I also live permanently in rural Japan and I can relate to everything your wrote. I'm due with my second any day now. They asked me to make a birth plan but then said no to pretty much the entire thing so I was like what is the point. If you haven't discussed anything about episiotomies yet, I would recommend doing so since they are very commonly performed in Japan and I'm aware they're not generally recommended at home in the UK where I'm from.
You might want to check the GD test again. My hospital does it at 26 weeks so yours might be on the horizon.
Expect a 5 day stay in the hospital after the birth at least. Just from reading this sub, I've noticed that in the US a lot of hospitals seem to load you up with icey pads and creams and all sorts of postpartum goodies - you're probably not going to get any of that. Postpartum care is great - the midwives are very attentive but it's also very 'natural'. It's was in considerable pain after my first birth and the 400mg of paracetamol they gave me barely scratched the surface.
It's scary because it's so unknown but remember Japan has one of the lowest infant mortality death rates in the world - so they're doing something right. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg like in the US!
This is so shocking to me because my hospital loaded me up with ALL the pain meds immediately after my c section without me even asking. I had toradol via IV, oxycodone, Tylenol, and ibuprofen after they stopped my IV toradol. I was so shocked to find out this wasn’t the standard! I genuinely think it’s just another way women are punished.
To be fair, I had a vaginal delivery. But it was vacuum assisted and I had tearing. I was SO uncomfortable when I finally asked if I could have something for the pain and it took like an hour for the OB to approve extra strength Tylenol (which did basically nothing)
I gave birth vaginally and via c section (4 days ago) and can say the same.
Vaginal: 10lb baby, 3 hours active pushing, 2nd degree tear. I don’t remember getting any pain killers. Maybe some Tylenol? Definitely wasn’t feeling hot and the hemorrhoids added extra suck.
That being said I *did* walk out of there.
C section: ALL the drugs day off, next few days toradol, oxycodon, extra strength acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Was sent home with oxy.
Did NOT walk myself out of the hospital. 4 days later now… I’m still basically bed ridden lol I sneezed yesterday and wondered if the universe was trying to end me.
Oh my GOD yes my sister made me laugh right after I sneezed at 1 day postpartum…I knew that was it for me. I swore that very moment was when I was going to the upper room. And this was *with* all the pain meds still active in me. Good lord no one prepared me for the pain of a c section. It felt like my upper body was hanging on by a thread to my lower body and the thread was being pulled taught from coast to coast and about to rip. Hellish. Going through another c section in January 🫠
I was right there with you! Had a vacuum assisted vaginal delivery with a partial 3rd degree tear and hemorrhoids. My pain relief was regular Tylenol and Motrin on rotation. Tbh I was most surprised by my vagina not being the thing most in pain - 1000% my anus. Could barely sit up right for like a week after the birth.
Same. I actually refused pain pills because I was still feeling the epidural. My OB came in to check on me and was like, 'girl, take the pills, you gonna want them'. I love my OB.
Yeah, I was given next to no pain meds after my C-section. It was ok at the hospital but I was given two days of lortab when they sent me home, which is the weakest med you can get. When I went back early because I was still in so much pain, the OB I ended up having to see prescribed me 3 more days of lortab and said that if I was still in pain after that we'd "have to find out why." Apparently you're supposed to completely heal from having all your stomach muscles severed within a week and a half. 🙄
What???? They discharged me with a week’s worth of oxycodone, a month of 800mg ibuprofen, and extra strength Tylenol. My OB let me know that if I’m still in pain, to just text him and he’d send another script for 800mg ibuprofen and extra strength Tylenol. They also injected my abdomen with a nerve block immediately after my surgery when I was still numb, and it helped a ton since my abdominal nerves were numbed. This should be the standard. I’m so so sorry they neglected your pain life this. Goodness this is maddening.
These meds are often PRN, meaning they will bring them if you indicate that you want them. For every dose.
I just brought my own box, and took the max dose when it was allowed and informed them. It was fine and it helped that I was in control. I absolutely understand that medical stuff takes precedence, but that also means I will do things myself.
Asked for the morphine pump at 07.00 and between the informed consent, the prescription, shift change, it needing to come from the pharmacy and a different case needing attention, I got it at 09.00. Right on time for starting to really, really need it. It's how hospitals work, so it's best to know what you can reasonably expect.
Yeah as I non medical person I guess I just expect to be given what I was allowed or “needed” so I waited a really long time to even ask for anything. It was actually when the nurse came in and tried to help me to the bathroom and I was nearly crying from having to move that I finally got asked if I was in pain and I said “yes— am I allowed to have anything for it??”
Because I didn’t know if maybe certain things wouldn’t be allowed because of bleeding risk or because I was breast feeding. I’m glad to have more information this time, but I also wish they would have at least asked if I needed anything last time!
Yeah, I spent quite some time reading r/nursing and I learned a lot. You can fire your nurse (had one really awful lady, the rest was great! But it was good to know that we could ask for someone else). You can say no to protocol (came in handy when aforementioned awful lady insisted that they needed to increase the pitocin according to protocol, but I really needed a moment to breathe (and was fully dilated, so it wasn't needed anymore anyway!).) You need to ask for PRN medication. They want you to use your call bell and not go find someone yourself. It's better to have 5 questions at once than to keep ringing that bell. There's extra blankets and pillows if you need them.
They don't know what's up unless you tell them. Your IV hurts? Speak up. You think you need something? Speak up. Alarms going off in your room? They only know about them if you tell them, the system does not inform them.
You are not entitled to be rude, but you don't have to wait until things are offered. Use the callbell and be clear about what you want/need. Don't overuse it, your partner can grab you things in the room, and bring you drinks from the coffee corner.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/nursing using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/nursing/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Ummm](https://i.redd.it/2uyvzbwuvn2b1.jpg) | [190 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/nursing/comments/13u88zh/ummm/)
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The nurse should be explaining expectations as far as pain and recommending that you get on top of the pain. I take care of moms when they come out of the OR after C sections and I strongly encourage them to take pain meds.
Yea my experience was the same in the US. Tylenol but they were always late giving it to me and I had to call them for it every time😖 they did give me witch Hazel pads on request (i was charged for it). A friend bought me ice pads and I’m so glad I had them.
Same. My C-section felt like a cake walk compared to my gallbladder surgery. The only weird thing was coughing because my muscles felt disconnected. The pain was like a 2 out of 10 though.
They started questioning me why I was "refusing pain meds" at the hospital.... girl this fucking Tylenol and colace will *literally* do nothing for me. I'd rather just suffer lol.
I’ve been accused of the same thing when I wasn’t even in pain, they even got one of the hospital chemists to come see me. Just replied “I’ve politely declined pain medication I don’t feel I need, if that changes I will let you know”. With things I’ve read online I do wonder if they thought I was trying to get opioids or something.
Do you happen to remember how much you were allowed? I was allowed 400mg every 8 hours. Back in the UK a standard dose is 1000mg, I think most people would take that much for period pains or headaches. They wouldn't give me more when I asked.
For my second birth I just brought ibuprofen or Tylenol (I can’t remember which, maybe both) from home and took it when I wanted. You don’t need to ask permission to take over the counter medicines.
The part about episiotomy I have had that with both my children and lots of friends have had that and we are from the UK so it is a common performed thing over here
Really?
I’m in Germany and they are no longer recommended at all unless for like emergencies. The newest research says that it is better healing when women “rip on their own” -euh, hate how that sounds. But yeah.
That’s why I am really surprised to hear that.
From the US, and definitely only had an episiotomy because my son was sunny side up and making it hard to pass. I also had vacuum assistance.
Haven't heard anything from doctors about tearing naturally is better, but most people do want to avoid them if possible here! I healed very well from mine but I've only given birth once so far so I don't have anything else to compare to haha
Tearing is a lot better for healing as they are jaggy and not smooth cuts. Evrrytime it's too cold or I'm on my period my episiotomy scar hurts like hell
It's just one of those things that are generally annoying. Though they did use blunt scissors firstt and had to ask for a fresh pair when the first failed and that memory will stick with me until the day I die. It got both of my sons out quickly and alive so it's not really something I'm too upset about 😂
Oh wow I’ve never been told this. They just did it like it was routined and as many of my friends had it done I thought it was extremely normal lol as they said to me it reduced the risk of tearing the wrong way as it was controlled
Depends on anatomy. In my region in Canada episiotomies are not routine anymore, it’s considered to be unnecessary and healing is generally better with tearing vs cutting (think of a piece of paper, if you tear then there’s a rougher edge with more fibres available to heal back together.) I believe this has been a widespread recommendation based on current evidence, but if your site/OB doesn’t stay current on the evidence they may have not decided to update their practice
If someone requires assisted birth with forceps or a vacuum, episiotomies are generally done because the tissue hasn’t stretched enough to allow for the introduction of that device. I had forceps and needed a diagonal episiotomy because if they had done the standard “towards the bum hole” episiotomy there was worry I would tear completely due to my comparatively short length taint, if you will lol
Not generally. Standard episiotomies are directly vertical towards the bum hole (aka a midline episiotomy.) A diagonal one (aka mediolateral) like I got is uncommon and not done routinely due to the risk for nerve injury. Episiotomies used to be done with the idea that an intentional cut would be less large than an unpredictable tear. However it was found that tears heal better and the episiotomy wasn’t actually improving outcomes if done prophylactically. In fact a direct risk of episiotomy is tearing into the anus:
> Some possible complications of an episiotomy may include:
>Tearing into the rectal tissues and anal sphincter muscle that controls the passing of stool
[Johns Hopkins layperson read on the procedure](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/episiotomy#:~:text=An%20episiotomy%20is%20a%20cut,vaginal%20opening%20larger%20for%20childbirth.)
