February 5, 2024

Our Founders' Story: How bbhugme was born

Have you ever wondered how our innovative Pregnancy Pillow and the bbhugme brand was born? It all started with three chiropractors (and moms) who were on a mission to help pregnant women.

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.

Hilde Tavares - bbhugme Founder

“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.”

Development process - bbhugme founders

The story of the bbhugme name

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.”

A product loved by pregnant women everywhere

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.”

bbhugme Founders. From left: Ann Kristin Homdrum and Hilde Tavares

As the product began to create a buzz in the pregnancy community, women were requesting that retailers sell the pillow. Eventually, bbhugme’s phones began ringing off the hook from major stores interested in selling their pregnancy pillows. The product first launched in Norway, followed by Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States. An e-commerce shop was also established to sell bbhugme worldwide.

“No matter where you live, you can relate to things like lack of sleep, stress, and body aches. We’re talking about basic human needs, which is at the core of our mission,” Hilde says. “We want to make a difference in women’s lives, and we want women to know that they are seen and understood.”

Today, bbhugme is a globally trusted brand known for professional design, versatility, and beautiful style. The brand is available at industry-leading retailers in the United States and Europe, continues to get rave reviews in the press. Most importantly, our pillows are loved and recommended by moms everywhere.