Co-founder Tara Darnley and her daughter on the Steve Harvey Show for the Yummy Mitt. (Photo: Facebook)
Characterized by tears, drool and crankiness, an infant’s teething phase is one of the most trying times for any parent. The experience was no different for Tara and Carl Darnley, who went through this painful period with their daughter, Alethia, sooner than expected after her teeth started coming in ahead of schedule.
At two months old, Alethia had not yet developed her motor skills and could not hold a traditional teething toy. The new parents needed to find something that would soothe her pain without requiring her to grip it. When the couple came up short on options, they decided to make their own: The Yummy Mitt.
After patenting and trademarking the mitt, they launched the final product in less then three months and it immediately took off in popularity, thanks to social media.
“What sets the Yummy Mitt apart from the traditional teethers on the market is there is no need to constantly hold it. [The] child is able to self-soothe themselves,” Tara Darnley said. “More importantly, [it’s] made with the safest materials on the market. No need to worry about toxic elements.”
The Yummy Mitt is designed to fit securely over a baby’s hand like a glove, so gripping is not necessary, allowing the infant teething relief. It is made of 100-percent food-grade silicone for the baby to safely chew on and 100-percent cotton to absorb saliva.
Since the mitts’ release in 2014, the Darnleys have launched their brand, Darlyng & Co. The Yummy Mitt is now a worldwide seller and the company has introduced a number of new products to its inventory, such as their wooden tethers made of all-natural maple wood and the Yummy Buddy Teething Plush.
Recently, they landed multiple deals nationwide with Babies “R” Us and other distributors internationally for the Yummy Mitt Teething Mitten.
“We didn’t realize so many parents would benefit from the Yummy Mitt like we did, because it was first created to meet our own needs. But it was a revolutionary product, [and] unlike anything else on the market at the time,” Tara Darnley said.
The brand hopes to become a household name for baby and kid products by creating more innovative, everyday essentials for children. The Darnleys plan to one day provide job opportunities to other members of their community. But, for now, they want to remain a family business.
“Our children already identify themselves as owners of Darlyng & Co., [and] being first-generational entrepreneurs, it is vital that they see themselves from a young age as owners,” Tara Darnley said.”We hope they’ll inspire other children, who can identify themselves in them, to be innovators and creators.”
The Yummy Mitt and other products are available for purchase on the Darlyng & Co. website.