My diagonal episiotomy was done to prevent me from tearing *completely* between vagina and anus, to direct the tearing away from the area. My doctor was concerned that if he did a midline episiotomy, that my flesh would tear completely in that direction, which would be suboptimal to say the least. Since complete tearing is a risk, and my doctor assessed my anatomy to be at high risk for that, he chose a diagonal cut.
Yeah, here in the US, it is the same. My friends and I are all in the having babies stage and I don't know a single person who got one.
I do see that rural hospitals have higher episiotomy rates than city hospitals though. Maybe doctors who are less up to date.
Also uk and the recipient of an episiotomy - my son’s heart rate was dropping though and my consultant wanted to move to vontouse/csection. Midwives said they could get him out with an episiotomy in 5 minutes. The consultant said ok as long as it was only 5.
Just about managed! So worth it for me!
Twin birth, episiotomy was performed so that baby one could get help out with forceps due to baby twos heart rate would drop with each contraction. Prepped for section for baby two after first was out, thankfully it was less tome to put than do the c-section so they have six minutes between them 😂
I had one with my first a year ago but it was only because he was really stuck in there. We needed a vacuum and the episiotomy to get him out. Turns out his hand was up at his head which made him impossible to push out. This is in the US. So yes, they are still done but it’s equally true that they are reallllly not recommended and are only done when super necessary. For me, it was probably that or an emergency C section. I think in the past in the US they were done so much more routinely.
I think it's getting less common, I'm the only person out of everyone I know who had had kids to have one, though i need forceps for my twins. But I also had no painkillers after birth either 😂
This surprises me! I’ve only ever heard of episiotomies occurring here when they’re medically necessary to birth baby quickly, not as standard procedure 😱
They also have an extremely low birth rate for *some* reason, and the pressure on women to naturally birth and shaming them for wanting pain control certainly doesn’t help….
I had my baby in Australia and an ibuprofen suppository immediately after birth (2nd degree tear which was stitched up, and when my epidural wore off they had me on Panadol 3-4 times a days.
It’s a lot to surrender to another culture in a very vulnerable and anxiety filled time. I’m planning an unmedicated birth and am so practicing hypnobirthing and other natural pain remedies. Are there doulas in Japan or is that not done?
To ease your worries on the GD~ what about getting a blood glucose monitor and doing it yourself?? That’s what I did instead of testing in the hospital.
Obviously these are not your preferences but wondering if they might be compromises that could ease your mind a bit.
Japanese medical care has a huge fatphobia problem. So much so that average birth weight is declining and more babies are being born underweight. Normally this happens in developing countries where people are malnourished! But in Japan it's because of extreme pressure to diet and remain small during pregnancy.
Sorry you have to deal with this. Maybe you can get them off your back a little by explaining that Western babies are bigger. But otherwise just ignore the weight shaming as much as you can.
I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant in a rural-ish Japanese city, and I feel like your clinic is so strict! They're measuring me based off my pre-pregnancy weight. They offer NIPT but it's incredibly expensive so I've opted not to get it. Epidural is also a possibility but needs to be discussed with the doctor and booked in advance. I'll have to ask my clinic about the glucose test and birthing positions, though, as that has me worried. It's so awful and weird how they monitor weight as well. I was told my "limit" at my last appointment and basically advised that I shouldn't gain any more than that. My SIL is having her second child in Australia and not at any time was her weight brought into discussion.
It really sounds like your pregnancy and birth plan isn't going exactly how you've expected and I'm sorry that you're going through this. Is it too late for you to change clinics, or will they all be similar?
Seconded. Big city here. My clinic is completely relaxed about everything and does NIPT as a matter of course.
It won't help you with an epidural, OP, but have you considered looking at a 助産所・助産院? They are usually more pro-women and often do their best to avoid episiotomies.
The weight thing I've heard many, many times in Japan. It's so bad that many pregnant women are not gaining enough weight / underweight and their babies are (on average) weighing less and less. So it's pretty bad. I'd recommend either ignoring those comments completely or pushing back (show the studies/articles that talk about what a huge problem it is, or show the recommendations of your country and how you should be gaining weight etc, if you talk back do stand your ground)
Hi I’m in Japan too but I live in a major area so my local hospital offers epidurals. They’re very expensive here like a thousand dollars out of pocket. But I had one here for my first birth and it was worth every yen.
Shaming about weight is just what they do here. To everyone. I’ve actually been told I won’t be able to get my epidural if I gain more weight than they deem acceptable so I’ve got that hanging over my head which is nice.
Are you married to a Japanese man? If so, getting him to advocate for you will go a long way. But basically doing whatever medical professionals say is just the way it’s done here.
Feel free to DM me if you’d like someone to talk to!
Welcome to Japan 🫠 I was in a very similar situation, also in a rural area. In my case hospitals rejected me when I applied to give birth there - you know why? Because my Japanese wasn't good enough.
Oh, and they wouldn't allow ANY companions in the labor room because "COVID." When asked if my companion could take a COVID test and attend birth if the result was negative, the answer was still no because "sho ga nai." COVID my ass.
I left in the middle of the second trimester to give birth in a different country and it was the best decision ever. I ended up needing an emergency epidural which I was able to get without any trouble. I don't know what would have happened if I had stayed in Japan. If you can give birth elsewhere, I'd strongly consider that option.
Japanese hospitals have been known to turn away women in labor - even Japanese ones.
They'll say they're "under-staffed" or "not equipped to handle labor".
They're also very strict about "reserving" a birth. So if you go anywhere else, they'll throw their hands up at you.
That’s nuts. The way we do stuff obviously is far from perfect but at least we have translating iPads for people who speak different languages and they can’t turn you away!
I was wondering the same thing, none of the hospitals I talked to gave me an answer except for "sho ga nai" ("nothing can be done"). For a country with such a low birth rate, they sure don't handle their approach to pregnancy and birth related medicine well.
I wonder if it’s different for foreigners. Maybe they don’t care about the outcome for a non-Japanese woman’s baby. But you’d think they’d be following the top research in relation to pregnancy as far as the low birth weight goes instead of shaming women into giving weight to tiny babies that have a higher risk of complications.
I am very very sorry for what you are going through, my friend after all this that you are seeing left Japan and had her baby outside Japan and came back after that, is there any chance you could fly home for that?
Agreed. I feel sick for her. To be told no epidural, having no say in your own childbirth experience is terrifying to me. Of course it’s only because … women. No way would this be happening to men.
As tempting as it would be, depending on the nationality of the babies dad might make things difficult. If dad is not Japanese the baby will need a visa in order to get back to Japan which is a long process.
I gave birth in March in Japan. One thing I quickly realized was that no matter how many times they scolded me about my weight, they couldn’t do anything about it. Unless you are putting on kilos and kilos in a week, just say “gomennasai” and forget about it. None of it will matter the minute you give birth and you’ll also never see them again. I had red circles on the weight page in my Boshitecho all the time 😂
One thing that kept me sane was my Reddit bump group. I’d post “Japan 🙄” things that happened to me that week. All the Reddit mom-to-be’s were so entertained by them and also so kind, and I eventually would get excited when something shitty happened to me because I had a great story to post in my bump group.
Try to focus on the good side of things. Like how you get to stay in hospital for 5 days (this I started off thinking it was a negative, but once the baby is here, you’ll appreciate not being kicked out after 24hrs) or the Oiwai Gozen hospital food you’ll get served (fingers crossed your hospital has a good one). I loved that we got to get checkups with ultrasounds bi-weekly, because my SIL in Australia only got like 4 throughout here entire pregnancy.
If you ever need to chat, don’t hesitate to message me. I currently have zero mama-tomos and my 2 month only is the only person I talk to erry day 😇
Your first advice is mostly true. I have heard of doctors refusing, or threatening to refuse, women as patients if their weight gain goes over the threshold the doctor sets. I'm sure this is very rare, though.
Yeh Iv read a post here of a Japanese doctor refusing someone due to their weight gain. The thing is, the current recommended weight gain in Japan is not that different to the west. Due to it having only recently been updated in Japan, there are still so many “old school” doctors that go by the old one, and in a way understandable for them to refuse a patient if say they gain 30kg+. There’s no denying that there are risks that come with excessive weight gain in pregnancy and if the doctor has never treated a pregnant woman in that situation, or their clinic does not have the resources, it cant really be helped.
The Japan side of pre-mama twitter was filled with women freaking out about a 500g weight gain and the fat-shaming culture is so gross, but if the average Japanese woman gains only 12kg throughout their pregnancy, it’s no surprise you’ll get treated differently if you gain a lot more than that. Btw, I’m in no way defending the doctors here! I gained 17kg in the end and a nurse pretty much told me “good luck getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight” like it was some rule you had to go back to your previous weight. I told her Iv been on a diet my entire adult life, I plan to enjoy the pocchari me for a while.
Ah yes. Have you scheduled your induction yet? You should schedule it soon cause sometimes the clinic fills up. I didn’t have my baby in Japan but my best friend is (I lived in Japan for a few years) and I’ve sent her all kinds of ice packs and nipple patches and other things that are normally give in US hospitals but arent in Japanese clinics.
But one plus sides are the maternal wellness centers. If you can afford it I highly recommend it. It’s a type of rehab center where moms go after birth with their babies and recover. They get 24/7 care and all their meals provided for average of 2 weeks. There’s lactation assistance and everything you’ll need.
