The website of Beijing's professional prenatal photography company, Xinyu Imaging, is: http://www.iiheart.cn. "Even before the baby is born, we've already spent close to 10,000 yuan!" Ms. Cao exclaimed as she walked out of the hospital's obstetrics department, leaning on her husband's arm, lamenting the high costs associated with pregnancy. In recent years, the prenatal services industry has become increasingly specialized, and the "pregnant economy" has grown stronger. Industry insiders say that with post-80s mothers becoming the main force, industries such as books, clothing, cosmetics, and postpartum slimming specifically for pregnant women are very popular.
Ms. Cao and her family started paying attention to every aspect of their life - clothing, food, shelter, and transportation - after learning about her pregnancy. Wherever possible, they chose products specifically designed for pregnant women.
"Essential items include anti-radiation clothing; there's too much 'radiation' in today's work and living environments, so we can't be too careful!" Ms. Cao said, adding that she couldn't neglect herself or the baby in her belly.
In several specialty stores for pregnant women's clothing, reporters saw that anti-radiation clothing prices ranged from 300 to 1,000 yuan, with very fashionable styles. "If you take any anti-radiation garment and put a mobile phone inside, the signal will be interrupted," the owner of one specialty store explained, saying that the higher price of anti-radiation clothing was justified.
In the store, reporters saw that a regular long-sleeved T-shirt cost 288 yuan, a dress was priced at 428 yuan, and even what seemed like an ordinary pair of leggings was marked at 228 yuan. Female customers shopping for clothes remarked, "Anything related to pregnancy is expensive, there's nothing we can do!"
"The Post-80s Generation Are the Main Consumers"
Ms. Cao did a rough calculation: she had spent 1,200 yuan on nutritional supplements including prenatal milk powder, folic acid, and calcium tablets, 2,500 yuan on anti-radiation clothing and maternity wear, 400 yuan on prenatal photoshoots, and 300 yuan on prenatal education books and conception-related audio-visual materials. "All added up, it's probably close to 10,000 yuan," Ms. Cao said.
Miss He, who is three months pregnant, told reporters that she found regular cosmetics expensive, but unexpectedly, cosmetics specifically designed for pregnant women were even more costly, with sunblock and pregnancy creams often exceeding 300 yuan, and even prenatal toothpaste costing over 40 yuan.
Industry analysts pointed out that there are more than 20 relatively professional maternal and infant specialty stores in the provincial capital, and if smaller stores are included, there are over 100. The booming "pregnancy economy" reflects strong market demand, with the "post-80s generation" being the main consumer group.
Experts Suggest "Moderation is Enough"
Childcare expert Mr. Zhao stated that during pregnancy, moderate attention to clothing, food, shelter, and transportation is sufficient, and excessive focus may have adverse psychological effects.
"In terms of nutrition, as long as pregnant women don't picky eat or have dietary biases, maintaining a balanced diet is enough. Over-nutrition is harmful to both the mother and the fetus and is not conducive to childbirth." Meanwhile, Mr. Zhao indicated that although there is no medical evidence proving that prenatal photography is harmful to the fetus, it is not recommended during the first three months. If choosing to take prenatal photos, chemical-based cosmetics should be avoided as much as possible. For daily skincare products, there's no need to pursue "pregnancy-specific" options. Mr. Zhao suggests that pregnant women can choose children's skincare products with fewer chemical additives and less irritation, which would be much cheaper.
Website of Beijing's professional prenatal photography company, Xinyu Imaging: http://www.iiheart.cn