Preparing for Confinement

With many of my close relatives having given birth either more than 7 years ago or recently but outside Klang Valley, and being the partial “banana” that I was, most of the advice and guidance came from my surrounding colleagues, high-school friends-turned-moms and online forums and blogs.

In the course of my research I came across a blog post by Ms Zay Aw regarding items to be prepared for confinement, which I personally felt was really helpful as a checklist to ensure I have as many things as I can covered. Her post can be checked out on her site: http://thediaryofzay.blogspot.my/2013/07/what-to-prepare-for-confinement.html?q=confinement.

From my understanding, confinement periods for us Chinese families can be a minimum of 30 days, but it is recommended to continue with it till at least 45 days for a better recovery period for both mum and baby. Most post-natal packages, be they herbal soups, recovery supplements, or herbal baths are usually sold up to a 30 day period as some of them can only be used starting from the 4^th, 7^th or 10^th day after delivery, depending on the circumstances of the delivery and condition of the mom.

So to start off, the basics usually considered during confinement would be:

1. The herbs and liquor used for cooking of the confinement meals

2. Supplements to aid the mum’s recovery

3. Long sleeved tops & bottoms (and maybe even hats?) for mums to keep the “wind” out

4. Miscellaneous clothing such as maternity pads, disposable panties and medical pads

5. Abdominal binder or Bengkung for those opting for a malay massage during recovery

6. Herbal Baths and massage oils for mum and baby

7. Breast pump and accessories for those planning to breastfeed during this period

Food Stuff

Your pantry should be stocked with various liquor and seasoning oils for cooking and double boiling, whilst your confinement room should be stocked with beverage mixes, some light snacks (and lactation cookies?) to nibble on during confinement. More details on this can be referred to in Ms Zay Aw’s blog post above on the same.

In addition, your fridge would need to be stocked with lean pork shoulders, chicken, selected fish and vegetables once you have delivered for the confinement meals to be prepared. Best ask the person who will be doing the cooking for you to manage on what and how much to buy on this as you would be busy recuperating and managing the new addition to the family.

Chinese Herbal Post-Natal Packages

Nowadays, many Chinese herbal shops provide post-natal packages and would have pre-packed the herbs and labelled them according the day it is to be boiled and consumed during the confinement period. Stepping into the 2 rather well-known Chinese herbal shops aside from Eu Yan Sang, i.e. Yin Onn (Ipoh)Sdn Bhd in LG Floor Mid Valley, and Taimal Herbs & Medicine Sdn Bhd (also known as Effective Herbs & MedicineSdn Bhd) in 1U, both outlets would have a staff who would be able to show the pre-packed confinement herb packages, as well as provide a brochure/ booklet on the types of soups to be prepared according to schedule for consumption. Yinn Onn’s 22 day post-natal tonic herbal soup starts from RM760.00, whilst Taimal’s 30 day herbal soup package starts from RM750.00. All soups are normally cooked together with a choice of chicken or pork.

Eu Yan Sang’s 21 day post-natal package costs about RM600.00++ for member price, and RM845.00 for non-member. Being a pregnant mom, you would be entitled to sign up as their member for free. However in my opinion, the supplements provided in this pack such as the So Hup Pills and Pak Foong Pills would not be sufficient for confinement and you may need to purchase a separate pack for them.

Another opinion shared by other moms and moms-to-be that I have come across is that should you or a relative be more familiar with the local Chinese medicine shops, you would be able to procure the confinement herbal packages at a more lower price, and maybe even be able to mix & match the amount of herbs according to preference. A note of caution however is that if you are not familiar with the shopkeeper/owner of the less reputable Chinese herbal shops, it would be difficult to guarantee if the herbs sold are “clean” or original when it originates from China.

A tip to note here is whichever herbal package that you would be purchasing, do get it at most a month before your due date to ensure that the herbs are fresh and your fridge will have enough space to store them as these herbs have to be stored chilled or they may actually attract weevils.

Traditional Herbal Post-Natal Packages

Post-natal packages catered for the general public regardless of race would normally be derived from tropical herbs and contain consumable supplements or teas, herbal baths and massage oils to help calm and speed up recovery of the new mother, and care for the new baby as well. The 2 main packages I have come across are Amway Post Natal Care Package, purchased at member price of RM280.00 (N/P RM365.00 I think), and Tanamera Post Natal Care Set, which has been priced as per their website of RM335.00.

For the Tanamera package, I have liaised with several malay massage ladies who have specified that their massages will only be carried out if their client purchases the Tanamera package, and that they will not be able to carry out the massage if other brand products are used. Same goes with the massage/spa services offered by Tanamera’s masseurs.

Hence, due to this inflexibility and higher cost involved, I have opted for the Amway set. The Amway set has been recommended by several other moms as the most comprehensive and value for money package set, and includes the following items and instructions on how to use them as well:

For Oral Consumption

1. Herbal tea (10 sachets)

2. Supplement - After Birth 1 (60 capsules)

3. Supplement - After Birth 2 (80 capsules)

For External Use:

4. Herbal Wash (20 sachets)

5. Herbal Bath (20 sachets)

6. Firming Herbal Blend (20 packets)

7. Warming Herbal Blend (15 packets)

8. Calming Herbal Blend (15 packets)

9. Herbal Massage Oil (60 ml)

10. Baby Massage Oil (60 ml)

11. Bengkung (1 unit)

Amway Box set and Binder/Bengkung

Contents of the Box Set

Eventhough the malay massage lady that I will be hiring during my confinement would be able to provide her own herbal blend and oils for the massage, she also recommended this package as most of her customers would normally purchase this for use during the massage, and the herbal blend baths which can be used when she is not around. I have also come across posts from other new moms that if their spouse or relative is willing and knowledgeable in how to carry out the massage, purchasing this set would be sufficient for their confinement needs already.

Herbal Bath & Massage Oil Post Natal Packages

Some Chinese medicine shops do also sell their own mix of the herbal bath/soak sachets, but TYT was the herbal brand I noticed at all 3 baby fairs that I had attended that catered for confinement herbal baths (ginger variety available), baby herbal baths, herbal foot baths and herbal medicated oils. Their products have been certified HALAL by JAKIM and can be purchased online or at selected Chinese medicine and pharmaceutical outlets. Courtesy of a family relative, I have received a set of the 1 month’s Confinement Set +ginger variety, and 2 packs of the Herbal Foot Bath (x 4 sachet per box).

When enquired at the baby fair, the promotion price for confinement set is the same as their current gong price online of RM180.00 per set. However, purchases made at the baby fair will entitle you to some additional freebies, such as a free bengkung, some herbal medicated oil sample bottles or even a few more sachets of herbal baths/soaks.

To the moms-to-be who are wary of post-natal massages and would not be getting the traditional herbal post-natal packages but would still like to enjoy the benefits and convenience of a warm herbal bath/foot bath without the hassle of mixing your own herb leaves and flowers, this would be a good alternative as they are all pre-packed in easy to use and dispose sachets.

Post-Natal Complete Package

Another brand I saw at the recent Today’s Baby Expo held on 15 September 2016 in Mid Valley was Perfect Women Wellness House Sdn Bhd. I haven’t seen or heard much about this brand, and as I was in a rush I did not stop to listen to their promoter’s explanation. When I checked online, their write-up on their Complete Post-Natal package seemed to include drink supplements, pre-packed herbs and enzyme essences for cooking, and herbal baths. Their website also posted many positive reviews about it, but it costs RM3,398.00??!!

Personally this is definitely outside my budget, hence I leave it to my readers here to consider this package and to provide their review on it.

As for the confinement clothing, breast pump and other miscellaneous necessities and accessories, these should have been purchased and ready for use post-delivery and not just for during confinement. My checklist on these can be found in my earlier blog post on “Checklist for New Arrival”.

Confinement Ladies and Confinement Centres

To the moms-to-be who need a helping hand in house chores, caring for the newborn and mom herself, cooking the food and herbal tonics, giving massages, and someone to provide an overall medical/ traditional advice on what to do and what not to do, hiring of a confinement lady to stay, occasionally visit for a stipulated number of hours per week, to just drop the cooked meals, or even opting for staying at a confinement centre instead in the KL/Selangor area can go for a rate from RM3,500 – RM10,000, depending on the vicinity and type of service required. This amount may not exclude the costs of purchasing food materials for cooking of the confinement meal and soups, the “ang pao” at the end of the service, potential surcharges for services provided during holiday periods such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, as well as any medical consultation and medicine fees that may arise.

The Mummy Notebook had posted her reviews on 4 surveyed confinement centres under her blog posts in August 2015. The 4 centers surveyed include CareNanny Malaysia, Mom’s Paradise Postnatal Retreat, Gina’s Place, and Serenity’s Confinement Centre.