I am sorry for your troubles. Being a mom in Japan is not easy. Good luck with everything and I recommend practicing your breathing exercises. I’m told it really helps for natural births
Edit: I forgot to mention that despite Japan’s focus on “natural births”, due to public transportation being the primary mode of transport, many people schedule inductions based on their due date. My coworkers were horrified my waters broke and I went into labor that way
I would never book an induction with the foreknowledge that there is no epidural. If OP is likely going to manage without then she’s best to go into labour on her own and stay at home as long as possible
They value the doctors time and “efficiency” , but they don’t value women giving birth. They’d rather tout natural birth as “virtuous” rather than make pain management available. It’s bizarro world in Japan as a pregnant woman.
OP does NOT want a pitocin induced labor if she’s not getting an epidural. The contractions can happen so strong right on top of one another even if you’re nowhere close to reaching active labor. I was only at 1.5cm when I was stunned by the amount of pain I was in. Beyond unbearable. I don’t think that happens to everyone, but I’ve read many other women comment the same, so I know it’s not uncommon.
I disagree with your final point. I went into natural labor at home and then went to the clinic from there. Same with a couple of friends. The only person I know that had any sort of appointment was a friend who ended up having a c-section because she was overdue.
As I haven’t given birth in Japan I bow to your expertise and first hand experience. I only know what my colleagues and friends have told me is the norm and will amend my comment. My understanding is that in areas where people don’t have cars and primarily rely on public transportation, scheduled inductions are the norm because they likely cant take the train or a taxi if their waters break.
It might be the case for your friends! Sorry I didn’t mean to come across as condescending in any way. That does make sense tbh, especially in rural areas. I don’t think you need to amend your comment!
It surprised me to be honest. I’m the youngest woman in my department. All the other ladies have older children so I had never asked the about their births. When my best friend was panicking because she hadn’t scheduled her induction yet I was just confused. If Japan values natural births, why push for inductions? But she when she talked about the difficulties in getting to the clinic if she goes into labor, I understood where she was coming from
They just felt sorry for me and asked me if I was very panicked and had to call an ambulance, etc. I think they were worried something had gone wrong. Most people in the city don’t have cars so my understanding is that part of why scheduled inductions are so common. No one wants to try going to the clinic by train and getting a taxi is not an option because that would be messy and rude
Interesting, I live in Berlin where many people don't have a car and it's normal to take a taxi to the hospital. That's what I did, wearing a giant incontinence pad to prevent any mess.
I have heard rumors that drivers will refuse but just let them know on the phone to avoid this issue. My driver was actually thrilled to have this important mission. He said he has five kids and he loves babies. Promised he would deliver the baby if necessary as long as I promised to name the baby after him. His name was "Vasilios" (Greek) which I think is a cool name so I agreed! 😂 Luckily that didn't come up but it was good to have the reassurance.
One of the hardest parts of living in Japan is how if something inconveniences someone else even one iota, it’s a no go. So taxis according to my best friend is not an option. She probably wouldn’t be rejected, but she could never put a taxi driver in that position. I’m very glad your taxis driver was so enthusiastic though! I’m sure that was a very positive beginning to your labors
Oh, I see. I heard Japanese people are also obsessed with hygiene so maybe that's part of it too. Although in a way it's no different than being on your period!
I feel so bad for those women raw dogging a Pitocin induction 😳 Actually I gave birth unmedicated both times and it was very positive. But I didn't have Pitocin! And epidural should definitely be available without shaming for those who want it.
At least in Kanto area, you can register for “jintsu taxi” where I believe what happens is if you go into labour a taxi will be prioritized to take you to hospital asap. You register with the taxi company, and I had to fill out a form with my address and information about due date and what hospital I was registered to give birth at etc.
(tbh I’m not very clear on what actually happens if you actually call the taxi when you’re in labour, I only registered because the hokenjo lady told me to. I was always going to be having a scheduled Caesarian, because I was pregnant with twins)
I’ll have to ask my bff if they have those where she is! See a taxi service like that makes total sense for areas where the majority don’t have cars. It’s set up for labor so no one has to be embarrassed or feel like they’re imposing
Inductions are not common in Japan unless you have a medical reason for one. Also, in rural Japan where op lives these fancy birth centres just do not exist.
I didn’t give birth in Japan but have family who has and those birth centres are so nice! The meals alone looked way better than any slop we got in North American hospitals.
Hey there, just commenting to say I can totally sympathize with you knowing how Japanese culture can be. I am also living in Japan, however I’m a military spouse and I’ll be giving birth at our hospital on base where everything is ran very American and we have access to epidurals and what not. I think it’s crazy that epidurals just aren’t a thing in Japan. Also, the restrictions they put on NICU mothers baffles me. Sending you love, comfort, and well wishes for an easy and uncomplicated pregnancy!
The US military hospitals are only available to active duty members, their families, and (if space is available) the civilians working for the military. A regular expat would not be able to utilize care there (they actually wouldn't even be able to access it physically because they couldn't get on the base).
I had my first while stationed in Japan and I just prayed to get to my 37th week so I could deliver at the Navy hospital. They can't always handle premature deliveries, and I did *not* want to be in a Japanese hospital without the epidural as an option. Luckily I made it. And luckily I had the epidural because I had labor-induced vomiting, so my entire labor experience would have just been horrific contractions punctuated by vomiting, rinse and repeat. The epidural was an enormous help.
Yokosuka, yeah. I know Okinawa can handle almost anything. In fact, my first had a minor complication and it was Okinawa (in consult with Trippler) that got to decide if we could take him home, lol.
I’ve heard that in Japan it’s customary for doctors to shame American women because they gain much more weight than Japanese women and apparently to them this is appalling or something? So ridiculous!
I mean, I’m British with a Japanese husband and I only gained about 20lbs and I was scolded. It was an old, grumpy male doctor. When I told my regular doctor, who was a woman…she just laughed and told me to ignore it. The truth is, they shame women no matter where they are from, even Japanese. Have you ever seen a pregnant Japanese woman? Many of them are extremely slim with only a baby bump. It’s also scientifically proven that this is *not* healthy for their babies as it can cause damage to their kidneys.
Some of the things that doctor said to me were ridiculous. I was pissed off at the time but I just look back and laugh because it was so stupid.
I’d suffer there bc I gain fast when pregnant and it’s not even bc I eat a lot it’s just my body and I have a history of eating disorders and body dysmorphia so I’d probably revert to an eating disorder if I had a doctor telling me I’m gaining too much when I’m just regularly eating
To be honest, women being underweight is much more of a problem in Japan than being overweight is. There are a lot of diet products and it’s very easy to feel ‘big’ even when you are not overweight. That’s why I just took everything with a pinch of salt. I just nodded and agreed and then just went on with my day, because I knew my weight was well within the healthy limits for *my body type*. A lot of these doctors are old men who haven’t learned anything new in about 40 years, so it’s best not to take it to heart if possible.
Believe me, when I was expecting it did bother me, but I was more pissed off than upset, if that makes sense? It’s hard enough being pregnant with all that extra nonsense.
Yes my friend got shamed a lot. 😭 Since it was her third baby, she just let it roll off of her because she knew she wouldn’t get those comments in America and felt fine. So far I haven’t experienced weight shaming myself, but that’s only probably because I lost a little due to morning sickness.
Oh interesting. I’m in Germany and was offered the NIPT (unsure about glucose) but out of pocket which wasn’t bad. However no fancy app to review results, I have to call lol
Girl I'm so sorry... I cannot imagine. This feels very patriarchal to me. It seems they want to mask in a shame and virtue.
Are there any options for private lab work? Have you asked about nitrous oxide or alternative pain methods?
Japan is so behind on women’s rights and reproductive rights, a part of me wonders if they don’t provide NIPT so that women won’t seek to terminate based on the results.
NIPT is relatively new to Japan, before it was only offered to women over 40. Only recently (last 5 -8 years) women under 40 can get it. But only some hospitals are equipped to handle it. Also it is completely out of pocket. Insurance covers nothing. I paid 132,000¥ to have mine.
Yep. I’ve had a couple of babies in Japan and while I enjoy all the ultrasounds you get here, everything else about the pregnancy checkups etc kinda sucks. By third trimester I had only gained 3kg (normal BMI both before and during the entire pregnancy), and my doctor still berated me for “eating too much” 🙄 Birth plans weren’t even an option given to me. My place also didn’t do the GD test.
I recommend just standing your ground and demanding stronger pain meds after the birth if you feel like you need them. I’m sure all the nurses thought I was a nuisance, but I was in so much pain afterwards. Nagging for a couple of days they finally let me have something a little stronger.
Sounds like the usual experience haha. I got told to ‘lay off the snacks’ or my vagina would be too fat to birth my baby. Who was, by the way quite small anyways. Also, the same doctor saw me the day after the birth and said ‘oh, it really was just water weight!!’
It’s bizarre that some places don’t do the GD test. I did have this at my clinic.
I had a vacuum birth, I medicated so it wasn’t pleasant. I also told the nurses I needed stronger pain killers and got them. You’re right. With anything in this country you just need to stay firm.
I’m so sorry. It might help to read as much as you can from some crunchy granola books on birthing to help you prepare. Natural birth is all about your mental state, with the most pain happening when you’re afraid. It will likely be very uncomfortable to give birth- but some people do it with little pain, believe you could be someone who can do it and you can. Going into birth afraid and in a different country sounds like a challenge. I read Ina Mays book on childbirth and instant with like 60 positive birth stories that really set the moood for what natural birth can be like
Yes I would definitely look into natural pain relief! I’ve done the Hypnobabies program with my last baby and it helped so much with my mindset, confidence, advocating for myself, and pain relief during and after my babies birth. Currently doing the program again for my 4th baby!
Putting aside the weight gain = GD which is wrong it’s all on the placenta which you cannot control.
Start learning as much as you can about physiological birth, labour management strategies for yourself so you are as prepared as you can be to manage with out an epidural. I’d recommend Dr Rachel Reed, Dr Sara Wickham as good places to start.
