At Home Maternity Pampering
Can’t Make It to The Spa? Have It Come To You
By Ann Brown

Don’t feel like heading out to a spa but still want to get a manicure, pedicure or even a pre-natal massage? Well, have the spa come to you.
There are several services that offer mobile spas. Here area a few and what they offer. There are some precautions to take, however, before ordering in. “We recommend that women do not have services in their first tri-master as they could be at risk for miscarriage,” says Janet M. Rotella, owner/founder of SPArties Mobile Day Spa (877-SPArties or 877-772-7843; www.sparties.com), which is headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, SPArties specializes in the areas of South Florida, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and portions of New York and will travel to any location, nationwide.

“The last two tri-masters are safe, although massage can stimulate labor, so we always caution our clients and require written permission from their doctor.” Of course, always check with your doctor before receiving any spa service. Make sure the spa will be sending someone who is “a pre-natal certified therapist,” says Rotella. “Ask what types of pillows or positions they will place them on or in to be most comfortable for them and the baby. Women need to communicate on all levels with their therapist and also advise them of any discomfort. If they are using any products they should inquire about those as well.” Check with the State Board to make sure the mobile spa has passed all its inspections. Call the Better Business Bureau to make sure there have been no complaints against the spa as well.

Don’t worry about not having the proper products at home either. “The mobile spa will bring all products to your home. And while mobile spas provide personalized service, they don’t always cost much more. Says Rotella, “SPArties prices are comparable to going to a stationary spa. Some treatments tend to be slightly higher just because we are providing a premium service that comes to you, in your home or location of choice.” Adds Colleen McClafferty of Insparations Mobile Wellness Spa (310-809-9292; www.InspaLA.com), which specializes in providing holistic spa services the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. “Home Spa services run in the range of your high-end Day Spas. At INspaLA.com we offer ways to gather with friends for Wellness Circles, making services much more affordable.”

Also, in most cases space isn’t a problem. “For most spa services you just need enough space for a massage table. If space is limited some services can be done on the bed,” says McClafferty. According to Rotella, “SPArties have been performed anywhere from boats, to mansions to catering halls and everything in between. Our very first SPArty was in a studio apartment and we are now in the process of planning one in a 200’x 200’ under air tent. No space is too large or too small. A good rule of thumb is to allow enough space for each treatment area as you would for a chaise lounge with some walk around each.” And ask what services they can offer you in your home; some states regulate that services like full facials and manicure/pedicures must be done at a spa facility.

Besides massages, many pregnant women like to get hand and foot treatments, including manicure, pedicures and reflexology, which is a massage is applied to specific areas on the hands and feet to promote a response from areas far removed from the tissue stimulated via the nervous system. SPAarties offers all of these. “Our moms-to-be enjoy our reflexology or pedissage treatments as they really help sooth their swelling feet and don’t put their tummies at risk,” says Rotella. At Spa A Go Go (772-633-8337;www.spagogo.com), which covers Central and Southern Florida, they offer a special foot treatment called “Foot Fetish,” which, says owner Tricia Kent, is a “pampering treatment for those who are on their feet all day, have poor circulation or suffer from ‘tired leg’ syndrome.” Perfect for pregnant women. In the treatment, hot towels are applied to stimulate circulation. Next, a cleanser then toner are applied to the areas. A scrub is performed, which will reduce swelling, exfoliate and revitalize your skin. Lastly, a vitamin-rich moisturizer is massaged in to soothe tired/achy muscles. Cost is $40 for 30 minutes or $75 for 60 minutes.

Insparations Mobile Wellness Spa has something for the whole family. This mobile service, in addition to spa services, also offers Parent Training classes for $125 and hour; Kid Coaching ($125) to help your child “overcome hardships; improve self esteem; social skill improvement; improve undesirable behaviors; improve family relationships; supportive academics and athletics; and positive outlook enhancement.” They also have Family Counseling as well, which could come in hand for expanding families.

Ann Brown is a New York-based freelance writer whose beauty, entertainment, travel, & lifestyle articles have appeared in such publications as Black Enterprise, Big Apple Parent, Queens Parent, Upscale, ESSENCE, Honey, The Source, HealthQuest, Playboy, and Heart & Soul.