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Birth Stories of Japan
Birth Stories of Japan episodes
- #20 | Loneliness, prenatal depression, positive natural birth in Hyogo prefecture
In this episode we speak to Laura about her first birth experience in Japan which she's using as a bit of a 'baseline' for her second baby's arrival later in the year. Although it took her sometime to really process the experience, she does say that it was a positive natural birth.
Being new to the country (Sanda, Hyōgo) her pregnancy was quite lonely and she did experience some prenatal depression.
Birth care facility:
+ Sanda Shimin Byouin
Follow on IG @birthstoriesjp-------------------------------------------------Show notes: Covid-19, government hospital, no pain medication, natural birth, crowning, tearing, play groups
-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Opening
02:39 - Intro
03:44 - Journey to pregnancy
06:04 - Pregnancy
19:01 - Birth story
44:08 - Postpartum recovery
46:53 - Bottle time
51:13 - Outro
53 min - #19 | Hospital vs midwife home birth in Sapporo, tasting placenta, Mother's blessingIn this episode we speak with @suzukibears a mother of two originally from Toronto, Canada. After a positive birth experience at Sapporo Maternity Women’s Hospital in 2020 (during the pandemic) she heard about Ekubo Midwifery during her 2nd pregnancy and decided to have a home birth there in 2023 for another positive birth experience.She shares the unique experience of tasting their 2nd baby’s placenta, a Mother’s Blessing & gives her advice for others that are considering changing their birth care providers mid-pregnancy.To hear more about Amy's first birth experience you can listen hereCare facilities:+ Sapporo Maternity Women's Hospital+ Ekubo Midwifery Clinic+ ENA Ladies Clinic (partner clinic)PS. Amy & I both gave birth in the same midwifery home just one year apart from each other!-------------------------------------------------Show notes:Covid 19, birth partners, positive births, University hospital, breastfeeding, lightning crotch, natural birth, midwifery, home birth, eating placenta, afterbirth, Mother's blessing, blessingway, Stephanie Kawaii, Tokyo Doula cafe, fetal scope, fetal heart rate monitor.Pregnant in Japan Podcast-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening04:40 - Intro06:17 - Journey to pregnancy + pregnancy #109:06 - Birth story15:24 - Postpartum recovery16:50 - Journey to pregnancy + pregnancy #225:31 - Birth story41:04 - Postpartum recovery43:18 - Costs44:48 - Bottle time47:17 - Outro49 min
- #18 | Brazilian couple, liver issue, Tokyo birth 35 weeks & NICU stay during COVID 19In this episode we speak to Gabi who walks us through her pregnancy and birth journey with daughter Satsuki. Satsuki was born prematurely in Tokyo during the pandemic which meant a solo labour for Gabi and then having to deal with the hospital's policies around NICU visits, limiting her abilities to be next to her daughter for the first two weeks.She also found out about a liver issue during her pregnancy, discusses the language barrier at her hospital and takes us through her breastfeeding journey with a prem baby. Satsuki was born August 2022 at 35 weeks and weighing 2028g.Care facilities:+ Sho Hospital, Kita ku, Tokyo+ Nihon University Itabashi Hospital-------------------------------------------------Show notes: Brazil, Brazilian couple, Tokyo, symptoms of yellow eyes, liver health issue, hospitalisation, asthma, weight loss, early water breaks, PROM, 31 hours labour, IV drip induction, Ferguson reflex, premature, NICU, COVID restrictions, breastfeeding journey-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening01:49 - Intro02:57 - Journey to Pregnancy06:03 - Pregnancy15:54 - Birth Story25:56 - Postpartum recovery33:17 - Costs33:54 - Bottle time36:17 - Outro40 min
- #17 | Bulgarian mama, 3 birth stories in Kansai, JapanOn this episode we speak to Nina who has 3 birth stories at 3 different clinics for us to listen to and compare. At each birth she felt more and more empowered and although the journey was never 'perfect' and postpartum recoveries were hard with her husband having no paternity leave, there was always a positive outcome.She talks about navigating cultural differences, advocating and negotiating for certain birth practices and also coming to peace with birth preferences that she was denied.Care facilities:+ Hirano Maternity Clini, Hyogo Prefecture+ Santa Cruz Maternity Clinic, Takarazuka+ Mom Clinic, Kita KobeYou can read more on Nina's blog here-------------------------------------------------Show notes:Moving to Japan mid-pregnancy, episiotomy, Alexia Leachman, Fear Free Childbirth Podcast, paternity leave, foreign support, breastfeeding, breast engorgement, blogger, Kansai-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening00:41 - Intro03:25 - Journey to Pregnancy #105:04 - Pregnancy07:17 - Birth Story13:05 - Postpartum recovery16:22 - Journey to Pregnancy #217:23 - Pregnancy21:07 - Birth Story27:05 - Postpartum recovery28:36 - Journey to Pregnancy #329:07 - Pregnancy31:01 - Birth Story34:53 - Postpartum recovery36:37 - Costs37:17 - Bottle time43:08 - Outro44 min
- #16 | Q&A with a Japanese midwife *BONUS EP*On this episode we speak to Eriko Lalanne a Japanese midwife based in Tokyo (e_tokyomidwife & josanshi_english). I've taken some of our followers most asked questions and thrown them her way:• Where can we give birth in Japan?• How can we say no?• Why are epidurals so expensive?• What happens if I don’t want to weigh myself at every appointment?…The list goes on!We discuss the standards of Japanese care, cultural differences and some possible fixes to our communication issues when we're going to check ups or are in labour.-------------------------------------------------Show notes:Japan Midwives AssociationTokyo, Japan, midwife, japanese, birth facilities, FAQ, interventions, refusing, care in Japan, epidurals, episiotomy, cultural differences, birth in Japan, painless birth, natural birth, weight gain, appointment schedule, filing a complaint.-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS00:00 - Opening01:59 - Pregnancy update05:41 - Intro11:09 - Who do I ask?12:37 - Where to give birth in Japan14:52 - Saying no to a test/check up20:21 - Differences between Japan and elsewhere21:38 - Epidurals22:42 - What is the 'norm' in Japan, painless or natural?23:45 - Appointment schedule25:34 - Refusing things during labour27:52 - Filing a complaint29:57 - Topic of weight gain33:33 - Cutoff for choosing your birth facility35:18 - Outro36 min
- #15 | Romanian mama with Hashimoto's disease and low platelet count in Miyazaki, JapanOn this episode we speak to Sorina whose passion for foreign languages led her to Japan where she'd meet her husband and give birth to baby Luca. Although she initially hoped to have a natural birth, Hashimoto's disease and her low platelet count deemed her as 'high-risk' which resulted in being induced & then ultimately a C-section.She talks about having to accept her modified birth plans & how alone she felt being 'the only one' she knew of with such health issues.Care facility:+ Nobeoka Hospital
------------------------------------------------- Show notes:Miyazaki, Hashimoto's disease,Thrombocytopenia, low platelet count, induced, foley bulbs, oxytocin IV,left occiput anterior (LOA), c-section, jaundice, NICU, anemia, mama guilt, RH negative, Birth Stories of Japan------------------------------------------------- CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening00:50 - Intro 03:02 - Journey to Pregnancy06:18 - Pregnancy09:39 - Birth Story19:23 - Postpartum recovery25:59 - Costs27:00 - Bottle time32:37 - Outro36 min - #14 | Sheila - Honduras mama gives birth in Chiba with consent to episiotomy & vacuum delivery
On this episode we speak to Sheila who is from Central America and moved to Japan 7 years ago with her husband (Japanese-Hondureños). An online prenatal course helped her decide on her birth plan, however when it came to delivery time both her and her hospital were happy to make changes.
Care facilities:
+ Yamaguchi Womens Hospital, Funabashi
-------------------------------------------------
Show notes:
Chiba, vacuum delivery, episiotomy, La Leche League, kangaroo care vs skin to skin, postpartum rage
Join our Birth Stories of Japan Facebook group!
------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Opening
01:07 - Intro
02:41 - Journey to Pregnancy
04:43 - Pregnancy
12:26 - Birth Story
26:15 - Postpartum recovery
30:59 - Costs
31:46 - Bottle time
34:53 - Outro
36 min - #13 | Hikari - Japanese mama, baby girl born by C-section in Aiiku HospitalIn this episode we speak with Hikari who is Japanese with an English husband. She talks about the pressures that she felt within her own culture around pregnancy + body image and the relief she felt being able to speak to her foreigner friends about it.Birth facility:+ Aiiku Hospital, Tokyo-------------------------------------------------Show notes:Questions around being able to conceive, happy pregnancy, morning sickness, conscious of weight gain, body image, epidural, C-section, blood loss, breastfeeding issues, super tired post-birth, weight gain articles - CNN Japan , Tokyo Pregnancy Group-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening00:49 - Intro01:26 - Journey to pregnancy04:50 - Pregnancy09:14 - Birth story15:43 - Postpartum recovery22:03 - Cost22:58 - Bottle time25:44 - Outro27 min
- #12 | Aubree - American couple, two homestyle births in a midwifery centreIn this episode we speak with Aubree who moved to Japan with her husband from the USA and has since had two babies here. Due to her positive experience the first time round, both of her babies were born homebirth style at Kishimoto Midwifery in Osaka. Stone and Lila are very close in age and mama Aubree says that having family over during those early stages really helped her recover and not feel the mama guilt of leaving Stone while attending newborn Lila's needs.Care facilities:+ Yodogawa Christian Hospital+ Kishimoto Josanin / Midwifery -------------------------------------------------Show notes:Homebirth style, close age of babies, irish twins, postpartum hemorrhage, breastfeeding issues, mama guilt, loneliness, isolation, 12hr labour, 90min labour, positive experienceJoin our Birth Stories of Japan Facebook group!-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Opening00:59 - Intro01:39 - Journey to Pregnancy #102:48 - Pregnancy12:25 - Birth Story18:07 - Postpartum recovery21:54 - Journey to Pregnancy #223:20 - Pregnancy24:03 - Birth Story32:49 - Postpartum recovery38:25 - Costs38:39 - Bottle time43:35 - Outro46 min
- #11 | Alex - Mina's 19 hour labour & birth story in Tokyo JapanOn this episode we speak to Alex @alexleefilms who is from Malaysia and gave birth to her beautiful baby girl in May of 2023 in Japan. She went through labour on her own until the very end when her husband was finally allowed to join, but says that the long labour was very much worth it.Birth care facilities:+ Teikkyo University Hospital-------------------------------------------------Show notes:alexleefilms.comPowerspot gymKanagawa, suction cup support, refused induction, 19 hour labour, videographer, photographer, pilates, postpartum depression. breastfeeding issues, confinement period-------------------------------------------------CHAPTERS01:03 - Welcome Back02:23 - Intro03:55 - Journey to pregnancy05:55 - Pregnancy09:38 - Birth Story19:42 - Postpartum recovery24:54 - Cost25:23 - Bottle Time28:10 - Outro30 min
About Birth Stories of Japan
From the publisher's feed
Each episode one mum tells us about their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey in Japan. From pregnancy syptoms, to C-sections, home births, premature deliveries and postpartum depression, this is…
a collection of stories aimed at other mums living away from home ❀