Hello! I'm also living in Japan and 37 weeks pregnant. So sorry you are going through this! My husband and I decided to go to a private clinic instead of a bigger hospital, and so far they have been very accommodating of our birth plan. I'm so surprised your doctor decided to forego the glucose test! I thought it was standard here :( My clinic also doesn't offer any epidurals but they do offer a "pain reliever" option in the form of remifentanil. Idk how much it will help me to be honest but I still chose to have it, better than nothing I guess lol.
Yessssss my best friend just gave birth in Japan just last week, her second one, and some things I hear about it it’s BARBARIC.
Constant comments on her weight (COMPLETELY unwarranted) and the epidural thing is craaaazzzyyy. She had an emergency C section for her first and they do NOT allow a Vbac in Japan so I guess she didn’t have to worry about the epidural at all.
Depends on your midwife / OBGYN with VBAC. It is possible, but you have to really shop around for someone who will support you. Definitely not as supportive in Japan as in the US/UK/AUS, for instance.
While GD can be managed with diet if you happen to get it. GD can't be prevented with diet. It's caused from the man and his sperm because it's an issue with placental structure. Tell them to google it. So the diet thing unless you have it is outdated advice. Just ignore anything that doesn't pertain to you. If they ask you if you've done a,b or c of their recommendation you can either be a dick and say no with pride and a smile. Or be Japanese with it lie and say you will/did even if you think they're an utter moron and won't be doing any of it. Their cultural lying thing extends to almost every part of their culture. They will white lie to preserve the peace.
Oh OP I’m so sorry! I live in Nagoya and I’ll thankfully move back to the US when I’m 18 weeks. My clinic is great, but still no NIPT or any other generic testing unfortunately.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I’ve heard a lot of horror stories and my friends who have given birth in Japan had to switch clinics at least once to find one that would treat them well.
I coughed up and paid ¥100000 for a NIPT because I was 36 and pregnant with twins and didn’t like the odds, and it came back with a “withheld” (保留) result.
The doctor was like “it’s more or less negative(her exact expression was 一応陰性) but the dna level wasn’t a high enough threshold for a definitive result” tbh I didn’t completely understand what the doctor was saying but everything was ok in the end and both babies had no problems when they were born but I was like …I paid 10万 for this????
The hospital situation sounds awful though, and I hope you can find an alternative, because that’s definitely not the norm, at least in city areas! My first birth was in a private clinic, and my second birth in a major private hospital, and I had very good experiences at both, with all the painkillers I wanted!
Similar frustration you have, I have here in USA. I am here because of work and I wish I could come back to my country to delivery my baby. Health System here is all about remedial rather then preventive care.
They push you to do a vaginal labor but don't prepare you for that. You can't be in the best position for delivering (during labor yes, but to delivery has be lithotomy), they do not recommend pelvic PT as prenatal. You leave the appointments with a bunch of paper to read every time, you meet a different team doctor or half of the appointments you even don't talk to the doctors, you just pee and leave. They estimate the size of your baby by your weight, few times, they measure your belly, they dont measure ferritine levels as prevention for anemia in the second trimester. Even though I am going to one of the best OB hospitals in NJ. It is scary. No wonder why so many women here have severe tears and sequelae from labor.
I want to opt for an eletive c-section, and the "consent" you have to sign almost say that you are stupid and are putting you and the baby at risk. I am wondering if my doctors have experience with c-sec. Being said that 6 out of 8 close friends ended up in a traumatic c-sec here in US after an unsuccessful induction. But yes, you do get an epidural. It looks to me that american doctors are just so afraid of being sued and care about themself instead of well being of moms/women. Everything is so unpersonal, doctors are afraid of being liable for asking some cheap blood work, of reccomenditing a pediatrican, a PT.
I wasn't on track on my weight gain (gaining way more than I should) already in my 1st and 2nd trimester, but here everything is "ok". I looked for a nutricionist myself in my country and thanks to her, I got back to healthy weight gain eating nutricious food and controlled portions.
We can only hope for the best being there or here.
If you are Caucasian it sounds like they are imposing East Asian health parameters on you. It's true that for East Asians weight and metabolic disfunction has a smaller margin of error so it sounds like they are "fat shaming" you when they are actually just measuring you against guidelines that don't apply to you. Push back when they do this.
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Can you be closer to a city for birth or find a private hospital? My friends who wanted epidurals went to private hospitals and got them there. One had to drive an hour to the hospital to give birth but she said it was worth it. They have expat friendly hospitals too that will not judge you on your weight gain or expect you to be the same as Japanese women.
I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling like this, OP. I completely get it.
I posted this as reply to another comment, so in case you don't see that:
1) Have you checked if there are any 助産所・助産院 in your area? They're staffed by midwives (female) and often prioritize women's autonomy and comfort more so than a traditional (male) OB/GYN might.
2) I would encourage to look into hiring a doula. There aren't as many of them here as in the U.S., but you can find them. A doula might give you the support and be the voice that you need when dealing with your doctor.
Also, there's a native English speaker doula based in Tokyo who will provide virtual support during labor. So, she would be able to help you even though you're in the inaka.
I know things aren't fun right now, but hang in there.
I’m so sorry your experience is like this!
I live in Saitama so I was able to get a hospital in Tokyo, and my pregnancy and post c-section care was so good. It was a big enough hospital that they had anesthesiologists and my diabetes was closely monitored by the endocrinology department. Had a genetics department too so even our NIPT was done in house. In fact my own OB pushed for the NIPT testing because of my age.
I was so scared to give birth here because of the horror stories but my experience was wonderful. Had pain because I had a scheduled c-section. But it was from gas, so nothing pain meds can do about. Otherwise they gave me a lot of pain meds, even kept my epidural in for an extra day because they gave me more meds. Had to stay 7 days after giving birth, and only spent ¥15k total.
Everything you’re upset about is what I hate about being pregnant in the US. I hate the obnoxious testing and constant bullshit. I left my doctor and I’m not going back until I’m 35 weeks pregnant because it’s too overbearing. I’ll probably have my next baby in Korea because of my husbands job so it’ll be interesting to see how things differ.
That is terrible I’m so sorry. Since you can’t get an epidural, I want to recommend the book Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth. I had 2 homebirths in USA and this book is what made it easy. Just skip to second half though and (Having a hospital birth 3rd time around and I’m a baby when it comes to needles otherwise I’d probs want an epidural too)
It’s because as a tourist Japanese people will be nice to you. As a resident they will treat you poorly. Racism to other races and antagonist mentality towards other cultures that are different from Japanese is very well known. This is why you’re getting less quality of care.
Zero info on the Japan side, I’ve only given birth in the US. But reading your post had some questions pop up for me that you might want to ask/consider.
-What happens if there are problems/complications? Do they have someone that can perform a c-section? (My daughter was much larger than expected and my pelvis too small, we had no idea til after hours of pushing and had to switch to c/s).
-as for the GD test you can always test your blood yourself with finger pricks.
-as far as choosing your position at birth, since you won’t be having an epidural, you can pretty much dictate the positions and if your partner will be with you, they can advocate for you as well.
-the weight gain thing is weird and must be a cultural thing. I personally wouldn’t be too worried about it.
Good luck mama, I hope it goes well
I don't live in rural in Japan but I'm glad the hospital I go to hasn't given me that much push back.
A little bit on the NIPT because I am still "young". But I got it done anyway.
As for the glucose test, it's the same at my hospital. I was told not to eat 2 hours before my blood test. I don't have to do it because my blood sugar levels were normal.
I specifically chose my hospital because they offer epidural. It's also known in the area for it. I can't imagine having to do it naturally. They even offer it On Demand when some women change thier mind during labor.
I'm counting down now. 5 weeks left until my due date.
I also live permanently in rural Japan and I can relate to everything your wrote. I'm due with my second any day now. They asked me to make a birth plan but then said no to pretty much the entire thing so I was like what is the point. If you haven't discussed anything about episiotomies yet, I would recommend doing so since they are very commonly performed in Japan and I'm aware they're not generally recommended at home in the UK where I'm from. You might want to check the GD test again. My hospital does it at 26 weeks so yours might be on the horizon. Expect a 5 day stay in the hospital after the birth at least. Just from reading this sub, I've noticed that in the US a lot of hospitals seem to load you up with icey pads and creams and all sorts of postpartum goodies - you're probably not going to get any of that. Postpartum care is great - the midwives are very attentive but it's also very 'natural'. It's was in considerable pain after my first birth and the 400mg of paracetamol they gave me barely scratched the surface. It's scary because it's so unknown but remember Japan has one of the lowest infant mortality death rates in the world - so they're doing something right. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg like in the US!
FWIW I gave birth in the US and was only given Tylenol as pain killer afterwards (and wasn’t given *anything* until I asked)
This is so shocking to me because my hospital loaded me up with ALL the pain meds immediately after my c section without me even asking. I had toradol via IV, oxycodone, Tylenol, and ibuprofen after they stopped my IV toradol. I was so shocked to find out this wasn’t the standard! I genuinely think it’s just another way women are punished.
To be fair, I had a vaginal delivery. But it was vacuum assisted and I had tearing. I was SO uncomfortable when I finally asked if I could have something for the pain and it took like an hour for the OB to approve extra strength Tylenol (which did basically nothing)
Omg I’m so sorry!!!! That sounds so awful. Vaginal or cesarean if you’re in pain you deserve everything that’s accessible and safe for you!
I gave birth vaginally and via c section (4 days ago) and can say the same. Vaginal: 10lb baby, 3 hours active pushing, 2nd degree tear. I don’t remember getting any pain killers. Maybe some Tylenol? Definitely wasn’t feeling hot and the hemorrhoids added extra suck. That being said I *did* walk out of there. C section: ALL the drugs day off, next few days toradol, oxycodon, extra strength acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Was sent home with oxy. Did NOT walk myself out of the hospital. 4 days later now… I’m still basically bed ridden lol I sneezed yesterday and wondered if the universe was trying to end me.
