Success Through Play™ Magazine: GYPSY MAMA, LLC

Success Through Play™ had the pleasure of sitting down with Kristi a single mother to Morgaine, Orion, and Isaac. owner of Gypsy Mama, LLC.

Please can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the creation of your company?

I started Gypsy Mama in May of 2004 after I received a gift of gauze wraps. I liked them so much that with the help The Mamatoto Project (who had gifted me the wraps), I began selling them. What began as a tiny company is now a small company, continuing to grow with the support of our customers. We not only added several products since opening our store, but added several retailers as well. This business was born out of a desire to promote attachment parenting in all its aspects. Babywearing is the keystone of my own parenting; it has helped me evolve into the mother I've become, and I want to help other families find the joy babywearing can bring to their lives! In fact, I so enjoy carrying my children that I have never owned a stroller. Gypsy Mama was made possible partly through a small business loan from The Mamatoto Project, an organization that helps families by giving away free carriers to the needy as well as through small-business loans to help fund businesses like this one. Please consider making a donation to The Mamatoto Project so they can help even more families! Working at home gives me the flexibility to practice full-time attachment parenting while supporting my children financially. In this way, I am able to homeschool my children, practice extended breastfeeding and gentle discipline, and be present in their daily lives. I feel fortunate to have the support of my family and also my customers - without that support I couldn't do what I'm doing.

The Gypsy Mama product range includes:

Keep up to date with the latest Gypsy Mama news by visiting our blog.

Can you tell us more about the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap™ ?
Gypsy Mama's Water Wrap™ is one of a kind! I have not seen anything else like this wonderful, extremely fast-drying fabric. One customer commented that she could simply towel-dry it and wear it under a robe till she was ready to dress! The Water Wrap™ is different in that it is designed for a specific application – use in water. We do have many customers who use this carrier as an “everywhere” wrap (on the front only), but once your baby hits 20-25 pounds, most find it too narrow and stretchy to continue comfortably carrying a child on land. If you are submerged in water, such as in a shallow pool, this is still suitable for carrying even preschool children while keeping your hands free, but this won't be comfortable out of the water. In summary, for showering and swimming, the water wrap is a wonderful carrier. For a stylish out-of-water carrier that folds up compactly, the Water Wrap™ is suitable until babies reach 20-25 pounds. In fact, the high-tech sports-knit may help keep you and your baby cool and dry on sweaty days. For brief, 15-minute bursts of babywearing on land, you may be able to use the Water Wrap™ up until approximately 30 – 35 pounds, but you will find many more suitable carriers for this purpose.

Features of the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap™ (according to Gypsy Mama)

Soft, silky, hypoallergenic fabric

Hi-tech sports knit wicks moisture and sweat away from the skin

Tapered ends and narrow body make this carrier lightweight and cool.

Manufacturer guarantees a UPF (UV Protection Factor) of 15+ to help prevent sunburn and minimize sunscreen use --

Fabric blocks over 93% of the sun's rays (compare to Solarveil which blocks 70%).

Soft, stretchy fabric feels great on the skin and is perfect for front/hip carrying, both in and out of the water!

Use with newborns through preschoolers.

Just-right amount of stretch makes it easy to wash between you and baby when showering without adjusting the carrier.

Folds down small – fits great in your bag!

Soft finished edge eliminates painful pressure points on your child's legs.

Silky, slinky fabric even looks great for evening wear!

PURCHASING

Shop the Gypsy Mama online store by clicking here

Find a retailer in your country by clicking here

Success Through Play™ Comments:

Gypsy Mama, LLC has a fantastic website that can be accessed by clicking here. If you need some help deciding which Gypsy Mama products will work best for you, please click here . For assistance with selecting the correct size, please visit this link. For wearing instructions please click here (please note that this info is copywriters by Gypsy Mama) Not to be missed is the frugal baby wearing section which can be accessed via this link. Care directions for washing can be found here. Looking for a bargain? Check out the sales at Gypsy Mama via this link

Gypsy Mama kindly sent us the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap™ to test drive. Our test panel were most intrigued by the very unique stretchy fabric of the water wrap™ and agreed that they hadn't seen anything like this on the market!. The parent test panel commented that they had never showered with their 10 month year old baby before but were eager to try! Gypsy Mama offers guidelines for showering safely with your baby and for wading in the water while wearing the Water Wrap™. After being briefed on the safety guidelines, our panel were ready to try it for themselves. They really enjoyed showering with their baby and commented how the water wrap™ was a life saver as their baby is currently going through quite a fussy stage (10 months and has been experiencing separation anxiety. "The fabric dries fast which is a huge bonus". Gypsy Mama sells a great selection of wraps and also offers adorable reversible floppy hats for children.

We are proud to feature Kristi and her company Gypsy Mama, LLC on our site and applaud her for creating a well respected business while simultaneously being able to practice attachment parenting. Kristi has come along way since she received her first gauze wrap as a gift. Congratulations on your success. Kristi, you are inspiration to us all.