HARBOR RAISES $3.7M TO HELP PARENTS AND BABIES SLEEP
Having a baby is an incredibly exciting time for parents, but along with preparing for cuddles and setting up a nursery, many parents brace for a major impact on their sleep (or lack thereof). Research shows new parents don’t return to pre-pregnancy sleep levels until their oldest child is six. Meanwhile, sleep deprivation can take a major toll on mood, health, and even safety while driving. Accessing and affording professional postnatal support is out of reach for many. In major cities, in-person night nanny support costs $400–700+ per night. Plus, the quality of care varies greatly and there’s no guarantee you’ll find availability.
That’s why Harbor is helping parents get the sleep they need with a first-of-its-kind, at-home sleep training solution that combines best-in-class hardware with telehealth support from trained professionals.
Harbor’s birth story
Harbor was co-founded by two parents–Kevin Lavelle, founder of Mizzen+Main, and Charlie Hill–with an extensive resume in startups, software development, and security.
Seven years ago, Kevin rolled over to check his infant son’s Nanit app only to find it had closed. With no idea how long the app had been off, he sprinted to his son’s nursery in a panic. Thankfully, his son was fine, but was alarmed to discover that his baby “monitor”, which he thought was the best and most innovative baby monitor available, had left him in the dark. He set out to find a better solution.
Kevin found app-based systems don’t make for reliable baby monitors. Apps can glitch and freeze, and we all forget to keep our phones charged sometimes. Travel also presents challenges as many third party WiFi networks–like hotels–don’t allow you to add cameras. Old-school, local camera and monitor systems have limitations too. Record, rewind, or remote viewing capabilities aren’t accessible outside the home. So Kevin teamed up with Charlie to build something new that could address the gaps in existing monitors.
A solution is born
Harbor’s revolutionary baby monitor, launching this Spring, offers a camera and monitor system unlike anything that exists today. The camera and monitor connect directly to each other, even without the internet. Each device also connects to the cloud with end-to-end encryption, so you can safely access the monitor’s feed outside of your home. It includes features like smart audio to screen out background noise and the random cough at 3 AM, silent haptic alerts to wake only one caregiver at a time, best-in-class data privacy assurance, and a high-resolution monitor that allows you to see up to four different camera feeds in one dedicated device.
A human touch for a sound sleep
Harbor also uses telehealth to support parents when and where they need it–at home. Harbor’s Remote Night Nanny costs 95% less than in-person solutions while still offering eyes-on, science-backed expertise all night. Harbor’s expertly-trained night nannies, night nurses, and infant care specialists can remotely monitor your little one through the Harbor Monitor, following the same protocols that in-home night nurses follow, alerting you only when you need to go in. When your Remote Night Nanny session is over, they no longer have access to your monitor. Other telehealth services will include lactation and postpartum counseling, and sleep and wellness coaching. Parents can video chat, call, and text directly with care experts about sleep, feeding and other non-medical, personalized early childhood and postpartum advice.
“Our mission is to create happier parents and healthier families, one restful night at a time. We’re democratizing access to sleep expertise and improving family wellness. Parents and kids deserve a secure, reliable, quality baby monitor, and since none exist, Harbor has built just that.”
— Harbor cofounder Kevin Lavelle
Ready to put sleepless nights to bed?
Well-rested parents are better parents, spouses, team members, and community members. Trust is thrilled to support Harbor on their mission to create happier and healthier families by opening access to innovative sleep technology and democratized telehealth services. Harbor launches this summer in very limited quantities. Secure your place in line for a refundable $25 deposit. To learn more about Harbor or their sleep coaching, connect with their Care Team at careteam@harbor.co.
