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They say nothing quite prepares you for childbirth and parenthood, but that won’t stop us giving it a jolly good go. The nine months leading up to your big day and the immediate post-pregnancy period are extremely important, when staying comfortable, informed and healthy is paramount.
In this insider's guide to maternity and new-born must-haves, we’re covering all baby-related bases from pregnancy health and maternity wear, to natal beauty and bonding, so you’ll be armed to the teeth when it’s time to march into the Motherland.
As your bump gets bigger, it’s only natural that your wardrobe will expand too, but shopping for maternity clothes doesn’t have to be as soul destroying as it may first seem. All of the below Hong Kong stores also provide handy online shopping services for those at the ‘cankles’ stage who don’t fancy pounding the pavements. Just click through to their websites from their Localiiz profile pages.
With branches in both Sheung Wan and Stanley, newcomer Mayarya specialises in maternity-friendly fashion that can seamlessly transcend the dramatic shifts in body shape seen over the pre-, during and post-pregnancy periods. Mayarya stocks a full range from maternity guru Isabella Oliver, stretchy jeans from Citizens of Humanity and J Brand and comfy but cheeky lingerie from a selection of independent designers. They also offer free Hong Kong shipping and complimentary house calls for bed-bound mums. Read more about the concept in our interview with founder and yummy mummy Reika Shetty.
Keep a firm grip on your sense of style with Linea Negra Maternity, a chic boutique on Queen’s Road Central stocking everything from maxi dresses to itsy-bitsy bikinis from more than 30 global brands. Top sellers include Maternal America, 9 Fashion, Noppies, J Brand, Jules & Jim and Michael Stars, while the celebrity-endorsed Mama Mio cosmetics line will help keep the dreaded stretch marks in check.
Carrying fashion-forward designer maternity wear and lingerie, functional accessories including diaper bags and nursing must-haves, Nine Months Maternity Boutique on Queen's Road Central has all you need for a smooth transition into motherhood. The store boast a whole host of fabulous maternity brands, many of which are exclusive to the boutique.
Eco-friendly fashion warriors can shop their way into parenthood with peace of mind at Mothers en Vogue, voted Hong Kong’s best Maternity Fashion in this year’s List Awards. The vibrant, natural fibre collection encompasses maternity, nursing garments and even matching mother and child apparel, with everything all conveniently located under one roof in Queen’s Road Central.
With hormones raging and massive changes in both your physical and mental state, it’s not uncommon to feel a little under the weather when pregnant and immediately after giving birth. Although your trusted GP may have all the certificates, the Western model of over-the-counter medication is not always the most suitable for mothers at this delicate stage.
There’s plenty of natural ways to arm yourself against illness, and plenty of natural solutions should you succumb. If you’ve not yet heard about the health giving wonders of wheat grass, where have you been? Although it might taste a little funky, wheat grass juice is packed with vitamins and minerals, rids the body of toxins and helps improve the immunity of both baby and mother. It is important however to opt for a responsible organic supplier, as wheat grass grown in the wrong conditions can contain harmful bacteria.
We recommend Green Vitamin, who import organic Australia wheat grass, harvest from local certified farms and even sell growing kits so you can start your own healthy garden on your windowsill. You can shop online and enjoy free delivery with orders over $600, or buy wheat grass juice and products at Mana on Wellington Street, Nood Bar at Central's Pure Yoga, Genie Concept in New Street, and Just Green convenience stores.
Stock up on your supplements and boost your vitamin mineral intake at Global Nutripeutics. This Kowloon Bay store only stocks natural and high quality products, so you can be sure you’re getting the good stuff. Online shopping is also available. DISCLAIMER: Always check with your doctor before starting a new diet/supplement while pregnant or breast-feeding.
Take an inward look at your health at the Holistic Central Medical Practice on Queen’s Road Central. Dr Susan Jamieson is a fully qualified GP with more than 25 years’ experience treating Hong Kong families, but her team of alternative practitioners also offer acupuncture, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and spiritual and energy healing.
The Integrated Medicine Institute on Stanley Street, Central, has the largest dispensary of natural and herbal supplements in Hong Kong. They also run regular workshops on alternative treatment methods, many of which focus specifically on pregnancy and childbirth.Read our Insider Guide to Alternative Health for more information on what's on offer in Hong Kong.
Eating well is very important during pregnancy and breastfeeding. While it’s not good to over-obsess or deny yourself anything you really fancy (lumps of coal included), feeding your body with the right nutrients will improve both your health and that of your baby. Eating a balanced diet post-pregnancy will also help you return to your pre-baby figure in a flash.
