Pacifier Cover, The Keepsie™ Moms First Blog

“Three blogs” she said. “I need content” she said. What in the world? I just invented a pacifier cover! What could I possibly write three entire blogs on for a website?!?!  Isn’t a website to sell The Keepsie™ Pacifier Cover? What’s a blog anyway???

So here I am 4 weeks and many unfulfilled self-imposed deadlines later and I’m writing my first. But, it’s not going to be on the pacifier cover solely. I'm not yet sure that I will be able to fill 900-1200 words on a regular basis about this amazing pacifier cover that is the first ever to cover pacifiers with stuffed animals and pacifiers with clips. Well, maybe I can LOL...So, I'm also going to write about the journey of becoming an inventor, designer and producer of The Keepsie™ through my eyes as a mom and therapist. So, because it’s in my nature to be an open book through this process what I write will be real. And because I value inspiration and the opportunity to learn from others my therapist self will add points for you (the reader) to think about and potentially grow from if you’re interested. And because I’m the mom of a funny, loving and caring 4 year old little girl I’ll include mompreneur topics. Somewhere in the mix I’ll throw in the amazing benefits of The Keepsie™, why it’s a baby necessity to have one (or two) and how you need to get one for all of your friends!

Happy reading

The Keepsie™ Mom

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Inventor of The Keepsie™ Pacifier Cover

After searching for and trying to makeshift a pacifier cover that fit over pacifiers with stuffed animals or pacifier clips… and failing OVER and OVER, mom to a NICU newborn decided to invent The Keepsie™ Pacifier Cover.

Jennifer Melvin was determined to assure that nothing got in the way of keeping her baby girl’s best friend, the lion pacifier, as safe and clean as possible.

5 years of research, testing and feedback from other moms who had the same need led to production of The Keepsie™ in 2017.

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Going from Grief Therapist to Inventor of The Keepsie™

Could they be any more opposite? In my professional life I’ve loved fulfilling my time as a columnist, teacher, therapist, author and administrator in everything related to death and dying. It’s my passion… taking people from a dark place they think they’ll always be to a space of life where they are truly living again. So how does one Fellow of Thanatology (Google time!) become the inventor, designer and producer of a pacifier cover?

Well, honestly, I’m not sure there’s an easy answer. But in basic terms I listened to myself. And I discovered I’m not just A Grief Therapist because I’m not just A Anything!

I think we, as women and humans, have a tendency to pigeon hole ourselves by self labeling -mom, stay at home wife, teacher, etc. And then we sometimes find ourselves thinking “I want to be more”, “There has to be more”, “Am I really just this?!” And sometimes we struggle with how to be more… mom AND lawyer, mom AND wife, etc.

I went through this, guilty as charged. I was a therapist. And then I was a mom. I had ideas about different things, such as The Keepsie™. I also had ideas of books to author, workshops to provide, pet loss courses to teach, etc. I found myself much more comfortable with these ideas than The Keepsie™. These ideas allowed me to stay in my lane as a therapist. I could plan and move forward with implementing the grief related ideas without a skip in my step. But when it came to taking the steps towards The Keepsie™ I froze. I couldn’t find a label that fit for this. It was out of my realm so I didn’t proceed until I finally approached the concept differently. It took putting on a new set of glasses to sift through my own limitations and get out of my hole. You’d think as a therapist I would have used some of the skills I teach others, but it’s true what they say- you can’t be your own therapist. Finally when I did the change happened!

I’ve always been creative, I’ve always seen the gaps in things and found ways to fill them (side note- I initially wanted Keepsie™, LLC to be “Gap Filler, LLC” because of this talent of mine until my husband made me realize it could have some negative connotations, LOL!  Thank goodness for a guy’s perverted mind saving me from the never ending recognition as Gap Filler (ghasp!))

Back on track…  I’ve also always been an entrepreneur on some level (author, private practice clinician, creator of memorial services, etc). So, when I finally stepped back and off of my hamster wheel thoughts “How can I possibly do this, I must be crazy, what do I know about inventing anything I’m a therapist and a new mom” I realized this invention of The Keepsie™ pacifier cover was just a different way of me being me. I saw myself differently. I have strengths, qualities, characteristics and a knack for seeing what’s missing and putting something in place so it exists. With my awareness that it was the combination of those features that made up the entire package of myself I could then easily see myself as the inventor of The Keepsie™.

So take a minute and think about yourself.

Now for The Keepsie™ Mom thoughts:

  • How do you describe and label yourself?
  • How do you unconsciously define yourself?
  • Do you think you’ve ever limited yourself due to your own label?
  • Have you ever struggled with who you really want to be versus sometimes who you think you are?
  • Can you get out of your own way?
  • What would your first step need to be?
  • What are your qualities, talents, characteristics, strengths and attributes that make you, you?
  • Are you open to making yourself more aware that these features are what really makes you who you really are?
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My Why as The Keepsie™ Mom


This is my blog, my personal story. And, this is my daughter…My forever why.

Everyone needs a why. At least that’s my belief. When I explored my Why for being inventor of The Keepsie™ I discovered a few Why’s and became clearer on others.

Why did I create The Keepsie™?

Because I got tired of crumbs and hair being stuck on my daughter’s pacifier.  Because I wanted to make them stay cleaner to keep my baby girl as healthy as possible. Because I was annoyed by my daughter dropping it and me having to find a sink before I could give it back to her.  I searched (and searched) for a cover that would keep her lion pacifier clean when I put it in my purse or diaper bag and I never found one that worked for me, mostly because there wasn’t one that existed.  There were a lot of things to use as a cover but none were compatible. And the plastic baggy was gross to me when I learned that it built up bacteria because it didn’t have air holes for air flow and drying. Changing pacifiers to one that had a compatible cover wasn’t an option because Lion was her best friend. I had to figure something out!

Why am I excited about The Keepsie™?

I honestly couldn’t get it. How has no one else thought of this?! It has to be somewhere! It wasn’t. And THAT was exciting, is exciting…and scary. But still exciting! Every baby I walk by that has one of these pacifiers I think, soon you’ll have The Keepsie™!  It’s exciting to know their best friend is going to stay cleaner and safer from environmental hazards. It is also exciting to know I did it. Just like any accomplishment you have in life, you feel proud. I am proud of the concept and product and am extremely proud this is now a part of our baby’s generation.

 

Why did it take me so long to produce The Keepsie™?

I started the patent process in 2013, applied in 2014 and then I got scared. I designed the cover but knew it still needed work so I got scared and put it on pause.  I found a manufacturer… I got scared again. BUT THEN I finally got scared of the thought- if I didn’t produce it someone else would. How could they not, right?!  Finally I figured out how to make my fear work for me versus against me! And so the patent was approved in 2016 and here it is being produced in 2017.

 

What’s my ultimate why?

Jamison Grey Steuer, currently age 4. Just like any mom my child is my real drive in life. To be my best, to model hard work, to teach her to create and follow her dreams. She was the inspiration behind The Keepsie™. At first I wished I had completed it when she still used the pacifier but ultimately it’s actually been pretty awesome that she does product testing with me and I have her child perspective that contributes to The Keepsie™. She’s my biggest Why and always will be.

 

The Keepsie™ Why:

To keep baby’s pacifiers cleaner and safer from external unpleasantries and hazards with safe, non-toxic and cute covers.

The Keepsie™ Mom Thoughts:

What’s your Why?

  • What are you passionate about?
  • What drives you?
  • What is your purpose in life?
  • What are you doing when you find your heart smiling?
  • If you could pick one thing to do every day what would it be?
  • Are you following your why?

For more information on The Why view Ted Talk Start with Why by Simon Sinek

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