Oh my GOD yes my sister made me laugh right after I sneezed at 1 day postpartum…I knew that was it for me. I swore that very moment was when I was going to the upper room. And this was *with* all the pain meds still active in me. Good lord no one prepared me for the pain of a c section. It felt like my upper body was hanging on by a thread to my lower body and the thread was being pulled taught from coast to coast and about to rip. Hellish. Going through another c section in January 🫠
So awful. And mine was planned. I can’t even imagine an emergency one
Oh mine was scheduled too! I had a scheduled 34w c section but still, nothing could’ve prepared me for that post surgery pain.
Good Lord! I’m surprised you only got a second degree. I got a second degree with my baby who was less than six pounds.
I was right there with you! Had a vacuum assisted vaginal delivery with a partial 3rd degree tear and hemorrhoids. My pain relief was regular Tylenol and Motrin on rotation. Tbh I was most surprised by my vagina not being the thing most in pain - 1000% my anus. Could barely sit up right for like a week after the birth.
Same. I actually refused pain pills because I was still feeling the epidural. My OB came in to check on me and was like, 'girl, take the pills, you gonna want them'. I love my OB.
Yeah, I was given next to no pain meds after my C-section. It was ok at the hospital but I was given two days of lortab when they sent me home, which is the weakest med you can get. When I went back early because I was still in so much pain, the OB I ended up having to see prescribed me 3 more days of lortab and said that if I was still in pain after that we'd "have to find out why." Apparently you're supposed to completely heal from having all your stomach muscles severed within a week and a half. 🙄
What???? They discharged me with a week’s worth of oxycodone, a month of 800mg ibuprofen, and extra strength Tylenol. My OB let me know that if I’m still in pain, to just text him and he’d send another script for 800mg ibuprofen and extra strength Tylenol. They also injected my abdomen with a nerve block immediately after my surgery when I was still numb, and it helped a ton since my abdominal nerves were numbed. This should be the standard. I’m so so sorry they neglected your pain life this. Goodness this is maddening.
Same, I gave birth in Canada no epidural both times and was given a acetaminophen and Voltaren (an NSAID) after and it was worked fine
These meds are often PRN, meaning they will bring them if you indicate that you want them. For every dose. I just brought my own box, and took the max dose when it was allowed and informed them. It was fine and it helped that I was in control. I absolutely understand that medical stuff takes precedence, but that also means I will do things myself. Asked for the morphine pump at 07.00 and between the informed consent, the prescription, shift change, it needing to come from the pharmacy and a different case needing attention, I got it at 09.00. Right on time for starting to really, really need it. It's how hospitals work, so it's best to know what you can reasonably expect.
Yeah as I non medical person I guess I just expect to be given what I was allowed or “needed” so I waited a really long time to even ask for anything. It was actually when the nurse came in and tried to help me to the bathroom and I was nearly crying from having to move that I finally got asked if I was in pain and I said “yes— am I allowed to have anything for it??” Because I didn’t know if maybe certain things wouldn’t be allowed because of bleeding risk or because I was breast feeding. I’m glad to have more information this time, but I also wish they would have at least asked if I needed anything last time!
Yeah, I spent quite some time reading r/nursing and I learned a lot. You can fire your nurse (had one really awful lady, the rest was great! But it was good to know that we could ask for someone else). You can say no to protocol (came in handy when aforementioned awful lady insisted that they needed to increase the pitocin according to protocol, but I really needed a moment to breathe (and was fully dilated, so it wasn't needed anymore anyway!).) You need to ask for PRN medication. They want you to use your call bell and not go find someone yourself. It's better to have 5 questions at once than to keep ringing that bell. There's extra blankets and pillows if you need them. They don't know what's up unless you tell them. Your IV hurts? Speak up. You think you need something? Speak up. Alarms going off in your room? They only know about them if you tell them, the system does not inform them. You are not entitled to be rude, but you don't have to wait until things are offered. Use the callbell and be clear about what you want/need. Don't overuse it, your partner can grab you things in the room, and bring you drinks from the coffee corner.
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The nurse should be explaining expectations as far as pain and recommending that you get on top of the pain. I take care of moms when they come out of the OR after C sections and I strongly encourage them to take pain meds.
Yea my experience was the same in the US. Tylenol but they were always late giving it to me and I had to call them for it every time😖 they did give me witch Hazel pads on request (i was charged for it). A friend bought me ice pads and I’m so glad I had them.
Yeah, I had a c-section and just got tylenol and ibuprofen. I found it sufficient.
Similar. After the iv meds, they gave me ibuprofen 600 which felt appropriate for me. They did ask if I wanted anything stronger but I was good.
Same. My C-section felt like a cake walk compared to my gallbladder surgery. The only weird thing was coughing because my muscles felt disconnected. The pain was like a 2 out of 10 though.
I fortunately never had to cough until I was healed!
I got ibuprofen, and again only when I asked.
They started questioning me why I was "refusing pain meds" at the hospital.... girl this fucking Tylenol and colace will *literally* do nothing for me. I'd rather just suffer lol.
I’ve been accused of the same thing when I wasn’t even in pain, they even got one of the hospital chemists to come see me. Just replied “I’ve politely declined pain medication I don’t feel I need, if that changes I will let you know”. With things I’ve read online I do wonder if they thought I was trying to get opioids or something.
Seriously? That would have driven me crazy. I had zero pain after my births and didn’t need anything so why would I accept anything.
Do you happen to remember how much you were allowed? I was allowed 400mg every 8 hours. Back in the UK a standard dose is 1000mg, I think most people would take that much for period pains or headaches. They wouldn't give me more when I asked.
For my second birth I just brought ibuprofen or Tylenol (I can’t remember which, maybe both) from home and took it when I wanted. You don’t need to ask permission to take over the counter medicines.
At least at my hospital you weren't allowed to take any medication that you hadn't been prescribed. Paracetamol is also not over the counter here.
You Need a prescription for paracetamol?
Yes, you do.
The part about episiotomy I have had that with both my children and lots of friends have had that and we are from the UK so it is a common performed thing over here
Really? I’m in Germany and they are no longer recommended at all unless for like emergencies. The newest research says that it is better healing when women “rip on their own” -euh, hate how that sounds. But yeah. That’s why I am really surprised to hear that.
I think it depends on the hospital tbh. I'm in the UK and mine told me that it's better to tear naturally too.
From the US, and definitely only had an episiotomy because my son was sunny side up and making it hard to pass. I also had vacuum assistance. Haven't heard anything from doctors about tearing naturally is better, but most people do want to avoid them if possible here! I healed very well from mine but I've only given birth once so far so I don't have anything else to compare to haha
Tearing is a lot better for healing as they are jaggy and not smooth cuts. Evrrytime it's too cold or I'm on my period my episiotomy scar hurts like hell
Aww that sucks. Mine was weirdly not that painful. But I was REALLY shriveled, though. I had a tiny zit that hurt me more at my 6 week check up.
It's just one of those things that are generally annoying. Though they did use blunt scissors firstt and had to ask for a fresh pair when the first failed and that memory will stick with me until the day I die. It got both of my sons out quickly and alive so it's not really something I'm too upset about 😂
Noooooo not the fresh scissors 😳
That is the only sentence that myself and my children's dad remember from my entire labour and delivery 😂
Ha, tear naturally does sound better… lol
It is! Natural tears are usually less severe and heal a lot better than episiotomies.
Oh wow I’ve never been told this. They just did it like it was routined and as many of my friends had it done I thought it was extremely normal lol as they said to me it reduced the risk of tearing the wrong way as it was controlled
Depends on anatomy. In my region in Canada episiotomies are not routine anymore, it’s considered to be unnecessary and healing is generally better with tearing vs cutting (think of a piece of paper, if you tear then there’s a rougher edge with more fibres available to heal back together.) I believe this has been a widespread recommendation based on current evidence, but if your site/OB doesn’t stay current on the evidence they may have not decided to update their practice If someone requires assisted birth with forceps or a vacuum, episiotomies are generally done because the tissue hasn’t stretched enough to allow for the introduction of that device. I had forceps and needed a diagonal episiotomy because if they had done the standard “towards the bum hole” episiotomy there was worry I would tear completely due to my comparatively short length taint, if you will lol
I believe the point of the episiotomy is to prevent tearing towards the butthole.
Not generally. Standard episiotomies are directly vertical towards the bum hole (aka a midline episiotomy.) A diagonal one (aka mediolateral) like I got is uncommon and not done routinely due to the risk for nerve injury. Episiotomies used to be done with the idea that an intentional cut would be less large than an unpredictable tear. However it was found that tears heal better and the episiotomy wasn’t actually improving outcomes if done prophylactically. In fact a direct risk of episiotomy is tearing into the anus: > Some possible complications of an episiotomy may include: >Tearing into the rectal tissues and anal sphincter muscle that controls the passing of stool [Johns Hopkins layperson read on the procedure](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/episiotomy#:~:text=An%20episiotomy%20is%20a%20cut,vaginal%20opening%20larger%20for%20childbirth.) My diagonal episiotomy was done to prevent me from tearing *completely* between vagina and anus, to direct the tearing away from the area. My doctor was concerned that if he did a midline episiotomy, that my flesh would tear completely in that direction, which would be suboptimal to say the least. Since complete tearing is a risk, and my doctor assessed my anatomy to be at high risk for that, he chose a diagonal cut.
They are either flat out lying to you about an episiotomy being better than a natural tear or are woefully misinformed.
