The bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow is designed to provide pregnant women with versatile comfort and support while sleeping, sitting, and resting.
Many new moms also find that after pregnancy, their bbhugme works great as a nursing pillow.
Below, we’ll show you how the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow works as a 2-in-1 pillow to support you through pregnancy, feeding, and beyond.
Improve your sleep and comfort during pregnancy
No two pregnancies and bodies are alike. As your bump grows, you may find that when trying to get comfortable and find the right support, your needs change from month to month (and day to day!).
Therefore, it’s important to have a body pillow that can be personalized to your needs. The bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow’s flexible design allows you to bend, twist, and mold the pillow into different shapes depending on the position that’s most comfortable for you.
By providing 5-point body support for side-sleeping, the bbhugme promotes good body alignment to help reduce discomfort and improve sleep. The pillow is filled with pressure-relieving microbeads that hug your body. By sliding the two silicone Pebbles, you adjust the pillow’s firmness and length depending on the level of support you need.
Support for feeding, whether it’s breast, bottle, or both
Many moms find that after their baby arrives, the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow also provides excellent support during feeding sessions. Especially if you’re a first-time parent, there can be a big learning curve during round-the-clock feeds.
The large size of the pillow allows you to wrap it around you so that your lower back, arms, and elbows are supported, while bringing your baby up to the level of your breast. This supported posture can help you secure a good latch and ease strain on your neck and shoulders.
If you’re bottle feeding or frequently pumping, it’s important to support your body during long sitting sessions. The bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow can make the experience more comfortable while also creating bonding moments with your baby.
Because of the pillow’s versatile shape and adjustable firmness, you can adapt it to your needs as you learn which feeding positions work best for you and your baby. And while many nursing pillows have a static shape designed for just for newborns, the large size of the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow makes it ideal for feeding twins and older babies, too.
Save space (and money) by choosing a 2-in-1 pillow
Our products are made with safe, premium materials to ensure that this will be a long-time companion in your home. With washable, removable covers you can keep your pillow fresh and change the style as you wish.
Choosing the right products for you and your baby can be overwhelming, not to mention costly. With the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow, you can be supported by one versatile product from pregnancy and throughout your postpartum journey.
Shop the 2-in-1 Pregnancy Pillow now. For nursing support on-the-go, check out our smaller Nursing Pillow.
]]>For many years at a chiropractic clinic in Norway, pregnant women came searching for answers and support. Backaches, pelvic pain, and leg cramping were leaving these women feeling sleep-deprived, stressed, and uncomfortable.
Hilde, Kristin, and Elisabeth, the chiropractors at this clinic, understood their clients’ challenges. They offered medical pillows designed for geriatric patients to help alleviate pregnancy discomfort, but it wasn't an effective solution.
“The three of us began talking at lunch one day about how nice it would be to have a certain kind of pillow to offer support,” Hilde says. “We were getting frustrated on our patients’ behalf."
Soon, Hilde, Ann Kristin, and Elisabeth teamed up with a group of leading industrial designers to create a high-quality, versatile pregnancy pillow to sell at their clinic and in other chiropractic offices in Norway.
While creating a prototype pregnancy pillow, the three partners regularly consulted with women visiting their clinic, who tested the pillow and offered feedback.
“Our prototype came together fairly quickly because we knew exactly what we wanted the pillow to do,” Hilde says. “We could be very specific about the design.”
The name of the product—bbhugme—came about after a brainstorming session in Oslo. Hilde, Ann Kristin, and Elisabeth started talking about words that communicated "belly, bottom, and baby."
“At first, I said, ‘bb hugger’ because what does this product do? It gives you a hug, and everyone needs a hug,” Hilde says, adding that the trio quickly agreed on the name bbhugme. “There is a meaning behind our name. It represents something and resonates.”
The bbhugme company was officially established in 2013, but commercial success didn’t happen overnight. At first, the founders were focused on their patients and chiropractic practice and could only devote part-time hours to bbhugme. Over time, they realized their product could also benefit pregnant women outside their clinic.
“There are women all over the world with the same problems as our patients—so why limit it to our clinics?” Hilde says. “That’s how we started to think there was an opportunity here.”
For any mom-to-be, the news that you’re carrying twins is sure to come as a surprise – and with it, a lot of uncertainty. Even for the most seasoned parents, navigating life with two newborns comes with a huge learning curve, especially when it comes to feeding.
We sat down with Dr. Betsey Caldwell, a birth coach, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and founder of The Push Lab, to hear about her experience caring for and feeding her own twin baby girls. Below, you’ll get her expert insight both as a professional pre- and postnatal care provider and twin mom on the best ways to support yourself through this exciting yet challenging time.
How is it so far, being a mom of twins?
Being a mom of twins is the hardest but most rewarding journey! Now that they are 8 weeks old, they smile and coo at each other and it is amazing to see their little sisterhood blossoming before my very eyes. I won’t lie, I feel a little in over my head at moments but what parent doesn’t feel that? I am keeping my eyes on the future and know that it will be so fun to watch them grow up together.
How does your breastfeeding journey this time compare with that of your previous babies?
Breastfeeding twins is a skill I am slowly learning! I know it’s important to focus on a good latch and that can be hard when you are trying to tandem feed. With my first two children, nursing came easily without much thought. With twins, I have had to learn how to set up tandem feeding and burping them by myself. It’s always easier if my husband or mom is around to help me with the pillow set up but I imagine this will get easier as the twins gain better head and neck control.
How does it work logistically to feed two babies?
I feed on demand or at least every two hours during the day. At night, if one baby wakes up, I will wake the other twin so I can tandem feed them at the same time. My husband wakes up as well and he helps by handing me each baby while I am already sitting in the chair. Then, we burp the babies and cross our fingers they will both go back to sleep so we can sleep too!
I know some twin moms keep a breastfeeding journal but since I feed them at the same time, I don’t have to worry about either baby missing a feed.
How do you get the support you need to comfortably feed and hold the twins?
I was pleasantly surprised that my bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow has doubled as a breastfeeding pillow for me. I’m able to wrap the pillow around me and support one twin per side with my arms resting comfortably on the pillow. The pregnancy pillow has also come in handy for contact naps (which my twins love) by providing me with upper body support for my head, neck, and shoulders. My husband loves the support the pillow gives him for contact naps, too!
If I am nursing one twin at a time, the Nursing Pillow is great for laid back nursing. This is a nursing position that allows mom to recline with the baby on top of her. It is a relaxing position for both mom and baby, but my arm still needs additional support. This is where the nursing pillow comes in handy.
Read more: How to use the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow and Nursing Pillow
What are your must-have/survival items for feeding twins?
I recommend having a power recliner chair so you can comfortably get into the right position for laid-back feeding and tandem feeding. As mentioned above, I use the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow for tandem feeding and contact naps and the bbhugme Nursing Pillow for feeding one baby at a time. With twins, it is good to have options. Sometimes, you will want tandem feed. Sometimes, you won't. So it's great to have multiple pillows and nursing stations throughout the house!
It is also helpful to have a swing or bouncer nearby so you can feed one and have the other comfortably upright and within your view so you can engage, smile, or sing a song with the baby who is not currently feeding.
How does the bbhugme Nursing Pillow compare to other pillows you’ve used?
The other pillows I’ve used require you to sit more upright, rather than laid back and relaxed. Unfortunately with those pillows, they require additional pillows to be truly “upright”, leading to moms to assume a hunched-over posture. This can lead to muscle and joint pain, which no mom wants to deal with!
As a physical therapist, what features do you look for in a nursing pillow to provide the right kind of support to both mom and baby?
As a physical therapist, it’s important that my patients learn how to relax during nursing. This helps with milk let down and bonding. I love that the bbhugme Nursing Pillow contours perfectly to both mom's and baby’s body. Because it’s not rigid, it is the perfect pillow for upright or laid-back nursing. The bbhugme pillow supports us in a variety of positions thanks to its adjustable height. Variability in feeding positions is important for both mom and baby’s bodies. This leads to less aches and pains as the nursing journey continues.
What’s the one piece of advice would you give to a mom-to-be expecting twins?
Be patient with yourself and your babies. Learning how to feed, hold, and care for two babies at the same time takes time and patience. During these early postpartum months, my mantra is “we are trying our best.” It’s not easy but remembering that you (and your twins) are not perfect helps lighten any expectation of how you think this journey *should* be going.
Shop the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow and Nursing Pillow now.
About Dr. Betsey Caldwell
Betsey Caldwell is a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in women’s health and labor and delivery. She is the founder of Yes Mama Co. And creator of The Push Lab, a virtual birth course. Her birth class has helped women globally prepare for birth physically, mentally, and spiritually. Betsey is passionate about women feeling their best during each stage of motherhood. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest as @drbetseypt.
]]>By Ann Kristin Homdrum, Chiropractor and Founder of bbhugme
Of the many physical and emotional changes that happen during pregnancy, there’s one that you may not have expected: challenges with sleep. Aches, stiffness, anxiety, hormones, upset stomach, frequent urination, and trying to get comfortable with your growing belly can all contribute to difficulty sleeping.
Sleep is critical to health and well-being and it’s important for both you and your developing baby that you prioritize rest. We know that can sound easier said than done, so here are a few tips to help you get the sleep you need.
This one may sound obvious, but anyone who has tried to fall asleep while pregnant - especially during the third trimester - knows how difficult it can be to find a comfortable position. Many pregnant women prefer to sleep on their side, and a full body pillow can help you fall asleep (and stay asleep) in this position while relieving the pressure points that may be causing you discomfort.
The bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow supports your belly, lower back, pelvis, knees, and ankles, providing 5-point, full-body support. In addition, it offers adjustable firmness so that you can customize how soft or supportive you want the pillow to be, based on your body’s unique needs.
Read more about the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow’s 5-point body support
Just like you will soon be doing for your baby, it’s important to create a sleep space that helps promote relaxation and sleep. Pregnancy increases your body temperature, so it can help to lower the temperature in your bedroom, wear light clothing, and use bed linens with optimal air circulation. Keep the room dark and use whatever you need to block out light and sound, such as earplugs, an eye mask, or a white noise machine.
Depending on your stage of pregnancy (and keeping in mind any pregnancy risk factors you might have), staying active during the daytime is a good way to ensure you’re tired enough to fall asleep at night. Walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, and other pregnancy-adapted exercises are all good for both your general health and your sleep health.
Since heartburn, nausea, constipation, and indigestion are all more prevalent during pregnancy and can all contribute to poor sleep, try to avoid foods and drinks that trigger these symptoms, especially in the evening hours.
In addition, because pregnancy causes more frequent urination, nighttime trips to the bathroom can be one of the biggest disruptors of sleep. Try to hydrate throughout the day and avoid consuming caffeine close to bedtime.
If it’s continuous pain that’s preventing you from sleeping, you should consult with your healthcare provider about how to get relief so that you can get the sleep you need. A visit to a chiropractor specialized in maternity care can also help you with hip, pelvis, or lower back stiffness or strain.
We designed the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow to bring our pregnant patients the sleep they need and deserve. Learn more about how the pillow works, or shop now.
About the author
Ann Kristin is a Chiropractic Specialist in Pediatrics and has been taking care of women and children as a chiropractor for many years. She runs a chiropractic clinic with her husband which has been helping families since 2009. They also run an Instagram account, @natural_born_parenting, that focuses on health advice for pregnant women and families with small children.
As one of the three founders of bbhugme, she is confident that the products will stand the test of time. Knowing how much of a difference proper sleep and support in pregnancy makes, Ann Kristin has used all the bbhugme products herself in her own pregnancies and is a proud mom of three.
Ann Kristin recommends the pregnancy pillow to the pregnant moms she sees in her practice and the feedback is always positive. She loves knowing that a product she recommends and has been a part of creating is bringing so much relief and satisfaction for the women she cares for.
]]>At bbhugme we offer both a Pregnancy Pillow and a Nursing Pillow. Below, we will explain the differences between our two products and how their unique features can help you through these exciting (but often uncomfortable) times.
The Pregnancy Pillow was the first product developed by bbhugme. Our founders, three female chiropractors, couldn’t find a good enough body pillow to help the pregnant women they treated, so they decided to develop a pillow that offers the perfect combination of comfort, support, and adjustability.
Read more about how to use the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow
While many pregnancy pillows are filled with foam and come in a bulky, static shape, the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow is filled with pressure-relieving microbeads that allow you to customize the pillow to the shape and firmness your body needs, whether you're sleeping or sitting.
As a full-body pillow for side-sleeping, the pillow offers unique 5-point body support in the most critical areas: belly, lower back, pelvis, knees, and ankles. You can also use it in U, J, and L-shapes depending on the support and comfort you need.
Many moms also find that the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow provides great support for feeding. The long length makes it easy to wrap around your body to support you on all sides and brings your baby up to the level of the breast. The size also makes it great for feeding older babies and twins!
However, if you want a dedicated nursing pillow that's smaller and more portable, keep reading to learn more about our Nursing Pillow.
Following the success of the Pregnancy Pillow, bbhugme’s founders decided to design another pillow that is smaller, more portable, and designed specifically for feeding. As mothers themselves, they understood the need to be able to comfortably feed your baby anywhere and anytime.
The bbhugme Nursing Pillow is both smaller and narrower than the Pregnancy Pillow, which makes it easy to transport in its travel bag, whether that’s on an overnight trip or just a walk to the café.
Read more about how to use the bbhugme Nursing Pillow
In addition, our Nursing Pillow can be tied around your waist by securing the fabric ends behind your back. This allows you to bring the pillow and your baby up to the correct height on your body, which is important for establishing a good latch (if you’re breastfeeding) and for reducing the strain on your shoulders and neck that can be caused by hunching over. The extra-long fabric ends make the pillow suitable for many different body types.
Both our Pregnancy and Nursing Pillows feature adjustable firmness. By sliding the two Pebbles, you can make the pillow as firm or as soft as you need. With our Pregnancy Pillow, this allows you to adjust your support as your body changes. With our Nursing Pillow, the adjustable firmness allows you to adapt the pillow depending on your feeding position and what's most supportive for you and your baby.
Both our Pregnancy Pillow and Nursing Pillow come with a removable, washable cover and two Pebbles for adjusting the firmness. To help keep your bbhugme pillows fresh and extend their longevity, we also offer extra Covers and Pebbles in a range of beautiful styles and colors.
Shop the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow and Nursing Pillow now.
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By Kendall Sonnenberg, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant
While many moms-to-be know they want to try breastfeeding, the truth is that breastfeeding success doesn’t usually “just happen”; it takes education, support, and focused effort. Luckily, a little preparation can go a long way. Just like you might be creating a birth plan, it’s just as important to make a breastfeeding plan. Getting ready for nursing while you’re still pregnant and knowing what to do in the first hours after birth can have a huge impact on your milk supply and help to establish breastfeeding over the long term.
As an international board-certified lactation consultant, I’m often asked how to create this plan, and what knowledge and items you should have before your baby arrives. Below, I’ll share some of the ways that you can set yourself and your baby up for success.
A great place to start is simply setting your goals. If you want to breastfeed, think thinking about why it’s important to you. If you are unsure about this, I recommend that you speak with your care provider or a lactation consultant to get answers to any questions you may have.
Making a case for yourself and this journey ahead can be a very personal process. While some people may want to breastfeed as long as they can, others may have a goal of nursing until the end of maternity leave or until the baby reaches a certain age. Some may plan for exclusive breastfeeding, while others may want to do a combination of breast- and bottle-feeding. If you’re expecting your second child, your goals may be influenced by how things went the first time. But no matter what your goal is, there's no one correct way to do it. What’s important is that you start making the plan while you’re still pregnant, not after the baby arrives.
It’s ideal to start talking to your care provider about breastfeeding in your second or third trimester, depending on your learning needs. While he or she may not be an expert on lactation and nursing, they can surely refer you to someone who is. You may be surprised at how many resources there are once you start looking. Some personal favorites of mine are the videos on Stanford Medicine’s breastfeeding pages, and articles from LaLeche League.
You can also consider attending a class in your area with your partner, or if it’s more convenient, check out some of the great online course options. In these sessions, you will learn the basics of your anatomy, how to get started, what issues you might run into, and how to make the most of the “golden hour.” Having a prenatal visit with an IBCLC can give you a more in-depth look at your specific needs as well as identify any physical or health-related challenges that may impact your ability to breastfeed successfully. Prenatal education has been shown to improve breastfeeding rates at 6 months postpartum, so make sure to take the time to gain as much knowledge as possible.
If I had only 30 seconds to educate moms-to-be on the most important information about breastfeeding, I would tell them: start moving your milk early and often during the first three days after your baby is born. This starts immediately after delivery, during what is called the golden hour. This period – literally the first hour or so of their life – is the most critical time to start removing milk from your breasts, either by the baby, a hand, or a pump.
Studies show that if a baby breastfeeds (or milk is removed via hand or pump) during the first hour of life, the likelihood of establishing a full milk supply will increase. One study from Breastfeeding Medicine showed that mothers who removed milk during the first hour compared to those who removed milk between the second and sixth hours after birth had 70% higher milk volume on day seven.
When it comes to breastfeeding challenges that arise, there are many issues that can be fixed. But if you don’t have enough milk supply at three or four weeks postpartum, it can be difficult to rewind the clock if you haven’t established your milk supply from the beginning.
