California entrepreneurs launch retreat to ‘demystify’ postpartum recovery

Two California-based entrepreneurs have launched a postnatal retreat to “demystify” postpartum recovery.

Esther Park and Christina DeJesus, founders of Ahma & Co, aim to raise the standard of postpartum care in the US, using a successful care model from South Korea.

Their initiative, a postnatal retreat providing holistic postpartum recovery and newborn care support for mothers, is set to welcome new mothers from March 15 at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Orange County, California.

The retreat is the first of its kind in Orange County and aims to fill the critical care gap following childbirth and promote bonding.

According to Ahma & Co, the service is designed to support mothers and parents by “demystifying” postpartum recovery and newborn care and relieving the burdens at home, such as cooking and cleaning.

The project features a range of professionals, including doulas, newborn care specialists, lactation educators and therapists, with the aim to provide round-the-clock support.

“Mothers often feel the pressure to prioritise the care of their newborn, with their recovery needs becoming secondary; they also often spend long periods in isolation with little support or guidance, which has long-term implications to their physical and mental health, and therefore those of their families,” explained Park, Ahma & Co CEO.

Co-founders Park and DeJesus aims to enhance postpartum care with quality support and partner-inclusive education

“We’re proud to offer a space where maternal love and self love don’t need to be mutually exclusive.”

DeJesus, Ahma & Co COO, said: “After working with families in the hospital, joining Esther was a natural step in addressing the horrifying maternal health outcomes in the US.

“Together, we’re committed to meeting the stark care gap in the crucial early weeks of postpartum, ensuring that mothers and families are set up for success in the long term.”

The US faces daunting maternal health statistics, with a maternal death rate three times higher than other developed countries, 20 per cent of mothers experiencing postpartum-related mental health conditions and 60 per cent stopping breastfeeding earlier than planned.

“High-quality, comprehensive postpartum care should not be considered a nice-to-have or an afterthought,” said the Ahma & Co founders.

“It should be a necessity that all mothers and families deserve.”