When Breighl Robbins gave birth to her daughter nearly three years ago, she experienced what many new moms come up against: “My awareness and attention was completely on Phyllis to such an extreme that I wasn’t taking care of myself anymore,” recalls the 30-year-old, who realized that while she was fortunate enough to have help with her baby, she herself suddenly felt ill-equipped to handle the emotional and physical challenges of the postpartum period. “What was missing was someone communicating to me or giving me the tools that I needed to take care of myself well.” Now, after consulting with doctors and doulas alike, Robbins, who began her career in public health and integrative medicine, has set out to fill that void with the launch of Ebi (family in Yoruba), a line of wellness essentials made with the fourth trimester in mind.
“Self-care is a vital piece of having a healthy and holistic postpartum experience,” Robbins explains, gesturing toward her trio of plant-based products, which are formulated with balancing botanical ingredients safe enough for your mini-me. Bottled by hand in her Boston studio, an oil blend of sunflower, sesame seed, and almond can be used for C-section scars, itchy nipples, and diaper rash or, simply, a much-needed massage, while the nutritive oat tops found in the tisane support healthy milk production and energy levels. Consider too Ebi’s take on the traditional sitz bath, which can help heal perineal tissue post-pregnancy—though anyone is sure to delight in its relaxing herbal blend and amber-hued glass packaging: “It looks very good in your bathroom,” Robbins, wearing a ruffled Batsheva frock, says with a laugh.
Robbins is taking Ebi beyond the vanity as well, thanks to organic cotton nursing pads and underwear, complete with an invisible leak-proof liner and a compression band that’s made from Repreve, an eco-friendly fabric containing recycled materials; this spring, she will also partner with Domino Kirke’s Carriage House Birth as well as Doula Trainings International to better equip mothers-to-be: “You’re stepping into this new role,” she muses. “It’s not the body you once knew; you’re not the person you once knew. I think taking the time to pause and acknowledge that is something a lot more women are starting to become aware of.”