Malay massage ladies/ Tukang Urut

If hiring a tukang urut is your thing, then searching for a well-reviewed and affordable urut lady online or by word of mouth is crucial to ensure that your confinement massage arrangements are well organised and stress-free. One such active forum thread can be found on Lowyat.Net at https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2579445, whilst a summary of urut ladies can be found on MalaysiaBrides.com at http://www.malaysiabrides.com/forum/topic/16241-malay-urut-lady/?page=2.

Prices can range between RM70.00 – RM130.00 depending on the type of services provided (i.e. massage for the mom, massage for the babies, herbal baths and wearing of the bengkung), the hours involved and location of the urut lady and her client. It also may or may not include transportation and massage materials/bengkung costs, which can go up to RM10.00-RM20.00 per trip, and RM35.00-RM50.00 for 1 bengkung.

To me, the factors i considered in choosing my kak urut were if their package service offered the basic of massage, tukul/ hot stone and bengkung wrapping, and if their price also included:
1. Their transportation costs

2. Costs for the materials used during their service, including bengkung

3. Massage for baby (optional)

4. Herbal Bath (optional)

5. Breast massage to ease engorgement (optional) 

In addition, just like choosing my O&G, i would try chatting with them first to see how upfront they are with their package services and how well we could get along (afterall, you will be hiring this person over to care and touch you when you and your family are most vulnerable). Understanding their background, years of experience, and how their package works would definitely make you more assured.

Some moms have voiced concern that hiring of these freelance urut ladies may not hold them as accountable as hiring a masseur from a spa service centre. To me this is a personal and delicate choice, as most spa masseurs might not offer home services and the mom would need to drop by the spa centre to carry out the massage later in their confinement period/ after, which some say would slow the process of recovery as the post-natal massage can be conducted as early as 7 days post-delivery (for vaginal delivery) or 14 days post-delivery (for caesarean delivery). In addition, if the massage costs are going to exceed RM150.00 per session, then a spa service massage could be considered.

Save for the confinement meal recipes which is best left to the person who will be doing the cooking for you, I believe I should have covered almost all aspects to be considered during confinement. I’ll share my experience on this once it’s my turn. Until then, all the best!

Full Moon Gift Package or Catering?

Normally most people will look into this after the baby is born. Me, I’m surveying this earlier as an anticipation that I may be too tight on time and energy once the baby is born and also because the recent baby fairs and workshop have given me a chance to source for several options available.

The first matter to consider at hand is whether you would want to do a catering course at home, or arrange for full moon delivery packages to be sent to your relatives and close friends and colleagues.

Caterings are more preferred if you would be expecting at least 10 tables worth of guests, i.e. at least 100 pax. Anything less than that could either be pricey, or the usual caterers may not be interested in offering their services. An average catering costs RM25.00 – RM40.00 per pax, with vegetarian caterings going at the more expensive price.

Full moon delivery packages can range between RM8.50 – RM30.00, depending on the combo sets chosen and delivery charges, and can be catered to either individuals or a whole family at the said price. In addition, there are also specialised designer cupcakes full moon gift sets being offered by creative home-based or small time entrepreneurs, such as Chelsy Full Moon & Catering and Apple Kitchen to cater to the modern parents and even vegetarian preferences. Most packages need to be ordered in a minimum quantity of 5 or 10 though for the order to be accepted.

Going through Lowyat.net forums, a pretty comprehensive “Full Moon Gift Pack” http://incomingincomingbaby.blogspot.my/2012/12/full-moon-gift-pack.html#.V-QDTfB97IU blog post by Art Guy in December 2012 was suggested. Another latest comprehensive blog review on Delight’s Full Moon Package and TK Bakery Full Moon Gift Packs was written by Mapeey on July 2016 under the title “Baby Full Moon Gift Packs in Malaysia”. http://third-dotter.blogspot.my/2016/07/baby-fullmoon-gift-packs-in-malaysia.html.

Thus far, I’ve myself tried Delight’s Full Moon Package set D1 (Roast Percik Chicken) and received positive feedback from colleagues on the same set for Roast Black Pepper Chicken. Coupled with their package promotions of buy 5 free 1 and free delivery to 1 main location, it’s hard not to consider their package which could inevitably save you quite a lot on expenses.

UniQ’s package is definitely more pricey as they offer much more in their packages, but it’s best to call or visit them to find out their latest promotional offers. Cash vouchers for their packages were being promoted at Today’s Baby Expo last Friday, 15 September 2016, where you could save up to 25% with the RM500 cash voucher purchase. The word I’ve heard though is similar to the comments voiced in the Lowyat.net forums, whereby the dryness of their chicken dishes can be at times inconsistent. Hence, the high-low reviews received on this brand.

