April 8, 2025 • 31 mins
In this episode, we share our unique pregnancy and childbirth experiences, highlighting cultural differences in maternal care. From Japan’s focus on natural birth to the U.S.'s medical approach, our stories reveal how environment and culture shape the birthing process. Join us as we explore the surprising and fascinating ways global practices impact the journey from pregnancy to birth.
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Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2279605
Big shoutout to Allison Gray for generously granting us permission to feature her song, "Off My Mind" (from Ep 05).
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I gotta get you out of my system.
I gotta get you off of my mind.
But how do I move on when noone compares?
They only keep me occupied.
I gotta break these chains thatbind me.
I try to shake them off sodesperately, but you pull them
(00:24):
tighter, string me along.
It's sad, but I'm so gone.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Hi guys, today I thought we could talk about
Sumi's pregnancy a little bitwhat it's like being pregnant
woman in Japan, because Tomomiand myself we went through our
pregnancy in the US and I feellike there are some things that
are different.
By just hearing some thingsthat we just heard and also, you
(00:53):
know, her pregnancy is a littlebit later, I guess, than when
Tomomi and I had our babies Ithought there were some things
that we can discuss.
Yeah, that said.
Sumia, where are you with yourpregnancy?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I am currently 25 weeks pregnant.
In Japan that's considered tobe seven months pregnant, which
is, I know it's different fromhow they count it in the US.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I don't know about Germany, so that would be six
months, I guess, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, six months in the US system, but seven months
in Japan.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I wonder why it's different.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I don't know.
The weeks is the same.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
By looking it up.
It said that in Japan, youcount the pregnancy from the
last day of your period, whereasin the Western countries it
starts when the baby wasconceived, which I think it
makes sense more, and that's whyit's different.
So then, what is full term?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Full term is 10 months, 10 days Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I wonder if that's how it was taught in Japan too,
obviously in health class andstuff, Probably.
I'm just wondering because Ijust clearly remember getting
the message that pregnancy isnine months long it's like if
you're making bread, it's likeyou're.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
They count when the yeast is activating.
You know, um, before you add itto the flour, and even kneading
and watching it rise.
Before even all that, theycount when they add the yeast to
the mixture and watch itactivate.
Yeah, I guess.
So I was just thinking bun inthe oven.
(02:31):
Yeah, you know like she'smaking that bun in her oven
right now.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, the counting system is confusing.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
But I'm sure you weren't confused though, because
that's how it is.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I was confused.
I'm still confused, but if yougo by weeks, because that's how
it is, I was confused, I'm stillconfused.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
But if you go by weeks, it's fine.
Yeah, no confusion there.
Yeah, well, I noticed when Iwent to Nihon, like last time
and you know the last couple oftimes I think that in Japan they
have elevators specifically forexpectant moms.
Or was it pregnant, or just hada baby?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
pregnant, if you have a baby, if you're handicapped,
if you're an elderly, they haveum dedicated elevators, yeah a
separate elevator what's the?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
difference.
Oh, you mean like prioritizethat so you don't have to wait?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
yeah, if it's busy, probably yeah they also have
it's kind of like theprioritized seats in the trains
oh right, or the buses, orwhatever, yeah interesting.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Are there any other things like services that are?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
provided.
Well, one thing I know is thatat costco in japan, if you're
pregnant, you can go an hourbefore it opens to the public,
which is nice.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, that's nice.
That is nice.
Yeah, you want to tell a storyabout what we tried to do.
Potentially, we talked aboutwhen we try going to Costco when
we were in Japan.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
What, what?
I'll pretend that she'spregnant, yeah because I did.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah, well, I said it .
She suggested it because thetime we were thinking about
going was when we thoughteveryone will be there, because
it's right before New Year's.
Oh, you know, it will bebombarded like people will be
shopping for New Year's, becausefirst, second and third Usually
all the grocery stores areclosed in Japan.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
So I mean, it was really, really, really crowded,
but no, I didn't, I didn't, Ididn't know that that was
discussed.
I probably would have executedthat plan no, we talked about it
.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, oh, I I remember.
I mentioned it because Icouldn't go, because I was still
feeling nauseous, yeah, and Iwas like, maybe tomomi can
pretend like she's pregnant sothat you guys can go an hour.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I don't remember, you guys suggesting this to me and
then we didn't go for it becausewe thought that they might ask
for some so in Japan they havethis thing called Boshi Kenko
Techo, which literal translationis like maternal and child
health handbook.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
This is what you get at your local city hall once you
confirm your pregnancy, andwhat this handbook does is it
records you and your baby'shealth, like, for example, like
how much you weigh, how much thebaby weighs, how big your
stomach is, getting your bloodtest results, urine test results
, everything.
So I thought that maybe theywill ask for that so that's?
(05:25):
is that like used in publicplaces at all like a pass, or no
, no, no I feel like it's onlyused when you have your
appointment to keep recording init to keep recording and oh
yeah, and one thing I want tomention is they also give you
these coupons when they give youthis handbook.
There are 16 coupons in thereand this depends on where you
(05:48):
live, but in my case, I was ableto use that coupon for my first
appointment and it was worthabout uh, I don't know the
current rate, but roughly about160 dollars, uh-huh, so I didn't
have to pay the full price,like discounted.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Yeah, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Then from my second and third appointment, it was
like roughly around 50 USD.
And then my fourth.
Fifth is like around 30 USD, Idon't know Nice.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Yeah, I mean, I guess we don't have a coupon system,
but I feel like something likethat, like promotions and things
in bulk I always see, you know,not necessarily just for
pregnant people, but like yourfirst visit to our hospital or
whatever you know a doctor'soffice, you could get this kind
(06:35):
of discount.
I see stuff like that all thetime.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But Don't you also have some kind of pickup service
or something?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Taxi.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, taxi that is dedicated to pregnant women.
This is when you're about togive birth.
Yeah, oh yeah, you have toregister beforehand.
You have to register your nameand when you're due, where your
hospital is, everything likethat, and let's say that you're
home alone and your water breaksand you will call this place
and they will come pick you upand you don't even have to say
(07:06):
your name, you don't have togive them any information,
they'll just take you straightto the hospital.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, wow, that you're registered at.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, so is this through regular cab companies or
is it like is there like adedicated company that does this
?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I think it's regular taxi companies, but there are
dedicated specific dedicated.
Yeah, okay, and they willprioritize you.
I need to register for that.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Haven't done that yet I wonder if they have some kind
of sign up, if you know they'redriving, because you know in
japan, I think they put sos tooright, like the cab drivers.
Like, if there's some sketchythings going on in the cab, then
you can like signal SOS to thepublic.
So then, in hopes that they,get help for the driver.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
I've heard about that .
I wonder if there's somethinglike that.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
This pregnant woman is attacking me, choking me,
telling me to hurry yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Another thing I want to mention is the most common
way to give birth in japan isthrough natural birth right, and
this is pretty shocking, butonly 8.6 percent of pregnant
women in japan give birth usingepidural.
That's insane.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Only 8%.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeah, less than 10%.
That is crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
That's one of the reasons why I chose to do it.
Naturally, because I thoughtokay, no, thank you.
I thought I cannot break this.
Every woman in the past of ourancestors have given birth.
Yeah, naturally I was likethere's no way I'm going to
break.
That is what I was thinking.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
And honestly.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I was like I'm
not.
That was the reason.
One of the reasons, yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
For me.
I think, um, I felt like, well,if pregnant women are not
allowed to take drugs, um,during their pregnancy, or, you
know, when they're breastfeedingand you know over every little
thing, I thought, why would Iwant to do that when I'm giving
birth too, cause I'm stilltechnically pregnant.
You can still pass it on to thebaby.
(09:18):
That was my reason.
I didn't care what my ancestorsdid.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
So, anyway, that was one of the reasons.
I guess then I will be thefirst yeah, you'll be the first
to break that uncommon.
But it was kind of a big deal,like everybody kind of around me
(09:46):
gave me advice, you know,advice from people who actually
ended up getting epiduralthinking they're going to do
natural birth.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Yeah, so what is there anything that stands out
in Germany?
Pregnant women that are German?
I, I know that you weren'tpregnant in Germany, but do you
have anything that's?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
so I think it's similar to New Holland.
They have midwives here insteadof you know anything that's.
So I think it's similar tonihon they have midwives here
instead of you know, like agynecologist.
Um, I believe, but I don't knowmuch in detail I had a
gynecologist and a midwife.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Midwife helped deliver.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, because you did home birth, yeah, but for me,
when I had our son, yeah, I wentto the hospital.
I had a doula who was abirthing coach, because I knew
that I needed somebody that Ican rely on, which Christophe
wasn't going to in the room, butI thought I needed support from
somebody who's experienced.
So she was basically a coachthat helped me through the whole
(10:42):
laboring experience.
Yeah, so I didn't have amidwife I had.
My gynecologist was notavailable, so I had a different
doctor that came who was on callto deliver.
But I did it at the hospital.
No midwife, I had a doula.
We wrote a birth plan, basicallywhat my wishes were.
I didn't want any IV oranything beforehand, nothing, no
(11:07):
medication.
And then we came up with apassword.
That was sort of sacred, Iguess, just in case I decided
that I changed my mind at somepoint.
She had said that a lot ofwomen they don't really mean
when they say, oh, I want theepidural.
She said that people just sayit because they're in so much
pain, but they don't really meanit.
(11:27):
So you came up with a code.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Oh, I want the epidural.
