Pip Wheelwright of Boobie Buddies

Boobie Buddies – “The Natural way to role play”

As a breastfeeding Mum I watched our sons instinctively pushing toys up their tops to feed them, further research informed me that within the market place most dolls came equipped with plastic bottles.

I knew I wanted something different for our children to role play with, as bottles do not fit in with our family ethics. As I could not source such a product, I set about designing one myself, a Mum & Baby doll set to help promote breastfeeding as the norm.

I drew up sketches and in turn cloth proto-types, seeing my design worked well; I registered my designs and proto-types with the Intellectual Property Office. My dream was becoming a reality!

I have taken each step very seriously, and after further research, realized my dolls should be commercially produced in order to cover the requirements for testing, CE marks and labelling. I sourced a long standing, well established, toy Manufacturer – along with their design team, who worked hard with my ideas, and designs, for several months, to produce a doll set, which could incorporate all the features I had initially drawn up, whilst covering the criteria for safety.

It’s taken over two years to go from an idea, to a proto-type, to a commercially produced product. Although I registered my Company in December 2007, stock did not arrived until May 2008.

I started trading via my website – finally my educational dolls, known as Boobie Buddies, were born!

My designs incorporate secure internal magnets, at key points throughout the bodies, which enable them to kiss, hold hands, cuddle, and as Mum is anatomically correct – baby latches on as if to breastfeed! Both dolls in the set are a great size for little hands, not fiddly or frustrating to use.

Mum is 21′ and baby is 7′ in length. Dolls have removable clothing, and baby even has an eco cloth nappy!

Boobie Buddies conform to Toy Safety Standards. Rigorous safety testing has been carried out and Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform guidelines followed on hand tags, labels and packaging.

Boobie Buddies are ideal for use in various settings including:

· Educational – Show children the magical visual image of breastfeeding, opening up discussion and learning in Nursery, Schools, Children’s Centres and Breastfeeding support groups.

· Health – Useful teaching aid during Antenatal and Postnatal workshops.

· Home – Ideal gift from new baby to older siblings. Allow children to learn through play how to feed and care for babies, whilst watching Mummy breastfeed the baby.

Breastfeeding has given our family so very much over the past ten years, and now I can proudly say through my products I am helping future generations learn through play. Whilst having fun, how babies should be fed, the natural way! Whilst promoting cloth nappies along the way.

www.boobiebuddiesbfdolls.co.uk