Pregnancy and pampering: Mom-to-be splurges on spa treatments

When Kelly Kockos, 38, drove past Barefoot and Pregnant, a maternity spa in Sausalito, California, she knew it would be the perfect gift for her newly pregnant girlfriend. What she didn’t know was that she would soon be enjoying maternity spas as well.

After Kockos got pregnant a few months later, she returned to Barefoot and Pregnant for a facial and belly massage. She also returned during her second pregnancy.

“It’s fantastic,” she said. “They put me next to me with all these pillows and it’s probably the most comfortable I’ve had in nine months. They know where to put the pillows and where to put the pressure, which makes me so relaxed and glad the time gives Be yourself and be pampered.”

Kockos is one of a growing number of expectant mothers who spend their pregnancy — or part of it — in luxury. Whether it’s pregnancy massages, facials, private yoga classes, or the more traditional “mani-pedi” (manicure-pedicure) combo, women across the country are indulging in maternity spa treatments. Waxing ranges from $15 to $75, and $195 for a “tummy cast” — a mold for a pregnancy stomach. Belly massages at most spas start at around $70.

“When you’re pregnant, your body goes through all these weird changes, so massage gives you a chance to celebrate it,” Cocos says. “It’s something everyone should be doing.”

The need for maternity spas

Stacy Denney, CEO of Barefoot and Pregnant, Spa Mama: Pampering for the Mother to Be says that maternity spas are increasingly seen as a necessity rather than a luxury.

“A lot of people see it as a pamper,” she said. “But we’re not in our mother’s time. We’re a different society and a different environment. We’re older and we’re working 40 and 50 hours a week — before and after the baby is born.”

The average age of mothers has increased steadily over the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1970, the average age of all new mothers was 24.6 years. By 2002, the number was 27 – a national all-time high.

“The trend toward delayed delivery is widespread—observed across the country and across all population groups,” the 2002 report concluded.

Because older women tend to have careers, which means more disposable income, they are more likely to go to maternity spas.

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In suburban Cincinnati, women can enjoy the recently opened Be a Mom, a maternity spa dedicated to pampering expecting and new mothers. In New York City, expectant mothers head to the Edamame Spa for a full range of maternity care. The company has now expanded to multiple locations, including neighboring cheap sweatshirt wholesale and Massachusetts and Charlotte, North Carolina

Denney believes there are only a handful of maternity spas, but traditional spas across the country Both centers offer pre-postnatal treatments such as abdominal massage. She operates Barefoot and Pregnant in Sausalito, California, and Carefree, Arizona, and says she’s licensing the trade name to other spas. She is in talks with several hotels and will also launch an online social network.

“We want to create a community where women can help other women,” she explained. “As we did, we found a need for a variety of other comprehensive spa services specifically for expecting mothers – not just prenatal massages, but also acupuncture, facials, pregnancy-friendly weekly massages that vary symptoms ranging from migraine to carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Maternal Spa Safety

Donald Lindblad, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Barbara, CA Doctors, see no problem with spa treatments, including pregnancy massages, as long as they’re not “overly restrictive.” In some cases, the experience can be beneficial, he said.

“Many pregnant women don’t think they look good,” he explained. “They feel like they’re fat or hyperpigmented, so these treatments may have a psychological benefit — an uplifting effect.”

Pregnancy massage, in particular, can have a physical effect. helped, he added, by easing the back pain that many pregnant women experience. Concerns about absorption of creams and lotions are unfounded, he said.

“Few drugs have been shown to cause human deformities, but as a general rule, we try to avoid them,” he said. “However, there are no studies on the effects of oils and creams, but they may be safe to use.”

Lindblad recommends avoiding chemicals and drugs in the first trimester, when possible, when critical development occurs is happening. That includes exposure to fumes like nail polish — although absorption may be minimal, he says, especially if there is good ventilation.

Maternity spas can reduce stress

Another reason for increasing maternity spas could be stress.

Julie Scott, MD, a peri-obstetrician in Scottsdale, Arizona, sees many expectant mothers in her practice. She is disturbed by the stress and anxiety women face during pregnancy — much of which is exacerbated by their doctors.

“Women in our community are older and delay having children until they are sure about their fertility, career and their marriages, so they show up at different times in their lives,” she explained . “They may be facing fertility issues or medical issues, which traditional doctors see as complications, so they’re given a list of things they can’t do. They’re told that their pregnancy is complicated, which means they have some degree of complication. Stress.”

So Scott founded AMOMI Pregnancy Wellness Spa with colleagues Karri Francois, MD, and Kathleen Harris, MD, who are also peri-obstetricians. This is the only doctor-supervised maternity spa in the country for high-risk pregnancies, Scott said.

“Our goal is to minimize this [stress] feeling and say that pregnancy is normal,” she explained. “This is a state of health, and we should focus on the positives and optimize their health and well-being through comprehensive counseling, nutritional and alternative therapies, and ongoing medical care.”

Spa for Maternity: More Than Just a Massage

In addition to traditional spa treatments such as abdominal massages and facials, AMOMI offers clients a wide range of educational opportunities, including nutrition, labor and delivery, and pain course management options. Like Barefoot and Pregnancy, Amore offers pregnancy workout classes.

Postpartum, clients can get postpartum adjustments at Amore and get everything from microdermabrasion and laser and vein hair removal to “New Mom and Me” massages and facials. Prices from Facials range from $60 to $175 or $250 for laser vein renewal, but AMOMI also offers packages like half-day getaways, “three-month trio” (three services every three months) or “9-month bliss” , which provides treatment throughout pregnancy.

“We’re not the moms we used to be, when taking on the physical impact of pregnancy was a badge of honor,” Scott said of cosmetic surgery . “Women now see themselves very differently. These women want to get back to their pre-pregnancy health, and there’s no reason they can’t. ”

Amazingly, even the economically thriving downtown hasn’t affected the thriving maternity spa business. AMOMI has recently opened its doors to a large number of clients. Denney says she There is no reduction in income at all.

“From a business perspective, there is no seasonality,” she explained. “It’s a short-term thing, so people are willing to spend more. “