To make the most of these first moments, the baby should ideally be placed on your abdomen right at birth. You should be skin-to-skin, and the baby should be given the opportunity to crawl toward your breasts and initiate the first feed. Much of the standard newborn care that’s done right after birth (measuring, washing, etc.) should be delayed until after this first feed. If your baby needs extra assistance transitioning to the world, he or she may be taken to a warmer or the NICU. While this can be stressful, keep in mind that your milk is medicine! Hand expressing your colostrum in this first hour will benefit your ability to make milk, even weeks or months after birth. If you wish to start breastfeeding at the golden hour, you should write this into your birth plan so that your healthcare team is aware.
In the early hours and days of life, babies are very sleepy, and it might not always seem like they want to feed. But to establish a good milk supply, it’s important to put the baby to the breast frequently; this sends a signal to your body that it needs to keep making milk, which is a dynamic process based on supply and demand. In other words, your breastmilk must be removed before it can be replaced.
If you are separated from your baby for any significant period – for medical procedures, or to give you a chance to rest - make sure you’re still removing milk from your breasts, either with your hand or an electric pump.
It’s also important to remember that the routine can change quite drastically once your milk changes from colostrum to mature milk on day 3-5. When your milk transitions, the volume increases and the color changes from yellow to white. At this point, your body will often produce more milk than a tiny baby can handle, and this can cause breast engorgement. Make sure to continue to put baby to the breast frequently but know that their feeding pattern might change a bit with this new influx of milk. They may go from feeding every hour or two, to having some longer breaks in between feeds. Make sure that they are fed every few hours, day and night, and monitor their weight as scheduled by the pediatrician.
Since you’re probably already in “nesting” mode, make sure that as you’re preparing your home for your baby’s arrival, you’re also prepping it for breastfeeding. Set up some calm spaces, for example, in your bedroom or a chair in the baby’s nursery, with everything you need to be comfortable and focus on feeding. This can include a little basket of comfort items such as a water bottle, nipple cream, a phone charger, a blanket or slippers for you, and – importantly - a nursing pillow.
Having a well-designed, supportive pillow can be crucial, especially in the early stages of breastfeeding. Nursing comes with a learning curve for both you and your baby, and you will probably find yourself hunching over to help guide the baby’s latch and support their weight. You’ll also be sitting or lying in fixed positions for multiple hours a day (and night). All this puts stress and strain on your back, shoulders, arms, and neck. Since you’ll also be recovering from labor and delivery, it’s important to prevent further pain and injury during these early days.
I love the bbhugme Nursing Pillow because you can tie it around yourself and adjust its height, which supports baby at the level of the breast, not down on your lap. This not only helps with establishing a good latch but also provides better alignment for your body. This kind of essential support helps you focus on the task of breastfeeding. I recommend getting your nursing pillow before the baby is born so that you can take it with you to the hospital for extra comfort during those first precious hours.
Just like every baby and birth experience, every breastfeeding journey is unique. While not everything may go according to your wishes, preparing for breastfeeding before your baby’s arrival can help set you up for success by giving you the knowledge, support, and tools you need.
About the author
Kendall is a Registered Nurse and IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant), and she has worked closely with mothers, babies and their families for the past 14 years. Her experiences working as an RN in high-risk pregnancy and postpartum hospital units as well as fast-paced pediatric and OB/GYN clinics has given her a unique clinical skill set. She can provide expert care for families during all stages of pregnancy, postpartum and beyond, thanks to her well rounded professional experience.
]]>“How much? How deep? Sleep is the new rock and roll – everyone's talking about it,” says London-based fashion designer Anya Hindmarch. From January 7th to February 12th, we are delighted to be one of the select brands featured in Anya’zzz, the latest concept store to come to Anya’s Village.
The Sleep Store, located in London’s Chelsea neighborhood, takes a deep dive into sleep, showcasing a curated collection of today’s most innovative, sought-after sleep products, from bedding and lighting to books and wearable tech.
Our award-winning Pregnancy Pillow, which is loved by moms-to-be but also by anyone looking for better comfort and support, is available for purchase inside the store. With adjustable firmness and a luxurious microbead filling that shapes to your body, our pillow is a must-have for more comfortable nights. We’re proud to be featured alongside brands such as Dyson, Lumie, The NUE Co., and Moonie, to name a few, along with Anya’zzz own sleep capsule collection.
The space itself is a plush, serene oasis of rest, the product of designers and stylists who create an entirely new interior aesthetic for each of the brand’s theme-based pop-ups.
Along with selling sleep products, the space will host several workshops led by experts such as sleep coaches and health professionals providing their insights on how to improve health and wellness through a better night’s sleep.
If you’re in London, be sure to pop in to give our pillows a hug and get inspired by the comfort of this space.
The store is located at The Village Hall at 11 Pont Street, open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 12-5pm. Find out more about Anya’zzz here.
]]>By Hilde Tavares, Chiropractor and Founder of bbhugme
From pelvic pain to lower back pain, carrying a baby is a full-body experience. Whether it’s your first pregnancy or you’ve done this before, you may be surprised by the many new places you’re feeling discomfort, pains, and pressure.
Throughout pregnancy, as your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, causing you to move and carry your body differently. All of this creates strain, and often times, pain. When it comes to both preventing and relieving pain, the chiropractors behind the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow have identified five points on your body that need special attention as you adapt to living (and sleeping) with a changing shape:
1. Your lower back. Your growing belly and loosening pelvic joints cause you to carry your weight differently, which can create strain on your back, especially in your lumbar (lower) spine. In addition to being bothersome while moving and sitting, suffering from back pain can make it especially difficult to fall – and stay – asleep.
2. Your growing belly. Especially in the later stages of pregnancy, you will want to rest your belly on something when lying down on your side. Since maternity care providers recommend that pregnant women sleep on their side, you may feel that the weight of your belly is pulling and straining the rest of your body as you try to find a comfortable position. This can create pain in your hips, back, and pelvis.
3. Your hips and pelvis. During pregnancy, your pelvic joints and tissues loosen to prepare for delivery. This is normal, but it can cause a range of symptoms, from simple aches to a feeling of pressure toward your cervix, to sensations of lax bones and muscles. All of this is due to an increase in hormones and in some cases, poor biomechanics and weak stabilizer muscles, and is one of the most common symptoms of later pregnancy.
4. Your knees. Changes in the way you walk, weight gain, exercising less frequently, and hormones that cause the ligaments to loosen can all contribute to knee pain. When settling into bed, it can be awkward to find a supported position for your knees while also accommodating your hips and growing tummy.
5. Your ankles. Pregnancy symptoms (they sometimes seem never-ending, right?) even find their way down to your ankles. Swelling of the feet and ankles is very common due to your growing uterus and extra fluid in your body. This swelling can result in pain, and the best way to get relief is usually by putting your feet up, including at night. Lying on your side with your feet raised will help improve circulation, giving you some relief from painful, puffy ankles.
All of this is common - and unfortunately, expected - during pregnancy, but it doesn’t mean you need to suffer. Luckily, there are ways to both prevent and relieve discomfort in all five points.
Invest in a quality pregnancy pillow
For many pregnant women, the key to pain relief and better sleep is a good pregnancy pillow. However, a quick Google search may leave you overwhelmed with the many different shapes and styles available. So, what really matters when it comes to pain relief?
The length of the pillow is important, and most pillows aren’t long enough to provide head-to-toe support in a way that relieves pressure evenly across your body. So while some pillows may provide a place to rest your belly or support your back, they won’t be hitting all of your potential pain points.
You should also look for adjustability and versatility when making your choice. Many pillows are fixed in a static shape and level of firmness, and pregnancy is not a time for “one-size-fits-all" - everyone’s body and needs are different! Pick a pillow that’s adjustable in size, shape, and firmness so it can be adapted to meet you and body’s individual needs.
Designed by chiropractors, loved by pregnant women
Created by three women chiropractors specialized in pre- and postnatal care, the award-winning bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow offers an innovative design that provides unique five-point body support. With just one pillow, you can improve body alignment, ease existing pain, and prevent pregnancy-related pain before it starts.
Buy the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow.
About the author
Hilde and her husband run a family chiropractic practice just outside of Stavanger, Norway. She works with pregnant women, new moms, and their babies every day. Her work reaches beyond treating only aches and pains, and centers around helping women understand their true physical strength and connecting with their inner voice that already knows what is best for them and their babies. As one of the founders of bbhugme, and part of the product development team, Hilde has a close relationship with all the bbhugme products.
By Kendall Sonnenberg, Health Professional Manager at bbhugme
For many new parents, the task of bonding with your newborn can seem overwhelming. After all, you’ve just met, and bonds can take some time to create. But from my perspective, in those early days “bonding” with your baby is really about one key factor: building trust.
Think of it this way: when your baby was inside of you, he or she had a caregiver present all the time. He had the constant reassurance of hearing his parents’ voices, the familiar sound of mom’s breathing and the cadence of her steps. Inside this perfectly temperature-controlled environment, all your baby’s needs were met.
After they’re born, this little person still needs all the things they did before, and that’s where parent-baby bonding comes in. This process means you, as a parent, learning how to meet those needs and become confident as a care provider while establishing your baby’s trust that you will keep them fed, warm, comfortable, and safe.
As an IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant) I know from my experience working with babies and new parents that feeding sessions are one of the most important ways you can build this connection. After all, feeding is central to a newborn’s early development and takes up a very large chunk of the baby’s (and your) time. Below, I’ll provide some tips on how to optimize this time together to build that critical trust - and bond - between parent and baby.
1. It’s about more than just calories. Try not to approach feeding sessions as “a means to an end.” Yes, the goal is to feed a hungry baby but try not to rush through the feeding or watch the clock. You may be missing critical cues from your baby, which is part of the learning process for you as a parent. We want them to be a willing participant in this process, and by observing them, making eye contact, and learning to recognize behaviors and patterns, you will be better prepared to meet their needs.
2. Adapt feeding sessions to meet your baby’s unique needs. Every baby is unique, and every family’s feeding journey looks different, so there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to bonding during feeding. Whether you’re breastfeeding, pumping, or formula feeding, it’s important to follow your baby’s cues (see point one) and adapt your routines based on their needs and abilities. If you are breastfeeding, find the positions that work best for you and baby, and stay flexible with time by feeding on demand. Babies don’t always follow a schedule, even though we would like them to. And if you’re bottle-feeding, be sure to select the correct bottles and nipples for your baby’s age and development. The flow from the nipple should allow them to drink at a comfortable pace, control the flow, and take breaks when they need it. This also means keeping them slightly upright, which makes a supportive Nursing Pillow a great tool whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. These types of individualized approaches will contribute to greater feeding success, which is positive for everyone.
3. Avoid multitasking while feeding. Again, reading your baby’s cues is so important, and it’s difficult to tune into these signs if you’re distracted. We all lead busy lives, and especially if you have older children, it can feel difficult to stay focused during prolonged feedings. But it's important to remember that this is the time where your baby is getting to know you, getting socialized with the outside world, bonding with their family, and establishing that critical bond of parent-baby trust. Try to stay present and eliminate distractions. Create a relaxing atmosphere for you both by putting on some nice music or lowering the lights. So much about being a parent feels hectic that it’s important to try to protect these quiet moments together when you can.
4. Prioritize body positioning and comfort, for both you and your baby. When a baby is a newborn, most of the “contact time” you’ll spend with them is during feeding. That’s a lot of hours to be sitting, and if you’re not positioned well or don’t have the support you need you may be creating all kinds of pains and problems for your body. When breastfeeding, the height, position, and shape of your Nursing Pillow can play an important role in achieving and maintaining a good latch. Whether you’re feeding with breast or bottle, you should avoid hunching over to hold your baby. Instead, make sure that your shoulders are back and that you have something under your arm to support their weight. Having the baby properly positioned will also help them to relax and regulate their milk intake. By ensuring that you’re both well-positioned and comfortable, you’ll be able to better enjoy your feeding sessions together.
5. Invite the non-birthing partner to be an important part of feeding, too. I often hear from dads and non-birthing partners that they feel left out of the bonding process during feeds. But even if your baby is fully breastfed, there are many ways your partner can play an important role. I like to suggest having them take over for skin-to-skin contact after the baby has been fed. The baby will often fall asleep at this point, and since there’s nothing sweeter than a baby sleeping on your chest, this is a great way to share the bonding experience between both parents (while also giving the feeding partner a break). Your partner can also contribute to the process by making sure that your needs are met before and during feeds, such as bringing you a fresh bottle of water, a blanket, or other comfort items. If you’re bottle feeding, they can start helping with feeds right away, and whoever isn’t feeding can wash and sterilize bottles or pump equipment, since that is a very big task. Again, while the process of feeding looks different for different families, there are many ways to make this a positive bonding time for everyone.
To support your family’s feeding journey, check out bbhugme’s Nursing Collection, which includes our adjustable, versatile Nursing Pillow along with our Nursing Bras, all developed by healthcare professionals specialized in maternity and postpartum care.
About the author
Kendall is a Registered Nurse and IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant), and she has worked closely with mothers, babies and their families for the past 14 years. Her experiences working as an RN in high-risk pregnancy and postpartum hospital units as well as fast-paced pediatric and OB/GYN clinics has given her a unique clinical skill set. She can provide expert care for families during all stages of pregnancy, postpartum and beyond, thanks to her well rounded professional experience.
]]>In October 2022, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we at bbhugme began a collaboration with Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, based in the UK.
As a brand built around women’s health and wellbeing, in it was important for us to work with and help raise funds for with an organization that makes a real impact in combating this devastating disease that affects 1 in 7 women each year.
Future Dreams House in central London is the only specialized breast cancer support center in the UK. They provide a non-medical environment that offers emotional and physical support for those touched by breast cancer.
Future Dreams' offerings include workshops and classes that assist women in managing the symptoms and issues of diagnosis and treatment. This includes stress and anxiety, exercise and nutrition, and body image and hair loss, as well as offering crucial bra fitting services and breast care nurse support. Support is accessed in person and online, ensuring that their services are fully accessible. Future Dreams believes nobody faces breast cancer alone.
We are pleased to be amongst their recommended products that can provide comfort during the traumatic and painful process of breast cancer procedures.
“We always recommend the bbhugme pregnancy pillow for women who are undergoing breast surgery, as it an incredible support to their sleep and recovery,” says Sam Jacobs, Future Dreams Trustee.
Carly, pictured above, was one of the women who benefited from the bbhugme pillow.
"After the surgery I had, which was a double mastectomy and diep flap reconstruction, getting comfortable was an almost impossible task. I couldn't lie flat, my legs needed propping up and I was in a lot of discomfort. The bbhugme does exactly what it says. It hugs you. It allows you to mould in with the pillow for that extra support and it gave me my first decent night sleep after surgery. It was the hug I needed after this huge surgery."
During the month of October 2022, we launched a campaign to donate 25% of our sales on all nursing products to Future Dreams. We also designed a special edition pink cover for our Nursing Pillow to promote the cause of breast cancer awareness.
Following the campaign, two members of our team traveled to London to deliver our donation of £5000 and meet the Future Dreams team and the women they support. Photographed below is Zaheen, a recipient of Future Dreams' services, with Eleyce, our C.C.O.
Due to the success our our October campaign and Future Dreams' continued endorsement of our pillows for breast cancer recovery, Future Dreams has become one of our certified Healthcare Affiliates. Through this program, with every pillow sold through a referral by Future Dreams, the organization receives a monetary donation. Below is an image of our Nursing Pillow and Pregnancy Pillow in Future Dreams House, where visitors and those recovering from surgeries can try them.
"We rely 100% on donations to fund our work," says Suzanne Brennan, Director of Fundraising at Future Dreams."We don't get any government or statutory support, so we partner with brands to fund more of what we do, and also to help raise awareness in the community. It's so important for us to set up partnerships and work with like-minded brands that we believe are there to help support women, and we know bbhugme is that kind of brand."
About Future Dreams: Future Dreams was founded in 2008 by mother and daughter Sylvie Henry and Danielle Leslie who were both diagnosed with breast cancer and tragically died within 18 months of one another in 2009 and 2010. Since then, Future Dreams has continued their legacy in raising funds for breast cancer support, awareness and research into secondary breast cancer.
Learn more about the inspiring work being done by Future Dreams at futuredreams.org.uk.
]]>Changes to a woman’s body during pregnancy include an expanding belly and rib cage, a shift in posture, and increased breast size. Still, maternity wear can often be an afterthought for pregnant and nursing women, especially when it comes to their body’s comfort and support.
bbhugme’s new Pregnancy Essentials line, which includes the Everyday Nursing Bra, Comfort Bra, Pregnancy Leggings, and Pregnancy Support Belt, was designed with a woman’s changing body in mind.
“Changes to a woman’s body and feelings of discomfort during pregnancy vary from woman to woman. Some noticeable changes are felt at the very beginning while others happen in the middle or at the end of pregnancy,” says renowned Norwegian chiropractor and bbhugme co-founder Hilde Tavares. “That’s an important perspective because clothing for pregnancy and nursing should be dynamic. Our whole philosophy behind this new line is that you need clothing that helps you feel supported but not constricted.”
Physical changes in pregnancy range from larger breasts, widening of the hips and pelvis, and swollen feet to varicose veins and natural weight gain. Meanwhile, your growing uterus shifts your center of gravity, weakening your abdominal muscles and changing your posture, which strains your back.
Tavares, whose chiropractic practice specializes in prenatal and postnatal care, designed prototypes for the Pregnancy Essentials line and asked for input and feedback from her clients.
“We’re focused on what the body needs,” she says.
