First Time Parents University

[Anonymous]

I have a business idea and I would like to hear about your ideas as well.

I had my first baby without family or friends around. Just me and DH and if it was not for DCUM and the Breastfeeding Center in DC I have no idea what I'd have done.

I was thinking of a place where we could concentrate all the great things we find all over the place:

Starting with Lamaze, Bradley and such classes.

Breastfeeding classes,

Parenting books library,

Baby care classes,

Baby "wearing" classes,

CPR and First aid classes,

Lactation Consultants on site,

Baby registry assistance (someone to sit down with you and talk about your life style and help you to figure what you need to buy and maybe go to the store and help you to register - boy how I would love to have that when I had my first baby...)

Support groups - nursing the infant, nursing your toddler, introducing solids, sleep deprived, PPD, etc - weekly or bi-weekly meetings to brainstorm and share our experiences

Online support forum - like DCUM but with login info

On site store

Babysitting recruiting service

Baby and me classes

What do you think?

Would you need our services? Would you recommend it?

[Anonymous]

Great idea, OP. I laugh when I see new moms out with their babies and not being able to pee without their mom hanging over their shoulder or doing everything for them as if they were an infant themselves. I think it does the new mom no good not to figure it out themselves, frankly. I think your service could only help in this way. Enough help without being pathetic. Hey that could be your motto Seriously, good idea. Go with it.

[Anonymous]

That's good to hear Keep it coming!

[Anonymous]

If you end up having a physical space, you could also consider booking events geared toward babies, toddlers or young kids. It's fun to have somewhere to take your little kids besides just the park, and little kids like to dance to live music. You could charge $5/person and probably do pretty well if you publicize it right. Storytime could be cool too and that could probably be free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you end up having a physical space, you could also consider booking events geared toward babies, toddlers or young kids. It's fun to have somewhere to take your little kids besides just the park, and little kids like to dance to live music. You could charge $5/person and probably do pretty well if you publicize it right. Storytime could be cool too and that could probably be free.

This - because you're going to need to make money somehow. i think this sounds really helpful, but maybe not so lucrative.

[Anonymous]

There are parenting classes for couples. Honestly, childrearing is not difficult. I have three and common sense is the best teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are parenting classes for couples. Honestly, childrearing is not difficult. I have three and common sense is the best teacher.

OP here.

While I agree on the common sense I was thinking about my personal experience and the anxiety and insecurity sometimes took over and my common sense was put in the back burner until I heard the nurse on the other side of the line saying MOM IT'S OK TO TRUST YOUR GUT FEELINGS and it felt so good! New moms need support and unfortunately this kind of statements, while true, are not helpful to them at all.

My business idea would run in a big city. A place like DC for example, where people live far from their families, where people are still finding friends, etc. It's more like a place to look for support, something I needed since I had no family or friends around when my first child was born.

I'm a teacher switching careers to health care and I would love to share my experience with other moms. I love telling other moms about the BF center and other sources. My friends often call me or write to me asking for my opinion on things, recommendations, etc. My husband is pushing me to making this a profession and I think I like his idea.

I was reading about the crisis nursery and I would love to be able to run such place too...

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts with me.

[Anonymous]

OP,

Your teaching background will serve you well. You could initially - to save some $ - facilitate sessions yourself. Can you pull in teacher pals, too?

I've trained teachers in the past, and although they can be the worst participants (no exaggeration here!), many make dynamic trainers. I'd focus on upper level - those certified in health and even food science. Think about a session on healthy, quick meals, for example. Hell, you could even do a resume writing workshop for moms thinking of re-entering the workforce. An English/business teacher duo would be a great combination for this session.

good luck

[Anonymous]

OP,

This would involve renting space, correct.
Research commercial rental space.
That could stop you dead in your tracks!
Also, is the market as big as you think?
Many parents I know have family in the area, and would be less likely to use a P.U.
Plus, it should be NEW PARENTS U. You want to attract folks having their second or third. First time limits your market base!
Start thinking BUSINESS PLAN.

[Anonymous]

I think it is a good concept and potentially attractive. You need to do some hard work on the numbers to see if it could make sense.
Key will trying to generate sustainable revenue out of this - otherwise you could be spending a lot of money trying to attract new people in.

[Anonymous]

I don't know. As nervous as I was as a first time mom (and I didn't have family around to help), I still needed to do it on my own. It's how you develop confidence. Also, even with my closest friends who I feel are very similar to me in views, temperament, etc., we still have very different parenting styles and priorities. I don't really want someone I don't know telling me how to parent. Plus, everything you mentioned is already available although not in one central location. But it strikes me as "jack of all trades, master of none" if you try to lump all of those stages together in one location.

Now one place I do see a need is in having GOOD lactation consultants that are available and not too expensive. I talked to/visited 3 and didn't really get much helpful info. I know there are some great ones out there, but they are hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is a good concept and potentially attractive. You need to do some hard work on the numbers to see if it could make sense.
Key will trying to generate sustainable revenue out of this - otherwise you could be spending a lot of money trying to attract new people in.

This. I think you need to do something thinking about how to make money doing this. I see something like this working in big cities like DC/NY/SF. Not so much in middle America. Maybe some affiliation with a local hospital system that would give you free space?

[Anonymous]

I wonder if you'd need a physical space. You might just be able to do this as a consulting business . . . kind of like the sleep whisperer lady.

[Anonymous]

I think you'd have to differentiate a lot of your classes from the traditional fare taught at hospitals.

[Anonymous]

I think you should just take out the Mom and Dad on a boot camp before the baby is born or before they conceive and put them through endless drills of cleaning-up spills, washing laundry, trying to fix food with one hand and then eat it while constantly being interrupted by things that happen which need immediate attention. Do this for 48 hours. All you need is one small studio like space to replicate the scenario. lol