Mother’s day is this weekend and while I think it is great to honor the wonderful mothers and mother figures in our life, I think it is also important to remember the women who are hurting on this day. The women who long to become a mother but instead are struggling and living with infertility.
It can be tough logging into social medical, going to church, or going to brunch on this day and seeing your dreams coming true for everyone else around you but yourself. If this is you this year, please know you are not alone. I see you and I feel you. And if you know someone who this applies to, consider a little gift to help cheer them up, brighten their day, and let them know you are thinking of them too on this Mothers Day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. I have found daily journaling to be very therapeutic to me in all stages of my life but especially when I was trying to conceive. Notebooks are also great for making notes and tracking ovulation, etc. I love these journals from Anthropologie and for $15 this is a reasonably priced gift.
2. I love the Beauty Counter Charcoal Face Mask and yes this one IS in fact a shameless plug because I sell Beauty Counter products on the side. But I honestly love this mask! And with infertility there is no better time than the present to start switching out to safer, cleaner beauty products since there has been a known link between harsh chemical use and infertility. Beauty Counter uses only the best organic, natural, sustainable, and synthetic ingredients that are natural or plant-derived and not tested on animals.
3. A friend gave me a fertility bracelet when I first started having trouble getting pregnant and I remember thinking what a special gift it was. You can find several of these off Etsy and although it should not replace medical guidance, these stones all have some healing and helpful properties for pregnancy and infertility and can’t hurt to try. Moon stone is popularly used for infertility as it is said to regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and boost female energy. Rose quartz is said to help increase overall fertility. It is also helpful with headaches, migraines, sexual dysfunction, depression, and also in weight loss. Rose quartz is helpful and protective during pregnancy and with childbirth. Emotionally, rose quartz brings forgiveness, compassion, as well as balancing one’s emotions. It helps with healing emotional wounds and traumas. using rose quartz removes fears, resentments and anger. and lastly, Aventurine has been worn as a talisman to encourage pregnancy and enhance fertility.
4. A gift card for a massage is the best gift for anyone for any holiday or any day of the week forever and always. So I will always include this in my gift guides. That is all. Charleston locals: I love to go to Woodhouse Spa or get gift cards for a local acupuncturist!
5. Waiting on the Universe, my first book of poems, would make a great gift for any friend who is grieving this Mother’s Day or may be dealing with the emotional impact of infertility, miscarriage, grief, or loss. You may feel like you are at a loss of words when it comes to talking to your friend and my hope has always been that somewhere in the pages of this book are the words that will show him or her that they are not alone.
6. In feng shui, the symbol of the elephant can bring energies of fertility. An elephant with its trunk down is prepared to push through various obstacles, just like a couple seeking to push past an infertility obstacle. A great friend bought me an elephant night gown that I still wear to this day. These Roller Rabbit Elephant pajamas along with the note about the elephant symbolism would be a sweet gift. Not to mention these are also just a great pair of pajamas!
7. I found these Sunshine Boxes on Etsy that would be a quick and easy gift idea if you wanted to send a packaged gift to someone who lives far away. I also found these which are a little more pricey but also seemed like a special gift.
8. You can never go wrong with a nice new coffee/tea mug. This one has such a positive message and the rainbow design is sure to be a fan favorite. You could give this in a little gift basket with some fertility tea as well such as this tea.
9. I searched around for a nice Heated Blanket that was both cute and also functional. I like this one from Target as it has a pretty design and the price point isn’t so bad. With infertility comes a whole lot of weird body changes and the cramps will come whenever they please. This blanket would be a kind gesture but also a very relatable gift!
10. I have seen so many infertility awareness and IVF shirts in the past few years and to be openly honest some are kind of goofy. This one however really caught my eye. Its message is positive without being too dorky or kitchy or overly religious. And you could wear it outside of infertility as well.
xx
