Serving An Unmet Need in the SA Market

Babies R Us part of the Toys R Us group has launched a full premature baby product range to service an unmet need in the parenting and baby care market, now available online and at selected Babies R Us stores across South Africa.

The Early Start Collection for Premature Babies aims to offer parents the platform to easily shop for suitable premature baby items, all located in one place.

“Parents of premature babies are often caught unprepared, as their little one makes an early appearance,” says Ronel Grant, Head of Wellness at Babies R Us. “Very often, premature births are also a very stressful situation for parents to deal with and manage, especially if the mother has also suffered health complications.”

According to the Northwest University (NWU) In South Africa, 15 percent of all births, or one in seven babies, are born prematurely.

“A premature birth occurs when a baby is born more than three weeks before the estimated due date, usually before the last trimester or thirty-seventh week of pregnancy,” says Grant. “Premature babies, especially those born very early, often experience complicated medical histories but over and above this a premature birth event is never planned for or expected and parents almost 90 percent of the time don’t have the correct baby care items to welcome their bundle into the world.”

“We’re incredibly excited to be able to provide this very unique offering to expectant parents in South Africa,” says Ashleigh Stone, Babies R Us Brand Manager. “The Early Start Collection will offer items like premature sized diapers, specifically designed to suit a tiny baby, premature clothing including neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)vests, mittens, booties and hats as well as items like a preemie journal for parents to support them on their journey.”

Stone adds that in addition to the range, Babies R Us offers parents helpful items like NICU milestone cards, and a bonding heart which is placed in the incubator with the baby after mom has worn it in her bra for a while to help establish the bond between mom and baby via scent.

“Everyday items needed for nursing like breast pads, nipple cream, breastmilk storage bags, cooler carry bags are all offered to help mom on her breastfeeding journey,” explains Grant. “Moms to premature babies often can’t breastfeed directly and therefore milk is expressed and taken to the hospital where more than often the babies remain in hospital beyond the stay of mom.”

Stone adds that the newly launched partnership with Netcare has been instrumental in realising the need for this range. “We currently sponsor, provide and pack an Early Start Essentials bag for all moms giving birth at a Netcare hospital if their baby weighs less than 1.5 kilograms which is given to them at no charge.”

“In addition to individual items for purchase, we also offer an Early Start Collection bundle pack which is a whole set of all essential premature items which can be purchased online with free overnight delivery to the hospital or address of the mom's choice,” says Stone.

Most notably, Grant adds that beyond managing the journey of parents and babies they have over six Babies R Us clinics which offer female health, baby wellness and mom wellness services. “We also provide antenatal care hosted virtually and in person by midwives Sister Claire de Villiers and Sister Andrea Hoskins, which is free of charge for customers who create a baby registry with us.”

Stone explains that as mothers, the Babies R Us team is focused on mom and baby and have a complete understanding of what parents need to keep their little ones happy and healthy.  “Our trusted teams are all made up of moms.”

“The Babies R Us stores offer parents a comprehensive shopping experience, with a wide range of products and services, supported by knowledgeable staff members, offering trusted advice to help parents on their journey, both online and in-store,” concludes Grant

For more information visit the Babies R Us website, and click on the featured tab: EARLY START COLLECTION FOR PREMATURE BABIES to find everything you need for your tiny little bundle.

Support the Preemie Day Drive:

From the 26TH October to 17TH November 2022 you can purchase a tiny bonding heart at a cost of R20 and help raise funds to support the purchase of a transport incubator. This will support communities in outlying areas and help them get these tiny babies to the appropriate hospital facility asap for the best care. Hearts will be available in-store at R20 each, or online as part of a Babies R Us online order.