boobie Breastfeeding Covers.
Gregory came up with the idea after the birth of her child. She told Flair, " About eight months after having my son, I saw similar covers abroad but I didn't like their designs. Then I realised that with my training (Human Ecology course - clothing and textiles) while at Church Teacher's College in Mandeville, I could make better ones. That inspired me to create my own custom cover to fulfil my needs such as a zipper pocket for easy access and storage of small items, using a lightweight breathable fabric to cope with high temperatures. During one of my routine hospital visit for a check-up, I was using the cover when a nurse noticed it and fell in love with the concept. It was something she had never seen before in all her years as a medical practitioner. She asked me about it and I told her that I had made it. She requested one so she could give it to an expectant mother as a gift. That is where I got the idea that there could be a potential market for my covers across Jamaica," Gregory explained to Flair.
The entrepreneur, who had dreamed of owning her own company since she was 13 years old, noted that this was not her first business venture. In fact, she started out selling Mary Kaye and Avon cosmetic products before shifting her focus to the more natural and matriarchal side of beauty. Her designs are a practical solution. "Not only does it offer mothers the ability to breastfeed discreetly in comfort, but it's also more hygienic to use it in areas such as public restrooms or waiting areas in clinics and hospitals where sick persons are often coughing and sneezing nearby. These common dilemmas, combined with how shy most mothers are about breatfeeding in public, highlight the need for my cover and how useful it would be to Jamaican Women," she told Flair.
Despite the challenges of getting these covers into stores because of the nature of the product itself, Gregory continues to be hopeful in supplying an essential tool for lactating mothers. "Since very few mothers are aware of the existence of nursing covers, store owners are reluctant to purchase them. This is either due to them not realising just how many mothers out there wish they had a discreet alternative for those 'mommy moments', or they fear it won't sell since it has always been that way (one not available). However, it's a challenge which motivates me to keep going, because as my husband always says, 'Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goal'."
Just five months old, JChess Boobie Breastfeeding Covers are a mommy must-have for mothers regularly on the move, allowing nursing in both private and public settings, guaranteeing both comfort and privacy.
Gregory's passion for breastfeeding goes even further in her drive to help create awareness of its benefits. This month, her goal is to visit six hospitals across Jamaica to educate new mothers on the benefits as well as donating gifts of maternity-related products from JChess and other sponsors to mothers in need.
Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs - "Run with what you have. Be innovative and create a well-needed product or service unavailable to consumers, creating jobs for those seeking employment. Alternatively, you could redesign or improve a product or service that is already out there, keeping in mind what you would like to see done differently to make it more useful."
For more information, call 876-475-2710, or email at boobienursingcover@yahoo.com [2].
krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com [3]