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Santa Barbara woman starts Web site for new mothers
Santa Barbara News-PressMaria Zate, News-Press Staff Writer 05/01/2004
When Rachael Steidl gave birth to her twin daughters, she was determined not to become housebound like so many other moms she knew.
"A friend told me that I would be lucky to get a shower in a couple days a week and that I'd never have time to get out of the house with twin babies," Ms. Steidl explained. "But I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen to me."
She joined a support group called Santa Barbara Mothers of Multiples and soon became its president. Through her work with the group, Ms. Steidl gained knowledge about resources available to local parents. That gave her the idea to start an Internet business called SB ParentSource.com.
"I talk to many parents who are just so overwhelmed during their first years of parenthood. They don't have time to research what's available locally for them," said Ms. Steidl, who lives in Santa Barbara. "I realized there wasn't a comprehensive listing of resources available in one location. And it makes it that much harder to find when you aren't getting out of the house."
SBParentSource.com, a free site, provides a resource list with a wide range of topics from birthday party sources to family activities to safety guides. The site also includes a calendar of local events, a classified section and parenting tips -- all geared for families with children under 6 years old. Visitors can also register for an e-mail newsletter.
"My goal with this site is to make life easier for parents," said Ms. Steidl, who now has three young daughters -- 1-year-old Emily, and 4-year-old twins Ashley and Whitney.
Since debuting in April, SBParentSource.com has attracted 300 registered members, said Ms. Steidl, who worked on the site for nearly two years to get it ready.
The site's resource database currently includes 400 businesses and groups, and the list is growing. For now, businesses are listed on the site for free, but Ms. Steidl said she plans to charge a $20 a month fee starting in June.
