With a conscious outlook on what we put in and on our bodies, Carson Meyer was inspired to create a line of environmentally considerate products that nourish sensitive skin.
Our team at Bonsie Skin to Skin Babywear is in love with these products from C & The Moon, such as the Birth Blessing Box that is specifically for new or expecting mothers. Take time for yourself and exfoliate with their Malibu Made Body Scrub, nourish your skin with their Glow Oil and then relax and get skin-to-skin with your precious new baby.
Carson took time out of her busy schedule to chat with Bonsie and share her knowledge. Here’s what Carson has to say about skincare, our ecosystem, supporting new moms and the importance of skin-to-skin contact.
Can you tell us about your company and the inspiration behind C & The Moon?
C & The Moon was inspired by the belief that the way we care for ourselves has a direct impact on how we care for our planet. Growing up my mom was involved with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and I learned early on about the harmful ingredients used in the skincare industry. As a result we would make our own products together in our kitchen - that’s where the Malibu Made Body Scrub was born! I started with a large mixing bowl and ingredients from our pantry and created a formula out of necessity to soothe my sensitive skin. It became my go-to gift for friends and family for many years before bringing it to market in 2018. Now, C & The Moon has expanded to a family of four products, including soy candles.
How did your role as a Doula impact your mission with your company?
For a new mama, a bath or shower might be her only bit of alone time in a day. I wanted to create products that would pamper new and expecting parents, giving them the spa experience at home.
Working with newborns I also saw firsthand how the skin, our largest organ, takes in information from the environment around us and how the human body is itself a delicate ecosystem.
I learned that there’s an average of 200 manmade chemicals found in the cord blood of newborns, many of which are used in the manufacture of personal products and absorbed through our skin. Therefore, creating a clean product made without toxic ingredients was hugely important to me. I believe we should be as thoughtful about what goes in and on our bodies during all stages of life, not just in pregnancy.
Can you elaborate anymore on these ideas and what moms can do to help both their babies and our ecosystem?
I believe positive change takes place when we start to see ourselves as a part of nature. We are not just in an environmental health crisis, we are in a human health crisis and they are one in the same. When we care for the planet we care for ourselves and our children. When we make healthy choices for our family we are healing Mother Earth.
It is never too late to start to detox your personal care routine and home products. From kitchenware to cleaning products there are so many toxins we use daily without realizing it. The good news is that there are so many wonderful alternatives out here. The EWG’s Skin Deep Database is a great place to start! My top tips for environmentally conscious parenting include using cloth or compostable disposable diapers such as Dyper, avoiding plastic wherever possible, using glass bottles for feeding and breast milk storage, opting for hand-me-downs and choosing a clean crib mattress made of natural materials (i.e. latex, wool or organic cotton). There is so much unnecessary waste that is accumulated in the first years of life. Most of these items will end up in landfills and outlive us and our babies.
Last but not least, a simple and fulfilling way to promote health all around is to plant an organic edible garden.
What advice do you have for new moms when taking care of their babies’ skin?
The best thing you can do for babies’ skin happens right at birth, and that is leaving on the vernix and massaging it into their skin. Vernix is a cream cheese-like substance that covers babies in utero. After birth, it helps regulate their temperature and protect their skin by helping it retain moisture and stave off bacterial infections. It might help babies latch to the breast too - the scent of vernix may be involved in triggering neural connections in babies’ brains needed for breastfeeding. It is also recommended to wait at least 24 hours until giving babies their first bath. However, many parents choose to wait a couple weeks. There should be no rush to bathe a newborn. When it comes to using products on babies’ skin, I’m a believer that less is more. Babies don’t need skincare products. Try a single organic oil such as jojoba or coconut oil for dry skin or a baby massage.
Can you tell us about some of your products for new and expecting moms?
Keeping the skin hydrated (along with a healthy diet) is important to nourishing a growing belly because it encourages elasticity of the skin. Both the Malibu Made Glow Oil and Malibu Made Body Scrub are made with deeply moisturizing organic botanicals like Jojoba Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Coconut Oil and Olive Oil, as well as a food-grade vanilla flavor that provides a calming aroma for the nervous system. The Glow Oil in particular is great for a breast massage during pregnancy to support the lymphatic system and milk ducts, while the scrub helps gently relieve itchy skin and prevent and reduce stretch marks.
I created the Birth Blessing Candle for new mamas to bring into their rituals around their transition to motherhood, and to welcome their community to do the same. Each candle is adorned with a rose quartz crystal and a birth blessing mantra. This candle can be used through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and makes for a wonderful gift to honor the mother.
How can moms optimize their postpartum outcomes?
I always recommend that my clients read The First Forty Days by Heng Ou, which has amazing information on how to nourish the mother during the fourth trimester, so she can focus on resting and taking the time to learn and nourish her baby. For example, by feeding her warming foods and treating her to a warming, full-body oil rub (our Glow Oil is perfect for this!) to ground the nervous system, clear energy and support recovery. I am also really excited about the new registry, Little Honey Money, created to optimize postpartum outcomes of new parents. It is a brilliant way to assure a new mama has all the support she needs.
From your experience as a doula, what can you tell us about the importance of skin-to-skin contact?
Holding baby skin-to-skin immediately after birth and as often as possible throughout the fourth trimester, is so important for development of babies’ brain and immune system, supporting breastfeeding and strengthening the parent-baby bond. Physiologically, it helps regulate baby’s breathing and body temperature and reduces pain and bleeding for mothers. Evidence also shows it helps reduce rates of baby blues and postpartum depression and establishes life-long secure attachments.
Carson also hosts a birth prep course for expecting mothers looking to find community and become empowered in their birth choices. The next circle begins July 20th.
Growing Together is an intimate and interactive virtual class for mamas-to-be. This virtual 12-week circle for mothers covers everything from healthy pregnancy practices and nutrition, to childbirth education, comfort measures, postpartum care and breastfeeding preparation. Not only is it an all-in-one, in-depth class for expecting mothers, it is most importantly a safe space to explore all the questions and emotions that come with transitioning into the great unknown.