Postnatal retreat offers new moms 24/7 help — but it doesn’t come cheap

Did you have fun? 2 days after Ashley Thomason gave birth, she checked into the Alma Care Post Natal retreat where for two weeks she had 24/7 help from nurses, doulas and lactation consultants. I just broke down in tears because I just felt so relieved. That I was stepping into somewhere where I know I would have the support that I really needed at that time. Similar retreats are already popular in countries like China and South Korea, but Alma Care in Toronto bills itself as the first in Canada. So here we have the baby bassinet fully stocked. Cofounder Hannah McConville says the retreat is based on the Chinese tradition of sitting the month a 30 day period of postpartum recovery. If a mother is taken, what is you know, is better rested and is properly? Nourished, she will thrive, and so will her baby. At Alma, Care rooms cost upwards of $850 a night. The company also offers home care packages starting at around $2200. This family doctor understands why there's a market for the service. Oftentimes people feel like they need a bit more, a bit more support. But she says moms who need help the most are likely priced out. I think it's unfortunate that not everybody who needs it can have it. I think the convenience of this service is is hard to reproduce in a in a public system. The company's co-founder says she understands it's not affordable for everyone and they're working on what free resources they can offer. As for mom Ashley Thomason, she says her stay was worth a splurge. I wish it was available in some form to all women because it really made a huge difference in my own recovery. If she has another baby, she plans to make another reservation. Paula Duhacek, CBC News Calgary.