What Postnatal Hotels Can Teach Us About Postpartum Support

You've just given birth. Your baby needs you around the clock and you're exhausted and overwhelmed by postpartum hormones and emotions. As you stare at your new baby, you might be thinking, now what? Postnatal hotels aim to ease this transition into motherhood and have gained popularity in the last few years. They are sometimes called spas, retreats or hotels, but they all cater to new parents and their babies.

In some cultures, this isn't new at all. According to the Global Wellness Summit, postpartum recovery and care—often provided by family—are common in Asian and Latin American countries. For instance, the Chinese tradition of "sitting the month," involves women in the new mom's community supporting her while she rests and recovers for 30 days. In Korea, postpartum retreats became popular in the 1990s. In the United States, the first postpartum hotel opened in 2022.

Inside the luxury hotels

In Toronto, new moms can stay at the Kimpton Saint George Hotel, which houses postnatal experts from Alma Care, a postnatal support organization. If a mom needs to sleep, the baby goes to the nursery. The founder points to proper healing and nutrition as essential for a solid start in life. But it comes at a hefty price tag—between $850 and $1150 per night (CAD). Critics are concerned postnatal retreats will further the already substantial disparity between those who can and can't afford support. Insurance might partially cover the stay in other places, such as the Fourth Trimester Postpartum Retreat at the Langham Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. But it's not a simple process. Fourth Trimester does not work directly with insurance companies, so moms will have to contact their insurance in advance to see which services may be covered. Fourth Trimester will provide paperwork to help you get the maximum reimbursement.

In Ahma & Co. at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Monarch, California, education, planning and prep come during pregnancy rather than just postpartum. Postpartum, moms can expect healing and recovery support and newborn help, such as lactation services. There's also a nursery and moms receive education about social support systems when they go home. Ahma & Co.'s also highlights the importance of social interaction for new moms because motherhood can feel surprisingly lonely—despite the new being glued to you 24/7.

New moms can expect a daily signature foot bath in their package at Yuzi Postnatal Retreat at The Lodge at St. Edwards Park in Seattle, Washington. This retreat allows parents to bring older siblings and offers a "Sponsor A Mom" program for friends and family members to help subsidize the cost of the stay.

Part of the new focus on postpartum healing

Though reports vary, Postpartum Support International Canada reports that one in five perinatal moms and one in 10 dads have depression. In addition to the physical healing process, perinatal advocates are pushing for more support to decrease these rates.

Denise Castellanos, a midwife at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center's Women's Health Pavilion in Laguna Hills, California, says, "New trends mixed with cultural practices have introduced an awakening for new parents." Even government agencies are updating their policies and supports. For instance, says Castellanos, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology now recognizes the need for earlier support visits and ongoing guidance in navigating the transition from pregnancy to parenthood in a healthy way. In recent years, Canada has expanded access to maternal mental health resources like counselling and peer support groups, tailored specifically to postpartum needs.

What postpartum parents really need

Is it really a hotel and mini vacation postpartum moms need? Maybe not. Here's what experts say is a must if that $1000+ nightly price tag is outside the budget.

Family and time to sleep

"I remember well the haze of the postpartum period. It is a time of huge changes to family structure, to your body, to your sleep schedule," says Dr. Beth Oller, family physician and co-owner of Solomon Valley Family Medicine in Stockton, Kansas, who has four kids of her own. "While the idea of getting away to a postpartum hotel might have seemed tempting at times, I think what most mothers really want is to be in their home, surrounded by their family and their things, in their own bed, but supported so that they can heal themselves and care for their newborn, without also worrying about all the household tasks that pile up without help." She says the immense physical and emotional changes mean the mothers need room to experience while also taking care of their babies.

Don't have family nearby? Look for free or low-cost programs in your area. Here is a selection available in Canada. If you have the budget, the companies that offer postpartum retreats at hotels usually also offer in-home services. Or look for independent doulas and night nurses.

Reconnection

Iesha Vincent, mother of two boys, ages five and three months, from Philadelphia, stayed two nights at the Sanu Postpartum in The Watermark Hotel in Tysons, Virginia. Her stay even involved some much-needed reconnection time for her and her partner. "It helped me manage my postpartum care and has given me the tools to take care of my baby and myself. I enjoyed the ability to have a date night with my husband while my baby went to the nursery. It not only allowed me to connect with my husband outside of being parents, but it also allowed me not to feel guilty for wanting some time to focus on our relationship and ask for help," Vincent shared. She describes it as an experience "tailored" to what she and her baby needed specifically.

A postpartum plan

Castellanos hopes others will think beyond a birth plan to a postpartum plan, too. Oller agrees. "I encourage mothers to begin thinking about and building their postpartum support network during the pregnancy. Begin making a list of things that they will need help with during that period, and reach out to friends and family to make a plan for those first few weeks," she says.

"Many of us feel like we need to do it all and are hesitant to reach out, but when people offer help, take it. Any efforts focused on postpartum support must include a strong focus on social support."