A working St Albans mum has become an entrepreneur by inventing a mess-free bib for weaning babies.
Victoria Salter, 34, created the Matojo Suckerbib to solve a problem which plagued her every day - cleaning up after her young children at mealtimes.
Like many youngsters, when three-year-old Max and one-year-old Toby were weaning they would throw food on the floor, rub it into their clothes, and smear it on tabletops.
The Suckerbib provides a hygienic surface for a baby to eat from, while also catching any mess that is made.
It is worn the neck but also covers a table surface, using suckers.
The Matojo Suckerbib is almost ready to sell, but Victoria needs to crowdfund £3,000 more to make the first batch - a Kickstarter running for merely days has already reached 50 per cent of its target, £1,500.
Victoria said: “Weaning is so messy and I was so frustrated with the amount of stained clothes, icky restaurant high chair trays and wasted food dropped on the floor.
“After another mealtime hovering over my baby trying to catch dropped food and control wayward spoons, I began the clean-up. Wiping the baby. Washing the highchair. Changing the trousers. Mopping the floor. There must be an easier way.”
She can now “brave spaghetti bolognese with confidence” and “just let the baby get stuck in”.
Victoria works in finance in London: “I have always wanted to invent something, it has always been a dream of mine and I thought ‘What really annoys me every day?’ and came up with the Matojo Suckerbib.”
The name Matojo, pronounced Mat-toe-joe, is a name blend of three important people in Victoria’s life - Max, Toby, and her mum Joan, who passed away last year.
It is made of waterproof, durable and stain resistant fabric which is also soft and machine washable.
Visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/1608694292/matojo-baby to invest in the Matojo Suckerbib.
People who pledge £10 will get a handwritten thank you note, for £18 is worth one Suckerbib, £25 a Matojo travel cup. The highest investment level, £500, gets 35 Suckerbibs.
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