Look, Mom, one hand

Invention lets parents multitask while feeding baby  

As a man with attention deficit disorder, Arik Bannister knows the frustration of having too many things going on at once.

Add a new baby to that mix, and things could really get dicey.

When Bannister's son, Cole, was born nine months ago, the new father quickly came to the conclusion he could get a lot more done while feeding the baby "if I had one hand free."

That's when Bannister, an Aurora resident and former X-ray technician at Edward Hospital in Naperville, came up with the idea for the Baba Belt, an adjustable strap that fits around Mom's or Dad's neck like a tie and includes an elastic sleeve that holds the baby's bottle at the angle or position you choose.

Bannister, who was diagnosed with ADD a couple of years ago, attributes his success with the Baba Belt to, of all things, his disability.

People with attention deficit disorder, he says, have an abundance of creativity, ideas and energy but usually can't channel any of them productively.

"ADD can be crippling," he admits. "But it can also be empowering if you know how to deal with it."

After he began taking medication for the problem, Bannister experienced a complete turnaround. Where he was "disorganized and messy" before, he turned into a "neat freak." And all the creative ideas that used to tumble around in his head with little or no direction suddenly became crystal-clear.

Gubbinsway Falls New Product Development launched the product online in late January. The growing popularity of the Baba Belt is no surprise to Bannister's wife, Colleen. "I actually use it every time I feed my baby now," she said.

The neck strap has a side-release buckle, the type found on backpacks, and it holds the bottle so the caregiver has complete freedom of one hand. That means Mom or Dad can answer the phone or stir the soup or use the computer while the child continues to nurse.

It also enables the parent to hold the baby with both arms, thus decreasing back strain.

"Parents have more going on today," Bannister said, "so it has become necessary to multitask daily while still giving our children the physical attention they need."

For information about the product, go to www.gubbinswayfalls.com/bababelt.htm or call (800) 313-7690, Ext 2.

5/4/05