Do It All Mamas (& Papas): Meet the mom behind Cushie Pushies

January 10, 12:14 PMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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Lois Whittaker

In today's Do It All Mamas (& Papas) feature - meet Lois Whittaker mom to two boys ages five and three and the founder/inventor/owner of The Cushie Pushie Company (a different kind of breast feeding support pillow).

Examiner: Tell me something unique/interesting about yourself.

Lois: I work full-time in the marketing department of a large corporation by day, and by night, I own and operate a work-at-home business.  Even before opening the home-based business, I was a very busy working mom finishing my MBA. While breastfeeding my second son and chasing after my then 2 ½ year old, I needed a third hand.  Every time I sat down to breastfeed, my older son wanted something, or the phone would ring.  Even though I have average size breasts, I found myself having to hold the one I was nursing with in position a large part of the time in addition to using the other to hold my newborn. I thought there had to be a better way to free a hand to do other things.  I just could not find it on the market, so I decided I would invent it.

Examiner: What is your business all about? 

Lois: My solution to my problem was to form The Cushie Pushie Company (www.cushiepushie.com).  We are headquartered near Princeton, NJ.  Our signature product is the Cushie Pushie Breast Support Pillow. These are sold individually, and are included in the breastfeeding gift baskets we sell that are a great shower gift or new baby gift for moms who plan to breastfeed.  In addition, we also sell fun “Eat at Mom’s” gift items like onesies, tees, and totes that promote breastfeeding. We are very excited to recently be awarded “Honorable Mention” in the Most Innovative category of the 2008 Top 100 WAHM Businesses from StartUp Nation from thousands of entries.

Examiner: What is your favorite product that you make or sell and why do you like or recommend it?

Lois: My favorite product, not surprising, is the product that I invented, the Cushie Pushie Breast Support Pillow for Nursing Moms.  It is a pillow designed to help a nursing mother gain the correct breast position for easier breastfeeding.  This breastfeeding pillow pushes her breast upward in order to allow easy latching by a nursing baby, while maintaining correct positioning throughout the feeding. By keeping the breast pushed up, it also frees one hand from continually holding your breast while breastfeeding. This is particular helpful if you are busy breastfeeding mom who is continually multi-tasking, even while nursing.  Our Cushie Pushies are machine washable, and come in a variety of fun, colorful designs.  We even offer an organic version for eco-conscious moms made of 100% organic cotton and batting.

Examiner: Why did you start your business?

Lois: My goal in starting my business was to make parenting, especially breastfeeding easier for new as well as experience moms.  Parenting is a very hard job so we can use all the tools we can to help make it just a little bit easier.

Examiner: What secret do you have to share with other parents about "having it all" with your family and business?

Lois: Well, I remember hearing someone once say that you can “have it all” but you just cannot have it “all at the same time.” This is so true. Prioritizing is key.  You have to stop and evaluate when to you need to work and when to put time aside for family. Sometimes family just needs to come first, and you have to just stop whatever you are doing to give those great big hugs to your little ones or take a day because they are sick. Other times, maybe the house is not as neat and tidy as it once was. Moreover, you can catch some time while they nap or play with their toys.  My favorite time is after my boys are in bed.
 
Of course the real secret to “having it all” is getting much less sleep than you would chose if you did not “have it all.”  I remember being single and sleeping until noon or going to bed at 9:00pm.  Not at this point in my life that is for sure. If someone knows how to do it all and get a good night sleep every night, please share.

Examiner: What is the number one piece of advice you have for other parents?

Lois: No one is perfect, and parenting is a process of learning every day.  This is especially true in breastfeeding.  I thought I had to breastfeed like a pro at the beginning.  Yes, there are some mothers who appear to be a natural from the start, but most of us need to learn how, and practice for both mom and baby. Many of us even need help from others like family, friends, and professionals.  When it comes to breastfeeding, many, including me with my first son, give up just when we would be getting the hang of it. I wish I had the resources I had with my second son to help me be successful the first time around.
 
Parenting is the same way. We make mistakes and learn everyday right along with our children. Family, friends, and professionals are there to guide us. Take advantage of all the resources you can find. Practice may not make you perfect but it will make you a great parent.

Examiner: What is your (and your kids) favorite family activity?

Lois: Our family loves to be on the go so you will rarely find us home for long periods of time.  One of our favorite activities is hitting the playgrounds at our local parks or walking on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore.