#bellybind

When I found out I was pregnant there was a combination of pure joy and excitement and then the concern of what pregnancy may do to my body. The B.F.F. Belly Wrap was a life saver and helped me shape back up within a week! Not to mention the back support!

by Kendra 

There are so many gifts you can give a pregnant woman or mama-to-be. When shopping online it is hard to know what will give you good quality for your value. Sacred Surrogacy recently reached out to us and asked us to review a bunch of their products for pregnancy and postpartum and we were happy to oblige! It is funny because we are inundated with so many places to purchase things (especially online) that sometimes you don’t look in a place that might not be your first go to (ie. Amazon, indigo etc.) and sometimes that is where you can find the most magical of gifts. 

Sacred Surrogacy is a movement that helps intended parents, surrogates and egg donors find deeper connections on their journey not only to each other but to themselves. They offer online classes, weekend retreats and box subscriptions. It is not a place I would have thought to look for gifts for myself when I was pregnant or for my friends but let me tell you, if you don’t have a peek at their store - you are missing out. They have beautiful gifts for you and friends, pregnant or not!

For all of the products we are reviewing today, click the link beside the price to shop! Or to view everything they offer, click HERE!

Now.. onto the fun part - reviews! 

Lip Balm

Here’s what it looks like:

This was the first thing I tested, of course ;) and, umm.. this stuff is LOVELY. Smooth on your lips, the shea butter flavour is subtle and not overpowering and it stays on for a while. Love this product and its only $2.50!! Super sleek look as well. The only catch is it’s not pocketable, meaning it’s too round and large to keep in your pocket, a purse or desk drawer is better and this might just be me but sometimes its hard to close. 

Cost: $2.50, to shop click here. 

Belly Bind

Here’s what it looks like:

Its soft, long and easy to use once you know how to wrap yourself. A belly bind is used to wrap your abdomen snuggly to help with the healing postpartum process. Its typically done within the first week of postpartum and goes up until about 40 days after your birth. This is a great gift for yourself if your pregnant or a mom-to-be. Keeping those muscles close together helps them to heal quicker and you will feel more secure as you move around your day and look after your little one. It’s like wrapping yourself in a hug! You can do it on top of your clothes or under and this fabric is nice and lightweight so you won’t be too hot. 

Cost: $14.99, to shop click here. 

Click here to see a great video to show you how to wrap yourself!

Meditation Shawl

Here’s what it looks like:

Its always lovely to sit back and meditate on life, on what you are scared of, looking forward to or just to give yourself a few minutes to recharge. Re-centering ourselves is so important – pregnant or not! This is a beautiful gift to help someone do just that. Its soft, lightweight and beautiful. At 74 inches long it’s easy to wrap around yourself while you are sitting to help keep you warm or it is long enough to double as a scarf! One side is hemmed and the other is left raw which makes the shawl look delicate. Lightweight enough to use in the summer and it comes in a variety of colours! This one is the pink shawl.  

Cost: $7.99, to shop click here. 

Yoni Mist

Here is what is looks like:

You will hear lots of people tell you to use padsicles. They are amazing, let me tell you, but it’s a bit annoying remember to go to the freezer every time you want to go to the bathroom and need to change your pad, especially when you are sleep deprived and it’s the middle of the night. Yoni mist can definitely have the same healing effects without having to go to the freezer. This spray is great to use on your pads or diapers (whichever you chose to wear after birth) to help heal and sooth your perineum. Just keep it in the bathroom and spray as you need. Made with distilled water, rose water, witch hazel, aloe vera gel and lavender essential oil it is the perfect combination and easy to use. I’m personally not a huge fan of the smell of rose water, which is what this smells the most like, but that comes down to personal preference. I personally would prefer it smelled like lavender as rose water reminds me of my grandmother’s perfume! The cost is super-efficient and this size of the bottle makes it easy to stash in your purse or diaper bag when you’re on the go which is a huge bonus in those early days. 

Cost: $4.99, to shop click here.

Connection Postcards

Here’s what they look like:

With a simple, lovely design these postcards are great to send to, well, anyone really! They have great messages like “thank you for being amazing!”, “you are the best”, and “sending you a big hug”. Who wouldn’t love to get that in the mail? Personally, I love getting traditional mail and send notes back and forth with a few friends. These would be perfect to brightened someone’s day, pregnant or not and they are nice and large so you have lots of space to write. 

Cost: $10.00 for a set of 6, to shop click here. 

Sitz Bath

Here’s what it looks like:

If you don’t know what a sitz bath is, visit our previous blog post to learn all about it here - http://doulacollective.tumblr.com/post/121020274489/sitz-bath. It’s so nice not to have to make the sitz bath yourself so this is a lovely gift that makes it easy for a momma after birth. You get three for the price, which is awesome. It smells lovely and consists of calendula blossoms, lavender, witch hazel leaves, and Himalayan pink salt. All the things you need to help heal your perineum and relax. If you haven’t tried a bath, it’s a perfect way to give yourself a break and take some time to recharge.

