I am a Doula who is Pregnant and I tried Bump Boxes. Are they Worth It?
As a doula, I have been promoting products and services for more than a decade that make pregnancy easier. Expectant parents require a lot support during pregnancy, which can be a very stressful time. If that support is in the form useful products, then so be it.
I am currently pregnant with my 2nd child and looking for ways to make my experience more enjoyable. I know I’m not the only one. There are more than 3 million new parents and babies in the U.S. each year. Most of them would appreciate products that support their pre- and afterpartum journey. 1
I decided to give Bump Boxes a try, a monthly subscription box that is curated for pregnant women. Learn about my Bump Boxes subscription, what I received in my second trimester and my opinions on the products.
What is Bump Boxes?
BumpBoxes is a company founded by parents who want to provide parents with “the safest and most effective pregnancy products” and to ensure healthy pregnancies all over the world. The boxes contain curated products such as skincare, bodycare, and other products for the pregnancy journey.
BumpHealth owns the company, which produces products for parents like BlushTeas and BumpLife brands and helps parents get breast pumps covered by their insurance.
Sign up for Bump Boxes
I found the ordering process to be very simple. I could order for a month, six-months, nine-months, or twelve-months (Bump Boxes now offers BitsyBox which will send a gift to your baby every month during the first year).
Returns and shipping to the U.S. continental are always free. Bumb Boxes offers a discount on each box the longer you sign up. If I wanted to pay monthly I would pay $50. But if I wanted to commit for longer I would pay:
- Six months at $43/month
- Spend $40 per month for nine months
- Spend $39 per month for 12 Months
Prepaying for a set number of months will give you a bigger discount on the curated pregnancy products.
- Prepaying for six months will save you almost $100.
- Prepaying for nine months will save you almost $175.
- Prepaying for 12 months will save you over $250.
In the end I chose to subscribe to the Subscription Box. After selecting my subscription plan, the next step was to enter my due date. (I was in my late second trimester).
Then, I was given the option of upgrading my product. Upgrade options included onesies, belly cream, tote bag, and more.
When I was researching this subscription, something that I noticed and appreciated about Bump Boxes is that if you like a particular product, you can purchase it through the online store. This is a very convenient and useful feature for pregnant women who are overwhelmed by the task of choosing and purchasing quality products.
How to Receive My Bump Box
It was lightning fast. I ordered on Wednesday and received my box by Saturday. The box was bright pink and had an outside logo with a pregnant woman. It arrived on its own, not in any other packaging. Both the box and shipping materials are recyclable.
The box that I received contained five full size products.
- BumpLife printed wet bag
- Dr.Brown Disposable breast pads, 30 count
- T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel Cleansing Cloths 25 count
- Kanu Mother Cooling Leg gel, 4.2 oz
- BumpLife small wooden massager
A postcard from Bump health (the parent company of Bump Boxes) included a QR code that parents could scan to get a free Breast Pump via their insurance. This service is not something I tried, but it is impressive that the company offers this. I’m always happy to see companies that help parents understand their health insurance. The company also provided a postcard that explained how Bump Boxes worked, along with a phone number to text for more discounts on products.
The cooling leg gel was my favorite product. It was great after a day of walking in the hot climate I live in. This would be an excellent product for pregnant women, especially as pregnancy progresses.
As someone who is at the end or beginning of their second/third trimester, I did not find the products particularly useful. When I placed my order, I entered my due date so I thought the products would better suit my stage of pregnancy. The disposable breast pads and wet bag, for example, are not applicable until after you have your baby. For me, that is more than three months from now. I won’t be able to use breast pads until I’m lactating, so it seems like this would be more appropriate to include at around 36-weeks of pregnancy, or in a box for postpartum.
Witch hazel pads are also more useful in the postpartum period, but can be used throughout pregnancy. This is especially true since hemorrhoids become more common as pregnancy progresses.
It would have been great to see a guide explaining why certain products were included, and how they should be used. As a Doula I am aware that the wooden massager can help ease pain during labor and soothe tired muscles while pregnant, but this is not common knowledge.
I can think about a lot of products that would work well for moms in their third trimester. They could use them and enjoy them during the last months of pregnancy.
It also states that the products are “clean,” however, I could not find any information about these standards. All products in Bump Boxes were free of parabens and phthalates. They are also free from formaldehyde.
I’m curious what will be in the next boxes. Bump Boxes offers them every month. Perhaps boxes for later pregnancy would be better for this time. Customer service told me that each box is different and changes from month-to-month. It seems that there isn’t much information available about the contents of each box.
The customer service was excellent. They responded to me within 24 hours. You can send an email to them.
Pros & Cons
Bump Boxes is a fun and useful subscription, but it could be improved. Here are some of my pros and con.
Pros
- Order Easy
- Simple Gifts
- Free shipping for all orders
- Returns are free
- Customer service that is responsive
- Breast Pump Assistance
You can also find out more about Cons
- You don’t need to be specific about the trimester you are in.
- You may not find the products useful
- Uncertain how and by whom products are selected/vetted
- The packaging is very gendered
Final Thoughts
Many parents would appreciate receiving a monthly box of products, particularly products that they may not have been aware of. (For example, the wooden massager and the leg gel). I have already mentioned that I believe the products should be tailored more to a person’s pregnancy stage, but there are a few items in each box which can make a big difference.
The boxes seemed to be more suitable for a new parent who is less familiar with what to expect physically and emotionally during pregnancy.
The website claims that the products are “vetted” by experts, but I’m not sure which experts are doing the actual vetting. Parents themselves, OB/GYNs, midwives doulas or other professionals who work with expectant families? I couldn’t find any information about who selects the products or why.
It doesn’t appear that the company has any other ways to give back to the community. For example, they don’t offer free or discounted boxes to low-income parents or donations to charities supporting maternal health issues. It’s something I’ve noticed with other subscriptions, so it seems like a missed opportunity.
Even so, I think that a subscription to BumpBoxes is a great gift, especially for someone who’s a first time parent or doesn’t have access to family planning stores. You could also order one or two boxes for yourself to enjoy as you progress through your trimesters. Although some products may not be suitable for your current stage of pregnancy, they might prove useful in the future.
