My favorite resources & tools
With endless marketing constantly surrounding the world of mothering, I thought it may be helpful to compile a list of all of the things that made me feel relief and support - both physically and emotionally - through the ever changing seasons of motherhood. While a lot of these items are aesthetically beautiful, I promise their functionality far outweighs their aesthetic. It is also worth noting that most of these items are available on Amazon, sometimes even at a discounted price. That being said, I tried to link the products from the place that the authors/brands sell from directly, as to support them in the best way I can. I try to support moms, not amazon.
Disclaimer: Please note that as with everything on my site, I am not a medical professional and I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking such, so please take everything I say and do your own research to ensure that you think each product is safe for use before using it, and speak to your healthcare provider first if necessary. These are simply my opinions backed by my experience with each product.
Books
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Books ~
This is the first book I read by Gabrielle Nancarrow, and to say I felt seen is a drastic understatement. I finished this book in two sittings, and truly walked away feeling like Gabrielle had watched the last couple of years of my life unfold and then wrote about it in the most delicate and intimate way. It’s a mixture of resources and stories from other women, with Gabrielle narrating and sharing her own experience along the way. She has a way with words and I cannot recommend her books enough. The Motherhood Space made me feel like I was part of a community. My village is small, slowly growing, but small, and I find myself often steeping in the loneliness of this journey. Part of the reason for my small village is because where I am in life, I find it particularly difficult to find moms who I can bond over same beliefs and parenting styles with, but this book provides just the feeling of embracement I long for.
I received and read this book within a week of finishing The Motherhood Space, and I recommend it just as much. If you are a first time mom, I definitely suggest starting with The Birth Space, and then reading The Motherhood Space a few months (or even a year) into motherhood for its full affect, though I think there is plenty to benefit from reading it earlier as well. It, again, is such a beautiful capsulation of other women’s stories, resources, and Gabrielles personal experience. I see no way in which a birthing person could read this book and not feel held in some way. Gabrielle does such a phenomenal job at creating an inviting space to just be, no matter what stage you are in on your mothering journey. This book talks through countless birth stories from fellow moms, while also taking us through every step of labor and birth, along with a wide array of possible interventions, and what each one entails. I will be gifting this book to every pregnant woman I know for as long as I can, it’s truly something special.
This is another staple in my book collection for new moms, myself included. The way I view this book is almost more like a textbook rather than a read through book, though I read through it and found myself feeling equally as embraced with these writings as I did with the previously listed books. Life After Birth holds a firm, yet gentle space for moms entering into the postpartum chapter of their journey to feel held and guided. Jessica Prescott is an author and doula, and Vaughne Geary is a doula and naturopath, so there is a beautifully though out focus on how to best care for the body of a new mom through foods and rest. To further paint the picture, this book feels like you have poured your heart out to a very receptive therapist, and now it is their turn to provide all of their support in the ways they best know how. These talented writers also have cover the many different ways relationships change when a new baby is welcomed into the world, whether that be with friends, spouses, or older children, these writings help to navigate so many challenging situations that we are only ever made to feel are taboo in most settings. Being almost 2 years postpartum, I still found myself learning things about my first labor experience, and I was amazed at how much got brushed under the table by not only the doctors at the hospital I delivered at, but also by my own OBGYN at follow up appointments. Because of this book I was able to learn that I had prodromal labor, and suffered (and currently still do) from vasospasms, which no one had ever mentioned to me before, despite me communicating every common symptom of them. Life After Birth is also full of food guidance, not in a “diety” way, rather in a way that graciously lists out foods that are warming to our body and help to encourage healing and rest. I truly can’t say enough about the contents of this book, I have reached for it countless times after completing it so that I can look further into a concept I remembered the book mentioning - either that or for one of the mouth watering recipes listed in the back of the book. Seriously - its definitely worth the read.
Pregnancy Relief
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Pregnancy Relief ~
My birth ball quickly became a “can’t (happily) live without” item for me in my first pregnancy, and has only further proven itself to me in the first months postpartum and now, even now in my third trimester with my second daughter. I listed this under the “Pregnancy Relief” section because that is the season in which I use it the most, but from my experience, it certainly holds its place firmly in the Labor and Postpartum sections too. I am one of the lucky ones who suffers from SPD, also known as pelvic girdle pain, in my pregnancies from pretty early on, and being able to sit on the birth ball and do “hip circles” or “cat-cow” position on the birth ball really brings relief. It can also be super beneficial for baby’s positioning for mom to be stagnant for too long and to have as good of posture as she can manage. One of my favorite ways to capitalize on the birth ball is to sit on it while watching TV or playing board games. The ball I linked is just a standard one from amazon, (I am pretty sure I picked which one I got based on how quickly it could get here), and it more than gets the job done. I will say it seems to deflate a bit every month or so, but other than having to repump it occasionally, it’s as good as any other birth ball I have seen.
A quick note: My favorite position to use the ball with after a long day, is to get on all fours and drape my arms over the ball, letting my belly hang and my head rest on the ball, I could stay in that pose for hours!
