Tenant Spotlight: Gunamuna

by JENNY PAR | April 19th 2017

If you have a baby, you know how important safety is when it comes to your little one. As a new parent, how many times do you find yourself getting up in the middle of the night to check up on your baby?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. alone, about 3,500 babies die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) each year. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released new guidelines for parents and caretakers. Parents are urged to put babies to sleep on their backs and never on their tummies. The AAP also recommend that parents keep blankets and pillows (anything that could smother a baby) out of cribs.

While it is difficult to monitor your child 24/7, there are certain precautions every parent can take.

But how do you ensure that your child is not too cold or too warm at night?

Joy Chopak, Founder and CEO of Gunamuna created the Gunapod, a wearable blanket sleep sack for babies, offering a safer more comfortable sleep. Its patented 4-way, all around WONDERZiP® allows moms and dads to easily change diapers. In order to develop the best possible product, Joy worked with focus groups consisting of local moms, dads, and babies. Gunamuna is committed to safe + easy sleep products. The Gunapod comes in many colors and designs, in fleece, bamboo, and cotton.

With many moms reaching out to Joy to make an easy safe and comfortable swaddle, you may soon see the Gunapod Swaddle available. Stay tuned!

If you’d like one yourself or as gift, you may purchase a Gunapod here: http://www.gunamuna.com/shop/. Phone: 978-258-9273

Q & A With Joy:

Who influenced this concept?  

SIDS – We wanted to create a safer sleep for babies. We wanted to better the product already created for more comfort and functionality.

Have you won any awards or recognition?

Family Choice Award, 2015

Mom’s Choice Awards, 2015

First Candle Safe Sleep award

What is your favorite part about your work?

Working with moms and their babies. We enjoy creating a product that actually works and satisfies our customers.

What accomplishments has your organization made since moving to Riverwalk?

Our company has grown since moving to Riverwalk. I love the location because of its history. The space we occupy was originally used to make uniforms for WWII veterans. “The history grabs me…the soul is still here,” says Chopak. We look at our work as paying it forward. The history of Lawrence gravitated us towards the location and we are happy that we can pay it forward so the soul of the building can remain.

What are the reasons you came to Riverwalk and what benefits does this location provide to you?

We wanted to make a product for the good of others. We are very connected to our neighbors at Riverwalk, especially Little Sprouts and Imajine That. This allows us to have a firsthand look at children and how they might interact with our product.