She said that people just sayit because they're in so much
pain, but they don't really meanit.
So you came up with a code likeif I say pancakes, then give me
the epidural.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, so you might say these things.
So let's think of a word thatyou're going to say.
I said reindeer, I don't knowwhy, I'm not sure, because he's
March baby.
It wasn't like even Christmas,but that was my password, which
I never used, just so that thereare a lot of things that you
can say when you're in pain.
And so let's just come up witha word.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
It really wasn't that bad for me Home birth, yeah, at
the hospital, because there wasso much chaos going on, I felt
like I needed to freak out witheverybody.
You know they weren't freakingout, but it seemed like they
were right Because it was somuch going on including your
husband, right, yeah, he left meand fainted.
But yeah, so like, so much likein and out you know people
(12:15):
coming in and out so that Ithink contributed to maybe my
stress.
But home birth was so muchcalmer and easier and to me I
didn't experience hardly anypain and Emiko was bigger but um
, you did a water birth to waterbirth, which I loved it was so
(12:35):
calming and they brought music,they dimmed the lights, they had
like flameless candles and itwas so relaxing, yeah, and so I
think it.
For me, the environment made ahuge difference.
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't even.
It wasn't, it wasn't painful atall.
I really highly recommendpeople do water birth.
(12:57):
Water birth is amazing.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I really wanted to do it and I had asked the facility
or my gynecologist because youknow she has certain hospitals
that she travels to and she saidthat she doesn't do it and I
thought, okay, that's okay.
I've heard that that was thebest way to do it.
It was very calming Because thebaby is basically still in the
water, so that's a goodtransition for the baby too,
(13:20):
coming out into the water.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I don't even know if they do that in Japan.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Yeah, they do, I'm sure they do.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
I've only heard like celebrities doing it, but not
like I'm sure they do inbirthing centers.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yeah, mine was also.
It wasn't bad because, again, Isat with my doula and you know
we wrote out the birth plan,what my wishes were, what I did
want, what I didn't want.
I didn't have any music on oranything and I was really
thankful to have her therebecause I realized she would put
(13:55):
like these, like cold towelssometimes on my shoulders and
such, and you know I wasn't evenasking for it.
She knew what I needed at thetime when I didn't know what I
needed, I guess.
So that was really nice.
She also talked to the staffthat kept coming in to check on
me that I was doing naturalbirth and that no epidural
needed, and all that kind ofconversation that she was having
(14:18):
with them was nice, because Ididn't want to have that
conversation.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
So it looks like Japan also does have water birds
, but it's very limited theplaces that they can provide
that I think it's the same inthe US.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I don't think it's a common thing.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I bet it's more common.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
I know some hospitals do that too, but I think a lot
of people that end up havingwater births.
This is my guess.
Maybe I'm wrong, but theyusually do homework.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
They get their own pool and then fill it up
birthing pool yeah birthing pool, and then do it at home.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
One funny thing that I remember still is um, I gave
birth in 2010 and I don't thinkit was rare, but it wasn't
common enough.
Perhaps that at at some point Idon't even remember who asked
if the residents can come andwatch me give birth and I said
yes, and at the time I wascompletely like naked right,
(15:18):
like I had nothing on.
It was just like bare it all tothe public and I'm thinking,
okay, it'll be probably like acouple residents.
No it was like 10, 10 residents,just like right in the front,
of course, and then the on-callgynecologist that I had.
I was like oh my God, that's somany people watching me naked.
But then at that point I'm likeyou know what, I don't care.
(15:38):
I mean, everybody has seen italready, yeah.
So that was kind of funny.
I mean just like, oh my god,there's so many people here.
But you know, at that time Iwas like whatever, what can I
say, you know?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So, sumi, you said that also because it's only less
than 10% of the people that doreceive epidural, and obviously
it's their choice to do it Notall the hospitals can do this.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
No, most hospitals can't do this in Japan.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Most birthing centers .
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Especially if you live in the countryside.
It's rare to find, I think,hospitals that give epidurals.
One reason is because I'veheard that Japan is a little bit
behind in this field and therearen't many anesthesiologists
that have license to giveepidural.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Yeah, but honestly I think Japan also does a lot of
holistic approach anyway, youknow.
So I don't know that they wantto push for that anyway.
I mean, japan is so known forlike holistic medicine and all
that stuff, all natural medicine, you know.
So I don't know if they care tolike speed it up at all yeah,
they probably don't like well,mostly the older generation.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They believe that natural birth is the right way
to give birth.
Like you have to feel that painin order to become a mother,
type of thing so do you knowanyone who's done it to me?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
then what?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
epidural yeah, like your friends or actually none of
my friends have they've allgiven through a natural birth.
If it's only like less than 10percent, I'm sure.
Yeah, I decided my hospitalbased on that, based on whether
they'd give epidural or not yeah, because I have very low pain
tolerance levels, yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Well, do what you want to do.
I think it's fine.
Yeah, Like all my friends didepidural right and they told me
that a lot of times.
Like you can't feel yourselfpushing, so you end up pushing a
lot longer.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've also heard that.
The reason why I don't know ifthis is true, but people in the
US when, after they give birthor they go back to work, like
pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
If you have C-section , you have to stay in the
hospital for I don't know howlong.
Is it like five?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
days.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
I want to say three to five.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Then you know if you're.
If you give natural birth, youcan just walk out the next day.
Yeah, and I heard that thereason for that is because most
people in the us use epidural.
I guess you have a lot ofenergy left in you and so you
can go home earlier.
That's what I heard.
So in japan they require you.
Well, it depends on whichhospital you go to.
In my case, I will have to stayfour nights, five days, at the
(18:20):
hospital after giving birth.
Four nights, five days, okay Torecover.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I stayed three days.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
What yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:26):
And it was my choice.
I could have left earlier.
I've heard from other mothersthat you know this is the only
time that you get help at thevery beginning, especially if
you don't have families around.
So let the hospital take careof the baby.
And so I took that advice and Isaid okay, I'll stay for three
days.
And besides, we didn't haveLucas's name solidified anyway.
(18:49):
Like without a name, he can'tleave the hospital either.
So we're like we can't.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, I left the next day, but I remember being so
glad I stayed that night and hadthe nurse there, because I
remember well.
First of all, you know it's sohard to tell if the baby's
breathing because they're sostill and their nostrils are so
small and you can't even feelthem breathing really.
So I remember I kept likestaring at her like is she
(19:17):
breathing, Is she breathing?
And I remember I kept likestaring at her like is she
breathing, is she breathing?
And I remember like putting myfinger under her nose and I'm
like is she breathing?
But anyway, at one point itlooked like she was choking and
I didn't know what was happening.
So I called the nurse and thenurse came and she held her
upside down and something cameout of her and it was like
amniotic fluid.
But I wouldn't have known.
Oh geez.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
You know Well, you suspected something, so yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
But I remember thinking, oh, my goodness, I'm
so glad I had someone here.
I wouldn't have known, yeah,what was going on.
But then I was so ready to gohome after.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
But at the same time, like it was like, like so scary
to put a baby, a newborn baby,in a car seat and oh yeah, car.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
In the us you can go to a place where they can check
to make sure that you'reinstalling the car seat
correctly and I just remember,like I remember after giving
birth, like thinking because wehad a scare at the hospital
where a suspicious package wasdelivered at the hospital that I
was at after I gave birth.
So I was watching this, the TVof the hospital that I was
(20:27):
staying at, and there washelicopters hovering and I'm
like oh my gosh.
And they were saying you know,nobody can leave or enter right
now.
Right, it was like a oh my gosh,that's so scary Temporary
lockdown and I remember, cause Iwas watching the news on TV of
the hospital I was at and I waslike, oh my gosh, anyway.
(20:48):
So I remember feeling, for thefirst time ever, fearing for her
life, like someone else's life,and I just remember thinking I
didn't care about my life.
At that point I was like oh mygosh her, you know, oh my gosh
her life.
And I just remember that veryclearly, thinking, wow, this is
what it feels like to care aboutsomeone else's life more than
(21:09):
yours.
I just remember that, thinking,oh my gosh, we need to keep her
safe, you know, and it was likenothing, it was just a hoax.
So in the US, I guess, whenyou're expecting, one thing I
can think of is parking space.
You can park closer.
Expect a mom parking spaces.
What else is there?
I think?
Train seats, maybe Buses Notthat I know, I mean, I don't
(21:35):
really take publictransportation in my area, but I
think so.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
So that's all I can really think of, you know I was
just thinking how small japanesepeople are when they're
pregnant, like you can barelysee that they're pregnant and
they're very like, close to evenlike giving birth.
There must be I mean japanesepeople in general when I do go
(21:59):
back and visit realize how smalleveryone is um and the babies
are small yes, and babies aresmall simi, you were told, uh,
for your weight you should gainonly 22 pounds which, which is
10 kilograms.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
That is so crazy and she's trending higher than that.
So you're told like you caneven skip dinner if you have
nutritious first two meals ofthe day.
Like that's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Do you think that has something to do with your
health?
Like, are they concerned aboutyour health and the baby's
health?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
No, the reason they are so strict is because of the
risk of you getting diabetic,and that will cause risks to
your baby, didn't you have?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
something tomorrow, didn't you know like poke your
fingers is this a subway thing?
Speaker 4 (22:50):
no, well, okay.
So you know, in the us theyalso check to see if you're
diabetic, right, and they makeyou drink this sugary drink and
then take your blood and see howyour blood responds, to see if
you're diabetic.
Well, that sugary drink, Icouldn't keep it down.
It was so sweet.
I threw up and I remember the.
(23:12):
They were like okay, well, doyou want to do make an
appointment again or do you wantto just assume you're diabetic?
I was like I know I'm notdiabetic, I know that you know,
when you're pregnant things canchange, you know, and you could
become diabetic.
But I know I'm not and I'm.
This stuff is just really sweet.
And I was like I just don'tlike like such sweet thing and
but I don't want to go on a dieteither.
(23:32):
So let me try this again.
I made another appointment and Iwent and I remember I picked
like lemon flavor.
They had different flavors.
I thought maybe this isrefreshing.
So then I did that one andstill I felt it coming up.
It was so sweet.
I can still like taste it If Ithink about it.
It was so disgusting and I justchugged it, though.
And then you know you had towait in the waiting room for a
(23:55):
while for it to like sit in yourstomach and stuff, and I was
like, oh my gosh, it's coming up, it's coming up.
And I remember the second timeI took Matt so he could distract
me and I was like Matt, it'scoming up, it's coming up.
And he's like, no, stop, likekeep talking to me and I kept
talking to him but I was like Iand it came out.
I threw the test.
(24:16):
We need to assume you'rediabetic and we got to put you
on a diet plan and I had toprick my finger four times every
day, had to be on this superstrict diet and I was so hungry.
I remember I was so hungry andthen one day I just decided I
don't even care, I ate a footlong because I was so hungry and
(24:36):
my number shot up and Iremember the nutritionist was
like what did you have this day?
And I was like a foot long andshe's like why?
I was like because I was hungry.
I'm suffering, my baby'ssuffering.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
My baby was hungry too, it's just crazy that when
you're actually pregnant andyour body's doing all the work,
that you're restricted fromeating certain things or like
the amount.
I guess it makes sense, butstill.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
They said well, since you're diabetic and I'm like no
, no, no, no, no, I could notcomplete the test, so don't
title me as diabetic.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, I just my, my diabetic test is coming up
pretty soon.
What do you?
What do you do I?
Speaker 1 (25:17):
have to drink that sweet thing.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Oh, you do have to drink.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Same thing, yeah, okay.
So when I did home birth thesecond time, I told them I was
like, do I have to drink thissweet stuff?
They said no, no, no, no.
I think that's so disgustingand gross, but we're going to
give you the right amount thatyou have to measure of like
breakfast.
So they were like this is somuch better.
(25:47):
And of course I did that fineand I was not diabetic and that
was fine.
That was an option for me.
So you guys do have that drinktoo, mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
And in Japan, one out of eight pregnant women become
diabetic during the pandemic.
Yeah, I mean, I know you can.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Okay, I know you can you know become diabetic when
you're pregnant.
But for me it was just a sweetdrink I've always had, you know
I don't like.
You know, yeah, I remember I'vethrown up over like chocolate
and stuff that was like toosweet and rich.
So that's just that, was justmy body saying oh any other
(26:23):
tests that's coming up?
Speaker 3 (26:25):
um, I don't know I think that's about it.
So I want to know how much itcosts for you guys to give
childbirth in the us, if youremember yes, I have a paper
here.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
I have a piece of paper that basically was given
to me in October 6, 2009, whichI have not even given birth, so
this must be just an estimate.
It says $2,500.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
I think that's about right.
I feel like mine was about $2,three, you know in between?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, based on contacting the insurance company
.
That's what it says here.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
That's how much you paid, like you actually paid
that.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
It says that, but maybe because this was given to
me before I even went into thelabor, because I gave birth in
March 2010.
This was given to me by October2009.
Remember, this is only anestimate, which include our
charges for the followingservices office visits, delivery
and postpartum visit.
(27:30):
Vaginal birth is $3,175.
C-section would be $3,560.
And obviously, becauseC-section you're having surgery,
it's a little bit more.
I'm assuming the followingservices are not included in the
charges noted above.
They must be paid in fullwithin 30 days of receiving your
statement Ultrasound $350.
(27:52):
Non-stress test $240.
And then some lab tests.
So I'm assuming I paid a littlebit more than $2,500.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
When I look it up online it says like average with
insurance, if you haveinsurance, average is $2,050.
Now, $2,050.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
You mean $2,050?
, $2,850.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, so that's, out of pocket.50.
Yeah, yeah, yeah okay, okay,that's the average and this was
15 years ago, so, and of course,c-section is more.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Oh, it says average cost for home birth, including
prenatal delivery and postpartumcare, is around 46,650.
I don't remember it being thatmuch, but I don't.
I remember it being like notyou know any different, but I
could be wrong Not that muchdifferent from hospital birth.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
I guess in a way it makes sense because you're
getting full attention by onequalified professional.
