- Boram Postnatal Retreat in Manhattan charges between $1,300 and $1,800 a night.
- The mothers are treated to massages, foot rubs, and gourmet meals as they recover from delivery.
- Their newborns can stay in the room with their moms or be looked after by staff in the nursery.
Like most new mothers, Sophia Cho felt overwhelmed and exhausted after the birth of her first baby.
"I didn't know where to begin because I was recovering from a C-section and sleep deprived with a newborn screaming at me all night," the 33-year-old told Insider.
So when some friends told her about Boram Postnatal Retreat, which promotes itself as a high-end sanctuary for new moms, she couldn't book a room fast enough.
A room costs between $1,300 and $1,800 a night, but the graphic designer said she was happy to pay whatever it took to restore her health as the staff looked after both her and her daughter, Selah, now 2 months old.
Boram Nam, who cofounded the retreat, saw a need for the luxury care of new moms and their babies
Boram, which opened on the weekend of Mother's Day this year, is named for its cofounder Boram Nam. She told Insider that in Korea, where she was raised, Boram means "a fruit of one's labor."
She said she'd spotted a niche in the market for a five-star haven in the US that pampers women who've just had a baby.
According to the entrepreneur, it was inspired by Korea's well-established postnatal-retreat centers called sanhujori. The facilities observe the Asian tradition of caring for moms and their infants with plenty of bed rest and calm.
"They stay there for at least two weeks, sometimes a month," Nam said, noting that postpartum care in America can be a matter of sink or swim. She delivered her two kids in New York and, she said, "couldn't think straight" because of the lack of support.
The moms are shown how to breastfeed effectively, change diapers, and swaddle their infants
Women like Cho are spoiled as they're steered through the early weeks of motherhood. Nam's staff — which includes a former NICU nurse educator — are available 24/7 to help with things like breastfeeding, diaper changing, and swaddling.
"When you're discharged from the hospital, they throw all these instructions at you," Cho said. "No matter how many books you've read about parenting, you need to be shown firsthand."
Cho said she found it particularly hard to cope after Selah's birth because there was a "flurry of activity" once she'd left the hospital.
The retreat has a baby room where the newborns are placed in bassinets and looked after by nurses
"You have to go to the pediatrician right away and there were a few hiccups with that," Cho said. "I didn't have enough time for recovery from my C-section, so it gave me peace of mind to hand the baby over to qualified people."
The newborns can stay with their moms in a room or be taken to the nursery, known as "the baby room," lined with bassinets. Nam said the time apart gives moms the chance to read a book or sleep without interruption.
Nam, who has a background in hospitality, said that guests typically check in for three, five, or seven nights. The retreat, located on the ninth floor of the luxurious Langham Hotel in Manhattan, can accommodate 16 moms at a time. She said she'd already taken bookings for March 2023 from women who've only recently found out they're pregnant.
Medical treatment is not provided but guests are treated to massages, foot rubs, and luxury baby products
Cho stayed a total of five nights and her husband joined her once or twice. As Nam explained, moms are permitted to bring along "a support person" such as their spouse, another close relative, or a friend.
The service doesn't extend to medical care by doctors, but it includes full-body massages, foot rubs, upscale baby products, group classes like guided meditation, and gourmet meals.
Nam said that guests eat nourishing foods like traditional seaweed broth from Korea — "It helps with blood replenishment," she said — and lightly prepared vegetables.
But, Nam said, one of the most popular dishes on the menu is the steak filet.
Laura, a new mom from Princeton, New Jersey, who asked Insider to use only her first name for privacy reasons, said she was finally able to indulge her cravings.
"I'd been pregnant this long and I wasn't allowed to eat anything that's undercooked," Laura, who is currently staying at the retreat for a total of eight nights, said. "It was the first time I was able to order a medium steak."
She also said that she and her husband, Nick, enjoyed a drink in the hotel bar while Felix, their 4-week-old son, was watched upstairs in the nursery.
The 27-year-old said she'd had to change only one diaper since she checked in five days ago and felt "refreshed" after having "hours of sleep."
Laura's mom, who lives in China, is picking up the tab. "My mother is extremely anxious because she can't be here with her only daughter," Laura said. "She told me to put it on her credit card."
Nam acknowledged that a stay at Boram is unaffordable for a vast majority of new mothers. But, she said, she hoped it might start a trend in America for postpartum centers similar to those in Asia that are open to all.
"Every new mother is important," Nam said.