Spa Places in the News

Barefoot & Pregnantsm Celebrates Motherhood - New Educational and Spa Facility Opens in Mill Valley, California

MILL VALLEY, Calif. - In Marin County, California, being pregnant has never felt so good. In a nurturing atmosphere, Barefoot & PregnantSM provides a place of community where women can come to connect, relax and rejuvenate. The first spa of its kind nationwide, Barefoot & Pregnant meets the unique needs of mothers and mothers-to-be with educational and exercise classes, spa services, library, retail therapy, interactive group support and childcare - all under one roof.

As highlighted in Fit Pregnancy and Child Magazine, the goal of Barefoot & Pregnant is to bring community and empowerment to women experiencing the joy of pregnancy and motherhood. Owner Stacy Denney has teamed with doctors, nurses and perinatal specialists who share a common belief in the need to nurture the mother, both physically and emotionally. The Barefoot & Pregnant board of advisors includes leading obstetricians, certified nurse midwifes and anesthesiologists and draws upon the knowledge of psychologists, doulas and exercise physiologists.

To ensure that women from around the world can visit the spa, Barefoot & Pregnant has partnered with nearby Mountain Home Inn. The rustic inn offers stunning vistas of inspirational San Francisco sunrises, towering redwood forests, famous ocean beaches and the quaint village of Mill Valley nearly 1000 feet below. Mountain Home Inn offers spa packages especially appealing to moms and moms-to-be.

With interiors by local design firm Atmosphera, Barefoot & Pregnant offers a soothing, inviting environment that celebrates the form and experience of the female body during pregnancy.

From the moment moms walk in the door their senses are soothed by softly filtered light, the subtle trickling sounds of a wall-hung fountain and breathtaking portraits of pregnant women throughout the center's 3,000 square-feet. With its eclectic design - from the curving reception desk of elm burl wood topped with pressed sunflower seed material, Murano glass and metal chandelier, and luxuriously voluptuous furniture - clients relish the idea of spending time to enjoy the unique offerings at Barefoot & Pregnant.

In a comfortably designed room featuring sunset-colored walls, light maple floors and mirrors, Group Forums give pre- and post-natal moms the opportunity to share experiences, joys, questions and concerns. Working with Barefoot & Pregnant experts and other moms, women can form their own philosophies on common parenting issues like breastfeeding, co-sleeping, discipline and childcare.

Educational Workshops at Barefoot & Pregnant provide women with the opportunity to expand their awareness on topics relevant from pre-conception to toddler-hood. From pregnancy basics to childbirth techniques, from breastfeeding to infant CPR, from infant massage to signing with baby classes, moms can learn the latest from the fields of obstetrics, pediatrics, nutrition, exercise physiology and alternative medicine. Dads get their turn too with the Expecting Fathers Workshop led by Armin Brott, author of The Expectant Father and The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year.

Barefoot & Pregnant offers a variety of childbirth and exercise classes coordinated by Moms on the MoveSM. Susan Lawler, R.N., founder and director of Moms on the Move, has been meeting the emotional and fitness needs of childbearing families around the Bay Area since 1979. As the Advisory Director for Barefoot & Pregnant, Susan continues her legacy for mothering moms and moms-to-be.

Childbirth classes focus on optimal mental and physical preparations for a safe, confident birthing experience. Classes include the Traditional Series, a weekly or condensed seminar that provides mental and physical preparation for giving birth with confidence; Hypnosis for Birthing, an opportunity for women to learn powerful techniques to change attitudes at their subconscious source; and Refresher Courses review birthing techniques to help build moms' confidence.

Moms also love the parenting classes at Barefoot & Pregnant. Classes like Oh Baby!, a four-hour class that encourages parents to nurture the nurturers and honor their instincts while providing information about conscious parenting and everything from bathing to breastfeeding and colic to cuddling.

Childbirth is a major life event for a woman, and exercise in pregnancy encourages a healthy pregnancy and a smooth childbirth. At Barefoot & Pregnant, prenatal and postnatal exercise programs address the specific physical and emotional changes that affect nearly every system in a woman's body. There are an assortment of exercise programs designed to suit any fitness level including yoga, which gently works the reproductive organs and pelvis, and Pilates-based exercise, which focuses on stretching, relaxing and gentle toning to emphasize spinal stabilization, pelvic floor control, breathing and posture.

At Barefoot & Pregnant, moms and moms-to-be are invited to enjoy the benefits of specially tailored spa treatments that help soothe and rejuvenate. The experience begins in the dressing rooms. At once elegant and comfortable, guests feel pampered in the soft, glowing room accented with stainless steel, green taffeta, mother of pearl fixtures and slate counter tops with raised glass sink bowls. Once visitors have donned thick terry cloth robes and slippers, they are ready to enjoy a variety of treatments.

With the dramatic changes taking place in the pregnant woman's body, prenatal massage is often a much-welcomed therapy. Massage embraces the body's transformation, helping to relax tense muscles, ease sore trouble spots, increase circulation and mobility, and provide energy. Following birth, massage encourages muscle tone restoration in the abdomen, helps to reposition the pelvis and provides emotional and physical relief. Prenatal massages are given using the side-lying or bodyCushionTM system - the preferred prenatal method.

To round out the therapeutic experience, facial treatments address the hormonal changes in pregnant women and new moms. Knowledgeable estheticians target troubled spots through cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, pore extractions, mask and aromatherapy. Barefoot & Pregnant estheticians and massage therapists are specially trained in the care of prenatal and postpartum women.

For those interested in taking their spa memories home, the B&P signature skin care line is available in the boutique. B&P skin care products address the special needs of moms and moms-to-be - from Soft-As-A-Baby Lotion, a Eucalyptus/Mint body lotion, and Mother's Little Helper, a glycolic exfoliate, to Stretch Away, a stretch mark creme. B&P ingredients are chosen for their purity and use all-natural fragrances.

In keeping with their goal to make life easier for moms, Barefoot & Pregnant offers a variety of products and services for one-stop-shopping. As featured in In Style, Fit Pregnancy and Child, Raising a Racquet - stylish maternity-wear that can be worn on or off the court and comes in a contemporary hatbox - is currently exclusively distributed in Marin County at Barefoot & Pregnant. Eric Schumacher, whose stunning pregnancy and family portraits are displayed throughout the center, is available for family and pregnancy portraits.

A dream of owner Stacy Denney's, Barefoot & Pregnant strives to provide a place of community, where women can come to connect, relax and rejuvenate. In a nurturing, spa-like atmosphere, the center provides women with an opportunity to take their shoes off and relax. To learn more about services and programs, consumers can visit www.barefootandpregnant.com or call (415) 388-1777.