We know that first-time mum feeling. Venturing into the unknown; excited but daunted in equal measure. We know how hard it can be to sift through the mountains of advice. We know it's honest, direct and gimmick-free tips, tricks & tools you need to make the process as smooth as it can be.
That's why we've launched Mum's The Word. Bringing together our team of expert midwives and our community of mums to share everything they wish they'd known with first time mums. Join us as we give you the truth behind mum-to-be common fears and share our tips, tricks and products to make your journey as comfortable as possible.
In our recent survey, new mums told us their biggest pre-birth worry was pooing during labour. We're here to tell you, as midwives we love it!
Not only does it flag to us an important time in the birth journey as we know the baby is probably just about to show us their head for the first time, it's also super beneficial to building the baby's microbiome as they're exposed to a diverse population of bacteria.
This exposure kickstarts their own invisible living shield (their microbiome) and builds their immunity.
Peri-Prep your Bits is our holy grail for preparing the delicate perineum for birth. Massaging every day from 35-weeks not only helps to reduce your risk of tearing (more on that later) but helps to reduce the pressure on that delicate area during birth to ensure it's fighting fit and ready to tackle whatever eventuality occurs.
Pregnancy safe (of course!) and free from any nasty chemicals, our customers swear by this almond oil rich massaging oil saying "I purchased the oil with a hope to save my perineum and started massage most nights from 34 weeks pregnant, I gave birth to my 8lb3 baby with a minimal first degree tear, but my perineum was fully intact! I honestly believe that this oil had a large part to play, it also smells lovely, you won’t regret buying it!"
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Alongside pooing during labour, tearing was (understandably) the other biggest worry for first-time new mums. Here's the truth, around 27% of women don't tear at all during birth. That means over two thirds will experience some kind of tear. Tears vary from 1st degree that likely won't need any stitches, to 4th degree and episiotomies.
The best preparation for reducing the likelihood and severity of tearing is to prepare the perineum throughout pregnancy through massage with our Peri Prep Your Bits oil. We have a host of blog posts on this topics, but start here with our guide to Perineum massage.
As exciting as being a first-time mum is, truth is we're surrounded by urban myths and friend-of-friend stories about labour causing all kinds of fear about the level of pain. Culturally, there's lots of common misconceptions about pain relief during birth and it's still a taboo topic.
The truth is labour is a personal journey, you are in control of your pain management. Whatever method and pain relief you are empowered to use. Having some post-labour solutions in place is a great idea to reduce inflammation and recovery (as important as labour itself).
That's why we developed Spritz for Bits, our first product and the basis of everything we do.
With over 500,000 bottles sold, our hero product Spritz for Bits is the hospital bag, and recovery essential that mums swear by. Why? It's soothing blend of essential oils and hydration that can be used directly on your bits (or on a maternity pad) that provides instant relief on sore areas. Essential for your hospital bag, prevent stinging by spraying on before and after you have that first post birth wee
"Sent my husband out pronto to purchase for my episiotomy stitches. Well worth the money, what a relief. I’ve kept it in the fridge and spray it directly on stitches and onto a clean maternity pad. A postnatal must have!"
Shop Spritz for BitsIn our survey, mums-to-be told us that getting back to 'normal' within 6 months was one of their biggest concerns after the baby arrives.
The truth is, this is a new normal. You never 'get back to normal' because Motherhood changes you forever in a host of wonderful ways. Embrace the new you. Celebrate your body and what it's been through.
We love Fantastic Skin Elastic, both pre and post-labour to celebrate the skin we're in. Ahead of birth, it's fantastic at moisturising the skin to reduce stretch marks, and post-birth is perfect for nourishing the skin to boost recovery. It's also that bit of you time.
A serum which soothes and hydrates tight, itchy, and stretching skin during pregnancy, and which offers relief and nourishment to tired, stretched and possibly scarred skin post-birth.
This rich massage serum offers relief to skin anywhere on your body and can help to reduce the appearance of pregnancy stretch marks. After the birth, our serum will continue to soothe and hydrate your skin and, once the wound is healed, it is perfect to massage your C-section scar with, helping to improve the appearance and condition of scar tissue.