Another point to note related to Delight's is that they have expanded their operations to include caterings for full moon as well and can be found at Lynn's Cafe in SS15, Subang Jaya. The link on Delight's main page is broken though so if you're interested, please click on the correct link i have shared herein above.

Chances are we’ll be doing the full moon packages instead of caterings, so when we get to it I’ll share my review then. For now, I hope this helps. Cheers!

Today’s Baby Expo @ Mid Valley

Another day, another baby fair to check out. This time round was the Today’s Baby Expo held at Mid Valley on 15^th – 18^th September 2016.

Probably because of the potentially long holiday + weekend, it was fairly easy to enter Mid Valley and find a parking in the Gardens at around 11:00am on Friday, the first day of the fair. When I arrived at the exhibition hall, it was fairly crowded but can be navigated without feeling overwhelmed by the vast amount of people present.

Floor Plan layout of the fair

As most of my shopping had already been done, coming to this fair was more for exposure in the other brands present, checking out the breastfeeding talk, and participating in the attempt to enter the Malaysia Book of Records for the most number of written pledges collected in a breastfeeding campaign.

First off, what I noticed at this fair was the presence of other less heavily marketed brands such as KAO Merries, Minnie Chic and Onwards for diapers, Johnson Baby and US Baby Malaysia for baby products and Alebebe for baby travel equipment, to name a few. The full list of the brands present could be found on their facebook page. My focus for visiting the diaper brand booths was to get sample diapers for newborns. A simple registration is sufficient to snag a pack or two from each brand’s booth.

The sitting area for the breastfeeding talk was cut by half to only 3 rows, compared to the area allocated in the TCE Baby Expo in July 2016. From the itinerary, the first speaker for this forum was Ms Jasmine Tay, who was also the same speaker for the Empowering Pregnancy 3 workshop that hubby and I had attended earlier this month. To be frank, the surrounding noise and activity did drown out her talk quite a bit, but the parents present and listening were focused on her talk and smiling away, so I’m guessing they were able to create their own space despite the hustle and bustle around.

Ms Jasmeen Tay on stage

Another point I noted at this fair was that many booths were offering free samples of their products as part of their marketing plan. Liking the facebook page of US Baby Malaysia and checking out the full moon gift shop of UniQ was enough to get you a goodie bag from each booth. Checking out the Dlami booth could also earn you a free milk bottle nipple. Joining the breastfeeding campaign also would get you a free umbrella. You could also get a free newborn's checklist at Fiffy's booth.

Newborn Baby Checklist

As I didn’t stay for the talk and went around scouting instead, I was pretty much done within 1.5 hours and the only purchase I made at this fair was 4 Tomme Tippee pacifiers @ RM2.00 each (limited to 5 units per customer), and 2 packs of disposable maternity underwear. I was quite pleased with the amount of sample toiletries and diapers that I could get this round, though the size of the goodie bags given for us to contain our stuff was excessively big compared to the samples put inside. Probably because it would seem that trolleys have been barred from being brought into the hall this time, but people would still bring in their suitcases as an alternative though. 

Tomme Tippee pacifiers, for 3-9 months and 9-18 months

Disposable maternity panties from Autumnz & FabulousMom

Stretch Mark Prevention Cream & Oils Review

Just reached my 8^th month pregnancy milestone today, and thought I’d give a quick review of the stretch mark creams/oils I’ve been using since the 3^rd month of my pregnancy.

Sebamed Anti-Stretch Mark Cream (200ml)

First up, this is the first cream I used during pregnancy. Its Unique Triple Soft Formula is said to:

1. Help prevent stretch mark
2. Help reduce existing stretch marks
3. Help restore the connective tissue

Pros:

+ Easy to apply and easily absorbed after 2-3 minutes of massaging

+ Suitable for sensitive skin and has a balanced PH value of 5.5

+ Thick creamy texture does not stain clothing

+ Great moisturizer. Although Sebamed recommended the cream be used twice daily, I actually skimped on this during my 3rd and 4th month of pregnancy, using it mainly at night after shower since my tummy was still pretty small then.

+ Soft, silky, and slightly greasy upon application, but not an issue once absorbed

+ Slight powdery and delicate floral scent. Not too overwhelming. Love it!