The Everyday Nursing Bra offers soft, gentle support without itchy underwires. Adjustable for optimal fit, the bra’s unique design prevents removable pads from falling out during nursing.
The Comfort Bra, ideal for moms-to-be and new moms, features a soft and stretchy material to support tender breasts, plus a wrap-around design for easy access during late-night feedings.
Tavares says an ill-fitting nursing bra that constricts your breasts can affect your milk flow and potentially cause mastitis, an inflammation of the breast.
“It’s very important to have a supportive but unrestrictive bra to allow for normal circulation and milk flow throughout the day,” she says. “We know there is a huge difference in breast size between morning and night when you’re nursing. You need that softness without underwires digging at you so you can have normal circulation.”
The Pregnancy Leggings are breathable and high-waisted to give your belly room to grow unrestricted with an under-belly support system. The leggings hug your body without any chaffing.
“Your blood volume increases a lot in pregnancy, and there is discomfort in your legs and feet. You can get varicose veins, heaviness, and swelling in legs,” Tavares says. “We wanted to design pregnancy leggings that have compression to help with the circulation in your legs. Healthy circulation is good for mom’s health and the baby’s health.”
The Pregnancy Support Belt stabilizes and supports your pelvis and lower back while keeping your core muscles activated. It works by holding your pelvis more together, giving you a feeling of stability and relief and making it easier for you to carry.
“When you’re pregnant, hormonal changes cause the connective tissue—what’s holding the bones together—to become relaxed and stretchy,” she says. “When that happens, you may lose a little bit of the stability that you have in your body and your joints.”
Investing in bbhugme’s high-quality, supportive, and comfortable Pregnancy Essentials Line is good for the body and mind, Tavares says.
“Having a baby is not just a personal responsibility. It’s a societal responsibility. We need to put more effort into supporting that space, and clothing is one way to do that,” she says. “It feels good to have clothing that fits. If you feel good and have a sense of wellness, that's positive for you and positive for your growing baby.”
]]>With her prenatal Pilates routine "The Bump Plan," Pilates trainer and mom Hollie Grant gives her expert insight on how to stay strong, balanced, and healthy throughout pregnancy, and why the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow can be great tool to help you through this routine.
Below, you'll find a video of Hollie's full prenatal routine, alone with her tips on how to use Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor.
“This is great routine to do if you need a bit of downtime,” Hollie says. “If you’re feeling stressed and frazzled, or rushing around with a huge to-do list, this calm Pilates routine can help."
To make yourself more comfortable throughout the Pilates routine, Hollie recommends using the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow.
“Using the pillow is a beneficial way of getting comfortable in certain positions and helping to add a little bit of resistance or alignment to some of your exercises.”
“The pillow can also help bolster you up so that some of the positions that would normally not be ideal during pregnancy will be completely fine and comfortable.”
The routine involves exercises that activate your pelvic floor and external hip rotators and give you some core work.
“Pregnancy is not a case of 'we just need to let the tummy go, we don’t need to do core work anymore,'” Hollie says. "You still need that support so that your back doesn’t have to take over.”
Medial rotational and internal rotation, both included in her routine, are important exercises to practice during pregnancy.
“The reason it’s a great movement to practice is that sometimes your glutes check out during your pregnancy. So, if the glutes aren’t showing up to do their work, you can start relying on your external rotators at the hip. That can start giving you a bit of tension deep in your bum cheek and in your lower back.”
Grab your pillow and your water bottle and join Hollie for the full routine here:
Several factors can weaken your pelvic floor, with childbirth being the big one. Kegel exercises are great to implement into your daily routine, and can prevent that urine leakage that can affect some women when sneezing or during certain movements.
The great thing about Kegels is that you can do them anywhere - on the bus, during a meeting, or while having dinner - and no one will know. Kegel exercises (also called pelvic floor exercises) are done to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, supporting the uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum.
So, let’s get to it!
“When we think about our Kegel exercises or any exercise that’s engaging the pelvic floor, what we are after is a closing or squeezing off the three holes affected by the pelvic floor,”, Hollie says. “This is the anus, the vagina, and the urethra.”
"When we think about engaging the pelvis floor, we think about closing the holes while squeezing and lifting.”
The holds:
The pulses:
Note: Please consult your healthcare provider if you are unsure about starting any exercise during pregnancy or postpartum recovery.
About the contributor:
Hollie Grant is a mother and prenatal/postnatal fitness expert. Hollie spent many years teaching Reformer and Mat Pilates and teaching thousands of classes across London, before being promoted to the head trainer of two London studios. In 2015 she started her own business, Pilates PT, and began opening her own studios across London.
The Bump Plan was created in 2020 and came from a lifelong desire to help TTC, pregnant, and postnatal women enter into these amazing times of their life strong and prepared for the myriad changes that happen to their bodies along the way.
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Wondering how to use the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow to finally get the comfort, sleep, and support you need?
Before you start using your pillow, check out this guide to help you get the most out of your investment.
In this article, you’ll learn:
1. Pull the cover over the inner pillow, leaving extra fabric at each end.
2. Secure each end with the Pebbles by threading the extra fabric through each Pebble and pushing them toward the center of the pillow.
3. Slide the Pebbles in or out to adjust the firmness of the pillow. For more firmness, tighten the Pebbles. If you want less volume and firmness, loosen the Pebbles.
See our instructional video here:
Sleep and rest are important throughout all nine months of pregnancy, so we recommend that you start using the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow as early as possible. While your belly may not need support until later in pregnancy, creating proper body alignment can help prevent certain pains and discomforts from developing.
According to the American Pregnancy Association and the NHS, side sleeping is the safest position for sleep, especially during the later stages of pregnancy. For many women, it’s also the only position that can comfortably accommodate your belly. The bbhugme pillow is designed to provide 5-point body support while lying on your side, help you to stay on your side, and prevent wakeups.
Yes! While many other pregnancy pillows have one static shape (J, C, U, or I), the bbhugme's microbead filling and adjustable firmness allows you to use it in many different shapes and positions while resting and sleeping.
Since the needs of your pregnant body will change from month to month (and even day to day!) we recommend trying different positions until you find the right comfort and support.
Again, the answer is yes! After your baby arrives, the bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow can be used for breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and postpartum recovery.
Wrap the pillow around your torso to provide both back and arm/elbow support while bringing your baby up to the level of your breast. The pillow's large size also makes it great for feeding older babies and twins. You can also put the pillow behind your back to provide extra comfort while using a smaller nursing pillow in front.
Inner Pillow: The inner pillow should never be washed in the washing machine. If needed, you can spot-clean it with a damp towel.
Outer Cover: The outer cover is machine washable (104°F/40°C). Hang to dry (do not tumble dry). You can also buy an extra cover to help with frequent washings.
Pebbles: The Pebbles can be washed in the dishwasher or hand washed with warm water.
Use the included travel bag for transporting and storing your pillow.
We hope your bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow brings you hugs, comfort, and rest. For any questions related to the use or care of your product, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Whether you’re using breast or bottle, much of your first year as a parent will be spent holding and feeding your baby. For many, a quality Nursing Pillow is a critical tool for preventing aches and strains on your body, establishing a good latch (if you’re breastfeeding), and providing a comfortable, healthy position for your baby during feeding sessions.
With adjustable firmness and a microbead filling that allows the pillow to shape to your body, the bbhugme Nursing Pillow can help you and your baby achieve success in your feeding journey together.
Before you start using your pillow, check out this guide to help you get the most out of your investment.
In this article, you’ll learn all about how to use your Nursing Pillow:
1. Unpack the pillow from the storage bag. The Nursing Pillow consists of three parts: an inner pillow, a cover and two Pebbles.
2. Pull the cover over the inner pillow, leaving extra fabric at each end.
3. Secure each end with the Pebbles by threading the extra fabric through each Pebble and pushing them toward the center of the pillow.
4. Slide the Pebbles in or out to adjust the firmness of the pillow. For more firmness, tighten the Pebbles. If you want less volume and firmness, loosen the Pebbles.
One feature that makes the bbhugme Nursing Pillow unique is its versatility. While most Nursing Pillows have a static “one size fits all” shape, ours offers adjustable firmness and a tie-around design. This allows you to adjust and adapt the pillow to your body and your baby’s needs.
See our instructional video here:
By Kendall Sonnenberg, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant
1. Cradle/Cross-Cradle position
This is perhaps the most common position to breastfeed your baby. Place your baby on his side, making sure he is facing you with his whole body. Position his arms around the breast like a hug. Scoot him down, in the direction of his feet, so that your nipple is pointing up to his nose. This will help him tilt his head back and “land” on the breast with his chin first.
When you see baby open his mouth wide, just offer gentle pressure with your hand behind his shoulder blades and bring him to breast. You can opt to have your arm under his head for extra support if needed, as shown in the photo below. (The model is wearing our Everyday Nursing Bra.)
