We’re on a mission to replenish mothers, raise the standard in the natural beauty industry, and make ancient rituals accessible through our Ayurvedic wellness products with the intention of having women experience just how sweet mothering from a full cup can be.

While living in Malaysia Justene and her husband decided they wanted to start a family.

When they told Dr. Siby (her Ayurvedic doctor) he smiled and said ‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’ 

And so Justene’s education in a traditional Ayurvedic preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum began.

Throughout her pre-conception and pregnancy, she took Ayurveda herbs and ate a special diet. She also went for Ayurveda massages. (Which were as dreamy as they sound).

When Dr Siby heard her baby had arrived he asked her to stop by on her way home from the hospital so he could check on her. The birth had been too fast, and her wishes for a dark quiet room hadn’t been honoured. She felt extremely anxious, and a bit traumatised.

Kind Dr Siby saw her standing there in her shorts and a t-shirt and told her to immediately go home, dress warm, and put on socks. Keeping warm was a big part of a traditional postpartum.  He was also going to send a postpartum doula to help her.

The lovely postpartum doula came prepared.

She got Justene to sit on a chair and do Yoni Dhupana (vagina steaming with herbs). She brought this bag full of Bengkungs (belly wraps), and pulled them out of the bag saying ‘which size are you?’ 

And a helper came to the house every day and cooked the proper postpartum meals that her husband brought to her.

It struck Justene how in traditional cultures all the focus was on the mother. Her baby would be lying on a little mattress on the floor while she received all the treatments that came with a traditional Ayurvedic postpartum.

At the end of the forty days, there was a closing ritual, and Justene and her husband took their new baby out into the world. It had been two months of processing birth trauma and mothering a premature newborn who fed nonstop, and she felt... rejuvenated. 

All the postpartum care she had received had restored her physically and emotionally. 

It struck Justene how in traditional cultures all the focus was on the mother. Her baby would be lying on a little mattress on the floor while she received all the treatments that came with a traditional Ayurvedic postpartum.

When Justene’s friends back home in Australia started having babies she could see they were having a very different postpartum experience. They were exhausted, and no one was replenishing or supporting them.

Fired up by her desire to help mothers around the world, she drew on all her knowledge as a Naturopath, and Ayurveda Lifestyle Consultant to create Ibu Ayurveda.

And just like that her home was turned into an apothecary…

For a year before she launched, she formulated the products. The house smelled of black sesame oil, cardamom, jasmine, chamomile, and turmeric. The kitchen table was full of herbs, flowers, and essential oils. She was committed to using only the finest ingredients.

Over the next five years, the brand’s focus expanded as more midwives, doulas, and women who mothered their friends and families bought the products.

Today Ibu Ayurveda is helping to replenish women who mother in any capacity wherever in the world they are.

Justene is a gentle parenting Mama to 3 little ones. When she’s not chatting to customers in the DMs about anything and everything Ayurveda (which she loves!) you’ll find Justene at her favourite vegan café catching up with girlfriends. That’s after an over-the-top slow morning full of self-care and sunshine of course.

After spending the day bottling up that Ibu Ayurveda magic Paul unwinds on his yoga mat. 

When he’s not working you’ll find him hiking in the Australian bush or writing his next fantasy fiction novel. Paul also happens to be Justene’s stepdad. 

On Saturdays, Sasmitaningrum heads down to the local market to source the finest batik-dyed natural cotton fabrics. Back home she uses her brilliant sewing skills to create our beautiful traditional and modern Bengkungs.