For many parents, sleepless nights are a familiar struggle—soothing a fussy baby, retrieving fallen pacifiers, and longing for just a few uninterrupted hours of rest. For Jordan and Nick Ripley, parents from Carlisle, Iowa, this challenge led to an idea: the Thumbee Mitt.
The Thumbee Mitt is a pacifier attached to a soft mitten, allowing babies to self-soothe without dropping their pacifier. This product began as a simple handmade prototype during Jordan’s maternity leave. Yet, transforming their idea into a refined, market-ready product demanded ingenuity, resilience, and the specialized support of Protostudios.
The Birth of an Idea
A neonatal ICU nurse, Jordan had long recognized the importance of developmentally appropriate tools for infants. When her own baby struggled to sleep without his pacifier, she noticed his instinctive hand movements and wondered: What if the pacifier was attached to his hand so he could find it himself?
Armed with fabric from a local store, Jordan sewed the first Thumbee Mitt, which quickly proved its worth in helping her baby stay asleep. Impressed by its success, Jordan and Nick considered bringing this new solution to other parents.
The Road to Protostudios
Despite their passion, Jordan and Nick soon realized how challenging it can be to transition from a homemade prototype to full-fledged product development. Explaining their concept to manufacturers without professional designs or prototypes was an uphill battle.
That’s when Nick discovered Protostudios, a resource specializing in helping entrepreneurs and inventors transform their ideas from concept to reality. With state-of-the-art 3D printing and prototyping capabilities, Protostudios was exactly what the Thumbee Mitt needed.
“Chuck, from Protostudios, listened to our idea and brought it to life,” said Nick. “He gave us something tangible that we could show to manufacturers. Seeing the vision in our heads become a physical prototype was a real turning point for us.”
Collaborating with Protostudios
When Jordan and Nick first connected with Protostudios, their concept was still in its early stages. They had notes, sketches, and homemade clay models but needed a professional-quality prototype to start working with manufacturers.
The Protostudios team, led by Chuck Romans, worked closely with the couple to refine their design, create detailed CAD drawings, and 3D-print multiple versions of both the pacifier and the mitten component.
“Working with Protostudios to develop our prototypes was indispensable for figuring out the right sizes, materials, and functionality,” Jordan explained. “We printed different versions—too big, too small—until we landed on the perfect fit. Without those 3D models, we might still be stuck, unsure of what to do next.”
With Protostudios’ support, Jordan and Nick finally had a clear, professional prototype to present to potential manufacturers.
A Solution for Parents, Powered by Protostudios
Today, the Thumbee Mitt helps parents reclaim valuable sleep while teaching babies to self-soothe. Jordan and Nick juggle full-time jobs with running the business from their home office in Carlisle, Iowa, personally packaging and shipping each order.
Though the journey hasn’t been easy, the couple credits Protostudios’ prototyping expertise with keeping them motivated and on track:
“If it wasn’t for Chuck and Protostudios, we might have given up,” Nick shared. “Those 3D models breathed so much life into our idea.”
Looking Ahead
As Thumbee Mitt continues to reach parents seeking relief from sleepless nights, Jordan and Nick plan to stay rooted in Iowa while growing their brand. They aim to partner with local boutiques, expand their social media presence, and ssupport local charities and benefits to give back to their community.
To learn more—or to order the Thumbee Mitt yourself—visit ThumbeeMitt.com.