Because I mean, when I gavebirth, obviously the on-call
gynecologist only came to visitme like a few times.
She was out.
Most of the time she wasn'tthere.
(29:09):
The entire time is what I'mtrying to say.
She was in and out.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
So so to me.
How much is it in Japan?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Japan, the average is roughly from $4,000 to $6,000
USD, and an extra $1,500 to$2,000 if you want to do the
epidural.
But once you give birth, youcan apply for this thing which
(29:44):
is called, which is likeone-time allowance for
childbirth and childcare, andthey will give you 5,000,
roughly 5,000 USD.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
So you can use that, yeah, like kind of like a
refunded to you.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Not really refund, but they just give it to you and
you can use that towards whatTowards your childbirth payment.
Okay.
So it's kind of like whichincludes, like the hospital stay
and everything.
So the actual amount that youactually have to pay is like oh,
it depends on which hospitalyou go to, but it's like some
(30:20):
people get money back like itbecomes a plus yeah, and some
people only have to pay, like Ithink the average is like around
400 usd wow at the end you'llpay more.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I mean, this is for natural birth.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
Yeah right, I'll pay more because you're doing, I
mean this is for natural birth.
Yeah Right, I'll pay morebecause, yeah, interesting, I've
always thought that Japan waslike really expensive to give
childbirth, but apparently.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I guess it's not that bad.
Yeah, and this paper that I'mlooking at is obviously 15 years
ago, so I'm sure the price isdifferent now.
But from what Tomomi said, yeah, maybe it's $2,800, right?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
$2,850 is the average , with insurance, I guess.
Thanks for joining us today.
Don't forget to review SisterVibes and make sure to subscribe
on the app of your choice, soyou don't miss our upcoming
episodes.
Until next time.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Ja ne Bye, cause I've been waiting for so long For
someone to rescue me and if youcontinue to hold my heart,
I gotta get you out of my system.
I gotta get you off of my mind.
But how do I move on when noone compares?
They only keep me occupied.
I gotta break these chains thatbind me.
I try to shake them off sodesperately, but you pull them
(00:24):
tighter, string me along.
It's sad, but I'm so gone.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Hi guys, today I thought we could talk about
Sumi's pregnancy a little bitwhat it's like being pregnant
woman in Japan, because Tomomiand myself we went through our
pregnancy in the US and I feellike there are some things that
are different.
By just hearing some thingsthat we just heard and also, you
(00:53):
know, her pregnancy is a littlebit later, I guess, than when
Tomomi and I had our babies Ithought there were some things
that we can discuss.
Yeah, that said.
Sumia, where are you with yourpregnancy?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I am currently 25 weeks pregnant.
In Japan that's considered tobe seven months pregnant, which
is, I know it's different fromhow they count it in the US.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I don't know about Germany, so that would be six
months, I guess, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, six months in the US system, but seven months
in Japan.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I wonder why it's different.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I don't know.
The weeks is the same.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
By looking it up.
It said that in Japan, youcount the pregnancy from the
last day of your period, whereasin the Western countries it
starts when the baby wasconceived, which I think it
makes sense more, and that's whyit's different.
So then, what is full term?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Full term is 10 months, 10 days Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I wonder if that's how it was taught in Japan too,
obviously in health class andstuff, Probably.
I'm just wondering because Ijust clearly remember getting
the message that pregnancy isnine months long it's like if
you're making bread, it's likeyou're.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
They count when the yeast is activating.
You know, um, before you add itto the flour, and even kneading
and watching it rise.
Before even all that, theycount when they add the yeast to
the mixture and watch itactivate.
Yeah, I guess.
So I was just thinking bun inthe oven.
(02:31):
Yeah, you know like she'smaking that bun in her oven
right now.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, the counting system is confusing.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
But I'm sure you weren't confused though, because
that's how it is.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I was confused.
I'm still confused, but if yougo by weeks, because that's how
it is, I was confused, I'm stillconfused.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
But if you go by weeks, it's fine.
Yeah, no confusion there.
Yeah, well, I noticed when Iwent to Nihon, like last time
and you know the last couple oftimes I think that in Japan they
have elevators specifically forexpectant moms.
Or was it pregnant, or just hada baby?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
pregnant, if you have a baby, if you're handicapped,
if you're an elderly, they haveum dedicated elevators, yeah a
separate elevator what's the?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
difference.
Oh, you mean like prioritizethat so you don't have to wait?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
yeah, if it's busy, probably yeah they also have
it's kind of like theprioritized seats in the trains
oh right, or the buses, orwhatever, yeah interesting.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Are there any other things like services that are?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
provided.
Well, one thing I know is thatat costco in japan, if you're
pregnant, you can go an hourbefore it opens to the public,
which is nice.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, that's nice.
That is nice.
