Yen Lim of TCM clinic Madam Partum is closing the gap in women’s health

A freshly painted, baby pink facade sits among a row of shophouses in Holland Village. Located among restaurants, hair salons and a fitness studio is a space dedicated to new and expecting mothers.

Madam Partum, a women’s health traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic that opened its latest outlet two months ago, is already attracting a regular stream of women seeking treatments for pre- and post-partum issues. Among its clientele are celebrities and influencers such as actor Joanne Peh, social media personality Naomi Neo, and Rachel Lim, co-founder of Singapore fashion label Love, Bonito.

It is the brainchild of Yen Lim, the second generation business owner of Chien Chi Tow, a chain of TCM clinics that was initially founded as a martial arts institute in 1969.

“My father (founder Lim Choon Huat) was very interested in Chinese martial arts. He travelled extensively to learn different kung fu techniques and eventually developed his own style, which led to the establishment of his martial arts school.

“He began providing treatments for his disciples who were injured during practice and tournaments. Using traditional methods, he applied ointments, performed massages, and healed their injuries. This inspired him to deepen his TCM knowledge by studying further in China during the 1980s,” she says.

In 1989, Choon Huat opened Chien Chi Tow’s first tuina centre at Bendemeer Road, specialising in a form of massage therapy to help improve circulation, and reduce muscular and joint pain. Today, the Chien Chi Tow portfolio – comprising six outlets across Singapore – includes Madam Partum, launched in 2017 at Tanjong Katong. However, 10 years ago, conceiving a viable future for Chien Chi Tow was difficult.

It was, reveals the 45-year-old, “the most challenging time of our lives”. She says: “At the height of our popularity, we expanded to 11 outlets in Singapore. That was before 2013. The company experienced a severe crisis during the next three years – we suffered a net loss of about $500K in 2015.

“When that happened, I realised it was time for me to take the lead and figure out what went wrong. That’s when I sought advice from business consultants – looking into the framework of the company, identifying what was essential for the company to survive, and move forward with progress.”

Yen and her team found that although the brand was established among an older audience, the company was not able to attract younger customers as its traditional and more “masculine” image did not resonate with them.

There was also a gap in the market for TCM specialists that focused specifically on women’s health – most clinics would only offer general health consultations.

Drawing from her own experience as a mother, Yen started Madam Partum as a subsidiary under Chien Chi Tow, and developed new services supporting the perinatal journey, inspired by the benefits she had experienced from TCM treatments.

“For prepartum mothers, the usual challenges include cramps, pain all over the body, water retention, and the fear of not knowing what to eat. When it comes to TCM herbal supplements, their concerns are often about whether they are suitable for their condition,” says the mother of two children aged 13 and 12.

Yen had just given birth to her first child and was going through some of these challenges herself. Resources on managing post-partum symptoms were not as readily available in Singapore back then, and so she turned to her dad for advice.

“I was significantly weakened from the blood loss [from giving birth] and the strain of caring for my baby. I remembered my father visiting me with bags of TCM herbs, encouraging me to prioritise my recovery. With the expertise of my father and the team, I would often consult with them on what herbal soups I could drink, the types of massages I could do, and how to approach these issues.”

Within a month, Yen returned to work on a flexible basis where she would swing by the office for an hour or two, “just to ease back into things”. 

“I found that I could cope, and my energy levels were good,” she adds matter-of-factly. Meanwhile, Madam Partum’s new service expansion, which includes pre- and post-partum massages and confinement care, has proven popular among the younger demographic. According to Yen, this move resulted in a 30 per cent increase in revenue across the entire business.

Championing women’s health

True to the philosophy of TCM, which emphasises a balanced and holistic lifestyle that includes being mindful about the types of food suitable for one’s deposition or “qi”, Yen is passionate about educating women about nutrition.

The certified food dietician from the Singapore College of TCM dishes out nourishing recipes on her Instagram (@yenlim_) using TCM herbs. Collagen soup with sea cucumber and osmanthus glutinous rice balls are among the mouth-watering dishes featured on her grid.

“As the saying goes, ‘You are what you eat’. I believe that food can be a form of medicine. I love to cook and, if time allows, I’ll create some interesting recipes to share on my reels,” says Yen, brightening at the topic.

She is an International Board Certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), one of two experts on her team. Alongside her colleague and fellow IBCLC Yvonne Lim, she conducts regular in-person workshops on breastfeeding for first-time mothers. On top of her work commitments, Yen has been a volunteer counsellor with Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group (BMSG), a non-profit charity, for nearly seven years.

“I volunteer on Saturday morning shifts answering queries from breastfeeding mothers, which come through various channels, such as Whatsapp, e-mail, phone calls, and Facebook. BMSG has a Facebook network with over 30,000 mothers actively participating. On a daily basis, mothers post questions like, ‘I have no [breast milk] supply, what can I do?’ Other mums chime in with their experiences, while counsellors like me provide advice and support,” she says.

In addition to its lactation programmes, Madam Partum provides personalised preconception care. Beyond enhancing physical recovery through therapeutic treatments and nutrition, Yen is a strong advocate for supporting women’s mental health. For example, Madam Partum collaborated with clinical psychologist Dr Annabelle Chow to host seminars and workshops on topics such as the challenges mothers face, and strategies for improving a child’s well-being.

