Behind every great invention is a smart mom – MiniMonkey

I like to read stories about ordinary people like you and me that turned a need into an idea and ultimately a business.

When Prima Baby introduced MiniMonkey at the #JoziMeetup, I sat there thinking, this is so simple yet brilliant – I could’ve thought of this. Then I went to the website and read up about the mom behind the brand.

The woman behind MiniMonkey

Margot Visser, a regular mom from Amsterdam, designed the range after the birth of her first daughter in 2005. She, like most of us, felt inundated with the variety of baby products available on the market.

If you are a first time mom like me, you would know that what looks like a great idea when you buy it sometimes end up in the pile of completely unusable, too complicated or unnecessary – and then you paid a bundle for it.

This is exactly how Margot felt. So she took the next logical step – make it herself. Not only did she take into consideration that it has to be easy to use, but that it should also be affordable and innovative.

Let’s talk about what MiniMonkey actually put on the market…

I’m not a young mom – and I’m not going to reveal my age either – so that comes with some realisations of your limitations. I was an athlete and that comes with injuries, I also fell down a flight of stairs and had to fix my neck and back with 6 months of therapy… so when I saw the Baby Carrier I knew that if I had this when Lexa was small I would’ve been able to carry her more. She currently weighs 9kgs and the carrier can take up to 15kgs – but, this is the important part, the weight rests on your hips like a hiking backpack. This means that the pressure is taken off your back and neck and placed on your hips! I almost had to pick up my jaw from the floor.

The Baby Carrier is suitable for all weather, 100% cotton and baby can be carried with legs wrapped around you or outwards. Plus it has a little head cover that you can add or take off.

We went to visit the in-laws and dearest mother-in-law didn’t want to feed the baby because she said it was too difficult to hold her and keep her hands out of her “food mouth”. I know Lexa is busy, but we also can’t drive our whole house along just because baby is busy. Which means little miss wants to sit at the table and watch people eat – and also maybe try to get onto the table and grab some food. Once again Minimonkey would’ve had a very portable solution for us, the Minichair…

All it is, is a harness in the shape of a diaper – but it fits onto almost any chair. You install the harness that by the way will fit into your handbag, put the kid in and see how little one can’t escape. There might be more uses other tan keep baby out of my plate and help mother-in-law feed the baby without a feeding chair – but… I could’ve used the extra help.

They also have a Classic Sling, but it’s not for me – I have old people problems. However… there is something very clever about the sling. It can turn into a little hammock! Then you can clip some toys onto the top piece. How clever is that?

Where can you get the MiniMonkey?

You will have to visit a Hamley’s to get your hands on MiniMonkey – and I know they aren’t everywhere yet.

You can also contact Prima Baby on Facebook to enquire. Follow Prima Baby on Instagram.

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I also wrote an article about the day I first saw the products from Prima Baby. I’m gushing about it, because I’m genuinely impressed by the products they brought in.

When we went shopping for Lexa I was so emotional and stressed out that I bought stuff that everyone told me they could not live without – most of those purchases were stupid and I didn’t use it. The carrier and the seat, that would’ve made sense to buy – I would’ve actually been able to walk around with the kid more, without pushing her around in the pram the whole time.