FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2018 - Startup answers Ashton Kutcher’s call to action, creates award winning portable diaper changing station
Changing diapers is serious business, which means it requires skill and proper resources to accomplish. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles preventing parents from taking care of said business in a clean, safe way. Some people - dads in particular - don’t even get the chance. In Ashton Kutcher’s words, "There are NEVER diaper changing stations in men's public restrooms.” So, he called the world to action by saying, #BeTheChange.
A Virginia startup based in Midlothian answered this call to action. Mompreneurs Brenda and Mahnaz Moosa saw a need that wasn’t being met for all parents, so they created a lightweight, portable option that was both safe and clean: Baby Change-N-Go. The product weighs 2.5 pounds and collapses to fit into a diaper bag/backpack/stroller.
The idea took off as they conducted some research, realizing how unsanitary the task can be in public restrooms. After reading a UK study testing 100 baby changing stations, the results shocked the two women; 92 percent of the stations came back positive for cocaine residue. During their research, they also came across a horrifying story about a cruel prank, in which someone stuck pins into changing tables, risking severe harm to toddlers and infants.
“We resorted to changing our babies in the car,” Brenda said. “But even then, things were difficult, as it was too dependent upon the weather and whether or not it was a ‘Number One’ or ‘Number Two’ situation. Slanted seats and consoles were not easy to maneuver, so we ran out of options.” Privacy is also a big issue when it comes to changing your baby’s diapers. Very few public bathroom changing stations are private, Brenda said, and from experience, they agree that the car isn’t very private either. Conveniently, Baby Change-N-Go can be used in the privacy of a bathroom stall.
The two moms continued their research for an answer but quickly realized they had to be the answer. In October 2014, plans were sketched on the back of an envelope, and now that sketch has become a reality. In March 2015, the two women contacted a design company that would bring the drawing to life. Part of that process was to complete a New Product Innovation Research Study to determine the product’s demand. “We wanted to know if the market would be viable for a product like ours,” Mahnaz said. “We had a feeling it was a product the consumer had never seen before.”
Around 411 parents were asked key questions, and in the end, results showed that 89 percent of them claimed that if Baby Change-N-Go existed, they would buy it. The viability took them to the next step. They chose the design, built five prototypes and took it through some strenuous safety testing, which meant that hazard experts, human behavior experts and child development experts examined the product. Based on the experts' advice, they made a few changes that would support the women’s desire for safety as top priority, and now the product has been made available for retail and wholesale distribution.
Baby Change-N-Go has received The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval 2017, Family Choice Award 2017, Baby Maternity Magazine Top Choice Award 2017 and Creative Child Magazine Product of the Year Award 2017. The company also signed deals for online listings for Baby Change-N-Go fo Buy Buy Baby and Bed Bath & Beyond. The award winning Baby Change-N-Go is quickly becoming the most sought after baby shower gift for expecting parents and is revolutionizing diaper changing on the go....for ALL parents!