Says Yen: “We want to empower mothers to take care of themselves, embrace their recovery, and prioritise self-care and self-love. This journey can be incredibly challenging, but mothers should know that they’re not alone. They have a support system of friends, family and professionals.”

Building this “village” of support was crucial for Yen as she juggled managing a declining business and being a new mum. Whether one is single, partnered, or in any other situation, she emphasises that balancing motherhood and a career is about how one navigates their journey. She firmly believes that a sense of community and shared responsibility “truly makes a difference”.

Yen adopts the same approach with her children – as they are now growing into teenagers, quality time is more about bonding over meals, sharing experiences, and celebrating key milestones.

“Just two days ago, my daughter received her PSLE results. It wasn’t about asking, ‘How did you do? How many points did you get?’ I didn’t even ask her about the points. I simply told her, ‘It’s over. Well done. Let’s move on. What’s next?’ It’s not about the score – it’s about acknowledging the milestone and letting her know I’m there for her.

“It’s about being present, sailing through the ups and downs together, and celebrating every small win. That’s what matters,” she says.

Modernising the TCM business

As a child, Yen would earn extra pocket money by helping her father when he started his TCM practice from their home in Jalan Kayu.

Given her father’s passion for martial arts, it was no surprise that his children were encouraged to pick up the practice too. The foundation of martial arts lies in discipline, explains Yen, and so she and her older brother practiced the “horse stance” in the living room for up to two hours every day. However, martial arts was not her forte.

“It was tough training, and we would practise various moves repeatedly. But I wasn’t particularly interested, so I didn’t continue,” recalls the softspoken entrepreneur.

What piqued her interest was how her father’s patients would arrive in pain – she would hear commotions and yells from inside the treatment room – but walk away satisfied with the treatment they received. 

“I knew I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps then,” she says. “We still practise those traditional methods. We don’t want to deviate too much from what works, especially when it comes to efficacy. However, incorporating technology is essential in today’s world. Therefore, digitalisation and technological innovation will be a key focus for the company.”

Since taking over the business in 2020, Yen has introduced technology into internal processes by digitalising appointments, consultations and administrative tasks. At Chien Chi Tow, customers can manage their appointments via its app, and when they visit one of its clinics, they are guided by staff to check in online without needing to register again.

For Madam Partum, the idea of expanding its suite of services to include machine-based beauty treatments came from two cohorts of final year Singapore Management University (SMU) students in 2024. The company provided support for the students with their projects, which focused on understanding Madam Partum’s role in the Singapore market, and analysing the possibility of an overseas expansion.

“The students highlighted that Madam Partum should expand its range of services to include aesthetic offerings, as post-partum mothers are not only concerned about recovery, but also about regaining their post-partum figures.

“Based on their input and our own market analysis, we developed our Shape-Up Define Therapy, which incorporates cutting-edge Korean technology, non-invasive technology for body contouring, to complement our traditional massage techniques,” says Yen.

Continuing her father’s legacy

Despite the challenges the company has faced in the past, the future looks promising for Chien Chi Tow and Madam Partum.

In October 2024, Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced that under an expanded Healthier SG programme, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is exploring how to “carefully incorporate” evidence-based TCM treatments into public clinics and hospitals, with subsidies available for patients.

It’s an encouraging development for both Chien Chi Tow and Madam Partum – Yen reveals that they are looking at expanding their presence in institutional healthcare providers and hospitals where possible. Currently, Madam Partum partners with Momley Loft, a confinement centre located at Downtown East, to provide confinement meals, herbal baths and post-partum massages.

While it remains to be seen how this new initiative by MOH may impact the TCM industry, Chien Chi Tow has already achieved a significant milestone in 2023. Eu Yan Sang International (EYSI), a TCM conglomerate with over 180 retail outlets in the region and 30 TCM clinics in Singapore, made an investment in the company, with a number of its representatives joining Chien Chi Tow’s board of directors.

Yen recounts her first meeting with Richie Eu, fifth generation member of the Eu family and EYSI’s managing director of Mergers & Acquisitions: “Rachel Lim of Love, Bonito connected us to Richie Eu, saying, ‘You must meet Yen from Madam Partum.’ So, Richie and I met over coffee, and a month later, he arranged a lunch meeting together with his father and my dad.

“It became clear that he had a strong intention to invest in Madam Partum. He saw it as a promising brand with high potential for growth. Most importantly, our businesses complemented each other in attempting to modernise TCM.”

She likens the merger to a marriage where “open and honest communication” is key and so far, it has created opportunities for Chien Chi Tow to shore up its business practices.

“To be honest, before the merger, we operated in a more family-run style, and our processes weren’t fully aligned with best practices. Over the past year, however, we’ve been working hard to close that gap and implement the recommended improvements,” she shares.

For now, Yen plans to continue introducing innovative treatments and services for mothers and anyone seeking holistic wellness at Madam Partum.

“It’s been a whirlwind experience, but I’m thoroughly enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from such seasoned mentors and major players in the industry. They’ve been incredibly generous in sharing their insights, and I’m grateful for everything I’ve gained so far.”

PHOTOGRAPHY CLEMENT GOH
ART DIRECTION ADELINE ENG
COORDINATION CHELSIA TAN
HAIR & MAKEUP AUNG APICHAI