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Anita Jamshidi
Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us,who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.
Teaching kids the importance of helping other people is one of the many challenges of motherhood. This is a life lesson that every parent struggles to instill on their children, in hopes that each one will one day make a positive impact on someone else's life.
When Anita Jamshidi approaches this lesson with her four kids, she takes a hands-on approach that shows her kids just how helpful they can be.
"I pray every day that I raise children that treat themselves and others kindly, that they value honesty and that they care for one another, but that they also think of others and what others may need," Jamshidi says.
As an example, at least once a year, Jamshidi puts a box in her children's rooms and asks that they put in it the toys and clothes they have outgrown, no longer use or wish to share with someone in need. "Then as a family, we go to a local shelter to drop off the things we have collected," she says. "The children get to see that there are people who really appreciate their thoughtfulness, and I get to see the impact that their gesture has on them."
Meet the Family
Jamshidi is a solution-oriented mom who lives in Great Falls, Va., with her husband, Bahram, and their four children.
Aundia is 9 and in the third grade. She is starting to realize the fun of being a girl, discovering lip gloss, perfume, s***ts and all things girly, Jamshidi says.
Her son, Neikon, is 7 and loves anything nature- and sports-related. "If he could sleep comfortably with his tennis racket and ball, I seriously think he would," Jamshidi says. "Then there's Arshon, our 4-year-old son who gives the word 'challenging' new meaning each and every day with his curiosity and his desire to keep up with his older brother and sister." Arshon also plays a major role in taking care of his baby sister, 11-month-old Neilly.
"Neilly has a ways to go before she can keep up with her older siblings physically, but she's got them wrapped around her little fingers like you wouldn't believe," Jamshidi says. "This includes her Daddy as well."
A Product Is Born
After several years of experimentation and testing, Jamshidi settled on a design that achieved her goal of hands-free nursing. The Utterly Yours Breast Pillow is a curved, wedge-shaped piece of memory foam with a textured fabric cover that grips in place while nursing. The curved side is covered with soft Sherpa material that is comfortable against baby's face, and the pillow can easily be manipulated and put into place with one hand.
When Jamshidi felt comfortable that her product was ready, she toted a suitcase to a conference for lactation consultants. She brought along her sister and business partner, Nadia Jamshidi, who has a background in public relations and marketing. And both women were overwhelmed by the response that this little pillow got from the lactation consultants. By the end of the first day, they were wiped out of samples, and that's when the sisters knew the product was something that could help moms everywhere.
After the trade show demonstrated such a need, they started selling to specialty shops and small retailers. In 2005, the Utterly Yours Breast Pillow won an iParenting Media Award for product excellence. Now, the little pillow is in mass distribution with six sales representatives and distributors covering international ground. And they're in the process of marketing a hospital-grade pillow to hospitals for women to experiment with postpartum, before some of the big breastfeeding challenges present themselves. The only thing different about this version is the cover, which is waterproof and disposable for use in healthcare settings.
"My goal is to reach moms at the hospital level before they get frustrated and give up on breastfeeding," Jamshidi says. "Nursing is natural, but it's not easy for all women. The pillow addresses one need in the entire spectrum of nursing challenges. I've stepped beyond doing something for my family and been able to do something for other families."
Jamshidi hopes that her children will learn from her perseverance and determination to perfect her problem-solving invention. "I want them to know that the ideas and curiosities they have are worth exploring, that they can absolutely work hard and hopefully 'think out of the box,' to see those ideas through," she says.
Teaching kids the importance of helping other people is one of the many challenges of motherhood. This is a life lesson that every parent struggles to instill on their children, in hopes that each one will one day make a positive impact on someone else's life.
When Anita Jamshidi approaches this lesson with her four kids, she takes a hands-on approach that shows her kids just how helpful they can be.
"I pray every day that I raise children that treat themselves and others kindly, that they value honesty and that they care for one another, but that they also think of others and what others may need," Jamshidi says.
As an example, at least once a year, Jamshidi puts a box in her children's rooms and asks that they put in it the toys and clothes they have outgrown, no longer use or wish to share with someone in need. "Then as a family, we go to a local shelter to drop off the things we have collected," she says. "The children get to see that there are people who really appreciate their thoughtfulness, and I get to see the impact that their gesture has on them."
Meet the Family
Jamshidi is a solution-oriented mom who lives in Great Falls, Va., with her husband, Bahram, and their four children.
Aundia is 9 and in the third grade. She is starting to realize the fun of being a girl, discovering lip gloss, perfume, s***ts and all things girly, Jamshidi says.
Her son, Neikon, is 7 and loves anything nature- and sports-related. "If he could sleep comfortably with his tennis racket and ball, I seriously think he would," Jamshidi says. "Then there's Arshon, our 4-year-old son who gives the word 'challenging' new meaning each and every day with his curiosity and his desire to keep up with his older brother and sister." Arshon also plays a major role in taking care of his baby sister, 11-month-old Neilly.
"Neilly has a ways to go before she can keep up with her older siblings physically, but she's got them wrapped around her little fingers like you wouldn't believe," Jamshidi says. "This includes her Daddy as well."
A Product Is Born
After several years of experimentation and testing, Jamshidi settled on a design that achieved her goal of hands-free nursing. The Utterly Yours Breast Pillow is a curved, wedge-shaped piece of memory foam with a textured fabric cover that grips in place while nursing. The curved side is covered with soft Sherpa material that is comfortable against baby's face, and the pillow can easily be manipulated and put into place with one hand.
When Jamshidi felt comfortable that her product was ready, she toted a suitcase to a conference for lactation consultants. She brought along her sister and business partner, Nadia Jamshidi, who has a background in public relations and marketing. And both women were overwhelmed by the response that this little pillow got from the lactation consultants. By the end of the first day, they were wiped out of samples, and that's when the sisters knew the product was something that could help moms everywhere.
After the trade show demonstrated such a need, they started selling to specialty shops and small retailers. In 2005, the Utterly Yours Breast Pillow won an iParenting Media Award for product excellence. Now, the little pillow is in mass distribution with six sales representatives and distributors covering international ground. And they're in the process of marketing a hospital-grade pillow to hospitals for women to experiment with postpartum, before some of the big breastfeeding challenges present themselves. The only thing different about this version is the cover, which is waterproof and disposable for use in healthcare settings.
"My goal is to reach moms at the hospital level before they get frustrated and give up on breastfeeding," Jamshidi says. "Nursing is natural, but it's not easy for all women. The pillow addresses one need in the entire spectrum of nursing challenges. I've stepped beyond doing something for my family and been able to do something for other families."
Jamshidi hopes that her children will learn from her perseverance and determination to perfect her problem-solving invention. "I want them to know that the ideas and curiosities they have are worth exploring, that they can absolutely work hard and hopefully 'think out of the box,' to see those ideas through," she says.