We are a WAHM business featuring cloth diapering products, toys, clothing, skin care and nursery items from around the world. Our cloth diapering product line is extensive and includes products from Aristocrats, Bumkins, Bummis, Imse Vimse, Driline and more. Fair prices and free shipping on all orders over $40.00 USD/$60.00 CAD make us a great place for your online cloth diapering and parenting items.

*Try our current favorite, the new Sammy's Sherpa One-Size diaper, for a surprisingly low introductory rate!

www.thebabymarketplace.com

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Q: Tell us about yourself and your family.  Married?  Children?  How many?
Wahm to 3 children - Hayley (14), Elizabeth (4), and Samuel (3).  All 3 are terrific and SO different.  Married to Will who is also terrific.

Q: If you have children, what is your favorite part about being a mom?
They are so funny.  I love all the crazy ideas and questions.  The hugs and kisses.  Every day brings something new and special.

Q: Favorite color?  Least favorite?  Any particular reason?
Red is my favorite…it seems so happy to me.  Orange too!  Least favorite would be purple.

Q: What type of music do you prefer?
I like it all.  Really.  I listen to alternative, classical, rap, rock, pop, country… sing-a-long children's too.

Q: Last book that you read - or tried to read?
Can't remember what it was called but it was a British Romantic Comedy… a lot like Bridget Jones.  Very funny - I was laughing out loud…which brought a crowd to my bedroom door.  Kids and husband couldn't believe it!  Robert Munsch is a favorite at bedtime with the kids.  Dr. Seuss too.

Q: What do you prefer to do in your spare time?  Hobbies/Interests?
I have very little free time, but I like to read.  I have a program that raises funds for Orphans and I spend a lot of time coordinating that and researching, packing, updating the program.  I love to spend time with my extended family too… a Saturday afternoon with cousins and coffee is a favorite.

Q: What was the inspiration behind your business?
Staying home with my children and my love of baby things.  I really, really love baby things.  Diapers, clothing, lotion, toys and blankets.  I love it all.  Even when I didn't have babies I could spend a couple of ours browsing through the baby section of a store.  Ooohing and Aaahing and trying to think of "who could I get this for."

Q: How long have you been in business?  Is your business all online or do you have any local business?
My cousin and I started thebabymarketplace.com in September of 2000.  My two youngest were 18 months and 4 months and her youngest at the time was 9 months.  Most of our business is online.

Q: How did you go about starting your business?  What was the VERY FIRST thing you did?
Research!  But the first practical thing I did was try to find a domain that matched a list of Corporate names that we knew were free… we knew this by doing a NUANS report.

Q: What did others think when you started your business?  Were they supportive?
They were skeptical…most were supportive.  I still have trouble with people thinking because I am at home I am not working and I often am asked to run errands for "working" friends or baby-sit.  My husband and parents have been terrific.

Q: Do you have a business plan or flying by the seat of your pants?
We do have a business plan and it changes quite often.  We get together on a regular basis and talk over new strategies for both long and short term.  Bounce ideas off each other.

Q: What is your daily routine?
I am up at about 7:30 - 8:00 and my oldest has to be at school at 9 a.m..  The younger two and I spend some time together getting ready and eating breakfast.  We have been spending a half hour or so lately playing playmobil farm before our employees start arriving at 10 a.m..  Then, it is on-again off-again work until 5-6 p.m..  One of my employees primarily helps with the children.  They usually play outside until we meet up again for lunch.  This 2 hours never goes by without a couple of visits.  I am #1 Owie Kisser and Fight Referee.  I am also popular for finding Power Rangers on the internet and stealing a slurp of pop from… I drink a lot of pop and the kids come by often for "one sip."

I also have a terrific supply of gift wrap, pens, paper, tape, envelopes, boxes, customs stickers and elastics to create with.  If you've ever placed an order with us you may have been lucky enough to get one of my pre-schooler "design"er boxes.  After lunch, I am back downstairs.  Two days a week the children go to preschool… the other 3 days we juggle work/mom duties.  At 4:30 our orders are picked up and out the door.  My 14 year old is in charge of sorting and bagging the orders for our Canada Post driver Susan who is very popular with me, my employees and the kids.  She means the hurry is over for the day and is super cheerful and always in a great mood.  After that we sort, count and re-group until about 6 p.m..  That's when the staff heads home and I go up to eat with Will and the kids.  Supper is usually a combined effort of my 14 year old, my husband and myself.  Supper is always a sit down meal and takes a while.  After supper we bathe, read and put the kids to bed.  At 8-9 my husband and I both work again until 11-12.  We rock, paper, scissors for who does chauffeuring for our oldest daughter night time activities :D )she does the dishes Monday to Friday).

Q: What have you found to be the toughest part of the job of WAHM?
I never get to go home after work.  It is always here and I have a hard time staying away from my desk.  Just 5 more minutes can often turn into hours if I am not careful.  Growing constantly means the routine is always changing as well… either I am busier or there are new staff.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
Choosing/buying new products.  Photographing and editing product photos.  Graphic and web design.  Meeting and chatting with other moms.  I especially love getting photos of babies wearing or using our products.

Q: What is your favorite other WAHM/WAHM sites?
I think the World Wide Diaper Resources are terrific.  I love fuzbaby.com and tons of others too.  It is hard to choose just one.

Q: What is your definition of a WAHM?
A mom who works from home and is available to her children throughout the day.