Two moms Create Handy Diaper Bag/Baby Carrier Combo

Journal Newspapers:

It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. But sometimes, motherhood necessitates invention. Two local moms found this to be true when they combined their talents and experience to create a simple, but amazingly useful baby product.

After three years of researching, designing and manufacturing, Kimi Boal of Mill Creek and Julia Young of Wallingford recently began selling their Sidekick, a stylish, functional baby bag that doubles as a hip carrier for a child, at local children’s boutiques and online. They’re finding parents are thrilled with the concept and the functionality of the product.

Almost any mom can attest to the fact that two hands are just not enough when it comes to venturing out of the house with kids. Juggling a purse, car keys, a diaper bag, car seat - and don’t forget the child! - tests the skills of even the most experienced mom. Julia Young found herself facing an added challenge with her firstborn, Max, who wanted to be carried all the time. Walking around Green Lake with him in a stroller was next to impossible because he cried the whole way, wanting to be held. She found a sling to be bulky and uncomfortable with no hip support, which put strain on her shoulders. Knowing that most babies quickly outgrow front carriers, she purchased a hip carrier, but there were only a few on the market and she had to remember to bring it with her.

One day when her hands were full and she’d forgotten the carrier, in a split-second moment of problem solving, she propped him up on her messenger-style bag and carried him.

A light bulb went off and the idea for the Sidekick was born.