INVENTORY

Is the Covid-induced baby boom real or a myth? Either way, these local businesses are lullabying all the way to the bank with quality products for little ones

FAIR PLAY

While working as a wellness facilitator with nonprofit Mamas for Mamas (and as a mama herself), Payton Gosselin observed that many modern children's toys are low-quality and overwhelming: there's a lot of light-up, musical plastic in the land of play. In response, she founded Little Wild One in March 2020. The Kelownabased store sells a curated selection of wooden, natural and organic toys. Giving is built into the business–little Wild One partners with local organizations like the Head Start preschool for Indigenous children (Gosselin is Métis), providing toys and other donations. In-store and online

TOOTH OR DARE

Babies love to grab at necklaces, giving jewelry designer Tara Morellato an opportunity to create kid-friendlier wares when her firstborn kept trying to teethe on her accessories. Since she founded Tiny Teethers in 2013, families across Canada have grown to trust her silicone and wood teethers, pacifier clips and necklaces. The Courtenay-based company uses silicone over plastic for its eco benefits, but it isn't stopping there–the team is working on a nationwide silicone recycling program. Online

SUPER SOAKER

Before ethnobotanist Leigh Joseph started Skwálwen Botanicals in 2017, she had already been growing calendula flowers and infusing them into an oil for her young children's skin. This spring, the Squamish-headquartered Indigenous skincare brand officially launched its Lúlum body care collection–a balm, body oil and bath soak that's made with calendula to soothe both parents and babies. Online

TUMMY TIME

Registered dietitian Carla Obando launched Vancouver's Born Bright Foods in 2018, after her work in BC Children's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit and the birth of her nephew inspired her to foster healthy eating habits for local babies. Born Bright is a subscription box that provides parents with fresh, veggie-first puréed and finger foods delivered on a set schedule. The business collaborates with other foodies to make new recipes for babies' adventurous palates (for example, its partnership with Kula Foods stirred up a traditional Kenyan stew). Online

SNOOZE FEST

Coming from a luxury design background, Tammy Lo was looking for aesthetic neutrals when her sister was expecting her first baby in 2013. Unable to find any, she founded Richmond-based Nest Designs.

Lo injects her own sense of style into sleepwear and accessories for babies and kids, and her Nest Sleep System offers three-stage sleepwear guide for growing newborns (from The Startler to The Kicker to The Flip-flopper). Online