WHAT IS JAMU? INSIDE THIS TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO POSTNATAL RECOVERY
Updated: Sep 23
Meet Belly & Bloom, bringing traditional Indonesian Jamu treatments and postnatal care to mums at home in Hong Kong.
Having a baby comes with an extraordinary amount of looking after someone else.
Feeds. Nappies. Sleep. More feeds. Googling things at 3am. Remembering when the baby last slept while having absolutely no idea when you last slept.
Somewhere amongst all of that, looking after yourself can very quickly slip to the bottom of the list.
For Ina, founder of Belly & Bloom®, that was exactly the problem she kept noticing. New mothers around her were pouring everything into their babies, while their own physical recovery and need for rest were often treated as something to squeeze in later.
Her answer was Belly & Bloom: an in-home postnatal treatment service bringing traditional Indonesian Jamu practices to mothers across Hong Kong.
So, what exactly is Jamu?
Jamu is a traditional Indonesian wellness practice rooted in the use of massage, herbs and other natural treatments.
Ina trained in Bali in traditional massage and Jamu belly binding, and Belly & Bloom's signature treatment combines three elements in a 60-minute session: a full-body and abdominal massage, a herbal tummy mask and traditional belly binding.
The massage focuses on relaxation, circulation and easing some of the physical tension that can come with pregnancy, birth and the early days of feeding and carrying a baby.
A paraben-free herbal Jamu mask is then applied to the abdomen before the belly is wrapped in a traditional cotton binding, extending from the hips towards the ribcage to provide a feeling of abdominal support. For Ina, though, the treatment isn't only about the physical side of postpartum recovery.
What does belly binding actually do?
The belly binding is probably the most distinctive part of a traditional Jamu treatment. A long cotton wrap is applied firmly around the body, from the hips to the ribcage, creating 360-degree support around the abdomen and pelvis.
After pregnancy, the abdominal area has been through significant change. Traditional belly binding is intended to provide external support around the abdomen, pelvis and lower back while the body recovers. For Ina, the emphasis is on support rather than restriction. Belly & Bloom describes the binding as helping to support posture and provide a feeling of greater stability through the core and lower back.
What are the benefits of postnatal belly binding?
According to Belly & Bloom, clients may find the binding provides additional support through the abdomen and lower back, encourages better posture and gives the core a greater feeling of stability during postnatal recovery. Ina also uses the technique to provide support around abdominal separation, or diastasis recti.
What about diastasis recti?
Diastasis recti — the separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy — is something many new mothers first hear about after giving birth. Belly & Bloom includes belly binding as a supportive part of its Jamu treatment for women experiencing abdominal separation.
The important word here is support. Belly binding shouldn’t be considered a replacement for postnatal physiotherapy or individual assessment if you’re concerned about abdominal separation, pain or your recovery after birth.
A reminder that mum needs looking after, too.
There’s something rather lovely about a treatment where you don’t have to go anywhere.
No packing the nappy bag. No timing a journey between feeds. No wondering whether the baby will make it through an appointment without needing you.
Belly & Bloom comes to you, bringing the massage oils, Jamu products, belly binding and even the music needed for the treatment.
The idea is simple: for an hour, someone else is looking after you.
That was important to Ina when she created the business. She wanted new mothers to have permission to make their own wellbeing a priority during a period when so much attention naturally shifts to the baby.
An old tradition, adapted for Hong Kong mums
Ina’s interest in this kind of care goes back much further than Belly & Bloom.
She grew up between Sai Kung and Canada and describes herself as a lifelong nature lover with an interest in herbal remedies and natural approaches to wellbeing.
After working in beauty, spa and retail operations, she travelled to Bali for professional training in traditional massage and authentic Jamu belly binding. She later completed her CIBTAC qualification, combining those traditional techniques with her professional training. Belly & Bloom has now been caring for Hong Kong mums for more than eight years.
For Ina, the appeal of Jamu lies partly in its ritual: slowing down, being cared for and creating space for recovery at a time in life that rarely feels slow.
So, when can you start?
Belly & Bloom offers treatments to postpartum mothers, with packages ranging from five to 20 sessions.
Ina recommends beginning treatment from around 7–14 days following a vaginal birth and 30–40 days following a C-section. However, recovery is different for every person, so anyone who has had complications, ongoing pain, a C-section or questions about whether treatment is appropriate should check with their healthcare professional first.
Sessions take place entirely at home and can be tailored around the realities of life with a newborn - which may be one of the biggest selling points of all.
Meet Ina
Belly & Bloom grew from Ina’s belief that postpartum care shouldn’t be another job for a new mother to organise.
After seeing friends and family devote almost all of themselves to caring for their newborns, she wanted to create something that put some of that care back onto mum.
Her background in beauty and spa operations, professional training in Bali and love of natural wellness eventually came together as Belly & Bloom.
Eight years later, she still brings each treatment directly into her clients’ homes across Hong Kong.
Because perhaps postpartum recovery doesn’t always need to be about doing more.
Sometimes it can simply be about letting someone look after you for a change.
There’s so much focus on preparing for a baby, then once they arrive, it can feel as though all that attention shifts overnight.
Feeding, sleeping, settling, appointments, visitors - suddenly your own recovery can find itself somewhere near the bottom of a very long list.
Postnatal care looks different for everyone, and Jamu treatment is one of the traditions that puts the mother firmly back into the picture. Whether it’s an hour to switch off, support for a body that has been through pregnancy and birth, or simply having someone come to you and take care of you for a change, there’s something lovely about making space for that recovery.
Because mums need looking after, too.
Instagram: @bellyandbloom
WhatsApp: +852 9559 8049
