I received a box from Intercare the other day that had me so intrigued…

It came with a letter. One for Sox. One for me.

I peeked over at Sox’s letter and it melted my heart.

He already does all these steps and I’m extremely grateful. Baby G and I are very lucky to have him.

I then opened up my letter and yes, it made me cry (happy, hormonal tears):

Dear Bailey, We’ve just heard some exciting news from the Intercare Stork and we’re all in a flap about it! One of our favourite bloggers, voice over artists, MCs and social media gurus is pregnant. Congratulations! You made a person. A whole person! And that person will grow to be one of the greatest joys you will ever experience.

Because we at Intercare focus a lot on making the lives of our patients’ more convenient, we’ve put together a Care Package to help ease the demands of pregnancy and motherhood so you can concentrate on what’s important. We’ve covered everything you’ll need from top to toes (well , almost everything) and can’t wait for Baby G’s arrival.

Let me tell you a little more about Intercare. They’ve been focusing on customer satisfaction. They want to know if you’re the patient or the customer and which one you’d rather be? As customers, we’re used to big brands helping us make the demands of everyday life a little lighter to bear, like convenience stores for example. However, when you’re a patient, you’re not there out of choice. If we want to be well again, we have to go to the medical centre… or the hospital. Yet more often than not, instead of the system working around our needs, around our lifestyles and busy schedules, we’re the ones who need to adjust.

I’ve often had an issue with the words: Health Care. I say this because in some cases (generalizing here) the word “care” is often laughable. I’ve seen medical professionals from all over not care at all about the people they need to help. You’re just another name, on a different day!

So I love the thought that’s gone into Intercare’s ethos. The latest international thinking in healthcare is based on a more customer-centric approach. In fact, Intercare, one of the leading providers of integrated healthcare services in South Africa, has based its entire ethos on putting us at the centre of everything it does. Customer service, now becomes patient service.

Intercare wants to enhance our experience by saving us time and effort. Intercare has designed its 17 medical centres to provide truly comprehensive care. These centres house family physicians, dentists, oral hygienists, travel clinics, pathologists, radiologists, biokineticists and speech therapists.

All Intercare Medical Centres operate for extended hours during the week, and are open on weekends and public holidays. They’re also close to pharmacies, and as much as possible, are conveniently located near shopping centres for those last minute errands that we all need to run. Even making appointments has become faster and easier. Intercare’s online booking system means patients can now make bookings 24 hours a day.

They put together an Intercare Care Package for my needs during my pregnancy and it’s so well thought out. 

In the box was the most thoughtful items all in this beautiful grey and white stylish bag that I am going to use in the nursery. I’ve actually been looking for something exactly like this to store toys or even laundry and it’s perfect.

From the top: Knowledge is power and the book I’ve been reading, which I’m loving, is What to Expect When You’re Expecting (latest edition) by Heidi Murkoff. This is the follow on book, which I didn’t have, so I’m thrilled  – thank you! 

A voucher to balance body, mind and spirit with a private at-home yoga class thanks to Blossom & Bloom.

For the Shoulders and Back: A physiotherapy appointment at Intercare, which is going to help me so much with my aching back and pelvis.For the Heart: The letter for Sox, which did tug at my heart strings and make me grateful to have such an excited Daddy-to-be.

For the tummy and back: A Pregnancy Pillow. It’s a high-density Memory foam pillow that can wrap around you.

For the tummy: A food voucher from Woolworths. This is going to come in handy with all my cravings – especially for pickles, oranges and popcorn! 

For Baby G: The Intercare Baby CARE Kit includes the essential medical and first-aid supplies we’ll need for our newborn. For the feet: A fabulous FoxBox voucher for a heavenly foot massage and pedicure. Bliss.

THANK YOU Intercare, from the bottom of my heart, for creating this care package of unbelievable convenience and for taking care of your patients.

You’ve also given me some excellent gift ideas for the other Mommy’s-to-be in my life 🙂