My entire life I’ve enjoyed being PMS-free. While friends endured monthly suffering I stood to the side wondering what all the fuss was about. I mean I intellectually understood what PMS was all about but why it affected some women and not me, I just chose not to question. Okay, okay, sometimes I’d go a few months at a time where I’d get weepy after my period was over. I affectionately called it my crazy “post-menstrual syndrome,” but it was bearable and no one felt sorry for me.
But over the past few months something different has been happening. A few days before my period is due I’m an emotional wreck. Everything becomes a reason to cry. A friend hasn’t called me for a week (sob!), my husband wants to eat something besides what I made for dinner (grr!), we’re moving and my kids will not longer be able to walk to school (just…can’t…cope…). I’m tired and achy and I get awful cramps. When my period comes it’s heavier and I don’t feel like doing anything. Ugh. Now I know what everyone has been going through. I’m sorry if I didn’t have the right amount of compassion for you before. I do now.
Earth Mama Angel Baby recently asked me if they could send me a couple products to try. One of them was their Organic Monthly Comfort Tea, and the other was Happy Mama Spray. (What is it with the perfect timing of product reviews lately?) The following is my true experiences with and opinion of these products. I was under no obligation to review these if I didn’t want to.
The Organic Monthly Comfort Tea was formerly known as Postpartum Tea and is to be used immediately after childbirth and during the days us menstruating mamas are going through our hormonal upheavals and whose uteruses (uteri?) could use some extra care. It contains cinnamon, Lady’s Mantle, lemon balm, nettles, alfalfa, and ginger. It is seriously the best tasting tea I have tried in a long time and my PMS wasn’t nearly as bad as usual this time around. They sent it to me for free to review but they just found themselves a new loyal buyer. The tea bags are wrapped in two sets of eight and I drank all of one package in a week. I am trying to save the last ones for next month but I’m not sure how long I can hold out. What I also really love about this product is that the tea bags are biodegradable, the tea overwrap is compostable and the 100% recycled and recyclable cartons were produced using wind energy.
Happy Mama Spray smells like relief in a bottle. Lime and ginger essential oils help mama and kids alike get through a tough time. It’s kind of like an aromatherapy Rescue Remedy, except you don’t put it in your mouth. I’ve used it quite a number of times already. Kids screaming? Time for a spray for me and then one for them (which thankfully and knock on wood has stopped their behaviours thus far). I think it’s the element of surprise, but because it smells so good they ask for more. Caught up in some wistful nostalgia? Time for a spray to shake me out of my funk. Pregnant mommies can use this to help with nausea and new moms can get a bit of a lift from a slight case of the “baby blues.”
I’m glad I have a couple new products in my arsenal for my new entry into the PMS sisterhood.
So tell me PMS-ing mamas, are there any products you use to get you through the hard days? If so, what are they? Is there anything else you recommend? Please share. I need all the advice I can get!
No related posts.
Tags: Earth Mama Angel Baby, menstruation, PMS
I LOVE Earth Mama Angel Baby products! I received the postpartum mama kit and it was just incredible, especially since I had a bad tear.
The tea was so incredibly delicious. Loved the scent of the happy mama spray.
Love all that I’ve tried, really! I’ve seen some of their products on sale at Babies R Us lately, too.
[Reply]
Chocolate, especially dark chocolate
it has antioxidants or something, right? Lol. For me the biggest thing is hydration. I don’t really get weepy much but I have terrible cramps that make me puke. In high school I remember literally running from my biology class to the nearest restroom to puke and barely making it. I get headaches too, but the headaches and vomiting are both way better when I drink tons of water and exercise a little.
Ps I love chocolate, but I said that mainly joking because the caffeine in chocolate would make the dehydration worse!
Maman A Droit´s last [type] ..Tuesday is Newsday
[Reply]
Earth Mama Angel Baby just does not make a product that isn’t great!!
Something to think about though. You may just have a deficiency. I’ve had absolutely awful periods since my early 20s. The kind with huge mood swings, debilitating cramps with cold sweats, a headache for days, extremely heavy, and long. Turns out it doesn’t have to be that way. This past spring I found an accu-pressure chiropractor that specializes in deficiencies (for lack of a better way to describe her). Turns out I was extremely low in B, zinc, and my adrenal glands are off. All rather common and especially in pregnant and/or nursing women. My last 3 periods have been almost pleasant. Shorter, lighter, slight headache and backache one afternoon (must remember to drink more water and not move wheelbarrows of rock), no cramps, and only slight crabbiness. I’ve been completely amazed. I know everyone is different, but with the extended breastfeeding I think its been more than worth the look.
Also, before that my baltic amber necklace helped with the cramping, but not the other stuff.
[Reply]
Hi sweetie, Oh i so feel your pain! But I did a huge article on this a few months back which you can find here: http://amoderatelife.com/?p=27 I know you are a veggie friend, but you can make a lot of the changes without meat! The most important thing is to increase your B6 and saturated fats–if you are still nursing, you might not be getting enough to support your baby and yourself and all your hormones are made of saturated fat! I think checking out information at naturally knocked up can also help you. HUGS buns!
alex@a moderate life´s last [type] ..Tackling Bittman! How to cook everything…sourdough pancakes
[Reply]
@Maman A Droit – Staying hydrated is one of my biggest problems. I never drink enough water. Must start doing that.
@Shelly – Thanks for the info. When we move to the city I think I will make an appt with my doctor who is really up on alternative medicine and treatments and look into that. Interesting about the amber necklace.
@Alex – Thanks so much for the article Alex! I didn’t know my hormones are made up of saturated fat. And I know about the Naturally Knocked Up site but haven’t visited in ages. Thanks for the reminder.
[Reply]
Heating pads! Platex and Thermacare both make ones that stick on the inside of your clothes or directly on your skin and they work wonders! Very hot baths also help…not that you can really enjoy hot baths with 2 little ones running around!
[Reply]