"Oh, yes, Mrs. Williams, we've been expecting you. What size are you wearing now?"
The receptionist looked from my face to my stomach with a smile and a wink.
"Errr... I, I'm not sure anymore. Maternity size?"
"No problem Mrs. Williams. Have you been here before?"
"No."
"Well, welcome. Jeanine here will show you around."
A woman, dressed in head to toe black, appeared suddenly from behind the counter.
"Follow me Mrs. Williams." She said, her black framed glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of her nose.
I was led through the bright lobby and down a wood paneled lavender scented hallway.
"Here we are." She pushed open a set of large glass doors.
The bright room smelled of eucalyptus. My feet slid across the spotless bamboo floors.
"This will be your locker, behind you you'll find the washroom, and on the other side the showers. Here is your robe and a pair of slippers. Once you've changed you can make a left out the door and take a seat in the treatment waiting area."
Wrapped in a velvety robin's egg blue robe and matching slippers, I made my way down the fragrant hallway towards the waiting room. A babbling fountain echoed in the distance as I settled into the plush sofa with a glass of cucumber water and a handful of trail mix.
No sooner had I started flipping through Organic Spa Magazine than I was called in for my treatment.
This Christmas, Mark surprised me with a maternity massage. Well into my second trimester with our second child, he'd grown weary of my daily, sometimes hourly requests for massages.
My first maternity massage, I wasn't sure what to expect. The massage table was outfitted with an elaborate network of body pillows, that the masseuse had to help me wriggle into so I could lay comfortably on my side.
The massage began, as most do, with a back rub. Instead of laying on my stomach, I was on my side. First my left side was gently attended to and then the right. It was heavenly. Classical music played in the distance. A soothing heat pad covered my feet and lower back.
The legs came next, then the feet, followed by my arms, neck and finally my head. When my hour was up, I felt blissful and new.
Nusta Spa is a green spa. I was able to relax and rest assured that nothing but the cleanest and purest ingredients were being massaged into my skin. In my case, an unscented olive oil blend.
The maternity massage at Nusta Spa was exactly what I needed. Before this little guy makes his grand appearance in June, I will definitely be back.
Wondering how to make your pregnant friends, wives, girlfriends, daughters, or sisters smile? Find a luxurious spa and gift them a maternity massage.
If you're in the D.C. area, Nusta Spa is a great place to start.
Nusta Spa, 1129 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC