Ebi Kits Are the Postpartum Self-Care Moms Deserve
When we think about postpartum care, it often surrounds the health of the recently born child -- rarely do we focus on the mother who just gave birth. True, intentional postpartum care for mothers isn’t common, even today with all the knowledge we have on postpartum anxiety and depression. Mothers who have just given birth, regardless of whether or not it’s a first child, are incredibly vulnerable both physically and emotionally after childbirth. And until now, there haven’t been a lot of brands or organizations solely focused on the wellbeing of the mother postpartum. Ebi is an organic, plant-based brand that provides wellness kits and products that are rooted in the postpartum traditions of new mothers by supporting their well-being with high-quality, nourishing, and effective care. The brand’s founder, Breighl Robbins, started Ebi because she wasn’t finding products that gave women this kind of care, and also recognized that mothers in general need to be cared for as much as their newborn children. “A generation ago, many women (including my mother) were largely focused on getting back to work and providing what was seen as the true value to society at the time: economic value,” says Robbins. “You saw this reflected in product options that emphasized utility. Anything that spoke to your need to be nurtured was ‘indulgent,’ acknowledging your need for caring was seen as a weakness when it really is the ultimate strength.”Robbins recognizes that things are changing today for mothers, saying that there’s more of a balance between the older, utilitarian views of motherhood and the progressive, sensitive approach that’s becoming more mainstream today.
“More of us are realizing that our need to be nurtured is a very human thing, and acknowledging that vulnerability is powerful,” Robbins explains.
“We all have mothers, we were all babies once, and while we do outgrow many things, needing to be cared for is not one of them. This is what Ebi is about, a very human need to be cared for, first and foremost, by you.”All of Ebi’s products are inspired by a more traditional and communal approach to new motherhood. Robbins believes that the period directly following birth is a sacred time for a new mother. Historically, communities would surround new mothers and usher her into her new role with warming drinks, special baths, nourishing foods, and other practices to allow her to feel held during the postpartum process. Each Ebi product was inspired by postpartum traditions from many cultures, and this inspiration is translated into a variety of kits, like The Nurture Kit, The Essentials Kit, and The Everyday Kit.
“I wanted each product to be a spiritual experience -- like you’re anointing yourself and bidding yourself well during postpartum and beyond,” states Robbins.
Products seen in the kits include The Oil, which is inspired by the Ayurvedic tradition of abhyanga, The Bath, inspired by traditional herbal baths seen in Guatemala and Nigeria, and The Tisane, which takes from the warming drinks served to mothers post-childbirth. These products are meant to be comprehensive and complementary, so Robbins says there’s no one product that outshines the others. In fact, she continues to use all of Ebi’s products at 33 months postpartum. “The need for postpartum care doesn’t stop 6-8 weeks after birth,” Robbins notes. “Each of our kits offers holistic postpartum support and benefits long after the defined period of postpartum. By offering different sized kits, our customers can choose which products best fit their lives.”All of Ebi’s products are plant-based and organic, which was incredibly important for Robbins when it came to creating and producing products that would work well with a new mother’s sensitive post-birth body. A mother’s internal systems are vulnerable in the months following birth, and anything the mother ingests or puts on her skin is passed to the child through breast milk.
“Plants were used to heal and nurture postpartum women for thousands of years. Many modern medicines were derived from plants,” Robbins points out. “Plant-based options are generally more gentle, effective, and better used by the body.”
The ability to nurture well is at the foundation of everything in our society -- the idea that a happy mother equals a happy baby is what Ebi is based on. “‘Ebi’ means ‘family’ in Yoruba. It’s impossible to disconnect the health of families from the health of mothers,” explains Robbins. “We have to mother ourselves well in order to mother others well. Caring for yourself as a mother is one of the most valuable things you can do for your family, your community, and your society. That’s what’s so funny about balanced self-care, the true purpose of self-care is actually selfless.”Logan Cross is a writer, editor, and dancer based in Los Angeles. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter, or listening to every fictional podcast her phone allows her to download.
