Breast Pump Rentals

May 29, 2013 at 8:23 am · Filed under Boobs, My Store, Parenting


Mom and Pop Place is proud to be able to offer moms several options for Breast Pump Rentals.

medela symphony

 

The Medela Symphony is a hospital-grade double electric breast pump.  It is the same breast pump used in the hospitals here in the Fox Valley.  It can be rented for $65 per month with a $65 security deposit.  Each mother will also need her own Accessory Kit (tubes, membranes, connectors, etc).  If she is pumping in the hospital, she will have received all the parts necessary to use the Symphony Pump.  If any parts are missing, she will need to purchase her own Kit for $59.99.  The Kit for the Medela Pump In Style will not work for the Medela Symphony.

 

Hygeia Enjoye LBIThe Hygeia Enjoye is a commercial-grade double electric breast pump.  It is very similar to the Medela Pump In Style, but it is a “closed-system”,  designed to be safely used by multiple users.  It can be rented for $40 per month with a $40 security deposit.  Each mother will also need her own Acccessory Kit (tubes, valves, connectors, etc).  The Kit can be purchased for $49.99.  If a mother has a Kit for the Medela Symphony or the Medela Pump In Style, it may work for the Hygeia Enjoye.

The Hygeia Enjoye is also offered as part of our Rent-To-Own program!  If a mother rents a Hygeia Pump, half of her rental fees ($20 per month) can be applied towards the purchase of a brand-new Hygeia Enjoye Breast Pump.

 

Which pump should I choose?

The Hygeia Enjoye is a high-quality double pump. It has 2-phase cycling (let-down and expression), excellent suction, and a very reliable motor.   It runs on a rechargeable battery and does not require access to electricity.  It comes with a lightweight fabric bag.   It is the  most affordable and it will serve the needs of most pumping moms.  It is the only rental pump that qualifies for the Rent-To-Own Program.

The Medela Symphony is hospital-grade double pump.  It has the highest quality motor and suction available.  It is the pump that most closely mimics the suction of a baby at the breast.  For mothers of babies that have not yet latched correctly at the breast or mothers who are working at inducing or increasing their milk supply, the Symphony may be the best choice.  Also, many mothers have already used the Symphony in the hospital.  If they already have an Accessory Kit and they already feel comfortable with the pump, the Symphony may be a good choice.  The Symphony comes with a heavy-duty plastic carrying case and requires access to electricity.

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BIG CHANGES!!

May 28, 2013 at 11:14 am · Filed under Uncategorized


This year, Mom and Pop Place turned 6! Our business today is more vibrant and successful than we ever dreamed! We want to thank each and every one of you for your support and for inviting us along on your parenting journey!

Like any parent knows, 6 is an age of big changes; of growing up and branching out. Mom and Pop Place is no exception. As we enter our 6th year, we are about to embark on some new adventures. Our mission has always been to provide new parents with the products and support they need to be the best parents they can! In order to best continue that mission, we are changing how we do things……..

Beginning the week of June 10th, Mom and Pop Place will no longer be serving food or offering free play space. We will be converting our former cafe into a larger, improved meeting space and an expanded retail section. Our new hours will be:

Monday-Friday 10-4

Saturday 10-3

Sunday 10-2

We will continue to host the Wednesday Breastfeeding Pop-In and the Thursday New Mom and Pop Group. But, the week of June 3rd will be the last meetings of the Tuesday Rhythm and Groove Class and the Friday Storytime. We will be adding workshops and meetings that meet the changing needs of new parents. We will be adding special series of classes for young kids. AND we will be offering amazing, adorable, new product lines!

Stay tuned for more announcements………

Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas at info@momandpopplace.com

As always, thank you so much for your support!

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We Heart Hygeia!

January 3, 2013 at 10:07 pm · Filed under Boobs, My Store


         Let us count the ways……….hygeia logo

1.  Hygeia Pumps are eco-friendly,

safe, multi-user pumps! 

An estimated two million breast pumps are purchased every year! Almost all of them are designed to be used by one mom, and to be thrown away after a year or less of use. The leading breast pump manufacturers have designated these pumps as single-user devices, which means that these pumps should not be shared between mothers.  Even with replacement tubing and shields, the pump motors are “open” and can never be truly cleaned or sterilized.  Major pump manufacturers have the technology to make their pumps safe for use by multiple mothers.  But, they insist that you buy a brand new pump. 

