Do you guys watch Shark Tank? My husband and I watch it pretty regularly; it’s a good wind-down after an episode of something tense like The Americans or Bloodline.
Recently one lucky entrepreneur who got a chance to showcase her business on Shark Tank was the founder of a service called Float Baby.
Parents who bring their infants, ages 2 weeks to 6 months, to Float Baby in Houston, Texas, do so for the therapeutic experience it provides.
“It improves muscle tone, provides digestion and constipation relief, promotes familiarity with water, and most importantly helps with early left/right brain development.”
Once outfitted in provided swim diapers, babies are placed in a warm tub with a flotation device around their neck, while they relax for about 20 minutes. Then, after being dried in a warm, eco-friendly towel, the babies receive a massage from their own parents as they are coached in the steps. The one-hour experience costs $55. A four-pack of classes is $198.
Baby massage – no spa required
When my babies were small, they received an instructor-led massage from me. They laid on a cushy pillow while I rubbed coconut oil into their skin, tracing the shape of a heart on their chest, as demonstrated by the guru at the front of the room. It was part of a postnatal yoga class I took, where we did some stretching and some interacting with our babies, who mostly laid on the pillows and watched us. New parents who want to learn infant massage techniques will find classes, YouTube videos, and postpartum yoga classes that will teach them.
Spas for babies are springing up around the world
If I recall correctly, Float Baby did not win over the Shark Tank investors. They worried that parents wouldn’t pay for such a service and that the idea was not proprietary, meaning that anyone could open a similar operation. And they have.
Baby Spa in Hong Kong has several locations.
At this venue, each baby floats in his or her own tank. The website assures consumers about cleanliness of everything in the spa.
I found this photo of Baby Spa Madrid on Instagram.
And this one from Perth, Australia
Baby’s first swim or baby’s first spa day?
I’m not totally clear if this trend is more about pampering one’s baby or giving them a swimming experience. Many of the benefits seem the same as a dip in the pool, but the price point implies luxury. Don’t babies already live most of their lives like a spa day?
After all, when we splurge on pampering for ourselves, aren’t we essentially trying to recreate the experience of being a baby? Someone else provides comfort and care for your body while you let go of all responsibilities.
DIY Baby Spa
For those who want to try putting your baby in a flotation collar without the price tag at home, you can purchase your own neck float thingy doo, an Otteroo, which has certification from all the safety boards you’d want to be reassured by.
Otteroos are only sold directly on the Otteroo website, while cheaper knock-offs are available on Amazon.com.
What do you think? Would you take your baby to a BabySpa? Or start your own?
Top photo courtesy of Float Baby website; middle photos Baby Spa Hong Kong
