iParenting
Media has Awarded Anita Jamshidi "Mom of the Month"
June 2007
 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,
skirts 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."
The Jamshidi family also includes their dog, Pepsi.
Creatively Conquering a Problem
When Anita had her second child, she encountered a mothering
challenge that many women tangle with – breastfeeding.
She really wanted to nurse her baby son, but her daughter,
who was still a baby herself, needed lots of attention. She
was constantly pulling on Jamshidi's hands while she was
trying to nurse the baby. But Jamshidi needed her hand to
hold her breast in place so her son could get a good latch.
 Her lactation consultant told her to roll up a towel and
stick it under her breast to free up her hand, but any mom
who's tried this approach knows that as soon as you move,
the towel comes out of place. So Jamshidi started experimenting.
"I am always trying to find solutions to my daily 'life'
frustrations," Jamshidi says. "I'm always thinking
there's got to be a better way to do this, whatever the 'this'
is at that time."
She started cutting apart pieces of Styrofoam and covering
them with fabric, searching for something that worked better
than a rolled up towel under her breast. She experimented
with different shapes and materials, and within one year
of nursing her son she had a working prototype for herself.
 "I became my own guinea pig," Jamshidi says. Then
she enlisted the help of other moms from playgroups and anywhere
else she could find them.
"I gave away hundreds and hundreds of them, and all
I asked for in return was honest feedback," she says. "Women
take on so many things at once, and I wanted to do something
to help women that want to persevere at breastfeeding."
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.
Media Contact:
Nadia Jamshidi
408.859.6052
nadia@utterlyyours.com
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