All Hygeia Breast Pumps are “closed system” and are designed for safe reuse between mothers when each has their own Personal Accessory Set (PAS). They feature a unique filter that is designed to block any bacteria, viruses and fluid from entering the pump or causing cross contamination.  All the parts that touch a mother or her milk are part of her personal accessory set.

 

2.  Hygeia is a “Code-Compliant” Company.

 Thirty years ago, the World Health Organization adopted The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.  The purpose of The Code is to protect breastfeeding by limiting advertisements that idealize artificial feeding supplies and formula.  We all know that formula, bottles/nipples, and Breast Pumps are very important tools for infant feeding.  The Code doesn’t limit the sale of these items; only how they’re marketed.  Basically, you can’t promote formula or feeding bottles/nipples directly to moms, or do free giveaways, or even put them these items on sale!  That is considered inappropriate promotion.

It seems like a small thing, but the WHO Code is all we have to protect breastfeeding.  It has made a world of difference in the 30 years since it was enacted.  But, some companies have started advertising and promoting their nipples and bottles and even claiming in ads that pumping/bottle-feeding is “best for mom”.  These violations of The Code are a big slap in the face to the breastfeeding community. When a large and popular Breast Pump Manufacturer openly states that it will not abide by these marketing standards, it undermines The Code completely.  We are so happy to learn that Hygeia is a Code-Compliant Company.  It takes The Code seriously and does everything in its power to protect and normalize breastfeeding.  We like that.  J

We will continue to offer products from other Breast Pump Manufacturers.  Their pumps and their accessories are good quality, reliable products.  In order to truly serve breastfeeding moms in our area, we will continue to offer the high-quality pumps and accessories that they need.  But, we are proud to be able to offer them another option as well!

3.  Hygeia makes wicked good pumps!

Hygeia breast pumps provide proven performance and feature the same robust construction found in hospitals. Their three-year warranty is one of the longest on the market. Investing in a top-quality Hygeia Breast Pump is a particularly good option when you’re planning to have more children or to share your Breast Pump with friends/family members who have their own personal accessory sets.   And Hygeia Enjoye Breast Pumps only cost between $229 and $299!

Hygeia Enjoye LBI All pumps feature:

  •   100% BPA and DEHP Free Parts
  •    Hygeia Total Compatibility Guarantee
  •    3 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
  •    Recycling Program
  •    Hygeia CARE Button (record baby’s sounds to encourage  let-down!)
  •    Independently Adjustable Speed & Suction Controls
  •    Double or Single Pumping
  •    Closed Milk Collection System
  •    FDA Approved As Multi-user Pump
  •    Personal Accessory Set (all the tubing, valves, filters, etc)
  •    Optional Internal Lithium Ion Battery (for 4 hours of cordless pumping!)
  •    Optional Tote Bag and Cooler Pack

4.  Hygeia Pumps are available for Rental or Rent-To-Own!

We are excited to be able to offer the Hygeia Enjoye for rental.  The Rental Fee is just $40 (plus a $40 Security Deposit).  Each mother will also need to have her own Personal Accessory Set.  Renting is easy and we will keep your information on file to automatically renew your Rental each month.

The most exciting part?  Our new Rent-To-Own Program!  If you are unsure how breastfeeding or pumping is going to work out for you or whether you need to invest in a Breast Pump of your own, you can rent a Hygeia Breast Pump on a trial basis.  If you decide you would like to purchase a Breast Pump of your own, you will be able to apply half of your paid Rental Fees towards the purchase of a new Hygeia pump! 

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Black and White

March 29, 2012 at 10:06 am · Filed under My Kids, Parenting


I was blogging the other day about race.

