Invention Born out of Necessity

During her second pregnancy with what would be a 10.5 pound baby, Caroline Christensen was on her feet chasing an active two-year- old boy.   She developed inguinal hernias and looked for a support system that would alleviate her pain.   Finding nothing suitable, Caroline created a solution to  problems faced by millions of expectant mothers around the world.  Thus, the Babybellyband was born.

"The support products I used when I was pregnant were not woman friendly.  Having painful hernias and being imbalanced due to my weight, I found stepping into support garments cumbersome and painful.   I  wanted to create a product that was stylish, athletic and durable.  I incorporated all of these and many other traits when I created the Babybellyband.  I hope women all over the world find relief in this product."

Qualifications:
M.Ed. Science Education
B.S. Cardiac Rehabilitation, Kinesiology
Research included interviews with midwives, pregnant women, fabric tensile strength testing.

            Accent on Women Insert to the Republican American Newspaper- Waterbury,CT
click on link to read or read below:
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/10/28/lifestyle/374803.txt


Tuesday, October 28, 2008 3:16 AM EDT
Babybellyband: Supporting pregnant moms everywhere:
Winsted mom's invention eases the strain and growing pains of pregnancy
BY CARRIE MACMILLAN REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN


She was seven months pregnant with what would be a 10-and-a-half-pound baby. Caroline Christensen, then 36, was also constantly chasing a very active 2-year-old son.

The Winsted mother developed inguinal hernias, a painful condition in which soft tissue protrudes through a weak point or tear in the abdominal wall and creates a bulge. She could barely walk.

Christensen tried all the support devices on the market for hernia patients and pregnant women — products like the Prenatal Cradle, belts with shoulder straps designed to support the weight of pregnancy and allow women to remain active through the third trimester.

She had to step into many of them in order to wear them, which required a difficult balancing act for a pregnant woman. She said the straps cut into her stomach, were not adjustable and showed through clothing.

There has to be something better out there — something that looks more like a sports bra and less like a piece of medical equipment, she thought. When she couldn't find it, she decided to create her own contraption. Eight years and two children later, she's done it. It's called the Babybellyband.

It took a lot of trial and error designing it, but the 44-year-old had a few advantages. Before retiring 10 years ago when the first of her three children were born, she taught science. So she had a knack for experiments. She's also handy with a needle and thread. The Massachusetts native is the youngest of six children and grew up making her own clothes.

She created a factory in the attic of the 1769 farmhouse she and her landscaper husband are renovating. This past March, her invention was complete. Much like the Prenatal Cradle, which is sold in maternity stores, the Babybellyband starts with a band that supports the belly. It costs $45 and is made of durable, machine-washable material. Shoulder and groin straps are sold for $25 a piece. Sizes range from small to XXL.

The product is patent-pending and Christensen is relying on word-of-mouth and Internet sales. She has visited several maternity trade shows looking for a distributor. She said the product is designed for women like herself who develop edema or other conditions — or those who just need support because they lead active lifestyles while pregnant.

"I ran. I swam. I biked, but I still got hernias. A lot of women are having children at older ages now and the stress on their bodies is greater. There's a reason this was meant to be done in your 20s," said Christensen, who gave birth to two of her children naturally at home. "It's for nurses who are working 12-hour days and need support. Nowadays so many more women are on their feet working. Of course, not everyone will need it if they are home relaxing and doing everything right."

But for those who do need the support, Christensen said her device changes pregnancy from "miserable to wonderful." It can also be used for discomfort after pregnancy, too, as well as abdominal strain, back pain, exercising, edema, prolapsed uterus and prolapsed bladder.

While not familiar with Babybellyband, Dr. Mark Albini, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Saint Mary's Hospital, said there are a number of prenatal devices on the market that pregnant women find helpful.

"When pregnant, a mother's whole posture changes and these things can help with lower back pain and alleviate the tremendous pressure on the pelvic area," he said.

Leah Martin, a former Canton resident who now lives in Seattle, said the Babybellyband made a huge difference in her second pregnancy last year. Martin, an architect, was visiting family in Canton and was extremely uncomfortable with vulvar varicosities, or varicose veins. Martin's sister-in-law knew Christensen and thought she might be able to help.

Within a few days, she had her own Babybellyband.

"I wore it for a month and a half, right up to birth, and it made my days more than bearable. I was able to function almost normally," Martin said. "I still had some pain, but it was nothing like what I had before. If I had a pain level of 8 before on a scale of 1 to 10, it was now about a 3 or 4."

Martin said she had tried the Prenatal Cradle but the size didn't adjust.

"So I paid $60 for it and as my pregnancy continued, I would have needed to pay $60 for the next size," she said.

In fact, the Babybellyband worked so well, Martin is considering a third child — even though she is likely to get the vulvar varicosities again since it runs in her genes.

"Honestly, if I didn't know if there was a solution out there, I would never even consider another child," she said.

For information on Babybellyband, visit www.babybellyband.com.