After nearly chopping the tips off her baby son’s fingers with nailclippers one night, exasperated Whittier mom Laurie Gadbois said “Someone should invent a clipper with a light on it,” she recalled.
But rather than let her frustration rest, the Whittier resident began searching the Internet for a lighted clipper. When she came up empty, Gadbois decided to invent one - just in time for Mother’s Day.
Gadbois has launched her product in various local baby stores - including “Rattle N’ Roll” in Uptown Whittier - and nationally at some chain and online stores.
Carolyn Guess, owner of USA Baby in San Dimas, said she has already sold out of her first shipment of Baby Lights and has ordered a second batch. She sells the clips for $9.99.
Her journey from idea to reality, however, was longer and more arduous than she ever imagined.
“You have no idea of all that’s involved to get even a little plastic tool like this to market,” said Gadbois, 41, who launched her “Baby Light & Clip” six weeks ago. “I’ve never done anything like it. But I kept walking my way through it and got closer and closer.”
Photo from Mom Inventors, Inc.
PWF on May 15th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Now why the heck didn’t I think of that. I’m always trying to think of some simple gadget that everyone needs. Never would have come up with that one.
PWF