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by Gia Portfolio

A number of spas offer treatments made especially for expecting mothers, and some spa resorts have designed packages for new and expecting moms that consider the well-being of both mother and child. During pregnancy, baby-safe spa treatments can help circulation, improve complexion, and nourish skin, as well as relieve pregnancy-related aches and pains. Post birth, spa treatments designed with the new mother in mind provide relaxation and help alleviate stress.  With the current "babymoon" trend in full swing, spas are more than happy to provide these special services, often available in extensive packages.

Some spas encourage new mothers to bring the baby along for yoga-with-baby classes, allowing moms to get in shape without having to leave their child’s side. By indulging in her health, relaxation and fitness, a new mother can decrease symptoms of post-partum depression.

New moms have every excuse to splurge on a spa day, so here’s a catalog of day and resort spas that either offer packages for pregnant women or are new-baby friendly. The wellness-conscious state of California boasts three such retreats, but there are other excellent programs available.  For even more babymoon getaway ideas than you see here, visit this useful site: www.babymoonfinder.com.

Barefoot and Pregnant
57 N Knoll Rd
Mill Valley, CA 94941
415/388-1777

This Larkspur, California spa is entirely dedicated to new and expecting mothers. The spa has a “board of advisors,” including leading obstetricians, certified nurse midwifes and anesthesiologists, that draw upon the knowledge of psychologists, doulas and exercise physiologists. Barefoot and Pregnant offers educational and exercise classes, spa services, and interactive group support (spa treatments and educational classes for dads-to-be, too) – all under one roof, convenient for the pre- and post-natal mother.

If you don’t live locally, the spa has teamed with Mill Valley’s Mountain Home Inn to create two unique getaway packages. "Expecting the Best" is a two-night, three-day retreat that includes two prenatal spa services, luxury accommodations, two Spa Menu breakfasts, one Spa Menu dinner, and a complimentary gift basket. The "And Baby Makes Three" package is a five-night getaway and includes everything in the first package with an additional spa treatment, three additional Spa Menu meals, and a private birthing session. Add-ons include maternity photography, daddy spa services, and local sightseeing.

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
905 Country Club Road
Ojai, CA 93023
805/646-1111
Located 70 miles from Los Angeles on 220 acres of gorgeous landscape and mountain views, Ojai Valley provides the perfect, peaceful setting to enjoy some down time before the baby arrives. The inn’s five-hour Maternity Bliss spa package consists of a pregnancy massage, a personalized facial, a body treatment featuring pregnancy-friendly herbs and botanicals, and a 50-minute personal yoga/meditation session.

The Ojai Valley Inn is great for pregnant women who already have children and want a family getaway -- LA Parent Magazine says they have “the most kid-friendly lodging” in the area, and in addition to a Kids Camp, they have many activities like horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and volleyball for families.

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
9700 N. Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA  92037 
(877) 437-8262
Estancia features a “Stress Free Parents to Be” package which includes three nights of accommodations, one dinner at the resort’s restaurant Adobe restaurant, breakfast in bed each morning, a shopping trip with a personal shopper (transportation included), an on-site session with a photographer to (in the words of the resort) "capture the last hurrah" and several spa treatments. Moms will receive a pre-natal massage and an organic garden facial while Dads will receive a Garden Stone massage and an Adam’s Gentlemen’s Facial. Both couples will receive a manicure, a Hydrating Scalp Treatment, and a spa lunch. Each day there is also a Personal Yoga Class for future parents. Parents can alter the package to fit their personal needs.

For moms-to-be who simply want the spa treatments, the spa offers a Pre-natal Bouquet, which consists of pre-natal massage, the massage, the scalp treatment, facial, and manicure.

Las Ventanas al Paraiso
KM 19.5 Carretera Transpeninsular
San Jose del Cabo
Baja California Sur 23400,  Mexico
888/767-3966
Las Ventanas advertises a “Babymoon” package to expecting couples at their Los Cabos, Mexico resort. The four-night getaway includes suite accommodations, a Mommy Beautiful massage, a personal pre-natal fitness session, a Silky Hand Beautifying and Spa manicure, and a handcrafted silver baby spoon and fork set. For baby-toting visitors, the hotel provides a tiny robe and slippers, and a crib with a hypoallergenic mattress and linens, a nursing pillow and a diaper pail. New mothers usually opt for the Phyto-marine Mask & Slimming Wrap spa treatment.

Accor Thalassa Les Sables-d'Olonne
33/0-1-46-62-45-44
Located in France's legendary Western Loire, the Accor Thalassa Les Sables-d'Olonne is a gem in an area well-known for hydrotherapy.  This institute, linked the hotel Mercure for guest accommodation, includes new mothers in a treatment plan designed to promote relaxation, build muscle tone, and beat the "baby blues."  The ideal time to visit is around two months after the birth of your baby, and the package covers one physiotherapy and three seawater therapy treatments per day.  Choices include a variety of showers, there is a baby swim session twice a week, and optional baby massage.  Babysitting is available through the hotel upon request.

Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa
34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr
Carefree, AZ 85377
480/595-3500
This award-winning Wyndham property in Carefree, Arizona offers a day-long "Mother-to-Be" package that includes a full body Maternity Massage, a Tranquility Facial, a cooling pedicure to assist with leg circulation, a manicure, hairstyling, and a spa lunch. For dads-to-be there is a 2.5 hour "Just for Him" package that  includes a Gentleman’s Facial and a therapeutic massage. Expectant parents may want to check in for a few days and enjoy The Boulders' excellent golf facilities and luxuriously rustic casitas.  This AAA five-diamond Wyndham Resort (877/999-3223) is set in a rocky landscape that dates back millions of years. Childcare available upon request.

The Greenhouse Spa
1171 107th Street
Arlington, Texas 76004-1144
817/640-4000
Located in Arlington Texas, this all-women getaway spa arranges two "Baby & Me" weeks each year for mothers with babies between 3 months and 12 months. The week-long event includes daily spa treatments, a baby massage, exercise classes, nanny care, lectures and classes on childcare, a baby-clothes trunk show, and all the baby amenities (diapers, bottles, crib, etc.) you can think of. The nanny, whom you can interview before your trip, will allow you to have some time to yourself when you need to escape the pressures of motherhood.

Amore by the Sea Bed and Breakfast Inn
246 Delgada Rd
Victoria, BC  V9C 3W2
250/474-5505
This award-winning inn near Victoria, British Columbia has an ocean-front, semi-rural location for a relaxing getaway.  The inn also offers a babymoon package with at least two nights accommodation, including massages for mom and dads to be, sparkling apple juice, Roger's chocolates, special lotions and soaps, and a Canadian teddy bear for the future new arrival.

W Hotels of New York City
877/782-0027
Throughout 2006, these properties offered a fabulous "Baby Me" package with a lot of funky fun for moms-to-be.  The package included a chic baby bag, a book entitled "The Modern Girl's Guide to Motherhood," three selections from the "Womb Service Menu" (salty or sweet?), a subscription to American Baby magazine and a cute little onesy.  There are five W locations to choose from in New York which may repeat this popular promotion.

Gia interned for Family Travel Forum while an English major at New York University.  She now works for True Romance Magazine. She likes to read, write, sing, golf, and of course, travel. One of her favorite places is Rome, and she hopes to live there for at least part of her adult life.

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