Dafna Chair

About eleven years ago, I had two young children, and I took them down to the playground. At the playground, I needed to breastfeed my baby and keep an eye on my two-year-old as he played. I tried to stay covered and comfortable, but I was hunched over, my back hurt, and I couldn't manage everything at once. My baby kept pulling at the nursing cover because he was hot and wanted air. I remember thinking... Why should a mother have to choose between privacy and staying present with her children? I took out a piece of paper and started sketching. I imagined an embrace, almost like a womb — something that would surround me with protection and privacy. I wanted support for my arms and back, and privacy from the sides without covering the baby. We couldn't afford to develop it then, so the idea stayed in a drawer for years. Over the years, I spoke with and interviewed many women. These conversations happened very spontaneously — at museums, in malls, with friends, and with women I knew in the community. By the time we had five children, the problem was still with me. I often planned outings around breastfeeding because I didn't know if I would find a comfortable place. Nursing rooms meant leaving my family behind and going into a separate room. The goal became clear: support, privacy, airflow for the baby, and the ability to stay with your children and remain present in public space. Years later, that sketch became Dafna Chair, designed to give mothers support, privacy, and the freedom to stay part of public space. For me, the most meaningful part is turning something I once needed as a mother into something that can make life easier for other mothers.