A new type of retreat is going after a demographic that needs more R&R than perhaps any other: new parents.
Driving the news: Last month, Alma Care — a retreat for mothers who have just given birth — officially opened in Toronto. Per the owner, it’s the first facility of its kind in Canada, offering new moms cozy rooms, doula consultations, masseuses, and a staffed nursery.
- The retreat’s philosophy is based on “sitting the month,” a practice popular in some Asian cultures in which mothers prioritize rest for 30 days after giving birth.
Big picture: While nothing new in China or South Korea — where ~75% of birthing women attend postnatal care centres — high-end retreats like Alma Care are a novel thing in North America. One that’s gaining popularity as new parents are willing to shell out for private care.
Why it matters: Needless to say, giving birth is tough, and new parents often lack postpartum medical (and emotional) support once the baby is delivered. In Canada, mothers spend less than two days in hospital, on average, after vaginal births before they’re sent packing.
- But with a starting price tag for a night at a retreat usually hovering around $1,000, they are obviously not the most accessible options for extended postnatal care.
Zoom out: This trend comes at a time of concern over postpartum care. Canadian healthcare experts have called for a new system for better tracking maternal deaths and for regulatory approval of a new drug to help combat growing rates of postpartum depression.—QH