Mother’s Love Prenatal Treatment at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong

Oh, the joy of pregnancy! It comes with so many wonderful gifts. Along with that energising feeling of creating life and the sheer bliss that comes with each and every kick… wait a minute. The people that say this stuff have never actually been pregnant, have they? The truth is that when you’re not asleep or wishing that you could sleep, you’re physically or mentally uncomfortable with the changes about to take place in your life. Honey, you need some pampering pronto! Time to book into the Four Seasons and take advantage of their Mother’s Love treatment!

About one month pre-baby (i.e. massively pregnant), I waddled down to the Four Seasons and by waddled, I mean took a taxi. Who can handle walking more than absolutely necessary? Now that Uber is in HK, I would suggest calling them and having your pamper sesh start at your front door! Once there, I was welcomed by several calming yet cheerful faces and was led to the locker rooms, where I changed into a decadent robe big enough to cover my bump and some very comfy disposable black shorts. I would seriously ask for a few more pairs if you have any other massages planned, as these fit a preggo body and were not in any way skimpy or scandalous. After donning my new garb, I meandered into the relaxation room where loungers were set up with magazines and personal TVs. I thumbed through a recent Vogue while sipping cucumber strawberry water. The thought occurred to me that I should have gotten here even earlier, as there were a host of flavoured waters and teas to try and so many magazines so I made a mental list to do that on my next visit.

I was just about to nod off in the lounge chair when I heard my name being called. We crossed the hall to the VIP suite where two beds lay side by side, flanked by a ridiculously large plunge pool/tub along with two chairs that sat at the foot of the beds. It was hard for me to take all this in, as I was so distracted by the view! Massive floor-to-ceiling windows beckon for your attention, but I chose to have the shades drawn so I could nestle down in my robe and block out the buzzing city below.

The treatment started with a foot soak and scrub while the baby-friendly products and treatment were explained to me. Once complete, I then moved onto bed number one where I laid on my side surrounded by pillows and was rubbed down with a gentle exfoliant. My therapist worked from limb to limb, uncovering and recovering each muscle as she moved along my body. I tried to drift to sleep, but baby had other plans. When I relax, he goes crazy and kicks me the entire time. Even so, I was able to enjoy the scrub and realised that I was never once cold or uncomfortable like I had been in other body scrub situations. Once buffed to a high shine, I rinsed off in the in room shower and redeposited myself onto bed number two. Now, here’s the real bliss of the Mother’s Love massage: you can lie on your stomach! Yes, even at 36 weeks large! There are foam wedges that prop you up and allow you to lie on your belly with ease. By this point in pregnancy, something as simple as this can really change your outlook on things! I think even the kiddo enjoyed it because he calmed down and allowed me to drift in and out of consciousness for the session. The only thought that permeated my over-relaxed state was where I could buy these wedges!

I was lucky enough to have several massages while pregnant, but I can say without a doubt that this was my favourite. Be sure to allow extra time pre and/or post treatment to enjoy the relaxation room. Did I mention that I followed this up with an afternoon tea set in the Lounge? Go ahead and schedule that in too! Make it a total day of decadence. While you shouldn’t do this treatment in your first trimester, you should schedule as many as possible from the start of the second trimester on! Massages will be a mere memory come baby time, so get as many of them in as you can now! Pregnancy is the time for endless pampering and your partner just has to agree! After all, you only want what’s best for baby, right? And a well-rested and relaxed mom certainly is good for both the bump and the husband alike!

The Mother’s Love Treatment at the Four Seasons Spa is only available to pregnant women beyond their first trimester. A specially-designed bed features cushions that allow you to rest easy in any position, while skilled therapists knead out tension using a nourishing oil blend of rose hip, calendula and evening primrose.

Hours: Mon-Sun, 8am-11pm

Price: $2,300 weekdays; $2,480 weekends for a two-hour treatment.

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, 3196 8888, www.fourseasons.com