Zeb's First Baby Spa Experience and Review

I have been looking forward to bringing my little one to the baby spa ever since he was 1 month old. Today, I finally did... Yay! I was so excited for my baby because I know he will enjoy the experience. He loves his bath time and after each session he will start to be fussy. I know that cry means he still wants to stay in the tub. I think he will be a swimmer like mommy :)

There are several health benefits of swimming including but not limited to the following:

• Helps strengthen the muscles, ligaments, heart and lungs
• Develop motor control, agility, coordination and balance
• Enhances and stimulates senses and immune system
• Fosters social stimulation and interaction among babies
• Sets foundation for babies and adapt positive and long-term attitude towards learning
• Builds trust and confidence between parents and babies especially in water environment

I have heard about Baby Spa long time ago so today I brought him to their branch in Katong V Mall, which luckily, is just a walking distance away from where we stay.

As soon as we stepped in, we were greeted by the Chinese staff and handed over to me their flyer showing the rates.

A. Member Rates (with registration fee of $10 and with free towel with hood)

10 Swimming Sessions (valid for 6months) - $350

20 Swimming Sessions (valid for 12 months) - $590

Golden Card (Unlimited within one year) - $1,090

B. Non-Member

Trial - $45 with free 1 swim diaper

Aside from baby swimming, they also offer 2 other services which are baby massage and baby haircut. For those babies getting their hair cut for the first time, they also give a First Haircut Certificate with the baby's picture. So cute!!!

 

I didn't sign up for the membership though because let's be honest, the rates are pretty darn expensive! I just wanted my baby to try it at least once to satisfy my curiosity :) 

While baby's getting changed to a swim diaper

After the staff changed him into swim diaper, she did a few arms and legs exercise on baby to warm him up. The other staff then filled one of the four single tubs with lukewarm water. She kept asking me from time to time to touch the water to see if the temperature is fine with me. They also have some kind of a thermometer which they dip into the water and will then show if it's too hot, too cold or just right.

Zeb with the friendly staff of Baby Spa

Once all set, they put on the neck floater on Zeb and slowly dipped him into the tub. As expected, he didn't cry but instead he started kicking his legs. Weeeee!!!! That was a "proud momma moment" and I was smiling from ear to ear. That was the first time I felt like a "stage mother" haha!

Rubber duckie! Haha!

 

After about 20 minutes, it's time to take Zeb out from the tub (boooo!). It was noted in the flyer that first time babies cannot stay in the water for too long. It is better to gradually lengthen their swimming time each visit. Such a shame that we were the only customer when we dropped by. Would have been more fun if he was able to interact and be with other babies in the bigger pool.

So after I took him out, the staff asked me if I want to have my baby massaged. I thought at first that it was included in the $45 charge but ooops! I was wrong! I ended up paying an additional $24 ($10 for members) for the massage. It was good though that I was able to see massage techniques for babies so now I can do it to him at home after every bath :)

Overall, I think the $69 charge is a steep price to pay for a 30-minute experience but the smile on my baby's face and seeing how much he enjoyed it was PRICELESS! I'd say give it a try if you have the chance!

My ratings:
Service - 4/5
Cleanliness and Hygiene - 4/5
Staff - 3/5
**The staff were friendly but it was a little difficult to communicate with them since they don't speak english that well.





Price - 2/5

Survival Guide for A Newbie Mom

Before I begin, let me put out a disclaimer that I am in no way, shape or form an expert on motherhood. Everything I will be mentioning in this blog post is based from my own experience being a first time mom at age 33.

When I was on my last trimester of my pregnancy, I made an effort to read books and even online about labor and delivery and of course taking care of a newborn. Though I have a nephew and niece, I didn't get to be around with them and observe how my sister took care of them since I was working abroad. So when I finally gave birth to my son, I had to learn everything from scratch based on what I've read, help from my sister and mom and of course my motherly instincts.

So how did I survive the first two months? Well, let me give you the low down...

1. DO NOT PANIC

Yes, that is the worst thing that you can do when you have a newborn baby crying uncontrollably  in front of you. Before you pick your him up, take a deep breath and relax. First, check if your baby is feeling uncomfortable. Hold his hands and feet and see if it's hot or cold, add or remove one layer of clothing accordingly. Next check if there's a poop explosion. If it's all clear, then watch out for signs of hunger ie. sucking motion. What I like to do is put my forefinger knuckle around on his cheeks near his lips and see if he will try to catch it. If he does, then yes, it's feeding time! If all else fails, then your baby might just be longing for mommy's cuddle so pick him up and comfort your little one. Try to burp him while you're at it. 

2. KEEP THINGS WITHIN REACH

It will make your life much easier if you keep all necessary things like diaper, wet wipes, alcohol and the like within reach especially at night time. If you are formula feeding, keeping your bottles, distilled water and formula by your bedside will also make your night time feedings less stressful. However, breastfeeding your baby will be a LOT easier (and not to mention healthier) coz you just need to take one boobie out and you're good to go :) I also find that co-sleeping with my baby made it more manageable at night but be cautious though that you don't squish your baby. Putting pillows around him helped.

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB

With the technology nowadays, information is just one swipe away. Google will be your best friend especially if you are the paranoid kind like me. Every single thing that is out of the norm that I notice on my baby makes me overly concerned. So before I bother my pedia with my paranoia, I would normally google and search for answers first but from reliable sources of course. My most visited sites are Baby Center and Kellymom. There are also lots of applications that you can download on your phone to help you keep track of your nursing schedule and diaper changes. I used Baby Nursing app on my baby's first few weeks. Another useful app if Lactamed where you can check if a certain medication is safe for nursing mothers. The possibilities are endless in the internet world, all you have to do is search for it :)

4. FIND A SUPPORT GROUP

It's nice to be surrounded with people who are going through or have gone through the same as you. You can share tips and tricks on how to take care of your little bundle of joy. You can also find virtual mommy friends online by joining Facebook groups for moms like Breastfeeding Pinays where I  personally learned a lot. Thanks to my friend Chie (Hi Chie if you're reading this!) for introducing the group to me. I also joined another group of mommies on FB who also gave birth on the first quarter of this year so we have a lot in common to talk about and share experiences with. It is such a relief to know when people are also going through the same things like you. 

5. LASTLY, FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF

If you want to come out of this alive and sane, then you have to spend some quality "me" time. A  two-hour mall time for me is enough just to rejuvenate, getting a hair cut or a mani and pedi would be a bonus. I have to be honest though, I miss my baby when I'm out and about so I'm sure you'd feel the same. But having your "me" time doesn't mean you have to leave the comforts of your own home. Like for me, blogging is one way to de-stress and let my creative juices come out again. I do this when my little one is asleep. Just take advantage of this time and do things that you haven't done in a long time.

So there you go... I hope these tips will help you survive the first few months of your new found career as mommies! If you want to share your own tips, don't hesitate to leave 'em below :)

Thanks ladies!

Ciao!