Essentials Every Crunchy Mama Needs In Her Hospital Bag

Birth is an exciting time and you may be overwhelmed with all of the excitement and forget about your essentials.  If you are planning on having a hospital birth, packing for you is important so you can have the things you need.

• Cloth Pads and freezer pads
• An extra copy of your birth plan
• Diffuser
• Essential Oils
• Nursing pads
• Comfortable clothes - yoga pants, soft socks, your own bathrobe, a nursing shirt, etc.
• Calming music
• Rice or bean socks
• Back massager
• Mother's Milk Tea
• Cut up raw and fresh vegetables and fruits to snack on.  This option is so much better than hospital food.
• Filtered water in your own glass bottle

Enjoy your birthing experience as well as after birth.

Making Your Own Padsicles

Most likely the hospital will provide you with the cooling pads you need after birth.  These are nice as you crack them and they provide a cooling sensation that will help bring down the inflammation.  However, these don't have the best ingredients in them and you most likely you will still want them after you leave the hospital as well.

To make your own padsicles you will need a few things:

• Bladder control pads - these are perfect because they are thick and wide enough for all of the blood after birth
• Aloe Vera
• Witch Hazel (alcohol free)
• Lavender and Tea Tree essential oil

The aloe vera will give you the cooling you will need as you will likely feel a burning sensation for up to a week.  Lavender will help reduce the inflammation and tea tree is known for antibacterial purposes.  Witch Hazel is also anti inflammatory.  Mix all of these ingredients together.  You only need a few drops of the essential oils.

Once these are well mixed spoon them onto each individual pad and spread the mixture out.  Place the pads in the freezer and keep them there until after your delivery date.  

Use as needed.  You will really be happy you prepared these padiscles :)

Free Sweet Orange Oil

Back in January, Barefut oils offered a sweet orange for free.  They are now offering this oil free again in addition to the Nature blend.  Stop on over to Barefut oils and get your free oil.  Simply pay for shipping.  There are many great benefits to sweet orange oil that will be beneficial for you.  To make this oil, the part of the fruit that is used is the peel as it is pressed.  I love using it for cleaning and it blends well in a diffuser with grapefruit oil, if you choose to diffuse your citrus oils.  Many people prefer not to diffuse citrus as it breaks down the plastic.

Free Barefut Oil - Grapefruit

Barefut Oils has changed their free oil again.  Right now, the free oil is grapefruit.  I actually almost bought a grapefruit at my local health food store the other day, but am glad I waited.  Now I'll have my own free grapefruit oil.  Just pay $3.99 for shipping!  Grapefruit oil has many benefits including it being rich in antioxidants, great for acne, works amazing as a disinfectant and great for muscle stiffness.  Grapefruit oil also boosts the immune system.  Head on over to the website to order your free oil before the month of May is over.

Free Cedarwood Oil

Barefut Oils has a free cedarwood oil this month.  It isn't the best smelling one for the diffuser, but it is a great way to repel ticks or to mix with your bug spray while camping.  We make our own homemade bug spray using eucalyptus, cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary.  I can post the recipe in the nearby future if I have anyone who is interested.  Stop on over to Barefut Oils and order your free cedarwood oil.  They usually have two free oils for the month, so be sure to order your oil before the new free oil comes out.