This is another product that definitely holds its own in the postpartum section, or even in an unwritten newborn section, but I have found that it is one of my absolute favorite pain relievers in pregnancy. “But your baby isn’t even born yet!” I know, I know, that’s why I use it as a belly band! The adjustability of the ring sling is perfectly designed to snuggle any baby bump in the coziest way so that you feel supported and held without any of the discomfort from standard belly bands, you know, the ones with the itchy polyester and velcro? Yea. Not my jam. 100% Linen ring sling, though?? Definitely my jam. Not to mention its pretty dang cute and extremely comfortable. I have even (accidentally) slept in it a night or two. I don’t go anywhere without it, and plan to use it as some extra belly support postpartum too to help hold in my loosey goosey organs. I do want to mention that Kyte Baby isn’t a brand I choose to support, and actually try to actively avoid for a handful of reasons, but I had been looking for one scored a good deal on this specific wrap at my local children’s resell store! I don’t have any complaints about it, and I did link this specific one - I just wanted to be sure and address that this is an “out of the norm” brand for me.
While it’s certainly no secret that pregnancy comes with its fair share of aches and pains, the way frequency at which various pains present themselves could require some people, myself included, to take over the counter pain relief meds up to 6+ times a day. As someone who tries to avoid western medicine whenever I can and instead opt for more natural approaches, this quickly became a topic I felt the need to look for an alternative solution for, especially at that rate of consumption. After doing a lot of research, I found that a topical oil seemed to be the safest bet for pregnancy. This specific arnica oil is the only one I have tried and it works really well for muscle aches and SPD pain, (also known as pelvic girdle pain). I’ve found the most relief from massaging it into the most sensitive spot, and the area surrounding the muscle too. I use this almost daily for SPD flare ups and just massage a pump or two into my inner pelvic joints - the relief is almost instant. Arnica flowers are some of natures best pain relievers, though if handled incorrectly it can be extremely toxic. The flowers themselves are considered poisonous unless properly diluted, which they are in this oil. The garden center that makes/sells this product uses their own farm grown arnica and st. johns wort to produce it, which adds the benefit of being able to support a small business. I have used it on my toddler and husband as well, and truly can’t recommend it enough. I have had one bottle for ~3 months now and have over half of it left, so it also lasts really well!
A few honorable mentions include:
Genexa - which is a Tylenol alternative that has no artificial inactive ingredients, making it a better choice. While I opt for no over the counter medicine most of the time, when I do find myself needing something a little extra, Genexa is what I go for.
Honey - Honey is an excellent solution for immediate acid reflux. I would take ~ a tablespoon of raw organic honey when I had really bad heartburn and it would help ease it immediately. I didn’t find it helpful to prevent it, but it definitely saved me from puking a time or to. (Unfortunately, it became an aversion for me, so I’m having to opt for other solutions now, but this was really great while I was able to stomach it!)
Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, with the Mother - THIS is what I have found best treats my heartburn. I take two cap fulls of it (the cap that comes on the vinegar) and it SAVES ME. If you do this be sure to not just take it straight, it’s so intense that it can burn your esophagus. I take a lid full at a time, put it in my mouth, then swish it around with a mouthful of water and then swallow. Honestly I find it pretty enjoyable when doing it that way. It does work as an immediate relief method too, but it can be hard to hype yourself up to take shots of vinegar when your stomach is already shoving it’s acid up your throat - ha….ha. Taking two cap fulls every 12 hours works well for me to keep the (insanely intense) heartburn at bay, but you can always do a little more or less depending on your needs!
Laboring Tools
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Laboring Tools ~
These acupressure balls are small but mighty. While they haven’t made it to labor with me quite yet, I have been using them through my pregnancy and have found myself reaching for them constantly. They are great for rolling against my jaw, neck, and shoulders to relieve tension. The brand who sells these, “&honey”, is a New Zealand based brand, but have them for purchase in a few online shops in the US. If you are familiar with the concept of squeezing combs in labor, the idea is the same here, except these are easier to hold and are able to target more of your hand. The science behind it is actually pretty cool - your brain can only receive one message at a time, so squeezing combs or spikey wooden balls interrupts your brains ability to receive the, “Hey, I’m having a contraction” message, and instead receives the, “Ow - sharp ball to the palm” message for a second, which is enough to help offer a little bit of relief in labor. There are also several acupressure points in your hands, many being in the palms, and according to the &honey website, these balls hit those acupressure points and help to bring calmness into your labor. I did use combs in my first labor, and was planning on using them again until I found these little guys, and I am stoked to feel them in action.
Postpartum Relief
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Postpartum Relief ~
Where. To. Begin. These reusable breast warming and cooling pads are everything I never knew I needed. I have been breastfeeding my 18 month old for - well - 18 months, and it hasn’t always been the cozy bonding experience I had imagined it would be. I’ve cried many times feeling broken because of what felt like the over usage of my body, which makes any additional pain simply unmanageable. I experience vasospasms, and have since Willow, my 18 month old, was born. It is basically a condition where your nipples get really hard, turn really white, and do basically everything they can to convince you that they are about to fall off. Mix vasospasms with sore pregnancy nipples AND breastfeeding on demand, and you’ll understand how my gals are in pain 90% of the time. Getting a chill is often what brings on a vasospasm, so having these herbal infused pads to warm my nipples in the midst of a spasm is truly so helpful. They are also beautifully fragrant which takes the whole experience to the next level. This brand, Bare Mum, also have a perineal reusable pad that is the exact same except shaped to cover your perineum or a c-section scar. I also have that one, though I don’t see myself using it until I am once again graced with the postpartum experience, though I have almost warmed it up just to put on a sore muscle a time or two. These are one of the items that only ship directly from the brand, which is based in Australia, so shipping to the US is decently steep, but the product itself is worth it, if you have the means.
