When Baby Means Business

Originally published in Next Nov 2004



Amie Nilsson
For couples juggling two careers, the mobility of a home-based business is a major bonus, as Aucklander Amie Nilsson discovered when husband James, who works in banking, was transferred to Wellington for two months.

Her internet-based baby sleeping bag business went too. "I took it all with me. All I needed was my laptop."

She came up with the idea of a pure wool and cotton sleeping bag for a child after fruitless attempts to find a suitable one for daughter Lily. "They all contained polyester fill, I borrowed one from a friend and Lily sweated quite badly in it and got a heat rash."

"I love the business because it's ours. We've always been hard workers but when you're doing it for yourself, it's almost not like work."

Amie, a freelance graphic designer who had worked as a textile designer in London, used this knowledge and her design skills to create Go Go Bags, which incorporate all the features she wanted as a busy mother. The bag with a bib top, fits babies from NB to 24 months old, and is machine washable and drier safe. A special pouch arrangement means a child can be clipped straight into a car seat or buggy without having to remove them from the sleeping bag.