If you have little time and energy to trawl round the supermarket, get your fresh veggies delivered for free (with orders over $300) from The Fresh Grower. The wide selection of quality vegetables are grown in the mineral-rich volcanic soil of Pukekohe, New Zealand, and flown fresh to Hong Kong each week.
For an even easier option, order from Something Fresh and get all the ingredients for healthy vegetarian meals delicately diced and delivered to your doorstep. With fresh signature sauces and all recipes do-able in 25 minutes or less, you can continue to enjoy the therapeutic process of cooking without all the chopping and peeling. Not convinced? Here are Ten Reasons to love Something Fresh.
If you’re hankering after something altogether more meaty, shop online at Jett Foods. Browse through the mouth-watering selection of premium quality beef, lamb, pork, chicken and seafood and enjoy free home delivery on all orders over $500.
Read our guide to Healthy Eating in Hong Kong for more top tips.
Getting back into shape post-pregnancy is a mission for many mothers. If you want to give the celebrity mums a run for their money—and let’s be honest, who doesn’t—invest in natal beauty or a weight loss programme and give a little something back to your body.
Combining the traditional art of Jamu massage with an oriental twist, Restoring Mums will rid you of your mum tum in no time. Winner of The Guide’s Best Mothers’ Treatment, the post-natal packages encompass tummy massages, hot herbal compresses and abdominal binding.
If you’re looking for a little extra help to shift the last few pounds of baby weight, the innovative HYPOXI method comes highly recommended; also tried and tested by our very own Localiiz guinea pig. Using alternating high and low pressure chambers and lymphatic massage to target blood circulation to problem areas, HYPOXI is scientifically proven to result in three times more circumference loss than regular exercise.
You may also want to take a look at our guide to Hong Kong's Best Fitness Classes.
If it's the tiger marks on your skin that you're concerned with, then EstheClinic should be your first port of call. Their Intensive Stretch Marks Treatment aids the improvement of elasticity and firmness of the skin, while promoting skin renewal and healing—all of which reduces the appearance of stretch marks.
The procedure combines three technologies: thermo-controlled radiofrequency, which is non-invasive and induces collagen production; Le DermaBooster XL, which uses 1,040 titanium micro-needles to stimulate the skin from deep within its layers—a wound triggers a healing process, flooding the scars with collagen and elastin for skin regeneration; and lastly, LED photomodulation to break down the denser sub-dermal scarring while stimulating superficial circulation, reducing flaccidity, and thickening the thin, paper-like qualities of stretch marks.
Your stretch marks will be softened, flattened, and noticeably reduced, so pull out those bikinis from the back of your drawer!
In between the feeding, baths and bedtimes (or the sabotage of), it’s important to spend some quality time with your baby and get to know every last little inch of them. Give your bubba some full body bliss at Baby and Me Massage. The relaxed five-week courses, aimed at babies aged 4 weeks to 12 months and their personal masseurs, can be taken at The Peak, Aberdeen, Pok Fu Lam, or even in the comfort of your own home.
Now we’re not suggesting for a second that you’ll ever forget the pain—sorry, we mean joy—of childbirth, but there’s nothing like pressing pause on life’s precious moments and framing them forever.
Whether you’re after a bump shoot or something to preserve that priceless expression of the newest member of your family, Sakshi at Oh Precious Images has it covered. She specialises in natural light portraiture of mums-to-be, families and new borns, and will even make hospital visits for baby’s first photo shoot.
S6 Production also come highly recommended for their fun family-friendly approach. Besides family photography, the company also specialises in videography.
For something a little different, take your new arrival to My Happy Sunflower in Wan Chai and have their tiny foot and handprints immortalised forever. Mum-of-one and talented artist Regina will scale them down in size even further until they fit snugly on one-of-a-kind solid silver cufflinks or pendants. You can also get messy in the pottery studio and create your own mugs and plates with baby’s prints and pictures. The perfect Christmas present for doting grandparents!
If your new arrival has a little ‘je ne c'est quoi’, kit them out in the latest French fashion for kids. Visit the Little Parisians’ showroom in Stanley Street, Central, or shop online for gorgeous pieces for all age groups. Enjoy free shipping, with $50 just for registering, and a further 10 percent off with the LOCALIIZ discount code.
Specialising in US and Canadian-made clothing and toys for baby and infants, Lullaby Laylette was set up by a Hong Kong mum just last year. The online shopping site offers a full range of eco-friendly and organic options. We particularly like the Little Talkers range adorned with adorable phrases like: “What happens at Grandma’s, stays at Grandma’s”. Too cute!
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
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