+ Effective. Eases dryness of skin, leaving skin much smoother just after 4 days

+ This bottle lasted me for over 4 months when I used it once daily, every day

+ Assuring. Can be used even after birth and while breast feeding

Cons:

- Considered a light cream, application twice daily as per their recommendation would be needed as you progress through pregnancy with a growing tummy. However, it is advised to wash off the remnants of the first layer before applying the second layer or it would feel sticky and greasy

- Not found in your usual Guardian/Watson’s pharmacy. I got this last bottle at Caring

- Can be pricy, with it being normally priced at RM89.90

- Did not ease the itchiness when I developed a skin rash (PUPP) during pregnancy

Creamy, thick texture. The amount i tend to use for each application.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Soothing Oil (150ml)

I got this oil next when my PUPP got worse and the itchiness was becoming very unbearable. Compared to other Palmer stretch mark products, I chose this specifically for its Lechitin ingredient, which is said to be a trademark ingredient of Palmer’s but is surprisingly not found in many of its other similar ranged products. And also because I’m not a fan of mineral oil based products.

Pros:

+ Easily applied as it came in a spray bottle. Normally 2-3 pumps is enough

+ Absorbs well after application, leaving skin feeling moisturised, soft and smooth

+ Worked perfectly against my PUPP, giving me instant relief after 20 minutes of application and has since worked to prevent PUPP from re-occurring

+ Heard that many people use it for other parts of their body and face too, though I’ve not tried

+ More easily found in general pharmacies around town

+ Very affordable. Normally priced at RM39.80, I got mine at 20% discount at RM31.90

+ Cost Effective. Started using this in my 5th month of pregnancy once every morning and its barely even 1/10th used

+ Paraben & Phtalate free

+ Non-staining formula, which evens out skin tone on regular use

Cons:

- Strong chocolaty scent from its cocoa butter ingredient like all Palmer's products. Can be overwhelming.

- Contains fragrance ingredients that could irritate sensitive skin

- Can be messy, oil will leak from packaging if bottle is not maintained upright

- Contains canola oil which makes it greasier and slower to absorb after application. Best to give it about 3-4 minutes to dry

- Not for those who already have oily skin

Bud’s Stretch Mark Prevention Cream (150ml)

Switched to this recently when my Sebamed ran out, since I got it at a 20% discount price (RM59.30) and it is natural and organic certified, with:

1. Parfum made from essential oils

2. 99.6% of total ingredients are of natural origin

3. 32.7% of total ingredients are from organic farming

4. 99.9% of the plant ingredients are from organic farming

Pros:

+ Light and watery-lotion like texture that makes for fast application and quick absorption.

+ Just as moisturising as Sebamed, but I find that I actually need to use this abit lesser than the amount I pump out for Sebamed on each application due to its watery/slightly oily texture.

+ Non-greasy once absorbed, and does not stain

+ 1 time application works well for maximum half a day only

+ Has a pretty strong floral scent

Cons:

- Can be pricy, normal price ranged at RM74.10

Slightly more watery texture

Note: Am currently using Bud's Stretch Mark Prevention Cream twice daily, with the morning application dosage being half of the amount as pictured above as i will mix in 1-2 pumps of Palmer's as well. Thus far, works this combo works well for me and there has not been a recurrence of PUPP.

On a side note, I also recently purchased Bud’s Nurturing Nursing Cream (15ml) to use once week, or as and when necessary as I noticed that with my growing breasts, the areola area was starting to feel abit dry/flaky at times. I’m sure it will come in handy later when I start breastfeeding but for now, sparingly used to dab once in a while helps to ease my worry and reduce any itchiness that may arise from the dryness. Priced normally around RM34.90, I got this at promotion price of RM29.90 for a 15ml bottle. Just like the stretch mark cream, it is natural and organic certified, with:

1. Parfum made from essential oils

2. 100.0% of total ingredients are of natural origin

3. 32.0% of total ingredients are from organic farming

4. 95.1% of the plant ingredients are from organic farming

As this is my first pregnancy, I’m not sure how fully effective the creams/oils are against the stretch marks that will come with this pregnancy, but what I can say with certainty is that while I have at time felt like the skin of my tummy stretch and “tear”, I have not seen any lines physically appear and have been able to keep the itchiness at bay. In addition, any new spider marks that may show up as a result of my growing tummy usually disappear after a week’s use of the stretch mark cream/oils above.

Word of advice to all, stretch marks and spider marks can appear even on your sides of the body and even breast so don't just focus on that bulging tummy and be on the lookout for those signs of a potential stretch mark problem and apply those prevention cream/oils!

Another point to note is that it is medically confirmed that stretch marks cannot be 100% prevented/ stopped during a pregnancy, but with frequent and diligent usage of these creams/oils I believe it will help to minimise its after-effects post-partum, as well as help make your pregnancy journey an easier and less irritable one.

