Bellani is Born

.“Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot…”

The last time Shannon Giorgio and Kelly LaChance-Guertin heard that song was probably almost 15 years ago when the final episode of Cheers aired.

And while I doubt they had the fictional Boston bar in mind as they created their new business venture, as I learned more about the one-stop maternity center they’ve created in Warwick, I couldn’t help but make the connection.

“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came...”

That’s just how it feels when you walk into Bellani Maternity, located on Route Two in Warwick.

Seven days a week, you will find LaChance-Guertin or Giorgio (and often both) chatting with customers, helping new mothers bundle babies after class, answering questions about breastfeeding, assisting grandmothers with finding just the right gift, and fielding questions like how to find a doula and which midwives or obstetricians they recommend.

“We are much more than just a maternity store,” Giorgio said. “We truly are a one-stop resource for pregnancy and parenting.”

There is a real community feel to the center, which offers optional memberships that provide discounted classes and further enhances the sense of belonging.

A magnetic board at the entrance of the store announces the newest “Bellani babies,” as well as upcoming classes and workshops.

Comfortable chairs are prominently placed in the front of the store, giving mothers a place to sit and talk, nurse, read, laugh or cry.

Colorful classrooms provide space for exercise classes, support groups, parent-child classes, and childbirth education.

A lactation room, complete with glider rocker, changing table and baby scale is available for private lactation consultations or just for a quiet place to sit and rock your baby.

In addition to the classes, friendly welcome, and beautiful space, Bellani offers an amazing inventory of thoughtful and unique pregnancy, newborn and child care products.

Each with two children and extensive experience working with expectant mothers and new families – LaChance-Guertin as a doula and childbirth educator and Giorgio as childbirth educator and midwifery student – the Bellani co-founders dreamed up their business in the parking lot of their children’s preschool.

“We kept saying ‘There needs to be one place where pregnant women and new moms can go for information, education, support, and community,’ and lamenting that this one place didn’t exist,” LaChance-Guertin said. “Then finally, one day we looked at each other and realized that we were going to create this place.”

And so Bellani was born – and even its name is a product of LaChance-Guertin and Giorgio’s creative vision.

 “We wanted something that meant that pregnancy and early parenting really are the greatest, most beautiful years of life – our mothers have always said that,” La Chance-Guertin explained. “So we took the word bella (beautiful) and ani (years) in Italian and combined them.”

In addition to the regular classes and workshops offered by Bellani, Giorgio and LaChance-Guertin welcome related groups like the Rhode Island Birth Network and the Kanga Mamas baby-wearing support group to share their classroom space.

They also offer drop-in playgroups (free for members, $5 for non-members).

So if you are a new mom having that “Wouldn’t you like to get away…” feeling, put a trip to Bellani Maternity on your list of things to do for yourself. Your baby will love it there too!

If you go…

Bellani Maternity is located on Route Two in Warwick in the Pier 1 plaza (across from Target). Store hours, classes and workshops are listed on the center’s Web site: www.bellanimaternity.com. 

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