Jan 6

Jan 6 A Healing Mama

I wanted to include this in my last post, but it would have been as long as the latest novel I never finished. If you know me, you know my anxiety. I’m an anxious person, whether it’s for good or bad. It is what it is and I’ve come to terms with it.

Surprisingly, the weeks and days leading up to my due date, I wasn’t very anxious. I think I was mostly in the mental state of ‘let’s get this done’ more than anything. The only thing that actually kept me up at night was… my hospital bag. What the heck do I pack and how much of it do I take?

I know so many women who have recently given birth, so I took to Instagram and asked for help. The response was incredible. There is nothing like a network of mamas who want to help. I got a lot of the same necessary items to pack, which was excellent because those were clearly essential. I also got some amazing tips and tricks. I hadn’t even thought about showering while there, so I’m glad someone reminded me to pack shower items!

Throughout my pregnancy, I had also been in contact with an incredible company called Healing Mama Co. The name pretty much sums it up. A week before my delivery, they sent hubby and me the best thing I could have ever asked for… packed hospital bags that included everything I would need (and things I didn’t know I’d need).

When we headed for the hospital, I actually packed a massive suitcase with stuff, and also took my Healing Mama bag. Let’s just say… my suitcase was barely opened.

While we waited for things to get exciting in the hospital room, we started taking things out of the bags.

Herbal sitz bath (oh, I won’t need that… yes, you will), comfort tea, organic balm for pretty much anything from baby’s bum to momma’s sensitive areas, hair scrunchies, protein bars, washable face mask (Covid in mind), antiseptic wipes, headband, tissues, and an eye mask… and that was just the mini bag that goes by the bedside.

The larger bag had essentials like disposable undies (even the nurse commented that I had the “good kind”), mesh undies, a bag of prunes (these are the things you don’t think about), maternity pads, and a cleansing bottle. Giving birth is not as pretty as TV makes it out to seem. There is so much happening after the main show and Healing Mama had me covered from the beginning to the end.

When I received my adorable pink weekender bag filled with goodies, I was so surprised to see the Essential Birthing Partner Labor + Postpartum System. Hubby gets a bag too?! The bag he packed himself was, well, a man’s bag. It barely had anything in it but 1 change of clothes. Thank goodness for the Healing Mama bag.

The hubby bag had such important items that I would have never thought to pack. The best was the inflatable pillow and fleece blanket. The couch that turned into a very rough bed in the delivery room wasn’t great. Hubby used the pillow and blanket and actually slept a few hours… I was annoyed. He also got slippers, hydrating lip balm, a reusable water bottle, tons of healthy snacks, face towel, wipes, mint Mentos, tea sachets, coffee sachets, electrolyte drink powder mix, travel packing cubes, and a foldable backpack. He was munching away on his snacks while I was crunching on ice cubes. He said this is now his go-to bag for regular travel and he won’t accept any less.. Thanks Healing Mama, you’ve created a monster.

I was so ready to take photos with the bag and items, but if you read my last post, you know how that went. I love promoting companies on my blog who give back and do something good, and Healing Mama is no different. I’m a little obsessed with them because they truly saved me in the hospital. Who forgets their mask during a pandemic?! This girl.

Healing Mama doesn’t skimp out on essential items in their bags, and they don’t skimp out on giving back, either. The brand takes proceeds from each sale and puts it towards the cost of materials that are donated to birth workers in underserved communities, or directly to vulnerable expectant parents. Every single purchase helps a woman or couple who would otherwise not have had the access or means to have these very necessary items. I love that Healing Mama’s bags aren’t filled with frilly things that are cute but won’t actually get used. Each item is something that is absolutely necessary.

Healing Mama thought of everything. The bag I had was the Essential Labor + PostPartum System. The postpartum portion is so important, because the messy stuff starts after the baby is born. They also have the Cesarean Labor + Postpartum System filled with items directly related to c-sections. Hubby’s bag was the Essential Birthing Partner Labor + Postpartum System.

I highly recommend these bags to anyone and everyone planning their delivery. It makes for a great shower gift, as well!