Poise Organic Wellness Studio (OKR branch) Pre-Natal Massage & Bitter Melon Honey Scrub review

Recently, Groupon Malaysia posted the following 2 massage deals that caught my attention at Poise Organic Wellness Studio:

1. Up to 1.5-Hr Pre-Natal or Post-Natal Massage (https://www.groupon.my/deals/klang-valley-kuala-lumpur/poise-organic-wellness-studio-7/96379188)
2. 2 Hrs Bitter Melon Honey Scrub + Massage (https://www.groupon.my/deals/klang-valley-kuala-lumpur/poise-organic-wellness-studio-6/721322140)

It has been about 5 years since my last visit with my friend at the Old Klang Road (OKR) outlet where although location was nearby, parking can be a hassle at times. And now with my growing 31 weeks belly, it felt like a good time to give this pre-natal massage a try.

Before going for the pre-natal massage at this outlet, I’ve googled 2 other blogs online that gave pretty good reviews on their pre-natal massage at this OKR outlet in 2012 and 2013, and since my previous experience there was good, I thought why not give it a try?

Calling in to ask about their pre-natal massage process (since it was not mentioned in the Groupon page unlike the other massage promotion), I was greeted by the manager Ms. Gillian (pronounced Jillian) where she informed me that the pre-natal massage would be carried out on our sides, with the massage covering the soles of your feet, to your legs, hips, back and shoulder. No essential oil would be used, instead they would use coconut oil, and that the massage would not done on the abdominal/ tummy area of the mother, nor be carried out involving the pregnant mother lying on their backs. In addition, their masseur was experienced as they would normally have customers coming in anywhere between 5-months pregnant right up to 1 week before their due date.

This was very assuring for me for a number of reasons:

1. Essential oils may sometimes cause irritation on the pregnant mother’s skin due to the hormonal changes and although they were using organic products, I was fine minimising this possible complication.
2. Hitting my 3^rd trimester and being a rather petite build, I have found it rather impossible to lie on my back for more than 5-10 minutes at a time without feeling dizzy or short of breath due to the weight of my growing baby, which at that time already measured 1.6kg.
3. My body was feeling very heavy and tensed up and swelling was picking up around my hips and thigh, even climbing the stairs was beginning to feel like a warm up for an exercise.
4. The massage would not involve touching anywhere near my tummy/abdominal area. I am not doing a massage to “re-position” my baby and did not want anyone touching my tummy. So, perfect!
5. That experienced a masseur? Personally I wouldn’t want to go for a massage anywhere after my 36 weeks if possible, but if they have handled women up till 1 week before birth, my case should be a pinch right?

So after the call, I asked my mom and my hubby if they were interested to try out the other massage on promotion, since my mom loved everything organic and hubby well, he’s not been to any massage for a long time and I think he deserves to untie a knot or two before the baby arrives.

Anyways, all 3 of us decided to give the massages a try and I bought 1 groupon promo for 1 hr Pre-Natal Massage and 2 groupon promos for 2hrs of the Bitter Melon Honey Scrub + Massage and called back Gillian to give the 3 voucher security codes and booked us 3 under my name for the massage on Friday, 2 September 2016, with my mom’s slot at 7.30pm, and me and hubby’s slot at 8.00pm.

So here’s where my review begins. It will be lengthy and if you would prefer, I have listed a summary below instead for quick reading at the end of the post.

Same problem like what I had 5 years ago, when using waze/ google map to reach the outlet, once we passed Pearl Point, GPS signal went haywire and redirected us to another location. I didn’t listen to the apps after that as I knew it was just straight ahead and guided my mom (whom I was carpooling with at the time) to the place and we parked inside. The location on Google map showed that Poise was located at “205, Jalan Sepakat 8, Taman United”. Well, the lot number was correct but am unsure why the road name was different from their branch address provided of Jalan Sepadu instead.

When we entered, we were greeted by a lady at the counter named Siti who immediately informed me that unfortunately, their masseur was busy and hence, asked if my mom’s slot could be shifted to 8.00pm instead. This irked me and my mom abit because on Thursday night 7.56pm, Siti sent us a reminder that the appointment would be tomorrow at 7.30pm. I don’t see now what the point of that reminder is if Poise could not commit to our 7.30pm slot the very next day?

