Understanding your market is critical. As early as possible, before you launch your business, I encourage you to survey moms in your area to learn about their values, buying habits, and infant feeding rituals. An easy way to do this is to use an online survey tool (there are dozens out there) to create your survey. Then send an email to all the moms you know, post a notice on a local mommy message board, or send an email to an online Yahoo! Groups community that is targeted to parents.

Not only will this help you learn about your target market but it will give you valuable data that you can use when discussing your business with the local media.

Here are some of the questions and answer options that we used for the first Sprouts Baby Food survey years ago.

How old is your baby?

Which of the following best describes you?

Stay-at-home mom

Working mom

If you are a working mom, which of the following best describes your childcare support?

n/a

in-home childcare/nanny

daycare center

family member

Are you concerned about food allergies?

Yes

No

Does your baby have any food allergies?

Yes

No

FEEDING YOUR BABY

Did you breastfeed your baby?

Yes

No

How long did/do you plan to breast feed your baby?

0-3 months

4-6 months

7-9 months

10-12 months

13-18 months

19-24 months

2+ years

How old was your baby when you began feeding him/her solid foods?

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

Older

Why did you begin your baby on solids?

Advice from doctor

Advice from book

Advise from website/web forum

Advice from family member

Advice from another mom

Baby seemed ready

Other

Which of the following is most often your source for feeding and childcare information?

doctor

book

website/web forum

family member

other moms

Did your doctor give you enough information to help you feel confident about making feeding decisions for your baby?

Yes

No

What is the most frustrating thing about introducing new foods to your baby?

WHAT YOU FEED YOUR BABY

Which best describes the food that you most frequently give your baby?

Home-made baby food

Traditional store-bought baby food (jarred)

Organic store-bought baby food (jarred)

Organic store-bought baby food (frozen)

Pureed table foods

Catered baby food (such as Sprouts)

Do you regularly give your baby formula?

Yes

No

Never

Which of the following baby food brands do you most frequently use (please check all that apply).

n/a ‘ I don’t give my baby commercial baby food

Gerber Baby Food

Heinz Baby Food

Beech Nut Baby Food

Earth’s Best

Gerber Organic

Organic Baby

Homemade Baby

Bohemian Baby

Happy Baby

TotPots

Mom Made

Evie’s Organic Edibles

Plum Organics

Healthy Times

Bright Beginnings

If you DO NOT make your own baby food, please give us the reasons why. (check all that apply)

n/a ‘ I make my own baby food.

I think store-bought food is as good as what I could make at home.

I would like to make my own baby food but I don’t have the time.

If you DO make your own baby food, please give us the reasons why. (check all that apply)

I think that fresh is the best.

I like to choose my own ingredients.

I think that store-bought baby food contains a lot of sugars, starches, and fillers.

I don’t like that store-bought food is made to sit on store shelves for 2+ years.

Store-bought food lacks variety.

Is price a factor when feeding your baby?

No ‘ I want the best for my baby, no matter what the cost.

Not really ‘ I’ll pay more for better quality foods.

Kind of ‘ It depends. Sometimes.

Yes ‘ We are on a budget and can’t afford to spend a great deal of baby food.

Yes ‘ I just don’t believe in paying a lot for baby food.

Do you read the ingredient labels on baby food in the store?

n/a ‘ I make my own baby food.

No

Yes, always

Yes, but only for baby food

If yes, what are you looking for on the labels?

On average, how much do you pay for baby food (per jar)?

$. 10 - $. 49

$. 50 - $. 99

$1. 00 - $1. 49

$1. 50 - $1. 99

$2. 00 - $2. 49

$2. 50 - $2. 99

$3. 00 ‘ more

How much would you pay for quality, freshly-made, organic baby food?

$. 10 - $. 49

$. 50 - $. 99

$1. 00 - $1. 49

$1. 50 - $1. 99

$2. 00 - $2. 49

$2. 50 - $2. 99

$3. 00 ‘ more

On average, how many jars of baby food do you purchase each week?

0-5

6-10

11-15

16-20

21-25

More

RESTURANTS

Before having a baby, how many times did you eat out per month?

3-5 times per month

1-2 times per month

Once every 2 months

Other

After having a baby, how many times do you eat out per month?

3-5 times per month

1-2 times per month

Once every 2 months

Other

Since having a baby, is “kid friendliness” (kid menu, high chars, toys, etc. ) a key factor when choosing a restaurant?

Yes

No

Would you be more likely to frequent a good restaurant that had healthy, organic menu selections for your baby?

Yes

No

When dining out at a restaurant do you. . . . . ?

Bring baby food along

Feed the baby off of your plate (mashing something up)

Order something off the menu for the baby (then mash it up)

Other

Additional comments on dining out with your baby.