 

Ok, I wasn’t really blogging about race.  I was blogging about how to teach your kids not to point out women’s mustaches in such a loud voice.  But, the blog post ended on the topic of race with my son asking me “Are we black?”.  And, I have to admit, that’s a totally reasonable question from a child.  It’s the kid version of the same long-winded conversation we all seem to be having lately about the meaning of race and whether we’ve made any progress as a nation in our understanding of each other.  My kid wants to know if he’s black.  To him, black is a color.  A pretty-easy-to-define color.   He’s never met anyone who was literally “black”.  Just like he’s never met anyone who was literally “white”.  We’re all a different shade of beige and brown.  And our color changes throughout the seasons.

 

As adults, we know what “black” and “white” mean.  Or we think we know.  But, try explaining it to an 8-year-old.  Try explaining Trayvon Martin to an 8-year-old.  It’s really complicated and totally simple at the same time.  This weekend, my husband and I needed to explain the Trayvon Martin situation to our kids.  In a way that would make sense to them, but not scare them, but not oversimplify the issue.  It was difficult.  It was not black and white (pun sadly intended).  We had to touch on skin color vs ethnicity and perception vs reality.  My kids went from confused to sad to angry to scared.   My kids, like my husband, are Hispanic.  And they get pretty dark for much of the year.   At least as dark as some of the African-American people we know.  My son now knows that he’s not “black”.  But this weekend he asked us “What if I grow up to be black?”.

Part of me knows that’s a silly question and that I still have a lot of teaching to do with my kids about race.  But part of me knows that’s a serious question coming from an honest, scared place inside my son.  He’s figuring out that the color of your face can be a deadly serious issue.  And he looks in the mirror and wonders.  Should he be scared?  To him, prejudice makes no sense.  To him, hoodies and affirmative action and hip-hop and race riots mean nothing.  He’s only 8.  He doesn’t know the important history or the rich context.  Yet.

That he lives in a world where brown and beige really mean “black” and “white”.   And “black” and “white” are so much more than colors.

 

 

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SPF 101

March 22, 2012 at 10:01 am · Filed under Go outside!, My Store


Time to talk sunscreen!  We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about sun protection.  I guess summer really snuck up on us.  In March……

Anyway, everyone is looking for the sun protection that will be safest for their little one.  It is often assumed that you should NOT use sunscreen on babies under 6 months.   But, the American Academy of Pediatrics now states that sunscreen is probably safe to use on younger children, especially if you just use it on small areas of your baby’s skin that are exposed to the sun and not protected by clothing, such as the infant’s hands and face.   The issue with sunscreens (and really any body-care product) is that baby’s skin absorbs chemicals so well and their bodies are so tiny, they get a larger “dose” of sunscreen than we do as adults.  Also, they put everything in their mouth.  At the beach, they will be eating sand, chewing on driftwood, and sucking on their hands and feet.  And ingesting a little dose of whatever sunscreen we slathered them with.   So, we have to be thoughtful with we are “dosing” them with.

There are two main types of sunscreen.  Chemical sunscreens work by soaking into your skin and absorbing the UV rays.  Their active ingredients can include Octinoxate, Avobenzone,  etc.   Physical sunscreens work by sitting on top of your skin and scattering the UV rays.  Their active ingredients usually include Titanium dioxide (TiO2) or Zinc oxide (ZnO).

Many people feel more comfortable with physical sunscreens for their babies and children.  In fact, almost all sunscreen specifically branded as “baby” or “kid” are physical sunscreens containing Zinc oxide or Titanium dioxide.  These ingredients are absorbed less through the skin.  They are potentially less toxic than other ingredients.  Also, they are more “visible” on the skin and make it harder to “miss a spot”.

I also think it is important to pay attention to the “inactive ingredients” in sunscreens as well.  Be aware of what preservatives, fragrances, creams, etc are being used.  These are all ingredients that will be absorbed and/or ingested.  Along with all that sand…….. I like to look at ingredient lists and understand most of what I am reading.  I know I’m not a chemist.  I probably won’t understand everything.  Or be able to pronounce anything.  And, really, everything is a chemical.  Water is a chemical.  Olive oil is a chemical.  But they’re pretty natural chemicals.

At Mom and Pop Place, we carry physical sunscreens for kids from Kiss My Face.  They are natural, fragrance-free, SPF 30, water-resistant, and pretty darn safe.  They contain Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide to scatter UV rays.  They also contain things like sunflower seed oil, green tea leaf extract, carrot root extract, and mango seed butter.  They do NOT contain PABA, phthalates, artificial colors, or sodium benzoate*.