Well, mom and I agreed it would be fine since then it would mean all 3 of us would finishing our massage at the same time at 10.00pm (with the initial exception of me finishing earlier since my massage was only 1 hr). Then I proceeded with the registration and asked Siti if she needed to see my 3 vouchers to verify my booking. That was when she looked shocked and asked if I was using all 3 vouchers at once. This immediately made me uncomfortable and I explained to her how I made all 3 bookings with Gillian and her manager even wrote down the voucher security code to secure my bookings.

That was when things got a little hectic and Siti started calling one of their masseurs to come back as they actually had a 3^rd customer to service. Luckily she left not long ago and could turn around and head back and Siti then apologised for this confusion as she was uncertain about this arrangement since the booking was made by Gillian. I asked her how can that be, since their record showed 3 differing voucher codes she should have known or at least checked with her manager rather than jumping the gun and confidently “cancelling” 1 of my appointments?

To be honest I didn’t want to cause too much of a scene at that time since our massage hadn’t even started and I didn’t want to make things uncomfortable, so I thought since matters were sorted out, apology accepted, let’s move on right?

Next up, Siti asked if I wanted to consider extending my massage from 1 hr to 2 hrs since my mom and hubby’s massage time was 2 hrs, so I thought, why not? I asked Siti again about how the massage would be carried out and what did that additional 1 hr entail. She reiterated the same thing as Gillian and that with the 1 hr extension, the massage time carried out sideways would just be longer, coconut oil would be used throughout the whole time too.

When I agreed to it, then she showed me the top-up bill would be a whopping RM119 + 6% GST. When I saw the price I questioned her thinking it was an error and that the price included the earlier paid amount of RM69 from the groupon voucher. Apparently the top-up would be calculated based on their normal one-off massage service price and not the groupon promo price. Great, wished she had told me ahead before I agreed to it.

Anyways, kept my finger crossed and paid it, and went back to the lounge area as my hubby had already arrived and mom had started her herbal foot soak. Both mom and hubby commented that the water was lukewarm when they put their feet in so after 15 minutes of soaking, water was cold. In addition, all 3 of us were served lukewarm pandan water to drink. Not a good way to start out their massage.

Since mom started abit earlier, she went up for her massage first. Meantime I accompanied hubby until his full 15 minutes of feet soaking was up before we were both lead upstairs to the massage room.

When we arrived in the room, we were provided bathrobes and disposable head caps, disposable panties for me and boxers for hubby. One nagging bit I had in my head was since I had topped up for an additional hour of massage, shouldn’t I have actually started earlier since the 2 hr massage for mom and hubby actually included their time for the foot soak? Well, I thought let’s just see how it goes.

Massage was overall pleasant for the first hour, with 2 support pillows provided to keep my legs and arm apart. I had a lot of wind in my legs and shoulder that needed to be pushed out, whilst hubby had a few knots to loosen in his legs as well. The room was dimly lit and rather relaxing, to the extent that I felt like I could doze off any moment if not for the pain that came occasionally from the kneading.

Once the side massage ended, the lady masseur then requested I lie on my back and covered me with towels before leaving the room for a while. That was when I started feeling uncomfortable. I thought I should not be asked to lie on my back? When she returned around 5 minutes later, I asked her why am I lying on my back because I am feeling uncomfortable and will have shortness of breath. She replied that the next phase of the massage would involve massaging my 4 limbs, shoulder, and if I wanted, my breast and face, for the next half hour.

Half hour?! I thought I shouldn’t even be in this position to begin with? Ok so maybe the time extension for the massage wasn’t a good idea now, but since they are “experienced” in doing pre-natal massages, I should be fine right? Mind you at the start of the massage I already told her I was almost 8 months pregnant so she should be fully aware that as a third trimester mom, I should not be lying on my back. Well, I spent the next half hour talking non-stop with the masseur in hopes of distracting myself because the moment she stopped massaging me or I stopped talking, I honestly felt like I may pass out at any moment. This is considering that I already finished an early dinner more than 3 hours ago.

When the massage ended, hubby had just begun his rain shower and so I got up slowly to check my phone and saw that my massage had ended at 9.50pm. Feeling somewhat dizzy, it hadn’t occurred to me back then that my massage had ended much earlier than promised for a full 2 hrs massage. I was more relieved to be off my back at that time and started dressing back up whilst waiting for hubby to be done with his shower.

Once ready, hubby and I headed downstairs to find mom chatting with a Chinese lady named “Madam” in the lounge area. She poured ginger tea for mom and hubby and lukewarm pandan water for me (again?! And here I was hoping for a nice warm cuppa to heat me up after that massage) and proceeded to chat with us about how professional their masseurs are that many customers have returned time and again because of their great pre-natal and post-natal massages. It was comfortable talking to her, and she shared with us their latest promotional 20-hours or 40-hours package plan for all 17 listed massages therein. I informed her I would call back another day to ask Gillian for further details about the package and after that we all left.

