05/28/2008 - Becoming Mom Featured on Front Page of the Sunday Washington Post
Greater Expectations
By Monica Hesse
Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, May 25, 2008; Page A01
Women get pregnant. This is how civilization moves forward. After centuries, somebody has figured out how to fully monetize this process.
At Becoming Mom in Mason, Ohio, pregnant receptionist Amanda Grimm is helping a pregnant client decide between the nursing cream and the Mama Mio Tummy Rub butter. In the back, a pregnant Claire Schwab is getting a prenatal massage from the recently pregnant Jennifer Reisenberg, and a very pregnant Jackie Miller is giving a pedicure to Leah Swallinger, who just had a baby.
Miller and Swallinger are talking about raging hormones, a common topic of conversation at Becoming Mom, a spa devoted to pampering soon-to-be and new mothers. "That, and double strollers," says Swallinger, a family therapist. "We talk a lot about double strollers." Next to her sits a half-eaten chocolate bowl of chocolate mousse, part of her "cravings" pedicure. Her feet are coated in paraffin that looks like Hershey's syrup.
These conversations are squeezed between the "Yummy Tummy" belly facials, and the "Perfect Pregnancy" massages, and the manicures using "pregnancy-appropriate" essential oils and polishes. The treatment rooms smell like arnica. It's all glowy and expectant, chatty and Zen and oozing maternal, as if the lavender walls may start lactating.
There are no male employees here, no men at all except for the dads-to-be who occasionally slink in, drop $269 on a "Baby Me" package, slink out.
Pregnancy used to be something camouflaged and endured, nine months of achy backs and euphemisms and elastic waistbands with a 7-pound, 9-ounce reward at the end.
Not anymore. For a certain kind of mom with a certain kind of priority, pregnancy is a heady blur of spa visits and personal pregnancy chefs, of baby planners and "babymoons." Pregnancy is not a journey. Pregnancy is a destination, a showplace.
About 60 percent of U.S. spas now offer pregnancy massages along with regular services, according to the International Spa Association, and maternity-specific spas are gestating all over the country. Dawn Bierschwal opened Becoming Mom near Cincinnati in 2004. It quickly drew clients from Dayton, Kentucky and Indiana. Now, she is consulting on five other locations. Edamame, owned by the same corporation that owns A Pea in the Pod and Destination Maternity, has in-store spas down the East Coast. In Chevy Chase, the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa books about 20 prenatal massages a week, according to manager Shubo Mukherjee.
New books like "The Hot Mom to Be Handbook" encourage expectant moms to think of their pregnancies, which used to be opportunities to have babies, as "opportunities to take a tour of your senses, with special attention to taste, smell and touch." Do aromatherapy, the handbook suggests. Make "Mojito Mamas."
The pampered pregnancy is not just a rite of the rich. Bierschwal estimates that 50 percent of her prenatal massage clients had never had a rubdown before their pregnancies.
"Women are looking at pregnancy more as a special time in their lives," says Kate Ward, editor of TheNestBaby.com, the MySpace of pregnant women. "It's about them as much as it's about producing the baby."
"Pregnancy is not the most gorgeous thing ever. Every time you do anything your ankles swell. It's so 'X-Files.' "
Allison Taylor is the face and belly of the pampered pregnant. She's had at least four prenatal massages, plus manicures, pedicures and a babymoon to the Dominican Republic, where she spent a week sipping virgin cocktails and taking water aerobics. Today the 35-year-old is off to Midtown Manhattan for a full day of grooming at Edamame, including a swelling-reduction thing for the ankles. It's a gift from her husband, Gordon, who buys financial data for Bear Stearns.
The couple is working with a jeweler to design a "push present," a ring Gordon will give to Taylor after the birth of their child in June.
"The one thing I'm really splurging on is a baby nurse," Taylor says -- one who will stay with them in their four-story Upper East Side apartment for 10 days, $250 a day.
She has no idea where this pregnant princess persona came from. Pre-conception, she was not this kind of girl. She was a DIY kind of girl, one her friends referred to as a Martha Stewart/Bob Vila hybrid. She redid bathrooms. She planted 2,000 flower bulbs at her Connecticut weekend home. She launched her own housewares company a few months before learning she was pregnant.
But then came the plus sign on the pregnancy test. And then came the luxury. "If I ran the New York City Marathon, I'd get a massage for sure," she reasons. "And pregnancy is really a stretched-out marathon." A spa treatment or babymoon "is like stopping at the water table on the way." A necessity.
Besides, when you are shaped like a whale, anything that makes you feel better about yourself, you want to do, says Despina Yphantides. Late in her pregnancy, the San Diego mom decided to enroll in Fresh Mommy, a personal chef service for expectant and new mothers. "Oh, my gosh, it was so good," she says. "They had a potato-chip-crusted chicken dish that was amazing, and this chocolate sauce tamale for dessert . . . " The meals were prepared with extra omega-3 oils and proteins, recommended by doctors for moms and moms-to-be.
It's enough to make a woman want to be pregnant forever.
The common response to why this all started -- and when exactly pregnancy became a luxurious experience -- is age and money.
Between 1990 and 2006, the birthrate for women 40 to 44 increased 65 percent, and doubled for women 45 to 49, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. As women have babies later, the pregnancy-as-movie scenario starts to look more like "Baby Mama" than "Juno," with more fertility treatments and high-powered moms who may have waited too long.
When those women do conceive, it is cause for planning and celebration and rapid disposal of disposable income. Consulting plans at the Baby Planners begin at $500. Delivered meals from Fresh Mommy are $65 a day. Spa treatments for the pregnant are upward of $100 apiece.
"Nothing is off limits," says Ellie Miller, co-founder of the Baby Planners, an L.A.-based service that does everything from helping clients find the perfect stroller (using a lifestyle survey with questions like, What kind of sidewalks are in your neighborhood?) to hooking them up with in-home spa services. "One of our clients just spent $10,000 on pregnancy facials" and the like. "Her skin was very important to her during her pregnancy."
"These are highly educated successful women," adds Melissa Gould, Miller's business partner. Gould and Miller estimate that 75 to 85 percent of their clients are first-time working mothers. "They're strong and amazing in the workplace, but they find themselves pregnant and it gets a little tricky," Gould says. "One of our women kept calling us obsessed with the diaper pail."
It's all part of achieving a "perfect" pregnancy, says Clare Hanson, author of "A Cultural History of Pregnancy" -- a concept that did not exist 20 years ago. Pregnant women are expected to have the right kind of body, eat the right kind of food and do the right kind of exercise. "It's very fashionable to be pregnant. It's aspirational." Every other day, some movie star poses with her baby bump looking like it had its own stylist.
Gould and Miller do not judge. Before going into the baby planning business, Miller was a pregnant producer for CNN and Channel One. "I was a woman working in a newsroom, and I was freaking out because I could not find apple green bedding" for the crib. "Who needs apple green bedding?"
It wasn't about the bedding, of course. It was about a woman used to commandeering every aspect of her life suddenly watch her belly swell into an alien bulge.
A woman like this might pay for peace of mind.
"Every free moment I have, I want to spend with my family," says Susan Levison, a Fox executive who purchased a concierge package from the Baby Planners when she became pregnant with her second child. Her first was carried by her partner, also an exec at Fox. Gould and Miller helped Levison find a good prenatal yoga class, a crib and a baby memory book.
It's the sort of thing you would have once asked your sister, back when everyone stayed put in the same town, or asked your neighbor while returning a casserole dish, back when everyone made casseroles.
"My family lives in San Francisco and I'm down in L.A.," says Levison. "All of my friends are busy working parents. I didn't want to ask them every time" she needed something. "It's nice to have someone at your beck and call."
Taylor, the New Yorker, says that her mom lives just 20 minutes away, and was annoyed that the couple was getting a baby nurse rather than inviting her to move in for a few weeks. But Taylor thought she'd feel more comfortable taking advice from a nurse than from mom.
"We live quite isolated lives, very far from our mothers," says Hanson. In that sense, these services are "fulfilling a real need. Pregnant women do need to be nurtured, and [they're] going to have to pay for that."
Of course, if you ask pregnant women to explain their need to be nurtured, many will say it's not about them. It's about the baby.
Event planner Jami Pennings stayed on a personal chef service while breast-feeding her daughter, delivered in December. "I knew the baby had to get good nutrition, and whether I did was pretty secondary. I was consuming it, but it was really for her."
This knowledge also assuaged the guilt she felt over watching her husband scrounge for cold cereal or takeout every night while she ate gourmet home-delivered meals. She had to. For the baby.
Pregnancy is the nine-month window in which doing good for the kids necessarily means doing good for the mom as well. It's right there in "The Hot Mom to Be Handbook": "The best way to ensure their happiness is to cultivate your own spirit and enjoyment of life. It is never too early to start."
Back at Becoming Mom, Swallinger's pedicure is finished, but she doesn't want to get out of her comfy chair. A reporter mentions that the spa apparently sells sleep as well -- according to one pamphlet, 30-minute naps can be purchased for $25.
"I would pay for that," Swallinger sighs. "I would totally pay for that."
But instead she's got to head home, away from the serenity and soft curves of the maternity spa, away from the receptionists and aestheticians who know not to bat an eye if you start sobbing, hormonally, over a broken nail. Now that she's delivered her baby, in fact, it might soon be time to return to a regular day spa, one without a chocolate-cravings pedicure.
Link: http://
01/17/2008 - Spa Finder Magazine Recognizes Becoming Mom for Fertility Treatments
See link: http://www.spafinder.com/newsletter/online/2008.01.08.Insider1.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM NAMED RECOMMENDED BY SPA FINDER MAGAZINE FOR FERTILITY TREATMENTS
MASON, OHIO (January 17, 2008) -- BECOMINGMOM Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center has just been featured by Spa Finder Magazine in an article about Fertility Spa Treatments as part of their “Spa Trend 2008” series. (http://www.spafinder.com/newsletter/online/2008.01.08.Insider1.html)
The BECOMINGMOM Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, located at Deerfield Towne Center, not only caters to the unique needs of expecting women and new Moms with their unique spa services and 3D/4D Ultrasounds, they also offer Preconception Massage services.
According to Social Science and Medicine “Infertility is a problem of global proportions, affecting on average 8-12 percent of couples worldwide." Susie Ellis of Spa Finder adds “One reason it is becoming a bigger problem for women in North America is because they are waiting until later in life to have children. Medical evidence is clear that fertility declines for both men and women as they age.”
Massage therapy can help facilitate the conception process physically by breaking up adhesions and increasing pelvic blood supply, and emotionally by reducing stress… whether a couple is trying naturally or in conjunction with appropriate medical intervention. A study published in General Medicine shows the pregnancy rate for women treated with massage techniques prior to their IVF transfer to be 63% higher than the national average for IVF success.
Couples having difficulty conceiving are affected by stress month after month. According to Dr. Alice Domar, Director of the Women’s Health Project at the Mind/Body Institute at Harvard Medical School, women trying unsuccessfully to become pregnant actually have levels of stress equivalent to women with cancer, HIV and heart disease! Stress alters immune function, the regulation of the reproductive hormones, and interferes with the body’s ability to produce healthy eggs. Male fertility is also affected by stress, resulting in abnormal sperm structure, reduction in sperm counts and decreased sperm motility. It appears that couples having difficulty conceiving are trapped in a vicious cycle: stress affects fertility and infertility causes stress.
At BECOMINGMOM, they believe that the body when under extreme stress physiologically shuts down and concludes that it is a bad time for pregnancy. A recent study published in Health Daily News showed that pregnant women with high cortisol levels (ie. women who are “stressed out”) are nearly three times as likely to miscarry during the three weeks after conception.
“We’re thrilled to be recognized by Spa Finder Magazine,” says Owner, Dawn Bierschwal. “We’ve had tremendous success with our preconception treatments and look forward to helping even more women get pregnant.”
www.becomingmom.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
04/17/2007 - Becoming Mom Featured in Stork Magazine
Click on the following link to read the article: http://www.storkmagazine.com/?page_id=125
Link: http://
04/17/2007 - Becoming Mom Now Offers Sonolive
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM NOW OFFERING SONOLIVE TECHNOLOGY
MASON, OHIO (April 17, 2007) -- BECOMINGMOM, the first-of-its-kind Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center in Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, OH is once again offering something new.
Now family and friends from out of town can participate in the incredible experience of seeing baby’s face for the first time when mom has an elective 2D or 3D/4D ultrasound at Becoming Mom with their new SONOLIVE technology. With this technology, they simply log onto a website with a user name and password and are able to see what Mom and Dad are seeing in real time from the comfort of their own home. Soon they will even be able to hear the excitement coming from the room as well.
This option is available on all of Becoming Mom’s ultrasound packages and costs just $25.00.
Becoming Mom Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, located at Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, caters to the unique needs of expecting women and new Moms. They offer a full range of specially designed spa services, 4D ultrasounds performed by certified sonographers, an educational series and can even host baby showers. Gift Certificates are available. Other locations across the country coming soon!
www.becomingmomspa.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
10/07/2006 - Pregnancy & Newborn Article
Link: http://
09/17/2006 - Franchising the Business
The following is a link to an a September 17th Cincinnati Enquirer article about Becoming Mom's franchising plans.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060917/BIZ01/609170302/1076/BIZ
Link: http://
02/21/2006 - Managing Stress During the First Three Weeks After Conception Critical
Pregnant women who are stressed out during the first three weeks after conception are nearly three times as likely to miscarry, a new study finds.
In all, miscarriages occurred in 90 percent of pregnancies in which the women had increased cortisol levels and in 33 percent of those with normal cortisol levels.
Massage therapy has been proven to reduce cortisol rates. We recommend having a massage weekly following ovulation by a prenatal and preconception certified massage therapist to manage stress and cortisol levels during this crucial time perion.
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20060221/hl_hsn/stressinearlypregnancylinkedtomiscarriage
02/09/2006 - Becoming Mom Now Carries Mama Mio Products
Link: http://www.mamamio.com
12/13/2005 - Prenatal Health Through Massage Therapy
This articles discusses the benefits of massage therapy during pregnancy to mom and baby and debuncts some of the common myths.
Click on the below link for the full article:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KWZ/is_4_4/ai_98250301
Link: http://
11/21/2005 - Pregnancy Massage: Safe Medicine for Expecting Moms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PREGNANCY MASSAGE : SAFE MEDICINE FOR EXPECTING MOMS
MASON, OHIO (November 21, 2005) - Most people understand that massage can help relieve muscle aches and pains. Unfortunately, few people understand that massage therapy can be a first line of defense for more pregnancy-related discomforts. This should be great news to pregnant women whose list of discomforts is long and medication options are limited …that is, IF they knew. Marnie McCauley, a Licensed and Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist at BECOMINGMOM was a Medical Assistant for an area OB for 11 Years before becoming a Massage Therapist. She says that the medical community simply hasn’t been educated on the effectiveness of Prenantal Massage. “If I had a nickel for every time I told a suffering patient during those 11 years ‘sorry, that’s just part of pregnancy’! We had no idea at that time that there was something effective to offer them. ” Here is just a sample of the common pregnancy discomforts that pregnancy massage can address:
v Sciatic Nerve Pain
v Sinus Congestion
v Constipation
v Heartburn
v High Blood Pressure
v Edema
v Leg Cramping
v Round Ligament Pain
v Sleep Loss
Shorter Labors with Fewer Complications!
The Touch Research Institute has published multiple studies documenting shorter labors, a reduced need for pain medication, and fewer obstetric and postnatal complications. Massage therapy may even reduce the need for a caesarian section. In addition, multiple studies show that massage therapy can significantly increase seratonin and dopamine levels in the body, natural chemicals that result in lower stress and anxiety and can help improve sleep. And better sleep is something most pregnant women need!
Qualifications of the Massage Therapist are Critical During This Time!
A prenatal certified massage therapist is trained and experienced to know what is safe and effective for each stage of your pregnancy. BECOMINGMOM hires only Prenatal Certified Massage Therapists for our clients’ safety and comfort.
At BECOMINGMOM we use a body cushion support system that allows us to provide comfortable side lying massage. A pregnant woman should never be laid on her stomach or flat on your back after the 14th week of pregnancy. Even massage tables with holes for your stomach will put unnecessary strain on your ligaments and uterus as well as compound any back pain you might be experiencing.
Becoming Mom is a Pregnancy Spa and Ultrasound Imaging Center located in Deerfield Towne Center in Mason. Gift Certificates are Available.
www.becomingmom.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
06/29/2005 - Becoming Mom in Business Section of Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer recognizes Becoming Mom for being featured in Pregnancy Magazine.
Becoming Mom spa featured in 'Pregnancy'
DEERFIELD TWP. - A spa and ultrasound-imaging center for expectant mothers was featured in the June issue of Pregnancy magazine.
Becoming Mom, located at Deerfield Towne Center, was included in an article spotlighting "Sensational Spas" for mothers-to-be.
The spa offers a variety of therapeutic body and beauty treatments for women both during pregnancy and after the birth of their baby. New parents can also learn infant massage techniques designed to improve a newborn's sleeping patterns and reduce fussiness.
The ultrasound-imaging center is equipped with technology to allow prospective parents to see the baby's development. The limited diagnostic scans are performed by certified sonographers and interpreted by a board-certified perinatologist.
Information: (513) 770-6730 or http://www.becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
06/25/2005 - Becoming Mom Featured in Dayton Daily News
It's exciting to see an entrepreneur come up with an innovative concept for a new shop and that's exactly what Dawn Bierschwal has done with Becoming Mom. The luxurious spa is specifically designed to pamper Mothers-To-Be.
Click "more" for full article.
Oh, dear!
By Meredith Moss
Dayton Daily News
If you've enjoyed shopping at Rookwood Commons in Norwood, chances are you'll also like the new Deerfield Towne Center in Deerfield Twp. in Warrent County. The shopping complex sits on land that was once the Cincinnati Polo Club near Mason.
It took us about 50 minutes from downtown Dayton to get to the attractive new shopping complex, which will celebrate its one-year anniversary next month. Project developers are Don M. Casto Realty and Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, and since Anderson is also responsible for Rookwood, it's no surprise the two shopping complexes will remind you of one another.
Deerfield is more spread out, so you may find yourself moving your car if you're planning to spend the day. There are 63 shops and restaurants in all, including some that are locally owned, and others that are new to our area. You'll also find some old favorites: Coldwater Creek, Wild Oats, Ann Taylor Loft, White House/Black Market. Merchants are pleasant and anxious to please.
Phase II of the complex, which will open in late '06 or early '07, will include condos, office space and a 16-screen movie theater.
WORTH A STOP
•It's exciting to see an entrepreneur come up with an innovative concept for a new shop and that's exactly what Dawn Bierschwal has done with Becoming Mom. The luxurious spa is specifically designed to pamper Mothers-To-Be and offers services ranging from therapeutic massages to manicures and pedicures — all with products and ingredients that are healthy and not toxic for baby or mom.
It's worth a visit just to see the wonderful pregnancy photos by nearby Celebrity Kids Portrait Studio. There's a room for baby showers and educational programs — prenatal yoga and infant massage. Products for sale include maternity seat belts, breast feeding supplies, belly-painting kits for siblings. You can also purchase a belly-casting kit ($39) or have the casting done at the shop ($125). Skin products are available; so are books and gift items including a Labor Kit ($39) .
But Bierschwal says it's the 4D ultrasound services that make her maternity spa unique. Families typically show up to see the baby on a 42-inch plasma screen — photos, videos and CD -ROMS are available as well. You'll need to make an appointment for the screenings done by a licensed sonographer. Prices begin at $99 for a five minute session, run up to $239 for a deluxe package. Phone: (513) 770-6730.
•Hip young women — and older ones, too — will love Missy & Jack, a great little boutique that specializes in trendy separates and accessories. Magazine clippings scattered throughout the shop show celebrities wearing many of the hot products featured on the shelves and racks.
Vendors include Seven Jeans, Juicy Couture, Joe's Jeans, Ella Moss and True Religion. Popular at the moment: metallic flip-flops from Havaianas ($16), sling handbags from Allison Burns ($200 up), colorful shell bracelets ($12.), Botkier bags ($560 and up). You'll find lots of cute little summer tops and tanks; the thing at the moment is to match them with denim and roll up the jeans to capri length. Designer jeans at the shop start at $100.
The store, owned by Rhonda Killens is the first, and named for Killens' late mother-in-law and her mom's toy poodle. You can check out her Web site at: missyandjack.com.
•Even if you don't own fish or want to, it's worth stopping at Aquarium Adventure. A steady parade of appreciative families attests to that fact, it's a great place to entertain the kids.
The 10,000 square-foot shop offers everything from starter kits ($28 and up plus fish) to custom installation. There are more than 1,000 different species of fish and more than 20,000 gallons of water, including pond displays and rock waterfalls.
It's a beautiful store — done in blues and greens like the water — and has a giant circular mural of a salt water coral reef. You can buy a goldfish for 99 cents or a gold Sapo Puffer for $300. The Betas are especially popular, according to store manager Adam Slane, because they are easy to keep and maintain and thrive in a small bowl on a desktop.
The shop sells glass aquariums in a variety of cabinetry including solid oak or cherry, and staffers can color match the aquarium to existing furniture or wood floors.
•Lisa and I loved Bugaboo Moosetracks when we visited the original store in Miamisburg and we were delighted to see a new second store in Mason. The furnishings and accessories are unique; owners Jodi and Todd Lyons label their eclectic mix "rustic yet elegant."
Jodi's the interior designer, Todd does much of the woodworking, and the cozy and welcoming shop sells everything from antique snowshoes and cowhide rugs to hand-tooled America West leather purses and leather/fabric furniture. Shop decor incorporates reclaimed brick, Colorado river rock, wood from old barns. The name "Bugaboo" comes from a ski path in the Canadian Rockies where the owners have skied. Their shop aims at sharing their own love of the west and the north woods with others.
•Archiver's: The Photo Memory Store is another impressive shop, a paper wonderland for anyone interested in paper crafting and scrap booking. The shop offers classes on everything from creative card making to rubber stamping, and on weekends there are Scrap Mania sessions as well.
There are beautiful scrapbooks and photo albums in a wide variety of colors and styles, boxes for proper storage of photos, acid free tissues. There are fancy hole punches, Nascar embellishments and stickers, alphabet sets. Check out the Fastenater, a long reach decorative stapler with pretty staples ($24.99).
At least two of the Deerfield stores — Bankhardt's Luggage and Jones the Florist — have been Cincinnati traditions for years. Both shops are worth a visit — the floral shop is lovely and has unique containers and beautiful flowers — and the leather shop features lines such as Tumi, Swiss Army, Hartmann, handbags from Hobo and leather goods from Bosca, our Springfield neighbor. Manager Heather Stang started at Bankhart's as a teen, the owner is Jim White.
Pack-It-Folders from Eagle Creek are designed to be used in your suitcase to hold shirts or underwear and make unpacking much easier.
Deerfield also has an I Love Cincinnati! shop featuring merchandise from the Reds and Bengals as well as area colleges.
•The complex also has a Birkenstock shop with shoes ranging from $80 to $300. Most popular styles continue to be the Arizona sandal in taupe suede, ($110) and the Boston clog in the same material ($120).
TIME FOR A BREAK:
When you're ready for lunch or dinner, Deerfield offers lots of options, including some restaurants that are new to the area:
•The Polo Grille was designed to pay tribute to the Cincinnati Polo Club and the Wilkens family that first brought the sport to the area. You'll see polo memorabilia — mallets, jackets, and saddles as well as photos and murals. Menu items are American but it also incorporates fare from South American countries in which polo is played. The restaurant, which has an extensive list of specialty cocktails, serves pizzas, salads, burgers, pasta and steaks, seafood.
•Abuelo's is an attractive restaurant designed to look like a courtyard in Old Mexico. The extensive menu includes lunch specials, a children's and senior's menu.
•Mimi's Cafe, which got its start in California, is now in 10 states, and owned by Bob Evans. The Mason cafe is the first in Ohio. The cafe serves breakfast all day — beginning at 7 a.m. — and also features lunch and dinner. It's a cute place with outdoor seating, and there's a kids' menu with 14 item. Favorite items are the pot roast dinner, fresh fish, and omelettes.
SURVIVAL TIPS:
•To get to Deerfield Towne Center, take I-75 to Exit 22 (Tylersville Road/Mason Exit). Turn left (east) on Tylersville Road. Turn Right (south) on Mason Montgomery Road. The mall will be on your right about 3 miles.
•Hours at the center vary from shop to shop. Most are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Some shops — Becoming Mom and Ovation, for example — open at 11 a.m.
•You can pick up a brochure that contains a listing and map of stores at the Mall office, behind the Maytag Store. Lifestyle Center Manager Wendy Johnson is especially helpful, and she'll be happy to mail you a brochure as well.
•For more info, check out www.shopdeerfieldtownecenter.com or call (513) 770-0273.
Contact Meredith Moss at (937) 225-2440.
Link: http://http://www.daytondailynews.com/weather/content/life/daily/0625shopping.html
06/13/2005 - Becoming Mom names One of "9 Fabulous Spas" by Pregnancy Magazine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM NAMED ONE OF “9 FABULOUS SPAS” BY PREGNANCY MAGAZINE
MASON, OHIO (June 13, 2005) -- BECOMINGMOM, a one-of-a-kind Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, is featured in the June Issue of Pregnancy Magazine in an article about “Sensational Spas” for expecting women.
The BECOMINGMOM Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, located at Deerfield Towne Center, caters to the unique needs of both expecting women and new Moms. They offer a full range of specially designed spa services, 4D ultrasounds performed by RDMS certified medical sonographers, and a variety of unique products and gifts.
At the Spa, the expecting Mom can choose from a variety of therapeutic body and beauty treatments designed to help her look and feel her best during her pregnancy and postpartum months. Examples include the “Perfect Pregnancy Massage”, the “Reviving Leg & Foot Treatment” and the “Get That Glow Facial”, designed to target the hormonal effects of pregnancy on the skin. After the baby, she can choose a “Healing Hands Postpartum Massage”, a “Lighten Up Facial” or their new “Anti-Cellulite Regimen” to help her “celebrate her new baby with a new body”. And, with “Baby’s First Massage”, Mom and Dad can even learn infant massage techniques that can improve sleeping patterns and reduce fussiness for their newborn.
At the Imaging Center, the expecting mom and her family can experience "seeing" their baby and counting 10 fingers and toes for the first time. With state-of-the art GE 4-D technology, BECOMINGMOM helps Moms and Dads bond with their baby so they can become more invested in a healthy pregnancy. The limited diagnostic scans are per formed by RDMS certified sonographers and interpreted by a Board Certified Perinatologist.
“We’re thrilled to be recognized by Pregnancy Magazine,” says Owner, Dawn Bierschwal. “The response to our unique concept has been overwhelming. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear ‘Where were you when I was pregnant?’”
http://www.becomingmom.com/
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
06/11/2005 - Becoming Mom Featured in the June Issue of Pregnancy Magazine
The June issue of Pregnancy Magazine has an article called "Serenity Now" which describes "9 fabulous spas that wil cater to your pregnant body." Becoming Mom is listed as number 2!
Link: http://
01/21/2005 - Becoming Mom Mentioned in NY Times
The New York Times recently featured an article about baby-friendly spas. Becoming Mom was mentioned as a spa that caters to new moms, but discourges babies. While we do allow nursing babies to accompany mom for a massage and for our infant massage classes, we generally discourage babies because we are, after all, a spa designed for pampering and relaxation ....and new moms, maybe more than anybody, need an opportunity for peace and quite and relaxation. Click on the link below to see the NY Times article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/21/travel/escapes/21SPAS.html?ex=1107397211&ei=1&en=d5cc600ae1f71967
12/14/2004 - Becoming Mom Chosen "Best Baby Shower Gift" by Cincinnati Magazine
Cincinnati Magazine published it's annual Best of the City Issue just recently and Becoming Mom was chosen for "Best Baby Shower Gift".
According to Cincinnati Magazine, "For the mother-to-be that has everything (bachache, swollen ankles, stretch marks), a gift certificate from Becoming Mom could be perfect."
Link: http://
11/01/2004 - The Staff Makes a Difference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM – THE STAFF MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
MASON, OHIO (November 11, 2004) - Does it make a difference where you go to get an ultrasound of your baby? Do pregnant women really have different needs from a Spa? You only have to talk to the people at Becoming Mom to learn that yes, in fact, there are BIG differences.
Unlike other imaging centers, Becoming Mom only hires medical sonographers that are certified by the American Registry of Diagnostics Medical Sonographers to perform their ultrasound scans. Why is that important? Dr. Bruce Banias, Becoming Mom’s affiliated physician, says “medical sonogaphers are not only trained in the physics of ultrasound to insure the safety of the scan, they are also experienced with fetal diagnosis of normal and abnormal fetuses.” As a result, they are going to perform a more accurate diagnostic scan, will be significantly more likely to identify abnormalities, and are certainly more capable of knowing how to communicate with a women’s OB if they do find an abnormality. As an example, one woman who came to Becoming Mom was identified as having a dangerously low amniotic fluid level that, if left undiagnosed, could have been life threatening to the baby within days. It is unlikely that a person trained to take cute baby pictures without medical ultrasound experience would have recognized the clues that led Becoming Mom’s sonographer to further explore the situation without alarming mom and take the measurements necessary to evaluate the situation.
And there are many differences between Becoming Mom’s Spa and other Spas ….from the skin and nail products used, to the positioning of their clients, to their employees’ credentials. For example, all of Becoming Mom’s Massage Therapists are not only licensed by the Ohio Medical Board, they also have certification in Prenatal Massage Therapy. Studies show that prenatal massage can reduce the likelihood of premature births, complications in labor and cesarean deliveries when performed by a properly trained massage therapist. Most massage therapists in traditional spas do not have that kind of training. It is important for an expecting woman planning to have a prenatal massage to ask if the massage therapist is “certified”, not just “trained”. If a spa tells you that their therapists are “trained” in prenatal massage it may mean that they had a mere15-30 minutes of training in prenatal massage during their massage school. This is certainly not enough to be capable of providing a safe and effective prenatal or even postpartum massage. Many consumers are also misled by some spas to believe that prenatal massage is not safe during certain stages of pregnancy….because spas who do not hire Prenatal Certified therapists are not willing to take the risk.
And Becoming Mom goes beyond prenatal and postpartum massages. Their therapists are even trained in preconception massages, proven to increase the chances of becoming pregnant. Now, what spa that doesn’t focus on pregnancy has that to offer?
Becoming Mom Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, located at Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, caters to the unique needs of expecting women and new Moms. They offer a full range of specially designed spa services, 4D ultrasounds performed by certified sonographers, an educational series and can even host baby showers. Gift Certificates are available.
www.becomingmomspa.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
10/28/2004 - Becoming Mom Offers New Chocolate Cherry Pedicure For Mom... And Baby??
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM OFFERS NEW CHOCOLATE CHERRY PEDICURE FOR MOM …AND BABY?
MASON, OHIO (October 28, 2004) -- It turns out that eating chocolate during pregnancy actually makes for a happier baby. So, to make both Mom and Baby happier, the Becoming Mom Pregnancy Spa & Imaging Center has introduced its new “Chocolate Cherry Indulgence Pedicure”.
Scientists at the University of Helsinki, Finland, asked more than 300 pregnant women to record their chocolate consumption, according to a report in New Scientist magazine. When the babies were six months old, mothers rated their infants' behavior in various categories, including fear, soothability, smiling, and laughter.Researchers found a positive association between the amount of chocolate the mothers had eaten, and the babies' behavior. Babies born to women who had been eating chocolate daily during pregnancy were more active and "positively reactive," which is described as a measure that included traits such as smiling and laughter.
With these results in mind, Becoming Mom designed its unique “Chocolate Cherry Indulgence Pedicure”. They start with their Signature Pedicure and then sweeten it up beginning with what else, but a hot chocolate foot soak. Next they exfoliate with a cherry puree mask, soothe with a therapeutic foot massage, and finish off with a vitamin C & E enriched chocolate paraffin treatment to leave her feet soft and satisfied. And.....Mom and Baby are sure to get their chocolate fix when she indulges in a decadent assortment of chocolates.
“Expecting moms tell us all the time how they are craving chocolate. Now we can give them a reason to go ahead and indulge,” said Client Services Coordinator, Amanda Grimm. “For those concerned about the dangers of caffeine during pregnancy, experts say it is perfectly safe to consume up to 300 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to about 2 cups of coffee) daily. Of course, chocolate should never substitute for a well-rounded, healthy diet…pregnant or not,” added Dawn Bierschwal, Becoming Mom Owner.
Becoming Mom Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center, located at Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, caters to the unique needs of expecting women and new Moms. They offer a full range of specially designed spa services, 4D ultrasounds performed by certified sonographers, an educational series and can even host baby showers. Gift Certificates are available.
www.becomingmomspa.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
10/20/2004 - Association Between Eating Chocolate During Pregnancy and Happy Babies
Here's another good reason to try our new Chocolate Cherry Indulgence Pedicure......Researchers have found a positive association between the amount of chocolate expecting mmoms eat and their baby's behavior. The babies born to women who had been eating chocolate daily during pregnancy were more active and "positively reactive," which is described as a measure that encompassed traits such as smiling and laughter.
Click on the following link to read more in this Parents Magazine article. http://www.parents.com/articles/pregnancy/5657.jsp
Link: http://
09/20/2004 - Pamper Yourself
Link: http://www.babyzone.com/features/content/display.asp?ContentID=1133
09/16/2004 - Becoming Mom Featured in Pulse Journal
Link: http://www.pulsejournal.com/business/content/business/2004/09/15/pj0916becomingmom.html
09/08/2004 - Naturopathica's Barbara Close Featured in Oprah Magazine
Link: http://
08/26/2004 - Becoming Mom Featured On Channel 9
Link: http://www.becomingmomspa.com/news_082604_video.php
08/25/2004 - Blogging Baby Article
We've never heard of this site...but they, apparently, have heard of us...
http://pregnancy.bloggingbaby.com/
Link: http://
08/23/2004 - Spa for Expectant Moms Opens in Deerfield
Here's an article by the Business Courier on Becoming Mom:
http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2004/08/23/daily3.html
Link: http://http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2004/08/23/daily3.html
08/23/2004 - Becoming Mom Caters to the Uniue Needs of Expecting Women
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BECOMINGMOM CATERS TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EXPECTING WOMEN
MASON, OHIO (August 19, 2004) -- BECOMINGMOM, the first-of-its-kind Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Imaging Center is now open at Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, OH. Many Spas offer a service or two for expecting women. Only BECOMINGMOM has a staff that is specially trained and certified and products that are carefully selected to safely and effectively meet the full range of unique and ever-changing needs of pregnancy.
Because…..when you’re expecting, your needs are different. After 19 years of working at P&G in categories such as Skin Care, Hair Care, and Feminine Care, owner Dawn Bierschwal knows that a pregnant woman’s needs are different than those of other women. Dawn recognized that there are many businesses that cater to Baby, but very few that cater to the unique and changing needs of the woman that is becoming a mom …whether for the first or the sixth time. As a result, Dawn decided that the time had come for BECOMINGMOM.
Because…when you’re expecting, you can’t reach your toes! At the Spa, the expecting mom can choose from a variety of therapeutic body and beauty treatments designed to help her look and feel her best while focusing on the unique needs of her pregnancy and into the postpartum months. Examples include the “Perfectly Pampering Pregnancy Massage”, the “Reviving Leg & Foot Treatment” and the “Lighten Up Facial” designed to target the hormonal effects on skin. Or Mom can choose a “BECOMINGMOM Signature Pedicure” for when she can no longer reach - or even see - her toes!
Because… when you’re expecting, you worry about everything. At the Imaging Center, the expecting mom and her family can experience "seeing" their baby and counting his or her 10 fingers and toes for the first time. By investing in state-of-the art GE 4-D technology that is capable of creating a high definition picture of their baby before he or she is born, BECOMINGMOM hopes Moms and Dads will bond with their baby and become more invested in a healthy pregnancy. And…unlike other imaging centers, BECOMINGMOM only hires certified sonographers and results are interpreted by their affiliated physician.
Because… when you’re expecting, there is so much to learn. BECOMINGMOM offers an Education Series taught by an expert faculty under the direction of Amy Stenger-Sullivan, whose licenses/certifications include prenatal massage therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, infant massage, Reiki, and much more. Amy joined BECOMINGMOM because she saw it as “a unique opportunity to share holistic education with pregnant women....education that would encourage and empower them to take good care of themselves and their babies throughout their pregnancies and beyond.” Courses include Childbirth Education, Prenatal Yoga, Baby and Me Yoga, Nutrition for Pregnancy, Breastfeeding for Working Moms, Nurturing the Pregnant Couple, Infant Massage and more.
Because… when you’re expecting, you deserve to be pampered! A variety of Maternity related products, gifts, and gift certificates are available for purchase and BECOMINGMOM will even host Baby Showers.
www.becomingmomspa.com
Contact: Dawn Bierschwal at 513-770-6730 or dawn@becomingmomspa.com
Link: http://
07/15/2004 - Becoming Mom Opens July 2004
Becoming Mom, the first of its kind Pregnancy Spa and Ultrasound Imaging Center, will open July 29th in Deerfield Towne Center in Mason, OH. Becoming Mom will specialize in meeting the unique and ever-changing needs of pregnancy.
At the Spa, pregnant women can choose from a variety of therapeutic body and beauty treatments designed to help her look and feel her best while focusing on the unique needs of her pregnancy and even the postpartum months. Examples include not only pregnancy massage, but also facials and body treatments designed to target the hormonal effects on skin, and a signature pedicure for those women who can no longer reach or even see their toes!
At the Imaging Center, the expecting mom and her family can experience "seeing" their baby for the first time in the comfort of a spa environment. By investing in state-of-the art technology that give Mom and Dad a high definition picture of their baby before he or she is born, Becoming Mom hopes Moms and Dads will bond with their baby and become more invested in a healthy pregnancy. Unlike other imaging centers, Becoming Mom only hires certified/licensed sonographers and all results are interpreted by their affiliated physician. In addition, they will not schedule an appointment unless the woman is already under the care of an OB and has had at least one full medical ultrasound ordered by her doctor before coming to Becoming Mom.
Becoming Mom will also offer a series of Educational Courses taught by an expert faculty. These range from Childbirth Education to Nuitrition to Infant Massage and more. A variety of Maternity related products and gifts are available for purchase and Becoming Mom will even host Baby Showers.
Link: http://
