Childbirth Around the World: Japanese

After reading this article in Parents magazine,  I was shocked to learn that the majority of Japanese women strive to give birth without the use of painkillers. This is something that I have heard about with American woman but majority of the women I no including myself have used “painkillers” during labor.   There is a belief among Japanese that labor pains act as a kind of test that a woman must endure in preparation for the challenging role of motherhood. This centuries-old belief endures despite the fact that a growing number of doctors in Japan are recommending epidurals for their patients, suggesting that they create a more peaceful birth experience. Although more women are beginning to exercise this option, centuries of tradition still keep many others from considering the procedure.

Japanese women deliver in hospitals, but it's not a given that the baby's father will act as the labor coach or even be in the room. Fathers are permitted to be present at the birth only if they have taken prenatal classes with the mother-to-be; if a C-section is performed, they must go to the waiting room. In general, hospital stays in Japan tend to be longer than in the U.S.; mothers can expect a minimum of a five-day stay for a vaginal birth and 10 days or more for a cesarean delivery.  This is so different from my experience.  I feel that it’s very important for fathers to be present during the birth of their child.  I also think that men need to take a couple of parenting/prenatal classes especially if it’s their first child.  This will give the dad some knowledge of what to expect from a professional.  This can be in the form of attending regular doctor’s appointments with the expecting mom or attending prenatal classes before the baby arrives.   In America, woman who delivery vaginal and she and the baby are ok sty no longer than two days in the hospital.  If the mom had a C-section, mothers stay anywhere from 3 to 5 days.  I stayed one day after the birth of each of my boys but would have loved to stay one more day.

 After leaving the hospital, mother and baby often stay at the mother's parents' home for a month or sometimes longer -- it is a cultural tradition that women stay in bed with their baby for 21 days. During this time friends may drop by to greet the new baby and join the family in eating the celebratory food osekihan (red rice with red beans).  When I left the hospital I went home to my house and the next day family and friends came over to visit.  I don’t want to even imagine my house if I was in the bed for twenty-one days!  I feel that giving birth is a remarkable experience and woman need to rest after the birth of a baby and take it easy as much as possible.  I really enjoyed reading about Japanese child bearing experiences and how they were quite different from my experience.   

Resource
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=4
Retrived on November 4, 2010