Sassy Mama’s Ultimate Prenatal Pampering Roundup!

Let’s be real – carrying a baby in your belly is no easy task. While ticking off the neverending to-do list before the star of the show arrives, the last thing on your mind is taking care of the leading lady: you! Now, more than ever, is the ideal time to give yourself the ultimate prenatal pampering to enjoy some calm before the storm. Not only is prenatal care vital for mental and physical wellness, it is also linked to improved labour outcomes and newborn health. Featured below are some of the hottest spots around town to give your preggo bod some TLC. Enjoy relaxing!

Mellow Mummy Massage at Mandarin Oriental
The Mellow Mummy Massage at Mandarin Oriental brings you back to zen by combatting the woes of pregnancy. Performed on an innovative pregnancy comfort cushion, this treatment uses techniques for improving lymphatic drainage and reducing swelling and discomfort. This massage incorporates only all-natural ingredients, particularly rose oil to balance those out-of-whack hormones and to rejuvenate the skin. Note, however, that this treatment is not suitable for mamas in their first trimester. You can read more about this treatment by a fellow Sassy Mama here.

How much: Mellow Mummy massages Monday – Thursday are $1,250/60 minutes, or $1,650 for 90 minutes. Friday – Sunday massages are $1,430/60 minutes, or $1,930 for 90 minutes.

Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong, 2522 0111, www.mandarinoriental.com

Prenatal Massage @ Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
During the later stages of pregnancy, even mundane tasks like putting on your shoes are a complete nuisance. This Prenatal Massage, performed on a specially designed massage bed with comfortable cushions, is the therapy you need to soothe all of your aches and pains. Applying a healthful blend of rose hip, calendula and evening primrose oil, the gifted therapists at the Four Seasons help release tension in problem areas. To maximise safety for you and your baby, this treatment is only offered to mamas beyond their first trimester. Check out our review here!

How much: Monday – Thursday prenatal massages are $1,200/60 minutes, or $1,700 for 90 minutes. Friday – Sunday massages are $1,700/60 minutes, or $1,850/90 minutes.

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

Maternity Treatments @ A Mother’s Touch
Specialising in all things baby, A Mother’s Touch is the go-to place for any expecting mother in Hong Kong who wants the most in wellness for her baby. Their wide range of treatments including Swedish massages, polarity massages, creative healing, reflexology, acupressure therapy and birth priming are holistic and specifically tailored to relieve the typical pregnancy discomforts. Say goodbye to that terrible backache, stiff neck and all-over muscle tension! All stages of pregnancy are welcome, from preconception through pregnancy, labour and even postnatal. Too tired to waddle out of the house? No worries, home visits are also offered.

How much: For pricing enquires click here.

A Mother’s Touch, 20/F, Car Po Commercial Building, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong, 9769 2701, www.amotherstouch.com.hk

Mother-to-Be Pregnancy Massage at Amrita Spa
Feeling like some pampering without the splurge? The Mother-to-Be Pregnancy massage at Amrita Spa is ideal for aligning your changing body’s energies through using pressure on specific points – and all at an affordable price point! Included in this package are compressions and stretches, and the best part is that you can achieve all of this in just under one hour. If you’d like to continue the spoiling, treat yourself with some Natural Nail, waxing and threading services.

How much: $580/55 minutes. For more enquiries on services and pricing click here.

Amrita Spa, 1/F, 8-12 Gilman’s Bazaar, Central, Hong Kong, 2815 5590, www.amritaspa.hk

The Peninsula Hong Kong
Treat yourself to the luxurious experience you deserve at the Peninsula Hong Kong, with specifically designed spa remedies for expectant and nursing mamas. The Spa team will guide you in choosing the most essential treatments during this sensitive time.

How much: $1,200/60 minutes. For more enquiries on services and pricing click here.

The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 2920 2888, www.hongkong.peninsula.com

Sutherland-Chan Centre
This one-stop-shop for massage therapies and osteopathy is not to be missed! Their prenatal massages focus on easing postural discomfort and tending to pregnancy-specific symptoms. Take advantage of their structural osteopathy treatments, beneficial to maintaining a strong posture during and after pregnancy. Though treatments are available for 45-, 60- or 90-minute sessions, the 60-minute session is highly recommended. In addition to the prenatal care, Sutherland-Chan offers a variety of postnatal massages to recover from childbirth pains. Gentle massages and cranial osteopathy provide many benefits for newborns, including settling their colic, easing sore growing muscles and aiding sleep. Home massages are also available if getting out of bed is just not going to happen, mama!

How much: Enquire here for more details.

Sutherland-Chan Centre, 19/F World Trust Tower, 50 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2544 5838, www.sccentre.com.hk

Flawless
It’s Flawless to the rescue! Their prenatal treatments range from massages to facials and even skin nourishers. Revel in their tailor-made Ultimate Rose Pregnancy Massage for the ultimate indulgence. Their Bespoke Pregnancy Facials are known to hydrate and soothe, clearing those clogged pores during this time of hormonal changes. Nourish that baby soft skin with a Pregnancy Skin Nourisher, which helps promote your skin’s elasticity and prevent stretch marks. Postnatal treatments are also available to recondition your complexion and restore your body. Don’t hesitate to ask a specialist here for advice on proper face, body, nail treatments and home care products that are most suitable for you and your baby.

How much: Ultimate Rose Pregnancy Massage is $900/60 minutes or $1,200/90 minutes; Bespoke Pregnancy Facial is $680/40 minutes; Pregnancy Skin Nourisher is $1,200/90 minutes; Enquire more about their complimentary baby massages here.