So, protect your little one as best you can.  The best sunscreen is common sense.  Stay in the shade, get a wide-brimmed hat, avoid the high-noon rays.  When you decide to use a sunscreen, do a little research to find one you like.   Find a company you trust.  Read the ingredients list.  If something concerns you, look it up.  Ask your friends.  Ask us.  Then go outside!

 

*Did you say “sodium benzoate”?  I’m glad you asked!  That reminds me………we no longer carry any products from California Baby.  Sad, because they used to be our go-to source for safer sunscreens.  But they started changing their ingredients and their formulas.  And not being totally up front about it.  They added the preservative sodium benzoate to several of their products.  That, by itself, would not have been enough for them to lose our business.  Many products need preservatives.  Most people have no problem with sodium benzoate.  But some people do.  And when people started asking California Baby about their formula changes, they were not up-front about it.  They were not respectful of their loyal customers.  They completely disregarded the small (non-Target) companies that built them.  Frankly, they have always been a nightmare to deal with on our end.  Poor customer service, slow ship times, lost orders, no way to reach a real-live-actual person in their office………….but they were California Baby.  Our customers loved their stuff.  We love our customers.  We felt we could at least trust their products whether we liked their office staff or not.  But, when I read the “dialogue” on their Facebook page about the formula changes (which they have now deleted), my choice was pretty clear.  Goodbye California.  Thanks for asking……

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Bearded Ladies and Teachable Moments

March 16, 2012 at 12:36 pm · Filed under My Kids, Parenting


I read a blog post the other day about the top embarrassing things kids say in front of strangers.  They are usually obvious, true things.  That just don’t need to be pointed out.  Loudly.  In public.  Like mustaches on women.  And men wearing a lot of eyeliner.  And people who smell like poop.  Everyone already noticed.  You just pray that your child is not the one to loudly state the obvious.

Because then you have address the issue with them.  Loudly.  In public.  And these are tricky issues to explain to your kids: that it’s ok for women to have mustaches (look at mommy’s!) and it’s ok for dudes to wear make-up.  And, while it’s not really ok to smell like poop, some people just do.  And there’s not much to be accomplished by pointing it out.  You can’t just hush your child or tell them to be quiet.  That’s not very nice.  And it doesn’t work anyway.  If you simply say “shhhhhhhh”, they will just continue to argue their case.  “But mom, she DOES have a mustache!  And it’s not gray like grandma’s!  It’s black like daddy’s!  Look!  See it?  She’s right there……”

You can’t punish or shame a child for stating the truth.  You have to gently and quickly explain WHY they should “shhhhhhhhhhhh.”  Explain that, yes you see it too, but we don’t really need to talk about it right now.  Or that, yes everyone looks different, isn’t that great?  It’s a great Teachable Moment, but if you’re like me, you’d rather have the Teachable Moment in the car on the way home rather than in the check-out line right behind the Bearded Lady.

My most vivid memory of a wonderful Teachable Moment took place in a Subway restaurant.  I was in line with my 2 year-old and my newborn, waiting to order sandwiches, when my oldest pointed out an obvious truth.  The woman in front of us was very very big.  You might even call her fat.  And she had a big butt.  And she had big big wiggly arms.  These were my son’s words, not mine.  They may have been in my (unconscious) thoughts, but they were not my words.  They were my son’s loud, well-enunciated, easily-overheard words.  We all heard him.  Me, the woman in front of us, everyone else in the looooong line.  Crawling away to die was not an option.  My only option was a Teachable Moment.   And I think I did ok.  I explained that, yes that woman was bigger.  People come in all different shapes and sizes, isn’t that great?  And some people who are bigger want to be smaller.  And they have to work really hard to get smaller.  And “fat” is not a naughty word.  But it’s a “word that hurts”.  Especially if someone is working really hard to get smaller.  And so on and so on.  And either I explained it really well or I simply explained it too long, because eventually his eyes glazed over and he moved on to the important topic of the orange street sweeper we had seen that morning.

