I could be getting old but every now and then I come across a product and think, things are definitely getting easier for new parents. Before everyone starts throwing used nappies at me, please let me tell you why!
Going to the beach, let alone swimming at the beach or pool, when my boys were really little was a nightmare. I’m talking about a time when I had a 2 year old and a newborn and unless we had an entourage on hand things were tough.
One family “fun day” in particular stands out…
It was the first time we decided to take both boys to the beach and my husband was trying to put up a shade tent (read: for the first time and it was taking ages), my eldest son had taken off into the water with no intention of coming back or staying within the flags #whatflags and I was there trying to sort both of them out with a babe in arms. Thankfully another family came to help us with the tent so we could get the baby under shade quickly and I could also sort out our two year old.
I recently heard about an amazing invention from an Aussie mum who has designed a baby carrier for water. It’s by Frog Orange and it’s so genius it’s one of those…why didn’t I think to make the taco flat inventions because you can basically hands-free parent in the water!
It was also nominated in this year’s Gift & Life Instyle Awards (GALA) kids, toys and games category.
The owner Victoria has shared the background to her invention with us in the guest blog post below. We are also giving one lucky family…yes you’re lucky (ducks) the chance to win one of these game changing carriers.
Over to Victoria to tell her story….
How the Frog Orange Baby Carrier came to be…
I have always loved the water. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of the family holidays we spent at Point Lonsdale or Portsea. Long days at the beach getting tossed around by the waves and laughing so hard that my tummy hurt.
I knew that when I had children, that I would want to share my love of the water with them.
When we took our first born to the beach for the first time, my husband felt a bit nervous taking her into the sea. She was slippery and he wasn’t confident that she would stay in his arms. There were mesh baby carriers available at the time, but they weren’t the easiest to use, as they had to be tied a certain way and in his opinion, they weren’t very manly!
It was at this point that we decided to design our own structured baby carrier for water. And after three years of designing and prototyping, with the help of a baby-wearing consultant, we had our product.
The Frog Orange baby carrier for water was designed with mums and dads in mind, which is why it has a sporty look and quick release safety click buckles, which are simple to use. It is comfortable, colourful and evokes a sense of fun, whilst also being a product for safety.
Our carrier maintains the all-important ergonomic M sitting position, and as it’s made of neoprene (wet suit material), it is buoyant in the water and keeps little one warm when wet. Our ultimate goal was to make water fun easier for families of little ones.
Today, I enjoy taking my three girls to the beach and sharing with them, my passion and connection to the water. We mainly head to the Brighton beach boxes or the pool.
With three girls under 4 years of age, taking all three with me into the water is only possible if I have my youngest in the carrier. That way, my arms are free to pull the other two on their noodles. My husband is confident having all three girls in the water on his own too, whilst I’m out surfing!
Since we launched the Frog Orange baby carrier for water in December last year, I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback. Parents love the fact that the carrier folds into a small carry bag, which makes it so convenient to take on holidays.
When we hear comments from parents that the carrier makes their lives less stressful around water and allows them to enjoy an active lifestyle with their kids, whether it’s at home or on holidays, we realise that we have achieved what we set out to achieve. xx Victoria
WIN
WIN! A Frog Orange Baby Carrier for water!
DETAILS
The Frog Orange Baby Carrier retails for $139 AUD and is currently available in blue and orange with more colours coming soon! Visit: www.frogorange.com.au for further product information and stockists.