Flawless, 4/F Sea Bird House, 22-28 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2869 5868, www.flawless.hk.com

Pregnancy Massage Treatments @ The Sanctuary
Prep your body for birth with a (literally) life-changing massage. Under the guide of Jenny Ostling, a Holistic Aromatherapist, your body will receive endless benefits, including eliminating water retention, relieving muscular tension and avoiding varicose veins. As you send those feel-good endorphins to your baby with each massage whilst slowly easing the childbirth process, there’s no reason not to take advantage of their package deals. Postnatal massages also come in handy here, helping to restore your body to its pre-pregnancy state. The Arvigo Maya Abdonimal Therapy is also an option for aligning your uterus and pelvis, ensuring your baby is in optimal delivery position. Read here for a candid review from a fellow Sassy Mama.

How much: $900/60 minutes; package of five sessions is $4,250; package of 10 sessions is $8000

The Sanctuary, 29/F Universal Trade Centre, 3-5A Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2537 1373, www.thesanctuary.com.hk

Sense of Touch
Enjoy Sense of Touch’s head-to-toe body pampering with a Blissful Beginnings treatment, which focuses on areas causing strains and pains, as well as alleviating swelling in hands and feet. This treatment begins with a Nurturing Mother-to-Be Experience, which addresses the developing needs of both mama and baby, then follows with a Renew Rose Facial and a leg and feet refresher massage. This popular spa also offers the Rose Hydrating Cocoon, which is great for mothers-to-be with its gentle olive grain exfoliation.

How much: Nurturing Mother-to-be Experience is $950 / 6o minutes, Blissbul Beginnings is $1,780 / 120 minutes, and Rose Hydrating Cocoon is $1,080 / 60 minutes.

Sense of Touch, all around town, click here to find out spa locations, www.senseoftouch.com.hk

Xi Shi
This company specialises as a mobile well-being solution, which is a fancy way of saying they deliver services straight to your home, office or hotel! These experienced pregnancy masseuses recognise your fragile and tired state, offering relaxing prenatal and postnatal massages at a reasonable price. Have a few fellow expecting mama friends? Xi Shi offers special packages and event massages, perfect for a girls’ night in. With deals ranging from 90-minute, 120-minute, and 130-minute sessions, prepare to revel in a long, much-deserved spa sesh.

How much: $690/90 minutes; $880/120 minutes. For further enquiries, click here.

Xi Shi, [email protected], 8199 9004, www.xishi.com.hk

Pregnancy Packages @ The Feel Good Factor
Also known as FGF, this winner of the Sassy Mama Awards for Best Mani/Pedi in Hong Kong also specialises in pregnancy massages. With a specially crafted pregnancy bed containing a hole to accommodate that growing tummy, you’ll feel comfortable and secure. Take advantage of the two packages offered, which include your choice of a massage or a skin specific facial plus a pedicure to pretty up those swelling feet. Get the lowdown from a fellow Sassy Mama here.

How much: Pregnancy massage: $890/60 minutes; Pregnancy massage OR facial + pedicure: $1,110/90 minutes; Skin Specific Facial + Pedicure: $970/60 minutes

The Feel Good Factor, 2/F, Winsome House, 73 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2530 0610, www.feelgoodfactor.com.hk

The Body Group
This go-to spot for clinical pregnancy massages is optimal for increasing circulation, easing muscle aches and tension, and reducing the birthing hip pain brought on by later stages of pregnancy. Combining elements of Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue Manipulation and Strain Conterstrain, these therapies are known to have significant impact on easing childbirth – an all-around win in our books!

How much: Contact for pricing and an initial assessment here.

The Body Group, 14/F, Prosperous Building, 48-52 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2167 7305, www.thebodygroup.com

Kathy Kitzis
As someone who’s been there, done that, this qualified remedial massage therapist and mother of twins has extended her expertise to include pregnancy and postnatal massages. Kitzis is qualified as an IAIM Instructor (International Association of Infant Massage), Certified Infant Massage Instructor and a trained Breastfeeding Counsellor so you know you’re in good hands. Under her guidance, you’ll be more than ready for your bub’s delivery. Aside from practising at her centre, Kitzis also offers home visits. Learn more about her magic touch from a Sassy Mama testimonial.

How much: Massages: $950/60 minutes; $1,300/90 minutes; home visits start at $1,200/60 minutes; Calmbirth Classes: $4,300/12-hour programme (Calmbirth booklet and CDs included); Private sessions for $5,500; Enquire more about Doula services and Baby Massage Classes here.

Kathy Kitzis, 3/F Room 303, 6-10 Kau U Fong, Central, 6340 4687, www.kathykitzis.com

Spa Safety During Pregnancy

During this extremely sensitive time, safety precautions are a necessity.

Do:

• Be cautious about using essential oils during the first trimester of pregnancy, especially for mums prone to miscarriage.
• Use safe essential oils, in droplets or even diluted with a carrier oil. The best include citrus oils, lavender, ylang ylang, and eucalyptus to name a few. Make sure you’re using 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Oils in your massages.
• Opt for scent-free lotions, especially if you’re super sensitive to smells during this time.
• Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated room, especially if you’re receiving manicures and pedicures.

Avoid:

• Attending spas during your first trimester, as to not affect the baby’s early development.
• Heat treatments, like saunas, steam rooms, tanning beds, hot springs, whirlpools, and hot tubs – let that bump breathe!
• Chemical peels of any kind, as absorbing these chemicals have not been proven safe for your baby.
• Essential oils like nutmeg, rosemary, basil, jasmine and clary sage, and juniper berry – especially without consulting a doctor first.