Cost: $11.99 for 3, to shop click here. 

Sacred Space Kit

Here’s what it looks like:

This is a really neat little kit. It comes with a candle, two dissolving papers, a fertility goddess charm, a mini salt bowl with salts and a description card. The candle is non-scented so easy to use in any space. The idea is to light the candle, pour the salts into the bowl and feel the intentions and love of those who manifested before you and to put your own dreams and hopes into the universe. Then write your fears onto the paper, you can place the paper in water or carefully burn it on the candle to release your fears and let go. The fertility goddess charm (not pictured above) is there to remind you of what you are doing and to reconnect you to your divine self. The salts smell wonderful and include bits of lavender and rose petals. This would be a great little ceremony to do for yourself or a loved one, especially for those who are preparing for birth or going through a change in your life. It can be a great release to get ready. It is also super affordable for what you get!

Cost: $10.99, to shop click here. 

Throat Chakra Kit OR Celestite Crystal

Here’s what it looks like:

Currently the throat chakra kit only comes in the parent communication box. This kit is intended to help you communicate freely by opening your throat chakra with a celestite crystal, essential oil and affirmations. You hold the crystal in your hands and repeat the affirmations provided. You can dab a little of the essential oils onto your throat to help you relax and be open. Make sure you give them a sniff as they are divine. If you purchase the box soon you will receive a roll on bottle which smells a lot like roses but if you purchase it down the road you will likely get the newest version which comes in a tin made with a beeswax balm that has sage, lavender and coconut oils. The beeswax is my fav out of the two, but as we have already established I’m not a huge lover of the smell of rose water. That said, the longer it stays on my skin the softer the smell gets and the more enjoyable it is to me. Both absorb into your skin nicely and both have an instant calming effect. If you don’t want to purchase the box, just the crystal is available for sale here.  

Cost: Box is $49.97 or just the crystal is $14.99, to shop for the box click here. 

New Beginnings Mala + New Beginnings Bracelet

Here’s what they look like:

These were by far my favourite things to receive to review. They are beautiful, made out of peach moonstone which is known as a feminine stone. It brings out the best in people, supports the heart as it stimulates the mind and soothes anxiety. It is also known to help you embrace the ebb and flow of female hormones. Wearing these has definitely helped bring a calm over me. I also get complimented on them every time I wear them. I love how both of them are made. Often you will see where the string connects on bracelets but this one is carefully hidden within a bead so it is seamless. Three of the beads on the bracelet are polished and the rest are not. I love the rawness of both of them. Not all the stones are perfectly round and some still have little sections missing out of them and they look like little geodes (see very right picture above). They glisten beside the matte of the outside of the stone to create beautiful little details.

They also have other options including a hemsa mala bracelet (with smokey and rose quartz, amethyst, white howlite and hematite), a letting go mala (with brown agate and fossils), a nourishment and comfort mala (with rose quartz and amazonite – one of my favs) and more! Prices range pending the stones.

Cost of the new beginnings malas: Necklace $60, Bracelet $20, to shop for the bracelet click here and for the necklace click here. 

Sacred Tea

Here’s what it looks like:

I love tea, and I love rooibos. When I was pregnant it totally saved me as I used to drink mainly black tea. Rooibos is safe to drink during pregnancy. I hesitated when I opened this tea because it says orange on it and I’m not the biggest orange fan, especially when it comes to teas, however, it is soft and subtle and so delicious. Its not overpowering in a, I will only drink this in the fall or winter way. I have been drinking it over the summer, even in the heat. It’s totally delicious. You can also make the tea and pour it over ice to make iced tea which is super refreshing! This tea can be found in most of the boxes offered or in their sacred tea kit which also includes a mug, a travel tumbler, a reusable tea bag and a key chain!

Cost: $35.00 for the sacred tea kit, boxes vary, to shop click here. 

Now onto the items specifically for surrogates...

Surrogate Pregnancy Planner

Here’s what it looks like:

This gift is specifically for surrogates. It’s a beautiful crafted planner that guides you through your pregnancy from appointments, to the size of your baby, to what essentials oils are great but more than that it connects a surrogate to their intended parents. It’s a great gift to give them after the surrogacy is completed and a great keepsake for both.

Cost: $14.99, to shop click here. 

Key Chain

Here’s what it looks like:

I always say, love your tribe and if you have chosen to become a surrogate, that is one hell of a tribe to be part of so you should wear it proudly. This adorable key chain is a lovely reminder that you are doing or did something amazing for someone else. Super affordable, lightweight and I love that its wood – another little reminder connecting you to the earth. They also have other items to help you show off your tribe!

Cost: $2.50, to shop click here. 

Again, here is the store if you want to see what else they have. I highly recommend heading over if you are looking for something for a pregnant loved one or if you want to treat yourself!