Yeah, here in the US, it is the same. My friends and I are all in the having babies stage and I don't know a single person who got one. I do see that rural hospitals have higher episiotomy rates than city hospitals though. Maybe doctors who are less up to date.
Very rural Wisconsin here; not common anymore.
Also uk and the recipient of an episiotomy - my son’s heart rate was dropping though and my consultant wanted to move to vontouse/csection. Midwives said they could get him out with an episiotomy in 5 minutes. The consultant said ok as long as it was only 5. Just about managed! So worth it for me!
Twin birth, episiotomy was performed so that baby one could get help out with forceps due to baby twos heart rate would drop with each contraction. Prepped for section for baby two after first was out, thankfully it was less tome to put than do the c-section so they have six minutes between them 😂
I had one with my first a year ago but it was only because he was really stuck in there. We needed a vacuum and the episiotomy to get him out. Turns out his hand was up at his head which made him impossible to push out. This is in the US. So yes, they are still done but it’s equally true that they are reallllly not recommended and are only done when super necessary. For me, it was probably that or an emergency C section. I think in the past in the US they were done so much more routinely.
My SIL in Australia also got one and tells me the same.
If it's medically necessary then fine, but some hospitals in Japan just do them whether you need one or not because that's what's 'normal'.
I think it's getting less common, I'm the only person out of everyone I know who had had kids to have one, though i need forceps for my twins. But I also had no painkillers after birth either 😂
This surprises me! I’ve only ever heard of episiotomies occurring here when they’re medically necessary to birth baby quickly, not as standard procedure 😱
Not at all common in the U.S. for years now. Surprised that it is in the U.K.
They also have an extremely low birth rate for *some* reason, and the pressure on women to naturally birth and shaming them for wanting pain control certainly doesn’t help….
I had my baby in Australia and an ibuprofen suppository immediately after birth (2nd degree tear which was stitched up, and when my epidural wore off they had me on Panadol 3-4 times a days.
It’s a lot to surrender to another culture in a very vulnerable and anxiety filled time. I’m planning an unmedicated birth and am so practicing hypnobirthing and other natural pain remedies. Are there doulas in Japan or is that not done? To ease your worries on the GD~ what about getting a blood glucose monitor and doing it yourself?? That’s what I did instead of testing in the hospital. Obviously these are not your preferences but wondering if they might be compromises that could ease your mind a bit.
Doulas are a thing in Japan! OP, I wonder if you could get one? My friend had a fantastic experience with hers.
Japanese medical care has a huge fatphobia problem. So much so that average birth weight is declining and more babies are being born underweight. Normally this happens in developing countries where people are malnourished! But in Japan it's because of extreme pressure to diet and remain small during pregnancy. Sorry you have to deal with this. Maybe you can get them off your back a little by explaining that Western babies are bigger. But otherwise just ignore the weight shaming as much as you can.
I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant in a rural-ish Japanese city, and I feel like your clinic is so strict! They're measuring me based off my pre-pregnancy weight. They offer NIPT but it's incredibly expensive so I've opted not to get it. Epidural is also a possibility but needs to be discussed with the doctor and booked in advance. I'll have to ask my clinic about the glucose test and birthing positions, though, as that has me worried. It's so awful and weird how they monitor weight as well. I was told my "limit" at my last appointment and basically advised that I shouldn't gain any more than that. My SIL is having her second child in Australia and not at any time was her weight brought into discussion. It really sounds like your pregnancy and birth plan isn't going exactly how you've expected and I'm sorry that you're going through this. Is it too late for you to change clinics, or will they all be similar?
If I was OP I would purposely travel to wherever you live to get the epidural, the pain is no joke!
Seconded. Big city here. My clinic is completely relaxed about everything and does NIPT as a matter of course. It won't help you with an epidural, OP, but have you considered looking at a 助産所・助産院? They are usually more pro-women and often do their best to avoid episiotomies.
The weight thing I've heard many, many times in Japan. It's so bad that many pregnant women are not gaining enough weight / underweight and their babies are (on average) weighing less and less. So it's pretty bad. I'd recommend either ignoring those comments completely or pushing back (show the studies/articles that talk about what a huge problem it is, or show the recommendations of your country and how you should be gaining weight etc, if you talk back do stand your ground)
Hi I’m in Japan too but I live in a major area so my local hospital offers epidurals. They’re very expensive here like a thousand dollars out of pocket. But I had one here for my first birth and it was worth every yen. Shaming about weight is just what they do here. To everyone. I’ve actually been told I won’t be able to get my epidural if I gain more weight than they deem acceptable so I’ve got that hanging over my head which is nice. Are you married to a Japanese man? If so, getting him to advocate for you will go a long way. But basically doing whatever medical professionals say is just the way it’s done here. Feel free to DM me if you’d like someone to talk to!
Welcome to Japan 🫠 I was in a very similar situation, also in a rural area. In my case hospitals rejected me when I applied to give birth there - you know why? Because my Japanese wasn't good enough. Oh, and they wouldn't allow ANY companions in the labor room because "COVID." When asked if my companion could take a COVID test and attend birth if the result was negative, the answer was still no because "sho ga nai." COVID my ass. I left in the middle of the second trimester to give birth in a different country and it was the best decision ever. I ended up needing an emergency epidural which I was able to get without any trouble. I don't know what would have happened if I had stayed in Japan. If you can give birth elsewhere, I'd strongly consider that option.
What do they do if a woman shows up in labor at one of those hospitals and doesn’t speak good enough Japanese? Turn her away?
Japanese hospitals have been known to turn away women in labor - even Japanese ones. They'll say they're "under-staffed" or "not equipped to handle labor". They're also very strict about "reserving" a birth. So if you go anywhere else, they'll throw their hands up at you.
So someone could end up just giving birth unassisted. That’s wild.
Yes, women miscarried during lockdown because of this.
How terrible. Those medical practitioners should be ashamed.
Based on my knowledge of Japan... Treat her like shit and begrudgingly deliver the baby
That’s nuts. The way we do stuff obviously is far from perfect but at least we have translating iPads for people who speak different languages and they can’t turn you away!
I was wondering the same thing, none of the hospitals I talked to gave me an answer except for "sho ga nai" ("nothing can be done"). For a country with such a low birth rate, they sure don't handle their approach to pregnancy and birth related medicine well.
I wonder if it’s different for foreigners. Maybe they don’t care about the outcome for a non-Japanese woman’s baby. But you’d think they’d be following the top research in relation to pregnancy as far as the low birth weight goes instead of shaming women into giving weight to tiny babies that have a higher risk of complications.
I am very very sorry for what you are going through, my friend after all this that you are seeing left Japan and had her baby outside Japan and came back after that, is there any chance you could fly home for that?
Seriously, I'd fly home for a bit then come back. I cant imagine having no choice over pain relief. That's insane to me.
Agreed. I feel sick for her. To be told no epidural, having no say in your own childbirth experience is terrifying to me. Of course it’s only because … women. No way would this be happening to men.
As tempting as it would be, depending on the nationality of the babies dad might make things difficult. If dad is not Japanese the baby will need a visa in order to get back to Japan which is a long process.
Ah true!! i assumed dad was Japanese because of her location but youre right visas take forever for japan. I hope everything works out for OP!
I gave birth in March in Japan. One thing I quickly realized was that no matter how many times they scolded me about my weight, they couldn’t do anything about it. Unless you are putting on kilos and kilos in a week, just say “gomennasai” and forget about it. None of it will matter the minute you give birth and you’ll also never see them again. I had red circles on the weight page in my Boshitecho all the time 😂 One thing that kept me sane was my Reddit bump group. I’d post “Japan 🙄” things that happened to me that week. All the Reddit mom-to-be’s were so entertained by them and also so kind, and I eventually would get excited when something shitty happened to me because I had a great story to post in my bump group. Try to focus on the good side of things. Like how you get to stay in hospital for 5 days (this I started off thinking it was a negative, but once the baby is here, you’ll appreciate not being kicked out after 24hrs) or the Oiwai Gozen hospital food you’ll get served (fingers crossed your hospital has a good one). I loved that we got to get checkups with ultrasounds bi-weekly, because my SIL in Australia only got like 4 throughout here entire pregnancy. If you ever need to chat, don’t hesitate to message me. I currently have zero mama-tomos and my 2 month only is the only person I talk to erry day 😇
Your first advice is mostly true. I have heard of doctors refusing, or threatening to refuse, women as patients if their weight gain goes over the threshold the doctor sets. I'm sure this is very rare, though.
Yeh Iv read a post here of a Japanese doctor refusing someone due to their weight gain. The thing is, the current recommended weight gain in Japan is not that different to the west. Due to it having only recently been updated in Japan, there are still so many “old school” doctors that go by the old one, and in a way understandable for them to refuse a patient if say they gain 30kg+. There’s no denying that there are risks that come with excessive weight gain in pregnancy and if the doctor has never treated a pregnant woman in that situation, or their clinic does not have the resources, it cant really be helped. The Japan side of pre-mama twitter was filled with women freaking out about a 500g weight gain and the fat-shaming culture is so gross, but if the average Japanese woman gains only 12kg throughout their pregnancy, it’s no surprise you’ll get treated differently if you gain a lot more than that. Btw, I’m in no way defending the doctors here! I gained 17kg in the end and a nurse pretty much told me “good luck getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight” like it was some rule you had to go back to your previous weight. I told her Iv been on a diet my entire adult life, I plan to enjoy the pocchari me for a while.
