Recovery for New Moms

Pregnancy and delivery are certainly joyous, life affirming experiences, however, they take a considerable toll on a woman’s body. The postpartum healing process can be arduous and lonely, and it’s very common for new mothers to suffer in silence. With the conversation seemingly taboo, celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and Tia Mowry opened up about their postpartum depression to break the stigma.

Similar to these women, we sat down and chatted with Belyne Louis-Jacques, the founder of Mom’s Recovery, to discuss her postpartum experience and mission for moms everywhere and her products.

Mom’s Recovery is a line of all-natural products geared towards supporting mothers during their postpartum recovery period. Belyne, being a new mom herself and having struggled during her recovery, felt personally invested in not just her own journey but truly the journey of recovery for all mothers.

Sarah: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your company and your line of products. Can you tell me a little about what brought you to develop Mom’s Recovery?

Belyne: Sure! As you mentioned, I myself am a new mom and while I was overjoyed at my daughter’s healthy birth, I also found myself overwhelmed. Not just overwhelmed with the transition to meeting her needs but also the physical and physiological changes my body experienced after giving birth. I had a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and baby-- so I was at a loss as to why I didn’t feel better than I did postpartum.

After weeks of struggling, my sister-in-law, a Nurse Practitioner specializing in women’s health, introduced me to the “twa bains” or three baths practice. It was so restorative, I felt like it was the turning point in my recovery.

Sarah: Thank you for sharing and being so honest about your experience. Many women go through this alone. Can you explain what twa bains or three baths is?

Belyne: Twa bains, is part of a traditional practice in Haitian culture to assist women who have just given birth physical recovery. Specific herbs and plants are dried and boiled then that water is added to bath water that you’d soak in for about 30 minutes. The bath is then followed by a massage with some specific oils to further support the work of the herbal bath. The combination of the baths and subsequent massages help realign the body after the strenuous process of labor and delivery.

Sarah: This sounds like a spa day to me! Is the Recovery Bath just for new moms? And how does the Recovery Bath differ from just taking a warm bath?

Belyne: The ingredients can be beneficial to all women, at any age and stage, not just after giving birth. We focus on postpartum not because that’s the only time to use it but because they are particularly timely at that point. Our bodies experience a variety of stressors all throughout our lives and the bath is meant to address those stressors.

The difference between the Recovery Bath and a regular warm bath is the herbs. Each plant and herb serve a specific function in the bath. When used together, they work to naturally attend to some of the physical issues moms might experience after giving birth and women may encounter at different points in life.

Sarah: Can you say more about the plants and herbs?

Belyne: Well... I’ll give you a quick overview on some of the ingredients: corossol (soursop) leaves and bugleweed.

The first ingredient I’ll tell you about is corossol or soursop leaves. Corossol leaves have high levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants like phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids to support immunity. Due to the presence of so many antioxidants, soursop can help combat free radicals that cause inflammation. They contain potassium and can help regulate high blood pressure, another common issue for some new moms.

Bugleweed herb is another key ingredient that contains lithospermic acid and other organic acids that help regulate the hormones produced by the thyroid. Hormonal imbalance can also be a challenge for new moms and can wreak havoc on their overall well-being.

Sarah: I can’t believe that you can get all those benefits from just plants and herbs. I can understand getting health benefits from eating or drinking these ingredients but how does taking a bath with them help?

Belyne: Our pores not only serve to release toxins but also serve as a means to take in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. By using the Recovery Bath, Recovery Soak and/or Recovery Oil your body is directly absorbing the benefits of the ingredients.

Sarah: You mentioned that three baths is a Haitian cultural practice. Are you sourcing the ingredients from Haiti?

Belyne: While the bath is primarily derived from Haitian culture, I’ve added supplemental ingredients to the recipe based on my own research. And, I’m sourcing ingredients locally to be mindful of our carbon footprint with respect to production. Working with local producers allows me to ensure that I am able to ensure quality control and guarantee consistent access to the ingredients without disruption.

Sarah: Earlier we discussed this being a traditional Haitian cultural practice and it appears that this has been a long-standing practice. Why create Mom’s Recovery now?

Belyne: I wanted to start Mom’s Recovery so that all women, no matter their backgrounds, had access to these resources because all women deserve access to that healing, that feeling, and that kind of recovery.

For more information about Moms Recovery, visit www.momsrecovery.com