Pregnancy planner born out of local mother's experiences

Nikki Schwendeler gave birth to Tummy Time Publications not long after daughter Olivia, now 2, was born.

The Mount Pleasant mother's first creation was a comprehensive pregnancy planner called Tummy Time because Schwendeler wished she would have had one during her own pregnancy.

So much information on what to expect was available, Schwendeler said, that she found herself wanting a "CliffsNotes" version.

Schwendeler, a Lake Wylie native, worked most recently for E&J Gallo Winery in California with her husband, Oliver, before returning to the South to have Olivia.

"When we found out we were pregnant, we wanted to get back to the East Coast and be closer to family," Schwendeler said.

She took a job as a field-marketing manager in Charleston in March 2007.

After Olivia was born in September 2007, Schwendeler chose to move forward with Tummy Time, going on the idea that if you want something, someone else probably does, too.

"Once she (Olivia) was born, I had the opportunity to make what I would have liked to use," she said.

The free pregnancy planner is made available in Mount Pleasant through East Cooper Medical Center and obstetrics offices in the community.

The planner includes a weekly pregnancy calendar divided into trimesters and includes room to jot down notes and questions, add photographs and document milestones. The planner also includes plenty of tips and is designed to fit inside a woman's handbag.

Tummy Time printed 1,700 planners in September with the hopes that would be enough for the mothers using East Cooper hospital, where about 140 babies are born each month. Schwendeler has asked Tummy Time users to send her any suggestions for its second edition.

Schwendeler broke even on the first edition through sponsorships from local businesses that cater to women and children. Bios on those companies are included in the back of the 120-page publication. She hopes to expand her business to other communities such as Columbia, Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head, using the planner to connect expectant mothers to local businesses.

Reach Jessica Johnson at 937-5921 or jjohnson@postandcourier.com.