A real fab mom figures out what resource she wishes she had when she was pregnant, invents it, and then makes it available for up-and-coming new moms. I met one of these Real Fab Moms this week (thanks to the equally fabulous friends Sarah & Yvonne of MomsLA). Allyson Downey is a cool and charismatic East Coast mom to a 2-year old little boy as well as the creator/inventor of weeSpring: the latest platform that helps you share advice with your friends (through Facebook) about baby essentials, bottles, strollers, diapers and everything else on the planet that’s made for babies.
You can compare products within a single category (like high chairs) or browse a trusted friend’s favorites. Expecting parents use weeSpring to ask their friends about the things they couldn’t live without and find out what they wish they’d never bought. New parents use weeSpring to pass along their own tried-and-true advice, while continuing to learn from their friends. (I myself have already visited the site and passionately left reviews about some of my own fave products that helped me succeed as a brand new mom a few years ago… one of those products involving Fisher-Price’s incredible Rock N Play Sleeper that, YES, one of my good friends suggested to me when I was first pregnant and at a loss looking for baby-chairs.)
Meeting Allyson at the posh Beverly Hills salon The Private Room was a treat… Allyson and I chatted about how overwhelmed she became during her pregnancy with all the blind product suggestions about what she “needed” as a new mom.
I related with Allyson right away, as one who also cried (like Ally says she did) when I walked into Babies R Us for the first time. Not one to tolerate anymore confusion (after going through the rigamarole of reading conflicting reviews – from strangers – about the products she sought during her pregnancy), Allyson had her baby and then swiftly co-founded weeSpring as a resource to help new and expecting parents. “While there’s no shortage of people telling you what you should buy, it’s your friends who will tell you what you shouldn’t. Being a new parent is expensive enough, without buying things you don’t need or that don’t work.” Amen to that, mama.
So that’s what weeSpring is: advice from your friends on essential baby products. Fabulous. (And remember, this opinion is coming from a ‘non-techy’ type of mom. Instead of texting your friends nonstop about what to buy, you can all do it in a group setting online. EASY.) Check out and get your friends on weeSpring to browse or leave a review, connect your friends with weeSpring on Facebook or follow weeSpring on Twitter. Your baby-budget just might thank you (for not wasting hard-earned cash on stuff that only strangers like). Best part? weeSpring is FREE. WEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
And I won’t lie: the free manicures were pretty fun too. (And – whoa – don’t forget about the complimentary, we-come-to-you stroller-scrubbings that were graciously provided by Clean Bee Baby that day too. It’s like I have new gear, people.)
DID YOU HAVE A HARD TIME NAVIGATING THE BABY GEAR PROCESS? (I DID.)
