The lilaguide (www.lilaguide.com) began when Oli Mittermaier and Elysa Marco had their daughter Delilah (hence the name “lilaguide”), and experienced the panic of being first-time parents. The couple quickly found that the best resource out there was word-of-mouth information from other parents. Every parent seems to have some bit of child-rearing advice, whether it’s about what baby-gear store is the most helpful, or which restaurants tolerate strained carrots on the floor. The couple thought someone should write stuff like this down…

And that's how the lilaguide was born.

All of the information included in the lilaguide website and books is written by parents for parents. Tens of thousands of moms across the country help produce this insider's guide to stores, restaurants, service providers, and activities that are a very big part of every parent’s life. And while the guides won't tell you how to change a diaper or how to get by on little or no sleep (that's what grandparents are for), they will tell you what other local parents have learned about what your city has to offer -- including virtually every baby product you need, from cribs to strollers.

And please be sure to submit your own experiences and opinions. Not only is it what makes the lilaguide guides so useful, it’s also a great way to meet other like-minded parents in your area.