Latest promotion package, whereby anniversary offer reduced each package amount by RM100/-

2 days after the massage, I sought feedback from mom and hubby on their massage experience and how they felt about it. Both mom and hubby commented that the body scrub was really good and their skin felt so soft and clean immediately after the massage. Hubby had a few sore spots on his leg from the massage which eased out by the second day and he felt much more energised as well. As for me, I actually felt much lighter immediately after the massage and felt like I could actually bounce up and down the stairs without even feeling the weight of my protruding belly, which was pretty refreshing, if not for the fact that my dizziness after that massage persisted for a full hour before wearing off.

So I called back on Monday and since Gillian was not around, spoke to Siti about the package and was informed that in line with their anniversary promotion that just started on the same day, the latest promotional 20-hours or 40-hours package plan would now each cost RM100/- less to sign up, i.e. at RM1,388 and RM2,588 respectively, with all other terms remaining the same. Just as I started to tell her about my experience of the pre-natal massage and that I had to actually lie on my back, apparently a customer just walked in and needed to be served and Siti apologised saying she would call me back on my handphone later.

Well, I never got that call even 2 days later, so hence, here’s the summary review of the overall experience:

1. I agree with many other comments that the place looks abit rundown, as the room and front entrance has not changed one bit since 5 years ago, but I believe that they are trying to go for a rustic ambience. The renovated lounge area is much spacious and roomy though.
2. GPS location can be abit confusing, best to zoom in on google map to find it, or type “205, Jalan Sepakat 8, Taman United” into your app to find the place.
3. Staff are generally very warm and welcoming, and it’s easy to fall back into a relaxed ambience when talking with them. Service on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. Poor management of my booking, seeming lack of communication between the front desk management team and masseurs, lack of clarity on the exact services provided and poor timing management of massage slots.
4. Eventhough I was assured by Gillian and Siti I would not have to lie on my back during the massage and that the masseurs are experienced in pre-natal massages, yet I had to endure a full half hour lying on my back eventhough I had told the masseur that I was uncomfortable and had difficulty breathing in that position.
5. This massage experience IMO is not for the shy. As you are expected to go almost naked when your massage starts, since no bra top will be provided for the ladies and if you do ask for a breast massage, no tissue or towel will be provided for to cover your nipples. For the gents, well I saw the masseur pulling down my hubby’s boxers to rub the body scrub all over both his buttocks. So guys (and girls too), if you would feel offended by this, better tell your masseur in advance!
6. Thinking back, the fact that my massage started 15 minutes later, and ended 10 minutes earlier than my hubby’s surmised that my massage session lasted only around 1.5 hrs eventhough I topped up for a full 2 hours, with the balance 1 hour being charged a full normal rate + 6% GST. 
7. Topping up another hour generally did not yield any additional benefit. I read in other blog posts that some customers were provided a cool aromatherapy eye pillow before the massage, an option of choosing which non-scented oil to use in their massage, and a hot ginger tea before and after (or at least after) the massage. Nope, I got none of those during my session, and even the pandan water served to me was lukewarm before and after the massage and not decided by my choice. Coupled with point (6) above, was really not worth it.
8. The website mentioned that they had therapists with more than 8 years of experience. Well, my masseur informed me that she only had 3 and previously worked in the nail parlor industry. Makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable? Definitely.
9. Personally, I felt somewhat cheated. Don’t get me wrong the massage was actually good and you could feel the effects thereafter, but everything else just frustrated me. Especially the fact that when I called back to enquire more about their package and highlight my uncomfortable experience, Siti cut me off halfway saying she had to service another incoming client and never called me back like she said she would even 2 days later.

Taking into account everything that happened, my experience at this Poise OKR outlet would be a rating of 2.0/5.0. 

Overall, I would safely say going for the Bitter Melon Honey Scrub promotion is a “Yeay!” and I would rate it 4.0/5.0, whilst the pre-natal massage for me is a "Nay!", should be done only if you are in your second trimester, and you should NEVER ask for an extension of more than 30 minutes of the massage. I don’t know if another masseur would have done it differently, especially if they have serviced moms who were supposedly a week due from delivery, with the extra half hour being done sideways instead of lying on the back but surmised from above, I’d rate this massage only a 3.0/5.0.