It’s funny what kids notice.  And it’s funny what they don’t notice.  A few weeks ago, we were having lunch at Grand Avenue Mall in downtown Milwaukee.  I noticed that we were one of the only families there that was NOT African-American.   This is a very different experience from the one we usually have in the mall near our home in Neenah.   I wanted to have a Teachable Moment with my kids.  I wanted them to notice.  I wanted them to ask me why.  I wanted to talk about the northern migration of people of African descent after the Civil War and their concentraion in certain urban areas.  Blah blah blah.  My kids didn’t notice.  And didn’t care.  They’re awesome that way.  When I did ask them if they noticed any differences between Milwaukee and Neenah, they said no.  Sigh.  So I briefly touched on the fact that bigger cities sometimes have a bigger diversity.  More ethnicities, more languages, more socio-economic classes, all that stuff.  And that it is interesting to visit other cities that are different from our city.

At that point, my youngest son looked around and smiled.  “Everyone’s black!” he noted with joy.  Then he added, “Mom, are we black?”

Looks like we need some more Teachable Moments.

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Cut and Paste Chicken

March 11, 2012 at 7:52 am · Filed under Chickens, Go outside!, My House


Well, it’s spring.  And I’m blogging about my chickens.  It seems to happen every year.  I should just cut and paste my post from last time.  But, I can’t help it!

(I do blog more about my kids than about my chickens, though.  I checked my Tag Cloud.)

Every spring, we have our first warm sunny day, and I open up the doors to the coop, and the girls come bursting out into the sunlight, and spend the next joyful hours “discovering” the world outside.  That they forgot was there.  Because it’s been a long winter.  And they are really pretty stupid.  But I love them for that too……….

This time, when I burst into their coop with my pitchfork (another sign of their lack of intelligence is that they’re not at all fazed by being awoken by a girl holding a pitchfork) I found a lovely surprise waiting for me.  6 eggs!  6 tiny almost ridiculous eggs from our 2 tiny almost ridiculous birds………but I was so excited!  They stop laying in the winter.  The days are too short, the coop is too cramped, their energy goes entirely into staying alive in the cold.  These eggs are a joyful sign!  A sign of light and warmth and survival.  36 more of these tiny eggs and I’ll have enough for an omelet………

So, I mucked out the coop, the girls scratched around the yard, I collected the eggs.  I had a few bittersweet moments of remembering the girl that didn’t make it through the winter.  It’s a miracle this bird even made it into the winter.  Tessa was the wrong kind of chicken.  Tessa was a broiler.  Broilers are bred to get so huge so fast, that they are ready to slaughter in 45 days.  We did not do our research.  We saw the world’s most adorable puffy yellow chick and had to have her.  She was so cute you wanted to eat her up………….my point exactly.

OMG she's so cute she's sitting on my hand I don't even care if she poops on me I want her to live in my house forever and ever and ever!!!!!!!!

Um, guys? What happened to Tessa? Why can't she walk? Why did we think it was a good idea to buy a chick from Tractor Supply? That they usually only sell in packs of 30?

Tessa was a good girl.  She made it way past the 45 days.  But she didn’t make it past winter.  I don’t think she had an unhappy life.  She ate and drank and scratched.  She did sit around a lot.  Her legs weren’t strong enough to haul her broiler-ness around for very long at one stretch.  But she got to sit in the sun.  And chase bugs from where she sat.  She gave it up in January.  (I don’t blame her.  January makes me want to give it up most years too…….)  We buried her in the garden.  Which is one (and possibly the only) perk of global warming: we were able to dig a hole in the non-frozen ground even in January.

So, we’re down to 3 girls.  In Neenah, you’re allowed to have 4 hens.  So, we’ll be getting a chick again this spring.   Again, she will be so cute we will let her sit on our hands and poop in our house.  Again, we will spend the first few months praying that she is really a “she” and not a rooster (which would have to go find a “nice home in the country”, like Sasquatch).  Again, we will just want to eat her up!  But, we won’t.  Because, this time, she will NOT be a broiler from Tractor Supply.

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Who’s Who of Boobs

March 9, 2012 at 12:28 pm · Filed under Boobs, My Store


I’m here at the Annual WALC conference in Appleton.  WALC is the Wisconsin Association of Lactation Consultants.  Their conference is the annual gathering of breastfeeding professionals from all over the state (plus a little Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois) right here in Appleton.  To talk about babies and breasts.  Lactation Consultants, RNs, MDs, WIC Counseors, LLL Leaders……..it’s a veritable Who’s Who of Boobs.  And me.

This is maybe my 5th year attending the conference.  I started attending when I was a La Leche League Leader.  At the time, I was in waaaaaay over my head.  It’s a technical conference.  Packed with really smart, really experienced professionals.  I was afraid they’d figure out what a poser I was.  But I learned SO much.  And I left completely fired up over lactation.  I was ready to conquer the world, one nursing mom at a time.  The speakers were so inspiring.  They still are.  Many of them are authors and doctors that I feel like I “know” from their writing and their advocacy.  Lactational Celebrities……..It’s great to hear them speak in person.   (At a different conference, I met Jack Newman.  I love Jack Newman.  So much.  Everyone was having him sign their copy of his latest book.  I didn’t have the book with me.  But I was SO tempted to whip out ……something else….. for him to sign.  SO close.  And I bet he would have done it…..)

I digress.

My exhibit/temporary-home/schmooze station.

Anyway, I love this conference.  Each year has a new highlight.*  I now attend as an exhibitor.  I set up a booth for Mom and Pop Place and I get to show off all the products we offer for breastfeeding, baby wearing, diapering, teething, playing and more!  I get to schmooze all the breastfeeding professionals in the state and (hopefully) convince them how awesome my store is.  I love this conference because it’s a chance to see so many people that I only get to see once a year!  LLL Leaders I used to work with, LCs that refer clients to me, nurses from all over the state.  Our paths sometimes never cross in person, except here at WALC.  We dish about what’s going on at their hospital or on their unit.  We talk about all the new products and services I have.  They suggest useful products I might consider bringing in for their clients.  It’s like a big Boob Reunion.  I even get to chat with the “Other Adria”.  The Adria from Madison who works in lactation.  We were both LLL Leaders at the same time for a  few years.  The existence of 2 Adrias in LLL seemed to blow people’s minds.  We got a lot of each other’s mail and messages.  Now, we have a nice name-bond that we get to renew once a year at WALC!

It’s a big conference this year, about 300 attendees!  It breaks down as about 294 women and 6 men.  Of the 6 men, one is usually a speaker and one is the AV guy.  Usually, we close down the men’s bathroom and take it over for ourselves.  This time, there is another conference in the facility and we had to let them use the men’s bathroom.  Let me tell ya, 12 stalls is not enough for 296 tea-drinking women of child-bearing age with a 15 minute bathroom break.

But, I digress.  Again.

I love this conference.  I sell a bunch of stuff.  I talk to old friends.  I hear amazing speakers.  I still leave fired up to change the world, one nursing mom at a time.

 

*Highlight:  When we’re in the middle of a session on Nipple Trauma which includes an amazingly graphic slide show and the young hotel workers are trying to quietly set up the beverage service in the back of the room.  And simply hearing the word “nipple” might make them snicker, both they are surrounded by a video feed of larger-than-life pictures of bleeding breasts NO ONE wants to see.  They don’t know where to look.  It’s like the usual nursing in public dilemma.  In IMAX size.  There ain’t no Hooter Hider for that………

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Third Time Burn

March 8, 2012 at 4:37 pm · Filed under My Store, Travel


Why not? Tell me. Why not?!?

So, I own an independent retail store.  And I personally choose and order all the stuff I sell.  That makes me a “Buyer”.  (I only know that because it’s what my name tag says when I go to trade shows.)  Big giant chain stores have professional Buyers.  Buying is their job.  They went to school for marketing.  They know spending trends.  They track market demographics and geographical trends and make quarterly buying decisions a year in advance blah blah blah.

I run a small independent business.  I wash dishes and balance checking accounts and shovel snow and pour whole milk into sippy cups.  When I get a chance, I do some “market research”:  I talk to moms.  I surf the web.  I talk to other business owners.  In my own way, I am a Professional Buyer.  In my years of Professional-Buyer-Awesomeness, I have learned many things.  I have learned these things in My Own Way.*

Yet, some things I apparently refuse to learn.  Ask my staff.  They almost refuse to let me go to buying shows any more.  Last time, they made me bring my mom and TWO sisters with me as a safety net.  And my team did talk me down from some seriously ill-advised new products.  There are certain products that just won’t sell.  But that I just will not give up.  So, I’m throwing this blog out there so all you readers will hold me accountable.  I need to stop buying…….

1. Shoes (specifically SeeKaiRun)

2. Clothing (specifically Zutano)

3. Diaper Bags (specifically ANY)

There I said it.  These things do not sell. At least not in my store.  No matter how much I want them to sell.  No matter how awesome they are.  No matter how pretty they look against my brick wall.  I can’t sell them.  Professional Buyers learn their lessons the first time.  I learn my lessons the third time.  (The “charmed” time, if you will.) Why don’t they sell?  They don’t sell because my customers are thrifty and they are smart.  My store is not a boutique or a high-end registry store.  My store is more like a hardware store.  I pride myself in having really useful, really high-quality, really important baby products.  I stock things that moms tend to buy for themselves, because they need them.  And they know it.  You people are thrifty.  And you are smart.  Smarter than me, apparently.  If you want fancy expensive clothes and designer diaper bags, you will find them in Excellent Used Condition on Craigslist.  I love that about you.  You people use cloth diapers, for goodness sake!  You don’t want $45 booties for your pre-walker.  I know this.  But I forget…….

OMG!!!!!!!!! LOVE!!!!!!!!

I came home from the last trade show with a huge order for Newborn clothes from Zutano and a strong (but unconvincing) argument for why THIS time would be different from the first time.  And second time. That we got burned on Zutano.  Dang, I love Zutano.  SO SO SO cute.  And, when you go to the trade shows, their booth is so pretty and colorful and welcoming and they play nice music and they serve ham and brie crostini and brew espresso right there for you and offer you a chair and you’re so tired from walking and…………..see what I mean?   They get me every time.  I love Zutano.  You love Zutano too.  But you don’t come in to Mom and Pop Place to buy Zutano.  You need Snot Suckers and giant nursing bras.  That’s cool.  We’re not a fancy boutique.  We don’t want to be a fancy boutique.  We want to offer useful, quality products we can vouch for.  I can vouch for Zutano.  That stuff is adorable and solid.  It will last you through 14 children.  You will cry over the cuteness.  But the outfit is $56.  You will also cry over the price.  I can’t, in good conscience, suggest to your mother-in-law that she buy you that size 0-3 month outfit for $75, when I really think she should get you a Moby and a Sophie Giraffe.

Sigh.

You should ask my staff about SeeKaiRun shoes.  I love those shoes.  But, like I said, third time’s a charm.  Or a curse.  If you’re gonna sell $45 shoes, you have to have every size and every style and every brand.  Oh well.  We still get the catalogs.  I like to wander around the store holding the SeeKaiRun catalog to see how long it takes before a staff member rips it out of my hand.  Cute.

Diaper bags still mystify me.  I’m having a harder time letting go of diaper bags.  We should be able to sell diaper bags right?  Well we can’t.  But we should, right?  Right?!  That third time was close.  We did sell a few.  And, when we clearanced them out, they sold out in 1 day.  (See, you people are smart.  You’ll wait for the sale.)  It was the Third Time Burn………….But, since then, four people have stopped in asking about those diaper bags we used to have.  Wishing they would have bought one when they saw it.  Wondering when we will get more.

These people are not helping.  My resolve is slipping.  Maybe I need to bring back diaper bags.  Maybe THIS TIME will be different.  Fourth time’s a charm, right?

*”My Own Way” is to repeatedly buy large lots of ill-advised things on impulse only to regret them the moment that arrive by UPS and then try to talk them up on Facebook only to end up marking them 70% off and finally throwing away the remaining items just so I could stop them from taunting me from the back of the store.

Comments (3)

Picture Day Postscript

October 28, 2011 at 11:45 am · Filed under My Kids, Parenting


There they are! Gage and Solon in all their long-haired, chicken-necklace, crazy-toothed glory. They're beautiful. 🙂

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