BORAM POSTNATAL RETREAT REVIEW

I was graciously invited to stay at Boram, a Korean-inspired postnatal retreat in NYC located in the Thompson Hotel in NYC. I was asked to share a Reel and stories on Instagram in exchange for my stay, but I had so many DMs about how it was from followers that I wanted to write a blog post with my full Boram Postnatal Retreat review. It was, in short, wonderful and something I hope will be available to all mothers.

Honestly, I don’t even know if I can fully explain how incredible this was and how many different offerings the Boram Postnatal Retreat provides, but I’ll do my best! And leave a comment with any questions you have and I’ll do my best to fill you in.

WHAT IS THE BORAM POSTNATAL RETREAT?

Boram is a postnatal retreat that provides care for mothers immediately following birth. Boram provides nourishing foods, therapeutic services, and recovery support for mothers, which allows them to rest and recuperate and bond with baby. After spending three nights at the Boram Postnatal Retreat, I would describe it as the benefits of the hospital (24/7 care for mom and baby, resources, support, etc.) minus the annoyances of the hospital (no beeping from machines, no one coming in your room every 20 minutes unless requested, etc.) plus the comforts of a hotel (in-room dining, comfortable beds, house keeping, etc.).

It’s a calming environment with incredible support. Boram Postnatal Retreat provides evidence backed services that mothers need during the postpartum period to help them adjust physically and emotionally to motherhood and bond with baby.

HOW MUCH DOES THE BORAM POSTNATAL RETREAT COST?

The price is definitely the biggest obstacle at the moment and I understand that it is a privilege to be able to afford these services. (Though the benefits to proper postnatal care are so clear that I really hope this becomes more affordable and accessible over time because it’s something all mothers could benefit from.)

The Boram Postnatal Retreat provides three, five, seven (or longer) night stays with prices around $950-$1100/night depending on the length of stay and room size.

While this is very clearly an investment, after staying there myself, I will say the services exceed the face value (from the actual luxury hotel stay to the 24/7 support to the meals provided).

WHEN DO YOU GO?

Boram is based in NYC and they recommend that you check in when you’re discharged from the hospital so you can immediately start the recovery process with them. It would be the perfect bridge from leaving the hospital to going home. You can go, though, anytime between birth and six weeks after delivery.

WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED?

For Mom:

– 24/7 Care

– 24/7 Lactation support (lactation consultants, bottle/pump sterilization, etc.)

– 3 Meals a day

– Access to Mother’s Lounge (snacks, drinks, a neutral place to host guests/meet other moms)

– Hands-on baby care education

– Comfort services upon request (massages, sitz bath, foot soaks, etc.)

For Baby:

– 24/7 access to the baby room with baby care (diapering, feeding, etc.)

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING?

I would say packing for the Boram Postnatal Retreat is quite in line with what you’d want to bring to the hospital for birth. Toiletries, postpartum recovery products, comfortable clothes/pajamas/loungewear, slippers, nursing bras, pump parts/bottles, phone chargers, etc. For baby, you don’t need to bring much as Boram will provide muslin swaddles, diapers, wipes, diaper cream, etc. I packed a few outfits for baby and I also brought a few of the velcro swaddles he likes best + burp cloths (though I think those could have been provided if I asked).

I also brought a baby carrier and stroller as well.

MY EXPERIENCE:

First, I wish I had been able to go with my first baby right after birth as my recovery with him was more challenging and I could have used the support much more as I adjusted to motherhood. I kept thinking about how much I could have used the time to rest, physically recover, and learn how to breastfeed with my first!! When I had my first baby, I was taken aback by how hard the recovery process was for me. All the attention is naturally on the wellbeing of baby and the excitement of a new baby, but I had also gone through the single most transformative physical and emotional transition of my life! I remember thinking that I felt like I had been hit by a bus and under any other circumstance, I would have been the one being taken care of, yet I was expected to figure out how to keep a tiny human alive on my own and my own needs were barely an afterthought! I wish Boram Postnatal Retreat had been available when I had him.

I went to Boram Postnatal Retreat for three nights when my second baby was three weeks old. As a second time mom, this was the perfect time to go. I had an easy delivery and I also had a toddler at home. We were able to bond as a family for a few weeks, and then I checked into Boram Postnatal Retreat when some of the adrenaline wore off and the “new baby” dust settled so to speak.

It was still a very valuable experience for me– maybe even more than I anticipated– as a second time mom. While I felt much more confident this time around and didn’t have much to physically recover from, I loved that I was able to get special one-on-one bonding time with my second baby and my husband was able to stay home with our toddler so they got one-on-one bonding time, which was also important. (BTW, we live ~hour away and they could have visited, but we decided to not disrupt our toddler’s routine!)

My favorite parts of the Boram Postnatal Retreat:

– I wasn’t sure what to expect from the meals and I have to say, this was one of my very favorite parts. Boram Postnatal Retreat provides three meals a day (you call it down to the hotel in-room dining) and every single dish was delicious. It was balanced and nutritious, specifically designed for recovering and breastfeeding. I was kind of worried that I would be hungry the whole time, and instead I felt so full and (for lack of a better word) nourished. I also liked that this was one less thing to worry about– meal planning and preparation is daunting enough, let alone while recovering. Everything is delivered just like it would with room service at a hotel and I was pleased with the whole experience. The Boram Postnatal Retreat also provides snacks and beverages (mother’s milk tea, coffee, water, etc.) in the Mother’s Lounge, which is open 24/7. Partners can order from in-room dining as well or can bring in food or have meals delivered. All this to say, you do not have to worry about being hungry!

– Lactation support was my #1 personal “goal” for going to the Boram Postnatal Retreat. You have 24/7 support available to you to help with figuring out breastfeeding, pumping, formula, bottle-feeding, etc. However you plan to feed your baby, Boram Postnatal Retreat has care providers there to help you figure it out around the clock. I had a pretty good grip on breastfeeding already as a second time mom, but my first baby never would take a bottle. Bottle refusal was my biggest pain point with my first and something I really wanted to tackle this time around. I attended a bottle feeding class in the Mother’s Lounge and was able to work one-on-one with a lactation consultant to learn how to bottle feed my baby with pumped milk and I actually got a little teary eyed watching him drink from a bottle (thank you Joy!!!).

– Rest was also something I was excited to “experience,” as I’m sure any new mom would agree. Since my baby was already three weeks old and sleeping well throughout the night with only a couple of nursing sessions, I kept him with me overnight. Moms are able to send their babies to the Baby Room overnight though and the Boram Postnatal Retreat care providers can either feed them there or bring them back to your room to nurse. I probably could have sent him to the Baby Room more, but I was really enjoying my quiet one-on-one time with him (probably a perk of being a mom to an active toddler, too). I was able to take a few naps while he napped, which felt glorious.

– I opted in for a postnatal massage in my room on my last full day. It was one of the best massages I’ve ever received! I nursed the baby right before and I scooted him across the hall in his bassinet to the Baby Room so I could really relax and sink into the massage. It was wonderful and targeted specifically for postpartum recovery.

– Even though this is not my first rodeo, attending the educational courses in the Mother’s Lounge was so beneficial. During my stay, I went to a bottle feeding class, a baby-wearing class, and even an infant CPR demonstration. I was able to brush up on things I had forgotten in the two years since having my first baby and learned a lot– I found myself taking notes on my phone!

– One thing I was not expecting, but was quite pleased by, was how nice it was to meet other moms/parents. I met so many nice mothers and their partners in the Mother’s Lounge (mostly after the educational courses). I think especially if you live in NYC, this is a great way to meet other parents in the same exact boat as you are. We were all exchanging birth stories and tips for baby products and just overall connecting and chatting. Motherhood can feel so isolating and this was just so nice.

– Boram Postnatal Retreat is located within the Thompson Hotel in NYC, which is right by Central Park. I have to give a little shout out to the entire staff of the Thompson– Boram couldn’t have chosen a better hotel to partner with. First of all, it’s so conveniently located, even from someone driving in from the suburbs of New Jersey. It’s also right by Central Park and I loved bundling up and putting the baby in his stroller to go for a nice walk through Central Park. (If you’re feeling up for a walk, I can’t think of a better place to stroll!) The staff was also so nice. Postpartum is such a vulnerable time for mothers and the staff from the Thompson were professional, of course, but also sympathetic and kind in such a beautiful way. From the staff at the front desk congratulating me on the new baby’s arrival to the housekeepers discreetly cleaning the room to the in-room dining staff delivering meals. The gentleman who brought every meal to me was so nice and, like, genuinely excited to be working on the floor with the babies. Every morning, he’d ask how I slept and throughout the day he would check in to make sure the baby was still happy and healthy– it was so sweet. I also just genuinely liked that it’s located within a hotel– it was comfortable and felt like a home away from home; it didn’t feel like a birthing center or hospital at all.

IS THE BORAM POSTNATAL RETREAT WORTH IT?

Ah, the age old question. “Worth it” is always going to be subjective. So, as I mentioned, it is an investment. First and foremost, I think being able to attend a postnatal retreat near you is so beneficial for the physical and emotional recovery. But I also kept thinking about the number of services you receive and how if you were to do everything privately at home, just how expensive that would be. It’s like having a 24/7 doula/night nurse, someone cleaning your house every day, a private chef providing every snack and meal, and a 24/7 lactation consultant. I would love to see this covered by insurance and/or employers… the benefits speak for themselves. I thought this was more than worth it in terms of the services you receive.

Honestly, I would even consider “registering” for the Boram Postnatal Retreat in lieu of gifts (like how people have a honeymoon fund). Or, if you’re a grandparent-to-be and want to win major parent/in-law brownie points, this would be an incredible gift.