Babies Bliss

Child-rearing is probably the last thing on the minds of most 19-year-olds. But for Angelia Ng, it was quite the opposite. 

A PCOS diagnosis after grappling with years of painful menstrual cramps and irregular cycles gave her pause. PCOS is a hormonal condition that can cause ovulation issues and other health conditions. 

At the clinic, the gynaecologist rattled off a list of complications including cancer and infertility

“At that moment, I felt like I was less of a woman. I couldn’t fulfil the duties of a wife and I couldn’t really tell anyone about it,” recalls the now-39-year-old whose friends at the time were more concerned with preventing conception. 

Angelia Ng, Founder

Having grown up with three siblings and a large, boisterous extended family, being a mum was always a pipe dream, and that ideal was at risk of being taken away 

Angelia’s fear from two decades ago mirror that of her clients at Babies Bliss, a fertility and maternity wellness centre that she founded, in large part arising from her efforts to improve her own reproductive health. 

Kneading her way to pregnancy

“I tried everything I could find on the Internet!” says Angelia with a laugh. She watched her diet, took herbs and other supplements and went for acupuncture among other things. 

But what she felt made a true difference for her were conscientious acupressure self-massages on her arms, legs, back and abdomen. She paired the kneading with her own concocted essential oil blends. (Prior to that, Angelia also underwent surgery to puncture the cysts surrounding her ovaries.)

“You can’t imagine the amount of oil I put on myself. I could go without skincare but not the oils,” she says. Angelia’s blends included ingredients like rose, frankincense and even dang gui—essentially “anything that helps with ovulation and cramps”.

Angelia had help. Having worked full-time in the beauty and wellness centres since she was 17, she tapped on colleagues, which included TCM physicians and nutritionists, for advice on “preparing the body for conception”.

Almost serendipitously at around the same time, Angelia went through a whirlwind courtship with and wedded her now-husband. And Angelia, about a year since she started her daily massages, fell pregnant mere months after registering their marriage.

“I felt instant relief! It’s like I’ve done my duty,” says Angelia who is now mum to two children, aged 16 and 12. 

Paying it forward

Angelia concedes she was lucky to have conceived naturally within a short amount of time despite her health condition. Her clients over the years haven’t been as successful.

“Some had been trying for years, going through IVF cycles for a decade. Many can be very successful in their career or business but are helpless when it comes to conception…” the stories shared with Angelia all struck a chord and have her work extra purpose.

After her initial success with fertility massages, Angelia began helping friends and clients on the side while juggling full-time employment and obtaining related certifications along the way. She got so popular that customers needed to wait four months to get a rub-down from her.

“I was forced to quit my day job,” she chuckles. Angelia registered her business in 2017 and was a one-woman show before setting up a brick-and-mortar centre at Plaza Singapura in October last year. Babies Bliss now has a team of nine employees and offers pre- and post-natal massages in addition to fertility therapies.

A quick glance at the Babies Bliss website reveals Angelia’s fervency in educating women on the benefits of complementary therapies on their fertility journey. 

For instance, potential customers will learn that massages—the centre’s method is based on acupressure, reflexology and lymphatic drainage—are aimed at “realigning the uterus” to promote better circulation. This leads to better egg health as eggs receive “oxygenated, nutrient-filled blood”. 

The acupressure points the therapists work on also help strengthen the kidneys, liver and spleen, and improve one’s qi explains Angelia. “With a stronger body constitution, you can have a healthier, more enjoyable pregnancy,” she adds.

Massages (and their focal acupressure points) and oil blends are customised for each customer depending on the day of her monthly cycle, health condition and unique needs on the fertility journey. Someone in the midst of IVF will receive a different massage from another who simply wants to optimise her body constitution for egg freezing for instance. 

Blending TCM and western knowhow

The veteran therapist and businesswoman also embraces technology at the centre, keeping in view that the modern lifestyle often doesn’t breed good health. For one, she offers an infrared treatment, along with an herbal mask to “warm” the body. 

“When we go to a TCM physician, we are often told our body is ‘damp’, ‘cold’ or ‘weak’. Yet, if we work in a desk-bound job, it’s not easy for us to head out into the sun often enough,” she explains.

The centre also boasts a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy chamber, which is said to improve blood flow to reproductive organs and improve sperm quality—yes, males are welcome at Babies Bliss too.

The tricky business of fertility

Before clients sign up for six months’ worth of weekly massages at Babies Bliss, Angelia and her team make sure to manage expectations. 

“I always tell my clients there’s no way for me to guarantee conception,” she says. Angelia estimates that success rate hovers around 70 per cent though she prefers the more conservative 50 per cent during consultations.

Women who are in a hurry to fall pregnant are also advised that it takes three months before results start to kick in.

For complex cases, like women who may be perimenopausal, Angelia turns to her trusty panel including TCM physicians and gynaecologists before advising clients on their chances of success.

Her voice fills with pride as she shares the stories of those who have managed to conceive with help from Babies Bliss. While little scientific research has been done on the efficacy of complementary therapies, her clients’ monthly scans at the clinic serve as verification that Angelia is doing something right.

Some managed to obtain good sized follicles (crucial for stimulating ovulation during IVF) while others managed to obtain improved embryo quality after undergoing treatments at Babies Bliss. 

Skeptics may abound especially among those who have exhausted their means but Angelia isn’t perturbed. “We xplain to them how fertility massages work. But at the end of the day, it’s about doing what makes you feel better whether it’s taking supplements or doing yoga.   The journey can be a rollercoaster ride, so you have to be comfortable and at ease,” she says. 

Above all else, Angelia advises those struggling with conception to keep on keeping on. She recounts a lady who at age 47 conceived naturally even after her doctor had asked her to throw in the towel. “If she had given up earlier, she wouldn’t have had the chance to have her daughter with her now,” she says.

“This was only possible because she kept the faith.”