Market knowledge is essential. As soon as possible, before starting your business, I encourage you to find your nearest survey mothers about their values, buying habits and rituals feeding infants. A simple way to do this is is an online tool to survey the use (and dozens out there) to create your poll. Then send an e-mail to all the mothers you know, after a reference to the local council post by mom, or send an e-mail to an online Yahoo! Community groups, to parents.
This will not only help you know your target market, but it gives you valuable information that you can use when it comes to your company with the local media.
Here are some of the questions and answer options, which for the first baby food in front of the pegs years of investigation.
How old is your child?
Which statement is most likely to take?
Stay-at-home mom
Working Mom
If you support a working mother, which of the following best describes your childhood?
n / a
In-Home Child / Nanny
Kita
Family member
You are suffering from food allergies?
Yes
No
Your child has a food allergy?
Yes
No
The feeding of the child
They breast-feed your baby?
Yes
No
How long / you going to breastfeed your baby?
0-3 months
4-6 months
7-9 months
10-12 months
13-18 months
19-24 months
2 years
How old was your child when you started feeding him / her solid food?
3 months
4 months
5 months
6 months
7 months
8 months
9 months
10 months
11 months
12 months
Seniors
Why did you start your baby on solids?
Consulting doctor
Tips from the book
Recommendations from the site / web forum
Counseling of family members
Advice from another mother
Baby seemed ready
Other
Which of the following is usually your source for food and care?
Medical
Book
Site / Web Forum
Family member
other mothers
If your doctor tells you enough information to help you confident about feeding choices for your child?
Yes
No
What is frustrating is that the introduction of new foods to your baby?
WHAT feed your baby
What best describes the food that you most often give your child?
Homemade Baby Food
Traditional bought baby food (touched)
Bio-bought baby food retailers (touched)
Bio-dealers have bought baby food (frozen)
Mashed foods table
Catered food for children (such as sprouts)
Make regular baby formula?
Yes
No
Never
Which of the following brands of food for the child you use more often requested (check all that apply).
n / a "I do not give my baby baby food business
Gerber Baby Food
Heinz Baby Food
Beech Nut Baby Food
Earth's Best
Gerber Organic
Organic Baby
Homemade Baby
Bohemian Baby
Happy Baby
TotPots
Mom Made
Evie's Organic Edibles
Plum Organics
Healthy Times
Bright Beginnings
If you are not your own baby food, please give us the reasons. (check all that apply)
n / a "I do my food baby.
I believe that food is purchased from the store to feel as good as what I had at home.
I wish my baby food, but I have time.
If your own baby food, please give us the reasons. (check all that apply)
I think that is fresh is better.
I like to choose my own ingredients.
I think Store Bought baby foods contain lots of sugar, starch, and fillers.
I do not know how the food purchased to sit on store shelves for 2 + years.
Store-bought food lacks diversity.
If the price is a factor in feeding your baby?
No, "I want the best for my child, no matter what it costs.
Not really, "I'll pay more for food of better quality.
Type "Depends. Sometimes.
Yes, "We are in a budget and can not afford to spend a lot of baby food.
Yes, "I simply do not believe in paying more for food for children.
Read the labels of ingredients for baby food in the store?
n / a "I do my food baby.
No
Yes, always
Yes, but only for infants
If so, what did you do on the labels?
On average, how much you pay for baby food (for glass)?
$. 10 - $. 49
$. $ 50 - $. 99
1 $ 00 - $ 1 49
$ 1 $ 50 - $ 1 99
$ 2 00 to 2 $ 49
$ 2 $ 50 - $ 2 99
$ 3. 00 'More
How much would you pay for quality, freshly made organic baby food?
$. 10 - $. 49
$. $ 50 - $. 99
1 $ 00 - $ 1 49
$ 1 $ 50 - $ 1 99
$ 2 00 to 2 $ 49
$ 2 $ 50 - $ 2 99
$ 3. 00 'More
On average, how many jars of baby food to buy every week?
0-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
More
RESTAURANTS
Before the birth of a child, how often did you eat a month?
3-5 times a month
1-2 times a month
Every 2 months
Other
After the birth of a child, how often do you eat per month?
3-5 times a month
1-2 times a month
Every 2 months
Other
Since the birth of a son "kid-friendliness" (menu-kid, tall characters, toys, etc. is a crucial factor) in choosing a restaurant?
Yes
No
Want a bit 'too often a good restaurant, were healthy, organic menu choices for your child?
Yes
No
During a dinner in a restaurant do you. . . . . ?
Bring baby food
Run, baby from your dish (mash something)
Order anything off the menu for the child (mash it up)
Other
Further comments on a dinner with your child.

New Mums and Dads and even parents with several kids, often find that their little baby may not be sleeping as well as he or she should.

Many parents look for the underlying cause of the problem, hoping to find a simple answer. This also leaves some parents questioning if feeding could have something to do with the problem.

The intent of this article is to investigate further into the different aspects of feeding your small baby and examine the effects that feeding could perhaps have on a babys sleeping routine and habits.

First, we should list the particular feeding areas that we will be discussing. These are: