The moments after having a baby are one of the biggest life transitions a person will ever face. Yet here in the United States–once the medical aspects of birth are done–new parents are often given a few pamphlets, perhaps some free diapers or formula, and sent home to fend for themselves.
One San Francisco business, the Village Postnatal Retreat Center, hopes to change that. Drawing on accident practices like the Chinese tradition of “sitting the month,” this upscale retreat center helps new parents ease into life with their baby, surrounded by a community of caregivers.
Located at the Broadmoor near Japantown, the Village provides a 24/7 nursery to help care for new babies, as well as meals, classes, and some basic wellness checks (like teaching guests to screen for blood pressure issues) to help parents recover.
The Bay Area Telegraph interviewed Shoshana Smith of the Village to learn more about the postnatal retreat.
Bay Area Telegraph: Can you give some background on how a postnatal retreat center works?
Shoshana Smith:
Postnatal retreats are a place for new parents to rest, heal, as well as get support and education about caring for their new little one. Our guests typically book their stays before they give birth, and many of them come to us right after discharge from the hospital.
Some will wait a few weeks to spend some time at home before coming here.
All our guests get their own, private room, as if they were staying in a hotel only these rooms are customized for postpartum healing. Once they’re checked in we introduce them to our postnatal care specialists who staff our on-site nursery 24/7.
Parents are welcome to drop their baby off at the nursery for as long or as little as they prefer, at whatever frequency they prefer. Each room has a monitor that connects to a camera in the nursery so they can check in on baby at any time.
Our staff will change, feed, and take care of baby while parents can rest, eat, or get a massage or facial (which we offer on-site). We support parents with lactation consultations, education classes (such as baby wearing, diapering, burping), washing and sterilizing breast pumps and bottles, wellness checks (tracking baby’s weight and the birthing person’s blood pressure), and infant safety/CPR classes.
Guests get three nutritious meals a day delivered to their rooms, and we also have a parent lounge that’s open 24/7 and stocked with free snacks and drinks.
BAT: How long do people typically spend there?
SS: Most guests stay 5-7 days, but we’ve had some who have stayed for multiple weeks.
BAT: You mentioned that postnatal retreats are common in Asian geographies. Can you elaborate on that? How does that cultural practice inspire your center?
SS: Postpartum care is looked at very differently in some other countries. In China there is the tradition of “sitting the month,” or a month-long period of confinement, where the birthing person stays in bed and eats specially created meals that focus on healing and nutrition while family or a special nanny take care of the baby.
In South Korea stays in postpartum hotels are common, where a birthing person often spends one to two weeks, getting meals and help with their baby, including the baby spending time in an on-site nursery. Our center is modeled after those hotels, providing 24/7 comprehensive care.
The real thrust of our mission is to send parents home feeling empowered and capable to take care of their baby and deal with this massive life transition.
Also, after giving birth many patients are sent home without proper follow-up care or attention paid to conditions like pre-eclampsia – which is why we monitor blood pressure.
Our founder, Jennifer Darwin, is a former pediatric, and labor and delivery nurse, and is hugely passionate about improving maternal healthcare in the US, as it’s currently greatly lacking.
BAT: How much does a typical stay cost?
SS: Our nightly rate ranges from $890 – 950, and that rate includes meals, your room, and all care and classes. [UPDATE: Prices are changing on 4/1. Single rooms will remain $890 while the double rooms will be $1090.]
Guests can add massages, facials, or additional meal plans (if a partner or support person is staying too) for additional fees: massages are $225, facials are $200, and meal plans are $100/day, which includes three meals a day and unlimited snacks and drinks.
At those prices, this retreat is clearly only accessible to well-to-do San Franciscans. Still, for those who can afford it, The Village looks like a great way to ease the transition into parenthood.
In an ideal world, we’d all have the kinds of close familial and community networks that would provide postpartum care at home for weeks or months after a birth. Absent that, postnatal hotels are a fascinating way to fill that gap.
We’ll be curious to see if this concept expands in the Bay Area. Many practices–especially those related to health and wellness–begin here before spreading throughout the country. Perhaps postnatal hotels will do the same.
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