Dads Who Made It

ads have come a long way… and lucky for us. Gone are the days of pacing the hospital hallway and handing out cigars with the birth of every baby. Now, thankfully, Dads do it all. Whether it’s changing poopy diapers, handling midnight feedings, or soothing a cranky baby, the role of Dad has finally taken its rightful place: parenting and partnering alongside Mom.

The gentlemen we profile here used their new-found “Dadness” and took it one step further. Inspired by fatherhood, they used their creative and entrepreneurial juices to enter the business of baby with amazing results.

We highlight these unique and innovative achievements in honor of Father’s Day!

DIAPER DUDE

When faced with a sea of florals and feminine fabrics, stay-at-home Dad Chris Pegula knew he needed to find a better way to tote his baby necessities. So he put aside his gym bag and backpack and came up with a design to satisfy his own hipster style and functional needs. Diaper Dude was born and so was a movement: approaching fatherhood from a fun, realistic, and relaxed perspective. Go, Dude!

BELLE BABY CARRIER

Seth Murray and Mark LeBeau are the designer Dads behind the Belle Baby Carrier, aptly named after their own respective daughters. Using their experiences as fathers and outdoor enthusiasts, they created The Belle as an alternative to the more traditional baby carriers. Their approach was to take their “green” sensibility and combine it with their engineering skills to create a safe, comfortable, and stylish way to “wear” baby – everywhere from city streets to mountaintops!

DADDY’S HOME AND OTHER POEMS by Paul DeBonis

Taking a five-year hiatus from “work” to stay home and raise his two small children, Paul DeBonis started writing about each day’s events, not just for memory’s sake, but also as a way for his wife to know what happened while she was at the office. This high school teacher and advisor covers everything from “3AM Feedings” to “Death of a Goldfish” to “A Man’s View of Childbirth” in this unique book of poetry. No, he didn’t create the latest baby gadget or gizmo, but with this slim book, he brings insight, humor, heart, and a view of Daddydom that’s often seen, but rarely heard.

ITZBEEN

It has happened to the best of us. Nap times forgotten, uncertainty over the last feeding time, nearly missing baby’s next dose of medicine… where many of us have failed, stay-at-home Dad Greg Sheldon prevailed! Along with his wife Kris, they created Itzbeen™ - as in, “its been” three hours since baby woke up from her nap. This multi-purpose nursery tool helps new parents remember the basic details of baby care. With four timers that keep track of everything from z’s to peas, this helpful counter was clearly designed by parents who have been there and done that.

MUNCHKIN

Dad, entrepreneur, and Munchkin founder Steve Dunn had a vision. He wanted to develop clever, innovative baby products “that excite and delight parents and children.” From sippy cups to pacifiers to teethers and toys, Steve found ways to make these baby essentials smarter, safer, and yes, even stylish. Munchkin’s tagline may be “it’s the little things” but this is one Dad who’s created something big.