2. Football/Rugby hold
This is a nice hold for mothers who have had a c-section as there is less pressure on the abdomen. However, anyone can benefit from this comfortable feeding position. Place the baby on his back or side, depending on the size of your breast and how your baby latches on best. You may find it helpful to point your hips/knees in away from the baby in order to create more room for baby to wrap around you.
For example, if the baby is positioned on your left side, point your knees to the right to create that space. Like with the cradle hold, position baby just below the breast, wait for their wide-open mouth, and offer gentle support behind the shoulder blades to bring him to your breast.
3. Bottle feeding
Bottle feeding also takes time and it’s important that you and your baby are well supported. Start by positioning baby on the pillow in a cradle hold on his back. It's ideal to have him as upright as possible, so that he is in control of the flow of milk. Parents should also make sure to watch baby closely during feeding, to make sure that the baby is comfortably feeding. Offer breaks if needed. If the flow of milk is too fast, consider lowering the bottle so that it is more parallel to the floor, or you can try a slower flow nipple.
4. Holding your baby upright after feeds
Holding your baby upright is a good way to make sure your baby is comfortable while he digests his milk and feels settled after the feed. It is also a perfect opportunity to let burps out if needed! The vertical position and slight pressure on his belly will help to release any air that he swallowed. Use our pillow to support your arms or baby’s bum while you hold him, with good support behind his back or neck, depending on how reclined you are. Don’t forget to put a burp cloth on your shoulder to catch any messes.
Inner Pillow: The inner pillow should never be washed in the washing machine. If needed, you can spot-clean it with a damp towel.
Outer Cover: The outer cover is machine washable (104°F/40°C). Hang to dry (do not tumble dry). Since feedings can be messy, you should also consider buying an extra cover to help with frequent washings.
Pebbles: The Pebbles can be washed in the dishwasher or hand washed with warm water.
Use the included travel bag for storing your pillow or transporting it when you’re feeding on-the-go.
To prevent serious injury or death:
We hope your bbhugme Nursing Pillow brings you and your baby comfort and support. For any questions related to the use or care of your product, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Interview with Dr. Harriet Plowright, Pediatrics, Child Health, and Neonatal specialist.
1. How many times a day should my baby be feeding?
A new baby will roughly need to feed eight times every 24 hours. That averages out to a feed every three hours, but most breastfed babies won’t follow this schedule. Think of it the same way you do as an adult – you will feel hungry and thirsty at random points in the day. Over-planning a feeding schedule (or even thinking about a baby being on a “schedule”) can hinder your milk production. Try to relax and put baby to the breast almost every time they cry.
2. How long should my baby feed at each feeding?
There is no hard and fast rule for how long your baby should feed. Some babies transfer milk very efficiently, while others take a little longer to fulfill their needs. Feed times can also vary with the time of the day and surroundings. Trying to be less distracted when you feed and being mindful of feeding is important. But if every feed is taking a long time, then it might be worth having your latch and positioning assessed to ensure that baby is transferring milk effectively, and you have the toolkit to troubleshoot any problems.
3. How can I tell if my baby is eating enough in the early days?
You want to have plenty of wet and dirty nappies. In the first few days, you will see a gradual increase. Dirty nappies in particular are the key to knowing whether your baby is eating enough. I would expect a newborn to poo at almost every feed (5-12 times per day) – this gradually decreases as your baby gets older and those babies over 6 weeks can significantly drop their pooing frequency down. Weight gain (and not significant loss) is also an important factor. I would expect a normal, well-fed newborn to lose weight in the first 5 days, and then gradually get back to their birth weight by 10-14 days.
4. How do I know if I’m producing enough milk?
Perceived low milk supply is extremely common, whereas true, clinical low milk supply is rare. Women often feel like they are not making enough milk because their baby won’t sleep for long periods, is unsettled, cries all the time, or seems to want to feed all the time. All of these things are normal baby behaviours and are not necessarily an indicator of poor supply. Cluster-feeding in the evenings is a normal breastfed baby behaviour – and being aware of this being a phenomenon can make it much easier to deal with. Drink plenty, and ensure you have someone to bring you regular snacks!
Most women can produce a healthy milk supply. The majority of mums will do really well if they look after themselves – eat well, drink well, and be responsive to their baby. Having a good support system is often key to the success of a breastfeeding relationship.
5. Is pain and soreness normal when I’m breastfeeding? When should I worry?
There are different views out there on this one. Some mums and health professionals will say it should be painless if it’s going well, but others will tell you that you can expect discomfort in the early days. If you have persistent pain, then it’s a very good idea to have a personalized breastfeeding assessment. It’s all very new, you’re learning, and your baby is learning too. It’s a steep learning curve and the two of you have to learn to do this together. Nipple soreness is common in the first few days, even when milk transfer is good, but this should settle down relatively quickly.
6. Does feeding position affect this pain and soreness? What are some good feeding positions?
Feeding position, and consequently a good latch, is really important. The bbhugme Nursing Pillow is amazing for support and to get the position right! I'm currently feeding Baby No. 2, and I've got three bbhugme Nursing Pillows in the house in three different rooms.
But positioning and attachment are key, regardless of what supports and props you use or don't use: Your goal is to get your baby well-positioned, well-attached, with a deep and comfortable latch. Some of the best advice I was given before having my first baby, was to familiarise myself with the different feeding positions and how to achieve a deep latch. There is a wealth of YouTube videos available to help with this. Reading and watching as much as you can before the birth of your baby is an excellent way to give yourself a great head start to feeding!
Both the bbhugme pregnancy and nursing pillows have helped me achieve comfortable feeding with my first and second babies. They have taken the pressure off my neck and shoulders and enabled both me and baby to feed comfortably anywhere in my house (including the garden!).
Check out our Nursing Pillow and Pregnancy Pillow.
About the author
Harriet specializes in Pediatrics, Child Health, and Neonatal Medicine where she spends her time treating emergencies and running clinics for chronic problems in children. She moves through hospitals often as part of her work and, through this, meets a lot of families on a day-to-day basis. Harriet feels privileged to work with children and be surrounded by their innocence and kindness each day. She is a strong advocate for neonatal wellbeing and breastfeeding mothers.
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As we talked, the two founders shared some invaluable insight, advice, and experience from years of taking care of pregnant women, new mums, and babies in their clinics.
Q: Where and when was the idea for the bbhugme® Nursing Pillow born?
Hilde: We didn’t set out to create a series of products or a business when we started out. Our ‘original idea’ – the bbhugme® Pregnancy Pillow was initially just called the ‘bbhugme® Pillow’ – a second product wasn’t even on the horizon then.
The pregnancy pillow was multi-functional from the start – something that has always been a part of our product philosophy. But as mothers ourselves, we knew the need to be able to comfortably feed your baby anywhere and anytime. While parents were using the bbhugme® Pregnancy Pillow for nursing as well, it was rather big and inconvenient. You couldn't carry it out or travel with it.
We had another focus: Adjustability. Adjustability is important because you have different breast sizes and babies are different shapes and sizes too. Ideally, you need a form of support that would adjust to the mum and the baby, which the other nursing pillows on the market did not provide.
All in all, we just knew that we could make a better nursing pillow than what was out there!
Q: What are some of the most common problems that new mums face with nursing and feeding positions?
Ann Kristin: Aching shoulders, bad posture, and painful necks are challenges we see a lot with feeding parents. They are carrying their babies all day and all night, and often without the right support. Dads have these problems too, with bottle-fed babies.
Hilde: By the time we started talking about these challenges and designing the nursing pillow, we had identified our mission as a company: We wanted to build smart, functional products for the families that we take care of. We knew that a lot of nursing pillows on the market just didn’t work. You couldn’t attach or adjust them to your body. They were not ergonomic.
As a new mum, you have a lot going on – you’ve got the baby to maneuver, your breast or the bottle, and then if you also have to maneuver a pillow that doesn’t adjust well, it can become too much. The big challenge was that the lack of properly designed support made feeding stressful and uncomfortable for new mums.
Q: Is there one ‘best’ position, or is every mum and baby different? Whatarethe key criteria to finding your 'best' position?
Ann Kristin: Every mum will usually need to find the best breastfeeding position for them, from a cradle position to a ‘rugby ball hold’ under the arm to your baby lying on you when you’re on your back. With bottle-feeding, the most common position is the cradle or cross-cradle position.
What you are looking for ideally is that you are comfortable, and your baby is stable and well-supported. You want to make sure that the baby’s head, neck, and spine are not twisted during a feed.
Hilde: Feeding is this whole coordinated event, in a sense. A lot of things have to align and work all at once. That’s why there are so many challenges around it. It’s also important to change it up and get comfortable with different positions – for baby and mum.
Q: Why isit important to change feeding positions every once in a while?
