A new luxury spa has opened in Auckland this week — and it's just for babies.
With eight spas across Sydney and Melbourne, founder Breanne Eley told 1News she expects business to soar in New Zealand.
Eley said a visit to the spa involves hydrotherapy and a baby massage, which can help infants who're struggling with colic, wind, and reflux.
"It's really good for their bone and muscle development as well as their cognitive support and helping with positive water association," she said.
She said babies can start treatment from as early as two-days-old, up until eight months.
Eley said there are similar concepts overseas, but not so much in New Zealand or Australia.
"I think the reason it's so popular [in Australia] is because there's not really much you can do with your baby at such an early age and especially being in a country that's surrounded by water. Positive water association is very important," she said.
"Parents want a safer alternative to swimming lessons and because of the conditions of our water being so clean and healthy, it makes it a lot more of a safer space for babies to learn how to be in water — and that's a big factor as to why parents come so regularly."
Eley said with New Zealand also being surrounded by water, she thinks Kiwis will receive the same benefits as those across the ditch.
"Within 12 months we hope to be able to have another location in Auckland and then eventually having the swimming school component of our business here too," she added.
Coralie Bicknell, mum of 10-week-old Austin, said she's noticed a lot of improvements since starting at Baby Spa.
"Just generally being a happier baby, he used to cry a lot and now he's a lot more content than he was," she shared.
Bicknell said she also reaps the benefits, especially as the mum of a 10-week-old, it's "nice to get out of the house".
"It's also just nice to interact with other adults," she said.
Bicknell thinks it's incredibly important to be exposing Austin to water from a young age.
"We go camping every year and we're surrounded by water, so knowing that he is comfortable in the water is very nice to know, very reassuring.
"I think as he gets older and stuff he'll be able to swim a lot easier."
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