Even newborns need a relaxing day at the spa. Welcome to Float Baby, a health and beauty center specializing in water floatation and infant massage.
At the Houston, Texas-based facility, young tots bath in a pool of ozone purified water for 20 minutes, with a ring inflatable around their necks to help them stay afloat.
Spa owner’s viewpoint
“Our program focuses on nurturing three key components for each baby: early cognitive development, improved physical strength, and well-rounded social experiences,” says Kristi Ison owner of Float Baby spa
The benefits
- Increase in muscular and skeletal strength.
- Increase in lung capacity, leading to a strengthening of baby’s respiratory system.
- Benefits to infant’s cardiovascular system and improvement in blood circulation to the heart.
- Increase in cognitive development.
Doctor questions need for floatation
For one medical professional, the concept of a spa dedicated to infant floatation is on the side of frivolity. “I don’t necessarily think (babies) need to be in a floating spa,” Dr. Christine Stern of Pediatric Associates in New York, told NY Daily News. “Infant massage is a great way to bond with the baby, but this can be done anywhere, not just at a spa.”
By the numbers: 125
It costs 125 dollars for a private water floatation session for a baby, lasting 60 minutes. “Our patented floatation cover with varying sizes allows for us to work with pre-term infants who are on the smaller size, up to babies who are roughly 8 months of age. We created this in order to appropriately fit each baby safely and comfortably,” said Ison.