Pampering Mom: Parkville's Mom's Concierge

Sometimes mom just needs a break.

No one knows that better than Parkville's Rochelle Walker who, in addition to being a mother of two and working a full-time job, launched her company Pampered Mommas about a year ago.

Walker, 37, said the decision to start the business she calls a "mom's concierge" came naturally as a result of her experiences being a mother to her sons Jax and Sammie.

"My first pregnancy was a breeze but I was a new mom and after I had my baby I was clueless. What worked for my mom didn’t work for me, it wasn’t how I wanted to parent — it was old school. There were no resources to walk me through being a new mom," Walker said.

"My last pregnancy was an extremely difficult journey ... my son was born 8 weeks early. I was on bed rest and thinking of all the things I needed done at home," she said.

So Walker started up her business and has forged partnerships to help moms get what they need: some time to themselves.

Pampered Mommas offers pre-natal massage, meal delivery, and even "nap nannies"—CPR certified nannies who will come to your home and watch the kids so that mom can catch some z's.

"We focus on preparation, pampering and beyond," Walker said.

A member of the International Baby Planners Association, Walker said that she's offered services to about 20 new moms since the business launched about a year ago.

"As a baby planner I can go in and help them prepare and organize their nursery, I do baby-proofing consulting," she said. "I can help with baby registry, showing them the best things to register for on their budget."

"Once they become moms it’s a beautiful thing—but it’s also hard, it can be tiring and overwhelming," she said.

That's why she puts together events like Mom's Night Out or a New Momma's Meet and Greet—places where new mothers can get together and "not talk about the vomit on the sweatpants."

For example, a recent event Walker put on in Fells Point was an opportunity to shop and socialize.

The business has been growing organically—mostly by word of mouth, but also thanks to promotion though social media and even a segment Walker did for ABC2News called Mom2Mom.

Currently Walker works out of her Parkville home, but eventually she'd like to see a storefront focused on all things mom—a "spa atmosphere without the spa" she said.

"My ultimate goal is to have a one-stop shop where moms can come for everything from massage to taking a nap," she said. "I've been in business for a little over a year ... building the clientele, building the brand. I really envision it becoming a local brand."

To Walker, local means everywhere she works—she's had clients in Baltimore City, as well as Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard, Harford and Carroll Counties.

"People have referred to me as Baltimore’s baby planner," she said.

"I want to make life a little easier for mom so that she can sit back and enjoy it. Our tagline is 'because moms deserve pampering too' ... once the baby comes, mom goes out the window—it's all baby, baby, baby—if mom’s not taking care of herself everybody suffers."

A previous edition of this article incorrectly named Rochelle Walker as a "ceritfied baby planner"—she is, in fact, a member of the International Baby Planner's Association and currently working to earn a certification. Patch regrets the error.

You can keep up with Rochelle Walker in her blog here on Patch. What do you think of the idea of a mom's concierge? Tell us in the comments.