Hilde: There are a few reasons this becomes important. Sometimes, babies have a hard time turning their necks to one side. Adjusting and changing positions allows you to identify any of these challenges and allows your baby to develop and grow in a balanced manner.
Think of your baby’s brain as a new hard disk that is going to be programmed. You need to stimulate their body and their brains from different sides. Switching breasts or switching sides bottle-feeding gives your baby that much-needed variety. Eyesight, hearing, hand-eye coordination should all be stimulated on both sides for proper, balanced neural connections.
And so, when you’re switching up positions, it becomes even more important that you have the right support from a good, adjustable nursing pillow that changes as you and your baby change and grow.
Q: Are there other benefits to being pain-free and comfortable when you’re feeding, apart from the obvious physical benefits?
Ann Kristin: The one factor that makes feeding more challenging is stress. I see a lot of new mums stress when they are feeding their baby – they lean forward to bring the breast to the baby’s mouth and end up doing a lot of wrong things. Their spines are uncomfortable, and their bodies are stressed. But if mum is comfortable and baby is well-supported, it allows her to breathe better, relax, focus on and have a better emotional connection with her child.
Hilde: New, inexperienced mums have got a big drive to make this work. As Ann Kristin said, that makes these new mums want to lean in and hunch forward when they're feeding. It shouldn't be that way. Instead, the baby should ‘come to mum’ for a feed.
When new mums can be comfortable during a feed, they produce less of the stress hormone cortisol and more of the love hormone, oxytocin. Being 20-30 cm away from your baby’s face and making eye contact with your baby also stimulates your oxytocin – and that helps to release the milk easier.
Q: Why is thebbhugme® Nursing Pillow’s hip-carry function important?
Hilde: We’ve always tried to make our products multi-functional and designed for longer-term use. The hip-carry function was something we discovered as the product design was coming together. The more we worked on the prototype, the more we thought the hip-carry function was a really smart add-on!
Mums will often do this ‘hip hike’ to carry their babies and that brought back the neck and shoulder stress they experience during breastfeeding. So we thought, the extra support from the hip-carry function was a perfect way to reduce some of that stress on the neck and shoulders. It also provides more pelvic and hip support for mums that are no longer nursing but are still carrying their babies around all day.
Q: Your favourite bbhugme product?
Hilde: I had my kids before these products came to be, but if I had to pick one, it would be the bbhugme® Pregnancy Pillow. I had severe nausea during all three pregnancies, so I was bed-ridden for the first six months. I spent a lot of time lying down, and a good body pillow would have been magical!
Ann Kristin: I gave birth in December 2020, and the bbhugme® Nursing Pillow has literally been by my side since then. My hands are free, and I can have low shoulders whilst Angel is safe and comfortable.
I also love the fact that it´s adjustable, because I tend to vary the firmness so that it gives me optimum comfort. It’s light weight too, and that makes it super practical to bring with me on the go. I use it at home, of course, but I also bring it with me in the car, when I go visit people, to the cabin, and I will definitely take it on holiday when everything opens up again.
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Fifteen years later, the creative duo produces their signature style of dreamy patterns, colorful designs, and decorative packaging for clients in Tokyo, India, Norway, Korea, and beyond.
bbhugme is offering special edition prints designed by Darling Clementine. We talked to Darling Clementine founders Ingrid and Tonje about their work, what inspires them, and why they love the creative process.
The Early Days of Darling Clementine
Ingrid and Tonje earned their degrees in visual communication and art direction in the U.K. but didn’t meet until after college. The found each other after admiring one other’s stationery designs from afar.
“We were both making cards before we met and liked each other’s styles. We tracked each other down—this was before Facebook—and a friend finally introduced us at a concert,” Ingrid says. “We shared our portfolios and inspirational work. It was destiny.”
They launched Darling Clementine in 2006 and never looked back. “We felt very lucky to meet and to have wanted to do the same thing at the same time,” Tonje says.
What Inspires Them?
Ingrid and Tonje look to nature, popular trends, Pinterest, fashion, and movies for inspiration.
“We have similar tastes. When we started 15 years ago, we realized we had the same dresses, kitchen utensils, and furniture. We liked the same things,” Ingrid says. “For us, illustration is such a good way to express ourselves. Graphics can be strict and quite limited, but illustrations can be a bit more fun and over the top.”
How Would They describe the bbhugme Special Edition Prints?
bbhugme asked for a design with a Scandinavian theme. The result was two Nordic botanical prints—one is deep green, called “Green Meadow,” and the other designed in pinkish hues, named “Pink Wildflowers.”
“The prints are very botanical and decorative, but they still feel like something drawn from a Norwegian forest,” Tonje says.
What Other Brands Does Darling Clementine Design For?
Darling Clementine’s clients are around the globe in Tokyo, Helsinki, Korea, Estonia, India, Norway, Sweden, and the U.K.
While Darling Clementine’s roots are in stationery, Ingrid and Tonje mostly work for food brands, specializing in package designs for Godiva, Ounce Cookies, Jade Forest, and Marks & Spencer.
Non-food clients include Stokke, a Norwegian children’s furniture brand, the Norwegian Munch Museum, Neutrogena, Lufthansa, and H&M.
How Would They Describe Their Work?
“Decorative, feminine, and ornamental with organic shapes and unexpected color combos,” Ingrid says.
Darling Clementine’ Creative Process
Ingrid and Tonje each sketch their ideas for clients and hone the final design based on creative direction from the client. Since working remotely for over a year, they email each other their sketches several times a day.
“We always show each other our work as we go,” Ingrid says. “We both try to look at Pinterest or the Internet and find a reference to inspire us. We agree on a color scheme, and it just develops from there.”
After all these years, Ingrid and Tonje still enjoy the process—and each other.
“We still have fun, even though it’s a business,” Tonje says. “It’s been a nice journey.”
It’s here! We have a new Nursing Pillow collection. The new collection comes in six gorgeous prints: Grey Melange, Pink Melange, Blue Melange, Dots, BluePrint, and Cedar. To capture our Scandinavian roots into the design, each of these colours has been inspired by Scandinavia’s awe-striking landscapes and vistas.
Like all our products, the new bbhugme® Nursing Pillow is developed by experienced health professionals. Offering optimum support and comfort to the neck and shoulders whilst breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, it offers an altogether improved feeding experience for baby, mum, dad, grandparents, and nanny alike.
The bbhugme® Nursing Pillow continues to receive praise for its flexibility. The pillow molds and shapes, adapting comfortably to your growing baby as well as to changes in your body, feeding positions, and environments. The adjustable nursing pillow comfortably supports your baby when you are breastfeeding or when you or anyone else takes over for a bottle-feed.
Explore our new Nursing Pillow Collection.
To take it one step further, the fact that the pillow is extremely lightweight and portable with a travel bag means that feeding on the go is no longer a problem. You can carry your bbhugme® Nursing Pillow with you when you’re off to visit friends and even when you’re traveling.
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Have you been considering a nursing pillow? If you are, you've likely found tens, maybe hundreds, of options and you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all the choice.
We wanted to make things a little easier for you, and so we put together a list of the top qualities that you need to look for when choosing the right nursing pillow. Think of this as an ‘essentials’ checklist to run in your head as you’re going through your options, and there’s no going wrong.
1. Support
Support is your top priority when choosing a nursing pillow. You want to look for a pillow that alleviates any neck and back strain while feeding – common complaints for breast and bottle-feeding parents, alike.
You also want a pillow that will support your baby so that your baby's head, neck, and spine and well-aligned. This makes for a relaxed, comfortable feed for both baby and you.
2. Adjustability
Every mum and baby is different. Also, your baby is going to change and grow every day, and so a pillow that is comfortable for the first two months might soon become too big or obtrusive if you cannot adjust it.
Look for a pillow that can adjust to your baby and you most comfortably – your bodies, shape, and size. You want a pillow that you can squeeze, fold and shape however you like, so you can use it for feeds on the couch, in bed, and perhaps even an airplane seat.
An adjustable pillow will also be perfect for those times when dad, grandma, the nanny, or anyone else might need to take over for a bottle-feed.
3. Easy to Clean
Feeding is going to be downright messy – so consider yourself warned! Be sure to look for a pillow that has a removable cover that you can toss in the wash every time there's a spill or a leak.
Want a pro-mama-tip? Have extra covers on hand so you can quickly make things dry and comfortable and let your baby drift into a happy, full-bellied nap.
4. Easy to Carry Around
A portable, easy-to-carry nursing pillow is perhaps the one quality you absolutely cannot skip out on. As you get more comfortable (and adventurous) feeding, you’ll want to feed in the living room, perhaps at the kitchen table while the dinner’s warming up or even on a lawn chair on a sunny day.
You might also want to feed on the go when you step out of the house. For all of these reasons, you need a nursing pillow that is small, lightweight, and preferably something that comes with an easy carry bag. We’ve got this well-covered (literally) with our bbhugme Nursing Pillow, in case you haven’t checked it out yet!