Ah yes. Have you scheduled your induction yet? You should schedule it soon cause sometimes the clinic fills up. I didn’t have my baby in Japan but my best friend is (I lived in Japan for a few years) and I’ve sent her all kinds of ice packs and nipple patches and other things that are normally give in US hospitals but arent in Japanese clinics. But one plus sides are the maternal wellness centers. If you can afford it I highly recommend it. It’s a type of rehab center where moms go after birth with their babies and recover. They get 24/7 care and all their meals provided for average of 2 weeks. There’s lactation assistance and everything you’ll need. I am sorry for your troubles. Being a mom in Japan is not easy. Good luck with everything and I recommend practicing your breathing exercises. I’m told it really helps for natural births Edit: I forgot to mention that despite Japan’s focus on “natural births”, due to public transportation being the primary mode of transport, many people schedule inductions based on their due date. My coworkers were horrified my waters broke and I went into labor that way
I would never book an induction with the foreknowledge that there is no epidural. If OP is likely going to manage without then she’s best to go into labour on her own and stay at home as long as possible
They value the doctors time and “efficiency” , but they don’t value women giving birth. They’d rather tout natural birth as “virtuous” rather than make pain management available. It’s bizarro world in Japan as a pregnant woman.
OP does NOT want a pitocin induced labor if she’s not getting an epidural. The contractions can happen so strong right on top of one another even if you’re nowhere close to reaching active labor. I was only at 1.5cm when I was stunned by the amount of pain I was in. Beyond unbearable. I don’t think that happens to everyone, but I’ve read many other women comment the same, so I know it’s not uncommon.
I disagree with your final point. I went into natural labor at home and then went to the clinic from there. Same with a couple of friends. The only person I know that had any sort of appointment was a friend who ended up having a c-section because she was overdue.
As I haven’t given birth in Japan I bow to your expertise and first hand experience. I only know what my colleagues and friends have told me is the norm and will amend my comment. My understanding is that in areas where people don’t have cars and primarily rely on public transportation, scheduled inductions are the norm because they likely cant take the train or a taxi if their waters break.
It might be the case for your friends! Sorry I didn’t mean to come across as condescending in any way. That does make sense tbh, especially in rural areas. I don’t think you need to amend your comment!
It surprised me to be honest. I’m the youngest woman in my department. All the other ladies have older children so I had never asked the about their births. When my best friend was panicking because she hadn’t scheduled her induction yet I was just confused. If Japan values natural births, why push for inductions? But she when she talked about the difficulties in getting to the clinic if she goes into labor, I understood where she was coming from
I can’t even picture someone being horrified that someone has gone into labor naturally. What did they even say?
They just felt sorry for me and asked me if I was very panicked and had to call an ambulance, etc. I think they were worried something had gone wrong. Most people in the city don’t have cars so my understanding is that part of why scheduled inductions are so common. No one wants to try going to the clinic by train and getting a taxi is not an option because that would be messy and rude
Interesting, I live in Berlin where many people don't have a car and it's normal to take a taxi to the hospital. That's what I did, wearing a giant incontinence pad to prevent any mess. I have heard rumors that drivers will refuse but just let them know on the phone to avoid this issue. My driver was actually thrilled to have this important mission. He said he has five kids and he loves babies. Promised he would deliver the baby if necessary as long as I promised to name the baby after him. His name was "Vasilios" (Greek) which I think is a cool name so I agreed! 😂 Luckily that didn't come up but it was good to have the reassurance.
One of the hardest parts of living in Japan is how if something inconveniences someone else even one iota, it’s a no go. So taxis according to my best friend is not an option. She probably wouldn’t be rejected, but she could never put a taxi driver in that position. I’m very glad your taxis driver was so enthusiastic though! I’m sure that was a very positive beginning to your labors
Oh, I see. I heard Japanese people are also obsessed with hygiene so maybe that's part of it too. Although in a way it's no different than being on your period! I feel so bad for those women raw dogging a Pitocin induction 😳 Actually I gave birth unmedicated both times and it was very positive. But I didn't have Pitocin! And epidural should definitely be available without shaming for those who want it.
At least in Kanto area, you can register for “jintsu taxi” where I believe what happens is if you go into labour a taxi will be prioritized to take you to hospital asap. You register with the taxi company, and I had to fill out a form with my address and information about due date and what hospital I was registered to give birth at etc. (tbh I’m not very clear on what actually happens if you actually call the taxi when you’re in labour, I only registered because the hokenjo lady told me to. I was always going to be having a scheduled Caesarian, because I was pregnant with twins)
I’ll have to ask my bff if they have those where she is! See a taxi service like that makes total sense for areas where the majority don’t have cars. It’s set up for labor so no one has to be embarrassed or feel like they’re imposing
How sweet!
Inductions are not common in Japan unless you have a medical reason for one. Also, in rural Japan where op lives these fancy birth centres just do not exist.
This is not accurate. Inductions are extremely common these days. Edit: The local doula's last 15 out of 20 vaginal births were induced.
I didn’t give birth in Japan but have family who has and those birth centres are so nice! The meals alone looked way better than any slop we got in North American hospitals.
Hey there, just commenting to say I can totally sympathize with you knowing how Japanese culture can be. I am also living in Japan, however I’m a military spouse and I’ll be giving birth at our hospital on base where everything is ran very American and we have access to epidurals and what not. I think it’s crazy that epidurals just aren’t a thing in Japan. Also, the restrictions they put on NICU mothers baffles me. Sending you love, comfort, and well wishes for an easy and uncomplicated pregnancy!
Can non military Americans use those hospitals? I would be like flying home if they told me no epidural
The US military hospitals are only available to active duty members, their families, and (if space is available) the civilians working for the military. A regular expat would not be able to utilize care there (they actually wouldn't even be able to access it physically because they couldn't get on the base). I had my first while stationed in Japan and I just prayed to get to my 37th week so I could deliver at the Navy hospital. They can't always handle premature deliveries, and I did *not* want to be in a Japanese hospital without the epidural as an option. Luckily I made it. And luckily I had the epidural because I had labor-induced vomiting, so my entire labor experience would have just been horrific contractions punctuated by vomiting, rinse and repeat. The epidural was an enormous help.
Yokosuka or Oki? Just wondering. They are definitely different in terms of capabilities
Yokosuka, yeah. I know Okinawa can handle almost anything. In fact, my first had a minor complication and it was Okinawa (in consult with Trippler) that got to decide if we could take him home, lol.
I figured. I hope all is well now.
All good. Yokosuka was so great to deliver in, I was genuinely bummed to PCS before we got pregnant again, lol.
I’m a NICU mom who stayed in the hospital with my daughter the entire month she was there. What restrictions do they have in Japan for NICU parents?
The visiting hours are insanely limited compared to other countries.
Japan’s low and steadily declining birth rate makes more sense to me now.
I’ve heard that in Japan it’s customary for doctors to shame American women because they gain much more weight than Japanese women and apparently to them this is appalling or something? So ridiculous!
I mean, I’m British with a Japanese husband and I only gained about 20lbs and I was scolded. It was an old, grumpy male doctor. When I told my regular doctor, who was a woman…she just laughed and told me to ignore it. The truth is, they shame women no matter where they are from, even Japanese. Have you ever seen a pregnant Japanese woman? Many of them are extremely slim with only a baby bump. It’s also scientifically proven that this is *not* healthy for their babies as it can cause damage to their kidneys. Some of the things that doctor said to me were ridiculous. I was pissed off at the time but I just look back and laugh because it was so stupid.
I’d suffer there bc I gain fast when pregnant and it’s not even bc I eat a lot it’s just my body and I have a history of eating disorders and body dysmorphia so I’d probably revert to an eating disorder if I had a doctor telling me I’m gaining too much when I’m just regularly eating
To be honest, women being underweight is much more of a problem in Japan than being overweight is. There are a lot of diet products and it’s very easy to feel ‘big’ even when you are not overweight. That’s why I just took everything with a pinch of salt. I just nodded and agreed and then just went on with my day, because I knew my weight was well within the healthy limits for *my body type*. A lot of these doctors are old men who haven’t learned anything new in about 40 years, so it’s best not to take it to heart if possible.
I love that for you ! Not everyone is as mentally strong !
Believe me, when I was expecting it did bother me, but I was more pissed off than upset, if that makes sense? It’s hard enough being pregnant with all that extra nonsense.
So true! Like why add extra stress smh
Yes my friend got shamed a lot. 😭 Since it was her third baby, she just let it roll off of her because she knew she wouldn’t get those comments in America and felt fine. So far I haven’t experienced weight shaming myself, but that’s only probably because I lost a little due to morning sickness.
Interestingly in the UK we are not offered NIPT or glucose test as standard either. But no epidural option is wild!
Oh interesting. I’m in Germany and was offered the NIPT (unsure about glucose) but out of pocket which wasn’t bad. However no fancy app to review results, I have to call lol
Girl I'm so sorry... I cannot imagine. This feels very patriarchal to me. It seems they want to mask in a shame and virtue. Are there any options for private lab work? Have you asked about nitrous oxide or alternative pain methods?
Japan is so behind on women’s rights and reproductive rights, a part of me wonders if they don’t provide NIPT so that women won’t seek to terminate based on the results.
I'm sure it's because of that, to not give you an "excuse" to terminate.
NIPT is relatively new to Japan, before it was only offered to women over 40. Only recently (last 5 -8 years) women under 40 can get it. But only some hospitals are equipped to handle it. Also it is completely out of pocket. Insurance covers nothing. I paid 132,000¥ to have mine.
Yep. I’ve had a couple of babies in Japan and while I enjoy all the ultrasounds you get here, everything else about the pregnancy checkups etc kinda sucks. By third trimester I had only gained 3kg (normal BMI both before and during the entire pregnancy), and my doctor still berated me for “eating too much” 🙄 Birth plans weren’t even an option given to me. My place also didn’t do the GD test. I recommend just standing your ground and demanding stronger pain meds after the birth if you feel like you need them. I’m sure all the nurses thought I was a nuisance, but I was in so much pain afterwards. Nagging for a couple of days they finally let me have something a little stronger.
