Growing interest in Korean “postnatal retreats” highlights dearth of maternal care in North America

Over the past 10 years, Hyesook Jeon and her husband Michael have shared their time between her home in South Korea and his in Canada. They met in Seoul in 2004 and currently live outside of Toronto. When it was time to give birth to their daughter in 2010, Seoul was the natural choice for delivery because of Korea’s unique postpartum culture.

“Koreans believe postpartum care is significantly important for a new mum’s wellbeing,” says Jeon, now 45. “Recovering is the priority. . . and a healthy mum physically and mentally can take [better] care of the baby.” Jeon delivered her daughter by caesarean section. After five days in hospital, she moved to a postpartum centre, called a sanhujoriwon. She spent the next two weeks recovering, with certified nurses caring for her baby when she needed rest, nutritious meals cooked for her, scheduled doctor’s visits for her newborn, and educational and therapeutic services.

Korea’s network of sanhujoriwons is new but built on ancient traditions that prioritise the health of mothers. Jeon recalls never drinking cold water, only staying in a heated room, and not lifting anything heavy, even the baby. The first sanhujoriwon opened in 1996, and the country is now home to almost 500 facilities, used by more than 80% of new mothers. Jeon says her sanhujoriwon was average in terms of location and amenities, but it still cost around US$3000 for a two week stay. Today, prices can range from $100 to $2000 a night. There is a variety of models: some centres are attached to a hospital’s labour and delivery unit and are publicly funded; others are run privately, often in luxury hotels.

Sanhujoriwons are now arriving in North America, a continent that faces worsening rates of maternal death and illness.