When I was 8 months pregnant with my first child, I told a friend, “Everything is all set! I’m ready to have this baby!” And I really thought that was true! The nursery was freshly painted and decorated – the crib was set up and the feeding chair was in place. In the closet, the drawers held teeny tiny sleepers, socks, bibs, receiving blankets and about 100 of those little cloths. Baby bath tub? Check! Breastfeeding pillow? Check! Baby monitor, humidifier, organic and chemical free bath and body products? Check, check and check!
And then my baby girl was born. Beautiful, tiny and feisty as all get out. She was clothed and fed and well cared for thanks to our friends and family who showered her with gifts.
And my husband and I were starving.
I never in a million years thought that baby preparation also included, “Figure out what in the world you’re going to eat those first 6-8 weeks because making a healthy meal is going to get a little trickier.” A high school friend of mine came over some time in the first 3 weeks and brought this big foil tray of pasta baked in cheese and I swear I saw a halo glowing above her head.
“You must need this. I know I did,” she said, juggling her infant son and the tray. She had just been through the newborn period and said the one thing she wished she had done was make meals ahead of time and freeze them.
Agreed.
It’s hard to imagine that a tiny blob that just eats, poops and sleeps all day could prevent you from making a decent meal. Sometimes it’s not so much that you can’t as it is that you really just don’t want to after putting all that effort into breastfeeding (which by the way makes you RAVENOUS) and when you’re running on 3 hours of non-consecutive sleep. And really, it’s ok. It doesn’t make you less of a woman.
In fact, many cultures understand this and accommodate moms of newborns. Sometimes the mother and her baby go back to her parents’ place for a time. Sometimes women who just gave birth stayed in a special tent for a whole month where the other women of the village cared for her so she could focus on the baby.
I’m not saying I could stay in a tent for a month. I love my family and my work and wouldn’t want things to be disrupted by a separation like that. But since I had that experience of barely having the energy to crack two eggs together for dinner, I have been looking for ways to make life easier for busy families, expectant moms, and people who are going through tough times.
When my mom passed away in 2009, a friend from Ontario ordered a few meals to be delivered to us from a local catering company. What a genius idea! At a time when you really don’t have the energy to eat well – and a time when eating well is especially important – those meals were so appreciated.
I was doing some research recently and discovered that another mom who experienced something similar to me, and so many other moms I’m sure, started a company called Mamaluv. They deliver healthy, delicious meals (with gluten-free options) that are breastfeeding friendly right to your doorstep. (Well, to most people’s doorstep…the only downside is that they don’t deliver to my area!) Of course I got excited to learn of a business started by a very creative mom who saw a need and filled it! After doing more research I decided that Mamaluv is a company I would endorse and for that reason, I signed up to be an affiliate.
So, if you are looking for a unique and much appreciated gift idea for…well, anyone really (who’s going to turn down a freshly prepared healthy meal?) but especially for:
- expectant moms
- new moms
- seniors
- people recovering from illness or surgery
- people grieving the loss of a loved one
…please check out Mamaluv and see if what they have to offer meets your needs!
Disclosure: The links to Mamaluv are my affiliate links. If you purchase something from this company through my links, I do receive a percentage of the sale.
Hi Taslim,
It’s great to read the travails you went through while having your baby.It is so soo reminiscent of what i wentthrough.
Thanks for the tip about Mamaluv.Thoughi dont seek the need for it myself,i would surely be happy to pass on the info to myfriends who are in the baby “zone” themselves.
Thanks
Mona
Thanks for stopping by, Mona! It’s nice to know I wasn’t alone 🙂 These experiences just serve to open our eyes to ways we can help others so I am not complaining. Just glad that I found a company like Mamaluv that creatively fills this need!