Yeah, you want to tell a storyabout what we tried to do.
Potentially, we talked aboutwhen we try going to Costco when
we were in Japan.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
What, what?
I'll pretend that she'spregnant, yeah because I did.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah, well, I said it .
She suggested it because thetime we were thinking about
going was when we thoughteveryone will be there, because
it's right before New Year's.
Oh, you know, it will bebombarded like people will be
shopping for New Year's, becausefirst, second and third Usually
all the grocery stores areclosed in Japan.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
So I mean, it was really, really, really crowded,
but no, I didn't, I didn't, Ididn't know that that was
discussed.
I probably would have executedthat plan no, we talked about it
.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, oh, I I remember.
I mentioned it because Icouldn't go, because I was still
feeling nauseous, yeah, and Iwas like, maybe tomomi can
pretend like she's pregnant sothat you guys can go an hour.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I don't remember, you guys suggesting this to me and
then we didn't go for it becausewe thought that they might ask
for some so in Japan they havethis thing called Boshi Kenko
Techo, which literal translationis like maternal and child
health handbook.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
This is what you get at your local city hall once you
confirm your pregnancy, andwhat this handbook does is it
records you and your baby'shealth, like, for example, like
how much you weigh, how much thebaby weighs, how big your
stomach is, getting your bloodtest results, urine test results
, everything.
So I thought that maybe theywill ask for that so that's?
(05:25):
is that like used in publicplaces at all like a pass, or no
, no, no I feel like it's onlyused when you have your
appointment to keep recording init to keep recording and oh
yeah, and one thing I want tomention is they also give you
these coupons when they give youthis handbook.
There are 16 coupons in thereand this depends on where you
(05:48):
live, but in my case, I was ableto use that coupon for my first
appointment and it was worthabout uh, I don't know the
current rate, but roughly about160 dollars, uh-huh, so I didn't
have to pay the full price,like discounted.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Yeah, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Then from my second and third appointment, it was
like roughly around 50 USD.
And then my fourth.
Fifth is like around 30 USD, Idon't know Nice.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Yeah, I mean, I guess we don't have a coupon system,
but I feel like something likethat, like promotions and things
in bulk I always see, you know,not necessarily just for
pregnant people, but like yourfirst visit to our hospital or
whatever you know a doctor'soffice, you could get this kind
(06:35):
of discount.
I see stuff like that all thetime.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But Don't you also have some kind of pickup service
or something?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Taxi.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, taxi that is dedicated to pregnant women.
This is when you're about togive birth.
Yeah, oh yeah, you have toregister beforehand.
You have to register your nameand when you're due, where your
hospital is, everything likethat, and let's say that you're
home alone and your water breaksand you will call this place
and they will come pick you upand you don't even have to say
(07:06):
your name, you don't have togive them any information,
they'll just take you straightto the hospital.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, wow, that you're registered at.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, so is this through regular cab companies or
is it like is there like adedicated company that does this
?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I think it's regular taxi companies, but there are
dedicated specific dedicated.
Yeah, okay, and they willprioritize you.
I need to register for that.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Haven't done that yet I wonder if they have some kind
of sign up, if you know they'redriving, because you know in
japan, I think they put sos tooright, like the cab drivers.
Like, if there's some sketchythings going on in the cab, then
you can like signal SOS to thepublic.
So then, in hopes that they,get help for the driver.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
I've heard about that .
I wonder if there's somethinglike that.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
This pregnant woman is attacking me, choking me,
telling me to hurry yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Another thing I want to mention is the most common
way to give birth in japan isthrough natural birth right, and
this is pretty shocking, butonly 8.6 percent of pregnant
women in japan give birth usingepidural.
That's insane.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Only 8%.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeah, less than 10%.
That is crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
That's one of the reasons why I chose to do it.
Naturally, because I thoughtokay, no, thank you.
I thought I cannot break this.
Every woman in the past of ourancestors have given birth.
Yeah, naturally I was likethere's no way I'm going to
break.
That is what I was thinking.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
And honestly.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I was like I'm
not.
That was the reason.
One of the reasons, yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
For me.
I think, um, I felt like, well,if pregnant women are not
allowed to take drugs, um,during their pregnancy, or, you
know, when they're breastfeedingand you know over every little
thing, I thought, why would Iwant to do that when I'm giving
birth too, cause I'm stilltechnically pregnant.
You can still pass it on to thebaby.
(09:18):
That was my reason.
I didn't care what my ancestorsdid.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
So, anyway, that was one of the reasons.
I guess then I will be thefirst yeah, you'll be the first
to break that uncommon.
But it was kind of a big deal,like everybody kind of around me
(09:46):
gave me advice, you know,advice from people who actually
ended up getting epiduralthinking they're going to do
natural birth.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Yeah, so what is there anything that stands out
in Germany?
