A Little Pre-Baby Pampering: Blissful Spa Day for Mom-To-Be

Mina Yan and Leila Sun spending some quality BFF time together

This year, with all its uncertainty, has been an absolute blast for us at the beijingkids team. At the beginning of the year, we learned that our Managing Editor Mina Yan was expecting a baby. The last couple of months have since been what we at beijingkids have fondly termed the ‘team pregnancy’. That’s code for lovingly blaming all of our guilty snacking choices, bouts of insomnia, and unexpected weight gain on this same team pregnancy. Luckily, none of us in this collective effort have had to deal with much in the way of morning sickness or the dreaded mood swings attributed to pregnancy. The team member who is doing most of the work in this team project is still the one who contends with the physical discomfort of a third-trimester pregnancy.

So we decided to send Yan and her bestie Leila Sun for a relaxing evening at Bodhi Sense. Their newly refurbished Liangmaqiao location is complete with state of the art air filtration and purification systems, intimate, spacious massage rooms, and effusive staff, all creating a wonderful setting for Yan and Sun’s R&R.

Pregnancy isn’t easy. Add to that the stress of running a magazine, preparing your home for the new baby, and all the uncertainties that go with becoming a new mom, and you’re left with a jumbled mess of a brain. To counteract this, Yan got the prenatal massage. This massage is mostly recommended for women in their second and third trimester of pregnancy. All precautions during such a session are taken to ensure both mommy and baby are safe. It is also important to consult a doctor before getting such a massage to ensure no harm comes to the expectant mother and baby.

Ordinarily, oils used for prenatal massages aren’t mixed with essential oils since some are known to have adverse effects on pregnant women. Instead, the massage therapist used jojoba oil which is the only plant-based oil closest to our body’s own naturally produced sebum. It improves the appearance of stretch marks, working better in some cases than retinol, research has found. It’s certainly a good choice for expectant mothers looking to minimize the inevitable stretch marks from pregnancy.

Yan’s massage was done in one of the luxurious refurbished massage suites at Bodhi Sense Liangmaqiao, by a delightful and experienced Thai massage therapist who wore a mask throughout the entire session. To maximize comfort for Yan and her burgeoning baby bump, the massage therapist used a special pillow designed to cradle the belly, while allowing Yan to comfortably lie on her side for the massage. The therapist gently massaged Yan’s belly, back, arms, legs, and neck, being sure to avoid the meridians as described in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM highly discourages pregnancy massages, based on the idea that if certain meridians are pressed, then they might send the expectant mother into premature labor.

However, prenatal massages have a variety of benefits that extend from mom to baby. These range from:

1. Reducing the back pain that is especially common in the third trimester.
2. Reducing the pressure and pain found in joints during pregnancy.
3. Improving circulation throughout the body, which in turn boosts energy.
4. Reducing edema, or swelling.
5. Reducing muscle tension and headaches.
6. Reducing stress and anxiety.
7. Improving oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles.
8. Improving sleep quality, which every mom needs throughout the pregnancy.

Bestie Sun, on the other hand, enjoyed the full and rather acrobatic experience of a Thai massage. To some of us, a Thai massage is a tourist experience to be had in Thailand on a whim. But Thai massage has a long-standing history and tradition, tracing its origins to as far back as 2,500 years ago. It is believed to have been invented by Javaka Kumar Bhaccha (Shivago Kompara), who was a friend to the Buddha endowed with a vast knowledge of medicine.

Traditional Thai massage, unlike other popular massage techniques, is a dry massage. No oil is used to work through the knots in the muscles, but rather a combination of yoga-like stretches with the use of pressure, tension, and motion or vibration movements. It is believed that a combination of these movements and pressure exerted by the use of palms, thumbs, fingers, forearms, elbows, and even feet, increases blood circulation and improves the flow of energy through the body’s energy channels or meridians. Also, unlike other massages that work the body from the core or torso out to the extremities, Thai massage starts from the arms and the legs and works into the torso, and then back out to the arms and legs. This can be a less intrusive massage for some, as the recipient of the massage remains fully dressed at all times. It might also be a good alternative to those who prefer no direct contact with the massage therapist.

And after 90 minutes of stretching, cracking, contorting, and pulling, Sun was free to enjoy the numerous benefits which come along with the Thai massage, including:

1. An almost immediate lowering of stress.
2. Increased blood circulation.
3. An improved range of motion.
4. A boost of energy.
5. A reduction of headaches and other bodily aches and pains.

After their separate massages, both the ladies were able to kick back and have a lovely girls’ evening as they received the final installment of luxurious pampering — foot massages — while they enjoyed soothing lemon water, a healthy snack, and catching up on gossip. If you are wondering what to get your pregnant bestie, then a girl’s spa day might be just what the doctor ordered.

Pregnancy Skincare Tips

Now, if you aren’t into dropping big Taobao bucks on any number of stretch mark oils out there, you might consider making your stretch mark cream, following this simple recipe.

Ingredients:
● 1/2 cup virgin organic coconut oil
● 1/4 cup raw cocoa butter
● 1 tsp. vitamin E oil
● 2 tsp. rosehip oil
● 2 tbsp. almond oil
● 20 drops of geranium, lavender, and/or frankincense essential oil

Directions:
1. Melt your coconut oil and cocoa butter.
2. Pour into a glass container.
3. Let cool until it’s skin temperature.
4. Add in your other oils and blend with an immersion blender.
5. Seal the lid and store in a cool, dark place.
6. Apply 2-3 times per day directly on stretch marks.

All these ingredients are easily available on Taobao so do not be afraid to try this simple recipe.