Partner Article

Relief for cry babies

A local university professor has designed a product to help new parents treat their babies’ colic. Durham University psychology lecturer Dr Vincent Reid has entered his Sleep Sling into the Blueprint 2008 North East Universities Business Planning Competition. The invention has reached the competition’s Grand Final and Dr Reid stands to win £10,000 for its development.

Dr Reid’s combined experience of psychology and parenting led to the device’s invention. He said: “When my second and third children came along they suffered terrible colic pain and my wife struggled to comfort them.

“Being a psychology lecturer, I was aware of techniques that can help soothe a child – one of which is familiar faces - and also the fact that keeping the child in a stretched position will reduce the pain so I began holding my children in this position which proved to be very effective. Unfortunately my wife was unable to do this as her arms are shorter than mine so I was the only person able to stop the babies from crying. As a result of this I suffered back pains, hence the idea for the Sleep Sling.”

New Zealander Reid has set up a business called Developmental Solutions Ltd and winning the prize money would enable him to market his product to thousands of families.

Now in its fifth year, The Blueprint competition brings together graduates, undergraduates, staff and Alumni from all five of the North East Universities to discover the best business ideas from the region’s most talented entrepreneurs.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .