Cover The Joyful Nest’s commitment towards elevating the standards of postpartum care for mothers in Vietnam is proof that it’s not a far-fetched idea
The Joyful Nest’s commitment towards elevating the standards of postpartum care for mothers in Vietnam is proof that it’s not a far-fetched idea
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Inspired by a strong belief that women always deserve the best from family, community and society, The Joyful Nest’s commitment towards elevating the standards of postpartum care for mothers in Vietnam is proof that it’s not a far-fetched idea.
The exhaustive list of services atThe Joyful Nest might move one to think that when a mother spends 14 to 28 days here to recover after giving birth, it’d be nothing short of spending time at a luxury resort: everything from dining to nursery is well taken care of, and all she has to do is sit back and relax. But that’s only part of the equation.
It’s true that at this 5-star postpartum care center – the first in Vietnam, mothers and newborns are placed above all else while remaining at the heart of a highly bespoke experience, where every little detail is accommodating to their taste and need. This level of excellence is founded on the devoted length to which the staff observes and listens to mother and child, and imbue every gesture of care with familial hospitality.
And yet, what makes The Joyful Nest truly special is the guarantee that after her recuperative stay, the mother doesn’t simply regain her optimal strength and mental balance, but continues on her maternal journey with true confidence, one that’s empowered by a deep understanding and fluent handling of her precious little angel. Such experience is shaped by the cardinal principle of never separating mothers and infants during the postpartum period, underlined by the fact that the center doesn’t have a central nursery room. Instead, available at all times in each beautiful private suite for both mother and child are two nannies working in 24-hour shifts to provide personalized support and guidance.
Read more: Inside The Joyful Nest, Vietnam's First 5-Star Postpartum Sanctuary
Above Ms. Kun Jiang, founder of The Joyful Nest. Photo by Louis Wu
Ms. Kun Jiang, founder of The Joyful Nest. Photo by Louis Wu
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“We want as much as possible to cement the bond between mother and child,” Kun Jiang, founder of The Joyful Nest, on the reason behind their tailored care program. “In this way, the baby is always attended to on cue, not on the schedule of the facility.” She also notes that having a mother and baby in close proximity with each other at all times is one of the guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) on successful breastfeeding, which the center adopts as its core value.
A law graduate from the University of Melbourne with an MBA from INSEAD, yet Jiang considers becoming a certified lactation education specialist as one of her proudest credentials. Her own journey of overcoming unforeseen complications following the birth of her first child, in both medical and mental sense, helped her understand how challenging the breastfeeding experience could be for a great number of new moms. In many respects, The Joyful Nest embodies her own and her associates’ desire to advance the highest standards of lactation practice in Vietnam.
Above The Joyful Nest serves five meals per day, each menu carefully curated to never repeat throughout the entire stay of mothers
The Joyful Nest serves five meals per day, each menu carefully curated to never repeat throughout the entire stay of mothers
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To that end, the center has been working closely with Alive & Thrive (A&T), a global initiative set on improving the health and wellbeing of women and children. Ms. Duong Vu, East Asia Pacific Associate Director of A&T, shares that they have supported The Joyful Nest with the implementation and supervision of a postpartum care program that adheres to Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and WHO’s guidelines, while promoting early initiation of breastfeeding as well as exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of life, up to 24 months or beyond.
A seasoned expert and a mother herself, Ms. Duong Vu acknowledges the reality that postpartum care hasn’t got as much attention nor properly invested as prenatal support in the healthcare system in Vietnam, and she recognizes The Joyful Nest’s pioneering spirit in bridging that gap. Apart from an all-embracing approach to babies, the dedicated care program that The Joyful Nest developed with A&T also helps new mothers familiarize with and adapt to massive changes to her body, circadian rhythm, and mental health. “Once the mother is at her best self, her body will produce more breast milk, its nutrients will also improve significantly,” according to Ms. Duong Vu. “It’s a natural process, one that can’t be rushed nor forced at will.”
Above Upon leaving The Joyful Nest, parents will continue on their journey with true confidence, one that’s empowered by a deep understanding and fluent handling of her precious little angel
Upon leaving The Joyful Nest, parents will continue on their journey with true confidence, one that’s empowered by a deep understanding and fluent handling of her precious little angel
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One of the things she appreciates about the collaboration between The Joyful Nest and A&T is the fact that they have built a structured clinical evaluation for screening early symptoms of postpartum depression, along with educated intervention protocols.
“It’s important to make educated decisions when it comes to mental health; you have to be delicate, knowing when to step in and when to step back, so that the mother can overcome challenges without losing autonomy over herself and her own child,” she says. “We also assist in staff training; the goal here is not just about obtaining professional certifications, but how to inspire everyone on the benefits of breastfeeding. Unless caregivers put in the work to empathize with what mothers are going through, and have an infinite love for children, they won’t be able to deliver a best-in-class experience.”
Jiang and her team also perfected a one-of-a-kind dietary program for mothers, as it directly affects the nutritional composition of breast milk. According to Jiang, there’s a tendency for women to eat only a selection of traditional foods time and again over her recovery period, which increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies if not addressed by a specialist. Therefore, the center serves five meals per day, each menu carefully curated to never repeat throughout the entire stay of mothers.
Read more: TCM, disrupted: how China’s youths are redesigning a 2,000-year-old medicine practice for the feed
Ms. Vân Huỳnh, Nurse Director and Clinical Lead of The Joyful Nest, shares that prior to opening, the team had spent six months of research and development alongside professional chefs and dietitians to design a menu of restaurant quality, and most of all, nutritionally balanced. “After giving birth, the mother can develop a loss of appetite," she explains. “Our dishes are visually appealing and appetizing, as well as providing 350-500 extra calories per day for breastfeeding mothers, and enriched with protein, carbohydrates, calcium, omega, iron, especially fiber”. The caregivers at The Joyful Nest adjust the menu on a regular basis to the personal palate and physical condition of each individual mother.
Above A dedicated team of nurses, doctors, and caregivers are always there to support families at The Joyful Nest
A dedicated team of nurses, doctors, and caregivers are always there to support families at The Joyful Nest
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On-site midwives and nurses, along with weekly visits from obstetricians, also help mothers monitor, detect and promptly treat issues related to digestion, diabetes, surgical wounds, lochia, blood pressure, etc. For newborns, clinical support is thoughtfully layered with biweekly pediatrician visits. But perhaps, the clearest indication of the center’s warmth and lovingness towards families is how they’re attended by caregivers in learning to distinguish different baby cries, learn the little one’s early traits of temperament, and master the essential techniques for newborn care.
“We don’t consider what we do at The Joyful Nest as work, but treat it as if we’re caring for a member of our own family,” says Ms. Vân Huỳnh. “Personally, I’m very glad to have the chance to care for mothers and babies for the extended period of 14 to 28 days. Before, when I was working at hospitals, I could only be with them for two or three days. It’s so wonderful to see that we’re bringing happiness to mothers and helping their little ones grow healthy everyday.”
The Joyful Nest Oakwood Residence Saigon
1056A Nguyen Van Linh Street, Tan Hung Ward, HCMC
H (+84) 392 048 299
W thejoyfulnest.com
E hello@thejoyfulnest.com
Tatler Vietnam officially launches the Tatler Longevity Issue, offering a more comprehensive perspective on longevity, on how we eat, sleep, exercise, work, rest, and invest in health as a sustainable asset. Along with the stories in print, this journey will continue through Tatler Longevity Curated – Tatler Vietnam's content ecosystem including Vodcasts, Talkshows, Weekend Wellness, Tatler Limitless, and Tatler Longevity Summit – bringing together voices from medicine, science, technology, hospitality, business, culture, and the art of living, raising questions about how we can live healthily, proactively, and improve the quality of each year of our lives.
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