A CONFINEMENT center for post-natal women has increased in popularity and at least two large chain centers will be opened this year due to large demand. It costs at least 20,000 yuan (US$3,174) to stay for a month. The cost can rise to 330,000 yuan for the highest standard of living environment, facilities and services, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

    According to traditional Chinese medicinal beliefs, the month after giving birth is when new mothers are especially susceptible to health problems, so they are discouraged from going outside, bathing or doing anything else that is not good for their bodies.

    At present, there are about 10 large confinement centers serving the medium and high-end market in the city and nearly all of them face a shortage of beds this year.

    “The Year of Dragon is considered a good year to have a baby. The 37 rooms at our center are full and there are no available beds until June,” said Sun Baowei, director of the confinement department at an unidentified center.

    “It is better to book the center six months in advance. Many mothers have booked rooms during the second month after their pregnancy,” said Sun.

    Medical experts expect nearly 200,000 babies to be born this year.

    The high price was mainly due to the quality of the service, said a netizen called leyoxiao. “When I arrived in the room, my baby was taken for evaluation with a doctor, a nurse and a nutritionist. I suffered from constipation for days but with the nutritionist’s advice I recovered. I was also given a bath with herbal medicine every night,” leyoxiao said.

    Normally, the mothers are not required to do anything but relax, said Wang Hongbo, the manager of a confinement center. “There are also facilities such as a yoga studio, a gym and even a beauty salon and all are given by professionals,” said Wang.

    However, although demand is growing, some of the centers are running at a loss. “Many of these centers had to close down due to lack of effective operation and management. It is a young industry in Shenzhen, and it is poorly regulated,” Wang said.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)