Mother’s Day takes new meaning at Barefoot & Pregnant, the first spa in the West to cater exclusively to pregnant women and new moms ( www.barefootandpregnant.com or 415/388-1777). Stacy Denney opened her Larkspur, California-based spa in 2003, about a year before giving birth to her first baby. Women come here for what Denney calls “a real prenatal massage” (from $65)―as opposed to the lightweight, pillow-between-the-legs version―as well as prenatal yoga and workshops on infant massage and signing with your baby.
Denney’s not alone: Ob-gyn Lisa Masterson heads the Ma Spa at Ocean Oasis in Santa Monica (310/458-8190), where a $130 labor-inducing massage can help women on the verge. And in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain ( www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com or 800/245-2051) offers a $130 watsu massage that’s done in 94° water to create a feeling of weightlessness.
Denney feels certain the trend’s here to stay. “Women will continue to take care of themselves―especially during that time.”