“Lactation consultants have been waiting twenty years for these bags, but a lot of these companies don’t have the profit margin that formula companies have,” says Cottonwood Kids CEO Erik Maurer, who spent two years gathering resources for the concept. “But the bags aren’t around any one brand, so for a small amount of money, these companies [like Lansinoh, Traditional Medicinals, Seventh Generation] can reach lots of mothers.”
Maurer rolled out the product—and a Web site that offers breastfeeding support—in March, and so far more than 200 hospitals in thirty-five states have signed on, including Exeter Hospital in Exeter, NH. “We’ve received wonderful feedback from our moms,” says Michelle Savoie, director of the hospital’s Family Center. “Over 80 percent of our new moms breastfeed, and our lactation consultants are ecstatic to have the Healthy Baby Bounty Bags.” Mauer adds, “We’ve been getting emails from all over the world. We’re definitely in the right market.”
Written by Michelle Hainer for Tonic, the “good news” site.
