News / Wellness
Sisters launch South West’s first baby spa
The backstory of the South West’s first baby spa is as fascinating as the venture itself.
Sisters Louise Rickman and Jenny Alexander-Bowen launched Leteau after both were made redundant while pregnant in 2024.
Based in Bower Ashton, Bristol24/7 recently paid them a visit.
Their base sits under the gaze of Clifton Suspension Bridge, a stone’s throw from Bedminster Cricket Club, where the sisters have transformed a refitted shipping container into a small space of solace.
Five-weeks-old Asahi on his first baby spa day
They are part of a small community of businesses at Eco Studios.
Despite Bristol’s ongoing wellness renaissance, with saunas popping up in farms, back gardens and even in horse boxes, the idea of a baby spa remains a novelty not only here but across the country.
The only comparable facility the sisters could point to is in Cheshire.
The spark of inspiration came from the Netherlands, where a midwife friend runs her own baby spa.
After experiencing infant hydrotherapy sessions there with their own children, Louise and Jenny returned home surprised that nothing similar existed in Bristol.
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Jenny said: “I first experienced a baby spa in Holland when my little one was six months old. At the time, I was going through postnatal depression and anxiety, a real low point. It was just a lovely way to bond and connect with her.”
“When I came back to England, I googled it because I wanted to do it again and share it with friends, but there was nothing close by.”
Pregnant and newly redundant, they decided to throw caution to the wind and fill the gap in the sector.
Polly and her mum Ellie sharing a moment
Louise said: “Jenny lost her job while on maternity leave, and then eight weeks later, when I was 28 weeks pregnant, I lost mine too.”
“We both thought, if there isn’t one in England, maybe we should start one.
“It was stressful being made redundant while pregnant, but it also gave us the push to create something ourselves.”
Leteau opened around six months ago, when Louise’s youngest was just six months old. It is believed to be one of the UK’s first dedicated baby spas.
The name combines Leto, the Greek goddess of motherhood, and eau, the French word for water.
We spoke to a couple of clients, albeit via their mums.
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Ellie had returned with her daughter Polly, who is eight months old for a third visit. Their first session came courtesy of a gift card and, like many new parents, they arrived with some trepidation.
They left as “newly converted”. Ellie noticed Polly was calmer after each session and valued the chance to talk with Louise and Jenny, swapping notes on the realities of motherhood.
Louise, a former freelance TV producer, and Jenny, a qualified therapist, bring a blend of media savvy and hands-on experience to the business.
We also met five-weeks-old Asahi on his first visit. His mum Morgan watched as he relaxed in the warm water playing with bubbles. Afterwards Louise and Jenny demonstrated Morgan baby massage techniques on a heated changing mat.
Leteau uses specially designed hydrotherapy tubs that allow babies to float in warm, supportive water.
The sisters have converted a refitted shipping container into a little space of solace
The sisters say the sessions can help strengthen muscles, ease tension such as torticollis, aid digestion issues including colic and reflux, and improve sleep patterns.
Lousie said: “It’s the same as an adult getting into a jacuzzi. It’s so beneficial for our bodies, and it’s the same for babies.”
“For older babies, the hydrotherapy jets help massage muscles and strengthen them as they kick, crawl and start walking.”
Just as importantly, they offer exhausted parents a pause, space to bond and the reassurance that they are not alone.
Both sisters are mothers of three young children and have designed Leteau with parents in mind.
Louise previously experienced maternal sepsis followed by PTSD and postnatal depression. She is open about that chapter of her life and passionate about maternal wellbeing.
Sisters Louise Rickman and Jenny Alexander-Bowen launched Leteau after both were made redundant while pregnant
For the sisters, Leteau is about turning a difficult chapter into something hopeful: a place of connection and community.
All photos: Milan Perera
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