5. Safe, natural materials
For ultimate comfort and safety, look carefully through the materials used inside and outside any nursing pillow you are considering. Look for natural, breathable, and certified materials.
The bbhugme Nursing Pillow is filled with BioFoam®, which is CO2 neutral, non-hazardous, and hygienic. It is also odour-free with natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. The outer cover too is safety-tested and certified to the highest standard, Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX Class 1.
6. Longevity and Multi-Use
Your nursing pillow is going to see a lot of use when you're feeding, so a high-quality, durable pillow is certainly a plus. But it's worth looking for a pillow that you can use after it's served its nursing purpose, too.
For an added benefit, how about looking for a pillow that looks good too so you can throw it around as a casual addition to the living room? A nursing pillow is a new-mum essential, and this list should help you figure out exactly what you should be looking for when you’re choosing one.
Explore the new Nursing Pillow here
Feeling comfortable during pregnancy is essential for you and your baby. As your baby bump grows, rest may lower stress levels.
A pregnancy body pillow will contribute to giving you the support your body needs from the first trimester and beyond. Our pillow is optimal for sleeping, sitting, and lying down, and our body pillow covers are made with high quality, long-lasting materials. When investing in a pregnancy body pillow, it’s important to consider everything from quality to support to versatility.
Support
A pregnancy body pillow should provide support for your belly, lower back, pelvis, knees, and ankles so that you have 5-point support. As the stomach grows, the centre of gravity will change. It strains the joints and spine and can create pain. A pregnancy pillow that provides support for the abdomen, lower back, pelvis, knees and ankles may help reduce discomfort.
You don’t want a pregnancy pillow that’s too bulky bbhugme’s pregnancy body pillow moulds perfectly to your body. The shape gives sturdy yet flexible support for every body type.
Expertise
When shopping for a pregnancy body pillow, consider a brand’s knowledge and expertise about the pregnant body. bbhugme was created by three female Norwegian chiropractors specializing in prenatal and postnatal care. In their practice, they met with many sleep-deprived women suffering from pelvic and back pain before, during, and after pregnancy. Realizing that support and care for pregnant bodies were needed more than ever, the three set out to design the best pregnancy body pillow on the market today.
Versatility
A pregnancy body pillow should adapt to your changing body and provide support while sleeping —and even when you’re sitting and reclining during pregnancy or postpartum. bbhugme’s pregnancy pillow is designed so you can have a short rest on your stomach. By tying the ends together, you can form a doughnut shape and create a place for your growing baby bump that allows you to rest on your stomach without adding any pressure.
Replaceable Covers Made with High-Quality Materials
Look for a pregnancy body pillow with extra covers. You’ll want a replaceable cover on-hand when you toss the other in the wash. A cover should be soft and smooth, and bbhugme’s body pillow extra covers come in an assortment of colours. The covers are machine washable naturally, and the fabric is elastic yet strong enough to avoid being torn when used.
Our body pillow covers and inner pillow are OEKO-TEX® standard 100 class 1 certified, one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. OEKO-TEX® is a global, independent testing and certification system for textile products.
Quality
Your wellbeing is paramount, and sleep is a key ingredient in a pregnancy. A pregnancy body pillow should be comfortable and designed to last. Our pillow’s material is odour-free with natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, with a soft and breathable outer cover made with 95% cotton and 5% spandex. Best of all, bbhugme’s pregnancy body pillow and other products are designed for maximum comfort and support by experienced health professionals.
About the author
Hilde and her husband run a family chiropractic practice just outside of Stavanger, Norway. She works with pregnant women, new moms, and their babies every day. Her work reaches beyond treating only aches and pains, and centers around helping women understand their true physical strength and connecting with their inner voice that already knows what is best for them and their babies. As one of the founders of bbhugme, and part of the product development team, Hilde has a close relationship with all the bbhugme products.
You’re considering a maternity support belt, and you’re wondering if it’s worth your while.
We see mums-to-be weighing the idea pretty often, and thought we’d shed some light on all the reasons why we’ve seen mums-to- be reach out for a maternity support belt.
You could be at any stage of your early motherhood journey: perhaps you’ve just found out your pregnant, or you’re feeling that first little flutter, or you’re thirty-something weeks along, and you’re learning to get really comfortable with the baby bump.
At any of those stages, though, you could begin to experience pain and discomfort. It’s only natural - your body’s shifting and changing every day to make room for the little life-ball that’s growing inside you.
Many times, you’ll feel better by just sitting down, taking a breath, and waiting for the pain of discomfort to pass.
When that doesn’t cut it, however, is when mums-to-be tend to turn towards some form of support to help navigate through the trimesters a little bit easier.
Pain relief is just one way in which maternity support belts help. Perhaps you’re an active mum and want to keep hitting the trails for your run? Or maybe you’ve got to stay in action with your other little ones – school runs, football games, ballet lessons, mealtime?
Here are some of the biggest reasons why mums-to-be wear maternity belts:
To ease back,hip and pelvic joint pain
Back,hip and pelvic joint pain can appear at any time during your pregnancy, and it can get in the way of literally everything.
Day-to-day activities can leave you completely drained if and when it strikes, and it’s hardly uncommon.
According to a study in the Spine Journal,71% of women report lower back pain, and 65% report some degree of pelvic girdle pain.
Your body also releases more of a hormone called Relaxin during pregnancy. As the name suggests, its job is to loosen up and relax all the connective tissue in your body, including the ligaments in your pelvis, preparing your body towards the birth of your child.
However, as a result of this loosening up, you could experience a sense of loss of stability, especially in your pelvis.
A good maternity support belt helps to ease lower back, hip and pelvic pain and discomfort. The bbhugme Maternity support belt is soft, dynamic, and flexible so that you can do what you need to do, remain active, and go about your day feeling well-supported.
Support during exercise
If you’re an active mum and don’t want to lose the gym habit, or running practice or your regular yoga class, good on you!
It can, however, be smart to provide your belly and pelvis with some durable support through your sweat sessions. A maternity support belt is a great way of ensuring support while keeping you moving and grooving! Zumba fan, anyone?
All of us at bbhugme, backed by our panel of experts, are all for healthy and happy pregnancies.
Dr. Hilde Tavares, bbhugme Founder, and Chiropractor specializing in pre-natal care, recommends hot water activities for mums who find themselves struggling with too much pain or discomfort for other types of exercise.
Postural Support
As baby grows, your belly gets heavier and your center of gravity changes. In example, to help stay I balance the curve in your lower back gradually increases throughout your pregnancy.
So, the way you move, bend forwards, backwards and so on changes completely. Postural support can be key to alleviating some of the discomfort around all of this.
A flexible maternity support belt works by providing external cues to help keep your spine aligned comfortably, to make movement and day-to-day activities easier.
Support after baby arrives
One common postpartum effect is that your core muscles will need some time to recuperate after being stretched out during the pregnancy. Some may also experience an even greater extent of abdominal muscle separation, known as diastasis recti.
There are of course various core exercises you can do to coax your belly back into shape, but your body needs time to heal after the birth, so that should not be your main focus in the beginning. A maternity support belt can act as your own “personal little helper” through those first few weeks if you have the need for it.
Your hard-working postpartumcore muscles may actually thank you for the literal hug that a great belt feels like!
All of these reasons basically point to one thing: A maternity support belt is designed to help you be more comfortable as you navigate the changes during and after pregnancy. Our intent with the bbhugme maternity support belt is tohelp you with the support you may need so that your main focus can be on adjusting to your life as a new mum.
The Maternity Belt Overdependence Concern
One common concern is that regular external support from a maternity belt can lead to 'overdependence,' or the gradual weakening of your core because of the belt.
While some rigid belts might restrict movement and do almost too much by way of support, the bbhugme belt is a flexible support belt designed to provide gentle support that allows for more and easier movement, not less.
As a general rule of thumb, when you're looking for any kind of external support gear during your pregnancy, you want to steer clear of anything too rigid that limits motion, locks up your joints or deactivates your core muscles.
Dr. Hilde recommends that her patients wear a maternity support belt mainly when they are doing activities that would typically cause them discomfort or pain. This can be during work hours, training, walking kids to daycare, grocery shopping, or fixing dinner.
“I always tell them to take off the belt for extended periods of sitting or lying down. Your back and pelvis don't really need to be supported when they are not under what we call loading stress," she advises.
Buy our Pregnancy Support Belt.
About the author
Hilde and her husband run a family chiropractic practice just outside of Stavanger, Norway. She works with pregnant women, new moms, and their babies every day. Her work reaches beyond treating only aches and pains, and centers around helping women understand their true physical strength and connecting with their inner voice that already knows what is best for them and their babies. As one of the founders of bbhugme, and part of the product development team, Hilde has a close relationship with all the bbhugme products.
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