Dreaming Up Better Sleep: How Dr. Brenda Slovin Built a Better Pillow for Growing Children

For more than two decades, Dr. Brenda Slovin has helped families improve their health through chiropractic care. But after becoming a mother, she noticed a problem that extended beyond the treatment room: there were few pillow options designed with children’s spinal support and comfort in mind.

A Connecticut family practice chiropractor, Slovin has been practicing since 2001. She and her husband met while attending chiropractic school, later graduating, marrying and opening their own practice together. In March, the couple will celebrate 25 years in business.

Throughout her career, Slovin has treated patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors. But it was her own experience as a parent that inspired her latest venture, creating a toddler pillow built around proper alignment, comfort and adjustability.

“When my daughter transitioned out of our bed into a toddler bed, I really couldn’t find a pillow that provided the ergonomic support she needed and the comfort she wanted,” Slovin said.

Traditional pillows, she found, were often too large for toddlers, pushing their heads forward and creating poor sleeping positions.

“As a chiropractor, I thought, this is not what I want,” she said. “We work so hard with adults for proper alignment and ergonomic support, but with kids we just give them the old guest room pillow and assume it’s good enough.”

That realization led Slovin to research what children, and parents, needed from a pillow.

Turning an idea into a product

Over several years, Slovin interviewed approximately 1,000 patients, asking what they liked and disliked about their pillows, what could be improved and what features would create a better sleep experience.

The feedback helped shape what eventually become the Lussi & Company.

The pillow was designed with adjustable support, allowing parents to customize the height and firmness as their child grows. Inside the pillow are two C-shaped bolster inserts that can be removed or adjusted by adding or removing filling.

The design also addresses common concerns with traditional pillows, including overheating and discomfort from pressure points. One side provides a cooler sleeping surface, while the other offers a more traditional pillow feel.

“Not one child is the same size as the next child,” Slovin said. “You need a pillow where you can adjust it to make sure it’s the proper size for your toddler, because one size definitely does not fit all.”

The pillow officially launched in December 2024 through Amazon. While the timing presented challenges, the company continued gaining momentum.

Since launch, the pillow has generated more than $100,000 in Amazon sales. The product has also expanded into chiropractic offices and healthcare practices, with about 30 offices carrying the pillow since Slovin began offering it to professionals in May 2026.

For Slovin, the goal has always been larger than creating another children’s product. She believes pillows should be viewed as tools that support healthy sleep habits and proper positioning.

“A pillow is not just a big fluffy, squishy thing,” she said. “A pillow that you sleep with should be ergonomically correct no matter how old you are.”

She believes establishing proper sleep support early can help children develop healthier habits as they grow.

“I firmly believe tech neck doesn’t happen from your first phone,” she said. “I think it happens from your first pillow.”

The pillow’s design has also found applications beyond toddlers. Due to its smaller size and adjustability, Slovin said it can benefit petite adults who struggle with traditional pillows that push their necks too high while sleeping.

The product is priced at $49.99 and is made with hypoallergenic materials, including a proprietary blend of memory foam and microfiber. The pillow and its components are washable, allowing families to use it for years as children grow.

From idea to entrepreneurship

Looking back at the decade-long journey from idea to product launch, Slovin said one of the biggest challenges was learning how to transform an idea into a business.

“When it’s your idea and you keep it in your head, it’s safe,” she said. “When you start sharing it with the world, it’s a little scary because you don’t know how it’s going to be received.”

Today, Slovin hopes parents recognize the importance of choosing products that support their children’s health from an early age.

“If it doesn’t look comfortable, it probably isn’t,” she said. “If a child’s head is in a weird position while sleeping, that’s because it isn’t right.”

After years of research, patient conversations and product development, Slovin continues expanding her mission to help families sleep better, one pillow at a time.