A Broadstairs mum says the latest lockdown has helped her focus on her innovative business making and selling super soft and absorbent baby bibs and eco-friendly teething rings.
Maeve Stankiste – who is mum to Bronwen, seven, and Jonah,four -created JB Bibs some two-and-a-half years ago after becoming fed up with shop bought bibs that left her little ones’ necks sore and red.
The 36-year-old creates bibs made from cotton backed with soft ‘Minky’ polyester fabric, which is durable but gentle for babies’ skin.
The former radio broadcaster, who has worked at stations including BBC Essex and Thanet Academy FM, said: “Both my babies were real dribblers and messy eaters. The bibs I was using were no good for the amount of drool and I was changing them every half hour but they were getting red and sore necks.
“Sometimes bib material is quite harsh and new born babies have very sensitive skin. So, I started looking at different types of materials that were soft but absorbent and came up with the idea to make my own.
“I was doing it at home and friends and family wanted them and then they started recommending me which was wonderful.
“During the first lockdown I was full time with the children so it got put to one side but the last few months I have found a balance and I can focus on it properly. It is a nice distraction from what is going on in the world.”
The former Dane Court student, who moved back to Broadstairs to bring up her children, also gives a percentage of all sales to UK charity, Pregnancy Sickness Support.
Maeve said: “I want to give something back. I suffered awfully in pregnancy with my daughter, it was not a fun time at all. I was sick up to 30 times a day, it was horrible. It was also very isolating and so bad that I was losing enamel off my teeth, I was even sick during the C section.”
The condition Maeve was suffering from is known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is much more severe than morning sickness and results in severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly dehydration.
Maeve said: “The charity were life-savers for me. They were just amazing. There is so little understanding of this (condition) but it can be really nasty and leave mental as well as physical scars. The support they provided me, especially when I had my second baby, was so wonderful that I want to give back and help others in the same position.”
Pregnancy Sickness Support works to improve care, treatment and support for women suffering from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and those with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). The charity provides information, raises awareness and is involved in ongoing research into the cause and treatment of the condition.
It is a small charity and relies heavily on donations and fund-raising from sufferers and the work of volunteers.