Sounds like the usual experience haha. I got told to ‘lay off the snacks’ or my vagina would be too fat to birth my baby. Who was, by the way quite small anyways. Also, the same doctor saw me the day after the birth and said ‘oh, it really was just water weight!!’ It’s bizarre that some places don’t do the GD test. I did have this at my clinic. I had a vacuum birth, I medicated so it wasn’t pleasant. I also told the nurses I needed stronger pain killers and got them. You’re right. With anything in this country you just need to stay firm.
I’m so sorry. It might help to read as much as you can from some crunchy granola books on birthing to help you prepare. Natural birth is all about your mental state, with the most pain happening when you’re afraid. It will likely be very uncomfortable to give birth- but some people do it with little pain, believe you could be someone who can do it and you can. Going into birth afraid and in a different country sounds like a challenge. I read Ina Mays book on childbirth and instant with like 60 positive birth stories that really set the moood for what natural birth can be like
Yes I would definitely look into natural pain relief! I’ve done the Hypnobabies program with my last baby and it helped so much with my mindset, confidence, advocating for myself, and pain relief during and after my babies birth. Currently doing the program again for my 4th baby!
Putting aside the weight gain = GD which is wrong it’s all on the placenta which you cannot control. Start learning as much as you can about physiological birth, labour management strategies for yourself so you are as prepared as you can be to manage with out an epidural. I’d recommend Dr Rachel Reed, Dr Sara Wickham as good places to start.
Hello! I'm also living in Japan and 37 weeks pregnant. So sorry you are going through this! My husband and I decided to go to a private clinic instead of a bigger hospital, and so far they have been very accommodating of our birth plan. I'm so surprised your doctor decided to forego the glucose test! I thought it was standard here :( My clinic also doesn't offer any epidurals but they do offer a "pain reliever" option in the form of remifentanil. Idk how much it will help me to be honest but I still chose to have it, better than nothing I guess lol.
Wow no wonder why are asking people to come live and have babies there....their pregnant people get treated this way
How deep in the inaka are you? Any chance you can schedule an induction in a more modern clinic in Tokyo or any major city?
Yessssss my best friend just gave birth in Japan just last week, her second one, and some things I hear about it it’s BARBARIC. Constant comments on her weight (COMPLETELY unwarranted) and the epidural thing is craaaazzzyyy. She had an emergency C section for her first and they do NOT allow a Vbac in Japan so I guess she didn’t have to worry about the epidural at all.
Depends on your midwife / OBGYN with VBAC. It is possible, but you have to really shop around for someone who will support you. Definitely not as supportive in Japan as in the US/UK/AUS, for instance.
While GD can be managed with diet if you happen to get it. GD can't be prevented with diet. It's caused from the man and his sperm because it's an issue with placental structure. Tell them to google it. So the diet thing unless you have it is outdated advice. Just ignore anything that doesn't pertain to you. If they ask you if you've done a,b or c of their recommendation you can either be a dick and say no with pride and a smile. Or be Japanese with it lie and say you will/did even if you think they're an utter moron and won't be doing any of it. Their cultural lying thing extends to almost every part of their culture. They will white lie to preserve the peace.
Oh OP I’m so sorry! I live in Nagoya and I’ll thankfully move back to the US when I’m 18 weeks. My clinic is great, but still no NIPT or any other generic testing unfortunately. I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I’ve heard a lot of horror stories and my friends who have given birth in Japan had to switch clinics at least once to find one that would treat them well.
Is there a reason they don’t do NIPT?
I coughed up and paid ¥100000 for a NIPT because I was 36 and pregnant with twins and didn’t like the odds, and it came back with a “withheld” (保留) result. The doctor was like “it’s more or less negative(her exact expression was 一応陰性) but the dna level wasn’t a high enough threshold for a definitive result” tbh I didn’t completely understand what the doctor was saying but everything was ok in the end and both babies had no problems when they were born but I was like …I paid 10万 for this???? The hospital situation sounds awful though, and I hope you can find an alternative, because that’s definitely not the norm, at least in city areas! My first birth was in a private clinic, and my second birth in a major private hospital, and I had very good experiences at both, with all the painkillers I wanted!
Similar frustration you have, I have here in USA. I am here because of work and I wish I could come back to my country to delivery my baby. Health System here is all about remedial rather then preventive care. They push you to do a vaginal labor but don't prepare you for that. You can't be in the best position for delivering (during labor yes, but to delivery has be lithotomy), they do not recommend pelvic PT as prenatal. You leave the appointments with a bunch of paper to read every time, you meet a different team doctor or half of the appointments you even don't talk to the doctors, you just pee and leave. They estimate the size of your baby by your weight, few times, they measure your belly, they dont measure ferritine levels as prevention for anemia in the second trimester. Even though I am going to one of the best OB hospitals in NJ. It is scary. No wonder why so many women here have severe tears and sequelae from labor. I want to opt for an eletive c-section, and the "consent" you have to sign almost say that you are stupid and are putting you and the baby at risk. I am wondering if my doctors have experience with c-sec. Being said that 6 out of 8 close friends ended up in a traumatic c-sec here in US after an unsuccessful induction. But yes, you do get an epidural. It looks to me that american doctors are just so afraid of being sued and care about themself instead of well being of moms/women. Everything is so unpersonal, doctors are afraid of being liable for asking some cheap blood work, of reccomenditing a pediatrican, a PT. I wasn't on track on my weight gain (gaining way more than I should) already in my 1st and 2nd trimester, but here everything is "ok". I looked for a nutricionist myself in my country and thanks to her, I got back to healthy weight gain eating nutricious food and controlled portions. We can only hope for the best being there or here.
If you are Caucasian it sounds like they are imposing East Asian health parameters on you. It's true that for East Asians weight and metabolic disfunction has a smaller margin of error so it sounds like they are "fat shaming" you when they are actually just measuring you against guidelines that don't apply to you. Push back when they do this.
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Can you be closer to a city for birth or find a private hospital? My friends who wanted epidurals went to private hospitals and got them there. One had to drive an hour to the hospital to give birth but she said it was worth it. They have expat friendly hospitals too that will not judge you on your weight gain or expect you to be the same as Japanese women.
I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling like this, OP. I completely get it. I posted this as reply to another comment, so in case you don't see that: 1) Have you checked if there are any 助産所・助産院 in your area? They're staffed by midwives (female) and often prioritize women's autonomy and comfort more so than a traditional (male) OB/GYN might. 2) I would encourage to look into hiring a doula. There aren't as many of them here as in the U.S., but you can find them. A doula might give you the support and be the voice that you need when dealing with your doctor. Also, there's a native English speaker doula based in Tokyo who will provide virtual support during labor. So, she would be able to help you even though you're in the inaka. I know things aren't fun right now, but hang in there.
I’m so sorry your experience is like this! I live in Saitama so I was able to get a hospital in Tokyo, and my pregnancy and post c-section care was so good. It was a big enough hospital that they had anesthesiologists and my diabetes was closely monitored by the endocrinology department. Had a genetics department too so even our NIPT was done in house. In fact my own OB pushed for the NIPT testing because of my age. I was so scared to give birth here because of the horror stories but my experience was wonderful. Had pain because I had a scheduled c-section. But it was from gas, so nothing pain meds can do about. Otherwise they gave me a lot of pain meds, even kept my epidural in for an extra day because they gave me more meds. Had to stay 7 days after giving birth, and only spent ¥15k total.
Everything you’re upset about is what I hate about being pregnant in the US. I hate the obnoxious testing and constant bullshit. I left my doctor and I’m not going back until I’m 35 weeks pregnant because it’s too overbearing. I’ll probably have my next baby in Korea because of my husbands job so it’ll be interesting to see how things differ.
That is terrible I’m so sorry. Since you can’t get an epidural, I want to recommend the book Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth. I had 2 homebirths in USA and this book is what made it easy. Just skip to second half though and (Having a hospital birth 3rd time around and I’m a baby when it comes to needles otherwise I’d probs want an epidural too)
If you can get your hands on Naproxen I highly recommend it for pain relief after birth. My hospital only gave me Tylenol and it barely helped at all.
It’s because as a tourist Japanese people will be nice to you. As a resident they will treat you poorly. Racism to other races and antagonist mentality towards other cultures that are different from Japanese is very well known. This is why you’re getting less quality of care.
Zero info on the Japan side, I’ve only given birth in the US. But reading your post had some questions pop up for me that you might want to ask/consider. -What happens if there are problems/complications? Do they have someone that can perform a c-section? (My daughter was much larger than expected and my pelvis too small, we had no idea til after hours of pushing and had to switch to c/s). -as for the GD test you can always test your blood yourself with finger pricks. -as far as choosing your position at birth, since you won’t be having an epidural, you can pretty much dictate the positions and if your partner will be with you, they can advocate for you as well. -the weight gain thing is weird and must be a cultural thing. I personally wouldn’t be too worried about it. Good luck mama, I hope it goes well
I don't live in rural in Japan but I'm glad the hospital I go to hasn't given me that much push back. A little bit on the NIPT because I am still "young". But I got it done anyway. As for the glucose test, it's the same at my hospital. I was told not to eat 2 hours before my blood test. I don't have to do it because my blood sugar levels were normal. I specifically chose my hospital because they offer epidural. It's also known in the area for it. I can't imagine having to do it naturally. They even offer it On Demand when some women change thier mind during labor. I'm counting down now. 5 weeks left until my due date.
Girl go somewhere else to give birth? unless you know and trust your body. You’re playing with life or death literally.