I Paid $29,000 for a Luxury Confinement Stay in Singapore: First-time Mum Reviews Kai Suites

First-time mum reviews the Kai Suites luxury confinement centre in Singapore. She paid $29,000 for a 28-day confinement stay – was it worth it?

Serving out your confinement in a centre is commonplace in North Asia but has not caught on in Singapore. I had Korean friends and colleagues whose wives returned to Korea to prepare for birth and confinement in a centre.

When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately looked up confinement centres in Singapore. It was difficult to find a confinement nanny in the midst of the coronavirus last year. I also found live-in confinement nannies wield to tradition and old wives’ tales. I needed scientific, proper medical advice for both myself and my child. I always liked the idea of having a professional team take care of both mother and baby. Kai Suites came up in my search and the professional care seemed top-notch so I decided to go for the 28-day postpartum journey at this luxury confinement centre.

Read more: Ultimate Singapore Confinement Nanny Guide

Kai Suites packages

I work in finance and it’s a busy 8am-10pm job. I knew that once I gave birth, I would have my helper around who would be an immense source of support. My mother and husband could help too, but I wanted the full-time support of a confinement service that followed up-to-date practices and had medical knowledge. In Asia, the norm is to have anywhere between 30 to over 40 days of confinement. I chose Kai Suites’ 28-day package because I wanted the rest and support after I gave birth. I did not think that the 14-day package was sufficient for me to handle motherhood on my own in the beginning.

Read More: How I Went Through Confinement Without a Nanny

Kai Suites confinement hotel

Being a first-time mother and having experienced a 26-hour delivery, I was a bunch of nerves when my baby was diagnosed with jaundice. It did not help that my preferred anaesthesiologist was not available when I wanted to consult him about advice and treatment.

I was physically unwell from the cocktail of medication given to me during the course of the delivery. The epidural administered failed to numb my right leg and my right inner thigh was still in pain from straining during contractions. Staying at Kai Suites with the team of nurses and health assistants gave me the peace of mind I hoped for.

Kai Suites Review

The healthcare team at Kai Suites confinement hotel were made up of nurses who had years of experience in hospital and maternity wards. The Kai Suites nursery was manned by a team of three nurses looking after an average of six babies when I was there.

The Kai Suites healthcare team answered questions I had – Why is my baby crying incessantly when he was rooming with me? How can I breastfeed without sitting on my pained right leg? How do I sleep if I had to breastfeed constantly? Does my baby look like he is still jaundiced?

The Kai Suites healthcare team answered my questions based on knowledge and experience which I felt I could rely on. They then provided options that suited my lifestyle.

The nurses at Kai Suites would visit me twice a day to check how I was doing physically and mentally. This is on top of the many times they would bring the baby in to feed. What really struck me was the emphasis that Kai Suites staff placed on making sure that both the mother and baby were being taken care of throughout the confinement stay.

Confinement food at Kai suites

Food is a crucial component of confinement and the Kai Suites confinement food menu incorporates Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Kai Suites provided a generous portion of three main meals and three snacks.

Confinement food mainstays like Sweet Vinegar Pork trotters and Sesame Chicken are on weekly rotation.

Read More: Guide to Confinement Food in Singapore

Facilities at Kai Suites confinement centre in Singapore

Kai Suites normally offers a service where nurses can accompany you to postnatal, and paediatric check-ups. However, I stayed with Kai Suites during Covid so the nurses were not allowed to accompany me to check-ups. Paediatric and post-natal checkups are done offsite at the clinic but Kai Suites will arrange transport to take you to and fro.

Kai Suites also provided a Spa and Wellness centre with a menu of services including pre- and post-natal recovery. The lactation massage was a godsend while I battled blocked ducts. I also opted for the popular postpartum wrap.

Other facilities include a Private Mothers’ Lounge, nursery, spa, aesthetics clinic, salon, and lobby lounge.

We were allowed guests when staying at Kai Suites confinement centre but personally, I preferred not to have visitors as I wanted to focus on recuperating. The staff at Kai Suites could also intervene on your behalf to cut guest visitations short if you wish.

Kai Suites Price

At the time of my stay, Kai Suites offered a 14-day package starting from $16,000, and a 28-day package at $29,000. There is also a Kai Suites confinement food delivery service for those looking for confinement food but do not wish to go for the full stay experience.

Read More: At Home Confinement Nannies from $2,100/month

Was it worth it?

My friends always ask me if it was the right decision to go to a luxury confinement centre like Kai Suites. I do not hesitate to say yes. I enjoyed having a team of professional healthcare personnel and felt I could rely on their advice. I was able to take time off to do a slow walk around the neighbourhood each evening. I was well-rested and was given time to ease into motherhood. My initial anxiety over leaving my newborn in the hands of strangers was chipped away after days of seeing the Kai Suites team in action. They loved babies and were careful to treat them with love and respect.

I will also add that Kai Suites has been a huge source of encouragement. I was flourishing in my first few weeks with Kai Suites. I subsequently went to a separate lactation specialist for help with breastfeeding and that was not a good experience – I was utterly humiliated in front of my family and my husband. She used her hands to push my head down numerous times, told me to take a drug not approved for lactation and berated me that if my in-laws could breastfeed for a year, so could I.

I was close to tears when it was time to leave Kai Suites. The team had become family in the tumultuous first days as a mother. I really appreciated the encouragement from everyone on the team, ranging from the hospitality personnel to the healthcare team. Mothers suffer from stress, guilt and judgement from social media, family, and friends. Kai Suites was a safe space for me during those 28 days.

Kai Suites: Confinement Centre in Singapore, 26 Dunearn Rd, Singapore 309423, www.kaisuites.com.sg

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