ChicMe WW

How chronic pain led Gold Coast mum to turn maternity leave side hustle into 'genius' idea

By Naomi White|

W?hen Laura Campbell welcomed her two babies, it triggered chronic pain from the rheumatoid arthritis she'd suffered since her teen years.

Unable to hold her kids, Elodie, now four, and Lincoln 20 months without searing pain, the Gold Coast mum knew she needed to do something.

So she set about devising her own solution, creating a baby carrier that bore the brunt of her baby's weight, allowing her to hold them pain-free.

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The Gold Coast mum-of-two had her light bulb business idea while on maternity leave with her second child. (Supplied)

Having developed rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager, Cambpell was used to finding her own work-arounds for common tasks. But after going 15 years with minimal ?symptoms, the relapse triggered by pregnancy was difficult to deal with, on top of caring for young children.

We lived on the second story and I couldn't feel my hands by the time I'd carried the baby to the bottom of the stairs.

"It [birth] was almost like a trauma on my body, it sent it into shock and it was survival every day. I'd just become a new mother and the swelling started in my knees and feet and I had severe carpal ?tunnel," she told 9Honey.

"We lived on the second story and I couldn't feel my hands by the time I'd carried the baby to the bottom of the stairs."

This, on top of the normal aches and pains which come with rocking and feeding a newborn left her in a 'constant state of tension'. When her hip started to pop when she held Elodie, she felt like she was caught in an impossible conundrum - face extreme pain, or let her baby cry without picking her up. ?

"It was just pain, strain, frustration and guilt from wanting to put my child down, because I couldn't hold them or care for them as long as I'd like to," she said.?

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Campbell said Lincoln tested out all the prototypes along the way, (Supplied)

"Often I had no choice, but it was how long do I hold them as my shoulders and arms burned, and I could feel the swelling in my legs. As a mother what do you do? You hold them, grin and bear it."

She tried traditional baby carriers, hoping they would better distribute the weight, but neither her or her kids were comfortable. ?

It was when she was on maternity leave with Lincoln that she had her lightbulb moment.

"I was breastfeeding on the couch, on mat leave and I didn't want to complete Netflix. I'd watches all of Friends and I wanted to do something with my mind," she said.

"But I literally had no idea how to create a product, or find a manufacturer."

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Campbell with Elodie and Lincoln. (Supplied)

Keen to get moving on her idea, Campbell enrolled in a few courses and linked in with other women in business?.

Finding a manufacturer open to her idea, she started working up prototypes, adjusting these using Lincoln as the test baby? until, eight versions later, they found the right height for the hip seat, the right amount of padding, and the right materials for a comfortable fit for bub and the wearer.

"The first prototype we did at home. I had no sewing skills whatsoever, and I was there trying to work out how to wrap a cover over it!"

The final design - the Hackerlily HipSurfer works like a 'bum bag' baby carrier, sitting on the wearer's hip, with a padded seat that absorbs a baby's (up to 15kg) weight.

It's strap free, and is designed more as a support aid for carrying a baby, than a hands free carrier. ?It also features a compartment and a bottle holder, and changeable cover designs.

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The design clips on like a bum bag. (Supplied)

Last year, ?Campbell won SHE-com's award for Baby Accessory of the Year, voted by a panel of judges from The Iconic, Shopify and ARE Media.

Officially launched last month, Campbell said it had been incredible seeing the business grow alongside her kids, who she credits for helping drive her to follow through on the idea.

"?If Lincoln hadn't been such a clingy child, there's a possibility I wouldn't have created this product. I'm glad he's a super cuddly little clinger!"

Parents and carers are already loving the unique product - with ?many singing its praises on social media.

"Love this product," said one mum. "Such a genius idea."

"The HipSurfer has been amazing. We can just get on with our day," said another.

"Definitely the missing product on the market!" said a third.

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