Spa and sleep


Tender loving care: A room at Anidar, a postpartum care centre or joriwon, in Seoul. Eight out of 10 Korean new mums go to a joriwon for some pampering after giving birth. — Photos: ©2024 The New York Times Company

FOUR mothers sat quietly in the nursing room around midnight, breastfeeding their newborn babies. As one mother nodded off, her eyelids heavy after giving birth less than two weeks earlier, a nurse came in and whisked her baby away. The exhausted new mum returned to her private room to sleep.

Sleep is just one of the luxuries provided by South Korea’s postpartum care centres.

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Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

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