Into the Mouths of Babes: Ingenious bib helps busy parents

By Lynn DeGrande

For the baby who has everything, Ken and Virginia (Yatooma) Krolczyk
invented a non-conventional bib that can be used almost anywhere.

Designed to hold a baby's bottle for feeding, the Multi Purpose Bib allows a
parent to free one or both hands.  Ken created the bib in 1999 to free his
hands while feeding Brennan, the couple's first child.  "I sewed the first
one by hand and then our second one that we wanted to make even a little
better, I had my mother sew it because she knows how to sew," Ken said.
"Then, basically, it was kept a secret for the next five years."

The couple used the bib only in their home and automobile.  They also used
it with their other children, Alena, 5, and Viveca, 16 months.  But the
Krolczyks believe in their invention, so approximately six months after
creating it, they applied for a patent, which became official in 2000.
Despite that, the bib sat idle for several years.  A family move, a third
child and other family matters left no time to market the product.  But the
family continued to use it. "This bib was a godsend," Virginia recalled. "I
don't know how I would have survived all that was going on without it."

Finally, in an effort to market their product, the couple contacted
manufacturing companies and retained two marketing firms.  The couple sent
letters and packages to the Oprah Winfrey Show, baby stores, manufacturers
and department stores.  The efforts were of no avail.  It seemed to the
Krolczyks that companies wanted to work with established merchandise rather
than new products.

"Instead of waiting for someone to say, 'hey, we are going to make them for
you,' we will do it ourselves," Ken decided. So, earlier this year, the
Krolczyks took a sewing class, purchased a sewing machine, and started
making and marketing the bibs.

They have plans for two craft shows, including the Baby Trade Show at the
Novi Expo Center to be held March 3-4, 2007.  "This is going to be one of
the big chances we take because it is very expensive to get a booth there,"
Ken said.

The Krolczyks are also working to get the product into hospital gift shops.
"We feel we have something that will help alleviate stress for new mothers,"
Virginia said. "We believe in our product 100 percent because we have used
it."

Although designed for newborns up to 8 or 9 months, the bib can be used for
older infants when the child is too tired to hold the bottle.  Plus, "One
guy bought one for his disabled daughter, so now he bottle-feeds her using
one of the bibs," Virginia said.

The Multi Purpose Bib fits around the baby's neck like a normal bib; an
elastic strap holds the bottle in place.  The bottle starts on a downward
slope because of the holder's design.  As it empties and there is less
weight on the pillow, the stuffing keeps the bottle tilted forward toward
the baby. Made from cotton material with a hypo allergenic polyester fill,
the bib is available in different fabric patterns.  It is priced at $12.

Some parents have worried that the bottle could get stuck in the baby's
mouth, but Ken said babies have no problem spitting out the bottle when they
want. "It's not made to leave the child alone, but it is where you can be
freed up from having to hold the baby while feeding," he said.  (The couple
stressed parents should be in the same room with the baby at all times, and
have placed a warning label to that effect on the product.)

Virginia's sister, Lisa Haugh, has a Multi Purpose Bib for her son, Daniel.
"I just love that he can do it himself," she said. "It also teaches the baby
to hold the bottle on their own."

So far, the couple has sold more than 100 bibs. "We have only heard positive
responses," Virginia said.  "One of the biggest feedbacks we get is people
who use it when pushing the baby in a stroller," Ken added.