About LoveBug Probiotics | Our Mission & Gut Health Journey

Our story starts with bugs. During the birth of her son Hudson, Lovebug Probiotics co-founder Ashley Harris was put on broad-spectrum antibiotics as a preventive measure. Over the next few months both Ashley and Hudson started getting sick. Ashley began suffering constant migraines and noticed a weakened immune system. Her son was very colicky, had digestive issues and then right around the same time both Ashley and Hudson developed eczema. Frustrated, Ashley began a quest to discover what was happening to her and her son, and why.

A few weeks after Hudson was born, he developed horrible colic and eczema.  Initially, doctors wanted me to give him steroids which would have temporarily suppressed the eczema, but would not have solved the underlying problem. I refused to put my newborn on steroids and was determined to find the root cause. After serious research and testing we discovered that Hudson’s eczema was due to a severe imbalance in his gut bacteria and the fact that he didn’t receive enough of the beneficial bacteria during birth, and instead too many antibiotics.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition causing itchy, red, and inflamed skin. While traditionally linked to genetic, environmental, and immune factors, research highlights the role of an imbalanced microbiome — the ecosystem of microorganisms living on and in our body — in its development.

The skin microbiome plays a vital role in protecting against pathogens and regulating immunity. In eczema patients, disruptions in the microbiome often lead to inflammation and skin damage. Overgrowth of Staphylococcus aureus, found in 70-90% of eczema cases, reduces beneficial bacterial diversity and weakens the skin barrier. This contributes to water loss, increased allergen sensitivity, and immune dysregulation.

Similarly, the gut microbiome, integral to immune function and inflammation, influences eczema via the gut-skin axis. Dysbiosis, marked by reduced beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and increased harmful microbes, can cause systemic inflammation, leaky gut, and heightened immune responses, worsening eczema.

I started giving Hudson probiotics and taking them myself. Within a few weeks, I had a completely new baby on my hands.  Hudson’s skin cleared up completely and his colic went away. It turns out that he was crying incessantly because he didn’t have the right bacteria in his gut to digest breastmilk which was why he was in so much pain. Blown away by the transformative power of probiotics, I was determined to educate other parents and create a cleaner, better line or probiotics for everyone in the family.