Pregnant women that are German?
I, I know that you weren'tpregnant in Germany, but do you
have anything that's?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
so I think it's similar to New Holland.
They have midwives here insteadof you know anything that's.
So I think it's similar tonihon they have midwives here
instead of you know, like agynecologist.
Um, I believe, but I don't knowmuch in detail I had a
gynecologist and a midwife.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Midwife helped deliver.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, because you did home birth, yeah, but for me,
when I had our son, yeah, I wentto the hospital.
I had a doula who was abirthing coach, because I knew
that I needed somebody that Ican rely on, which Christophe
wasn't going to in the room, butI thought I needed support from
somebody who's experienced.
So she was basically a coachthat helped me through the whole
(10:42):
laboring experience.
Yeah, so I didn't have amidwife I had.
My gynecologist was notavailable, so I had a different
doctor that came who was on callto deliver.
But I did it at the hospital.
No midwife, I had a doula.
We wrote a birth plan, basicallywhat my wishes were.
I didn't want any IV oranything beforehand, nothing, no
(11:07):
medication.
And then we came up with apassword.
That was sort of sacred, Iguess, just in case I decided
that I changed my mind at somepoint.
She had said that a lot ofwomen they don't really mean
when they say, oh, I want theepidural.
She said that people just sayit because they're in so much
pain, but they don't really meanit.
(11:27):
So you came up with a code.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Oh, I want the epidural.
She said that people just sayit because they're in so much
pain, but they don't really meanit.
So you came up with a code likeif I say pancakes, then give me
the epidural.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, so you might say these things.
So let's think of a word thatyou're going to say.
I said reindeer, I don't knowwhy, I'm not sure, because he's
March baby.
It wasn't like even Christmas,but that was my password, which
I never used, just so that thereare a lot of things that you
can say when you're in pain.
And so let's just come up witha word.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
It really wasn't that bad for me Home birth, yeah, at
the hospital, because there wasso much chaos going on, I felt
like I needed to freak out witheverybody.
You know they weren't freakingout, but it seemed like they
were right Because it was somuch going on including your
husband, right, yeah, he left meand fainted.
But yeah, so like, so much likein and out you know people
(12:15):
coming in and out so that Ithink contributed to maybe my
stress.
But home birth was so muchcalmer and easier and to me I
didn't experience hardly anypain and Emiko was bigger but um
, you did a water birth to waterbirth, which I loved it was so
(12:35):
calming and they brought music,they dimmed the lights, they had
like flameless candles and itwas so relaxing, yeah, and so I
think it.
For me, the environment made ahuge difference.
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't even.
It wasn't, it wasn't painful atall.
I really highly recommendpeople do water birth.
(12:57):
Water birth is amazing.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I really wanted to do it and I had asked the facility
or my gynecologist because youknow she has certain hospitals
that she travels to and she saidthat she doesn't do it and I
thought, okay, that's okay.
I've heard that that was thebest way to do it.
It was very calming Because thebaby is basically still in the
water, so that's a goodtransition for the baby too,
(13:20):
coming out into the water.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I don't even know if they do that in Japan.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Yeah, they do, I'm sure they do.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
I've only heard like celebrities doing it, but not
like I'm sure they do inbirthing centers.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yeah, mine was also.
It wasn't bad because, again, Isat with my doula and you know
we wrote out the birth plan,what my wishes were, what I did
want, what I didn't want.
I didn't have any music on oranything and I was really
thankful to have her therebecause I realized she would put
(13:55):
like these, like cold towelssometimes on my shoulders and
such, and you know I wasn't evenasking for it.
She knew what I needed at thetime when I didn't know what I
needed, I guess.
So that was really nice.
She also talked to the staffthat kept coming in to check on
me that I was doing naturalbirth and that no epidural
needed, and all that kind ofconversation that she was having
(14:18):
with them was nice, because Ididn't want to have that
conversation.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
So it looks like Japan also does have water birds
, but it's very limited theplaces that they can provide
that I think it's the same inthe US.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I don't think it's a common thing.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I bet it's more common.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
I know some hospitals do that too, but I think a lot
of people that end up havingwater births.
This is my guess.
Maybe I'm wrong, but theyusually do homework.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
They get their own pool and then fill it up
birthing pool yeah birthing pool, and then do it at home.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
One funny thing that I remember still is um, I gave
birth in 2010 and I don't thinkit was rare, but it wasn't
common enough.
Perhaps that at at some point Idon't even remember who asked
if the residents can come andwatch me give birth and I said
yes, and at the time I wascompletely like naked right,
(15:18):
like I had nothing on.
It was just like bare it all tothe public and I'm thinking,
okay, it'll be probably like acouple residents.
No it was like 10, 10 residents,just like right in the front,
of course, and then the on-callgynecologist that I had.
I was like oh my God, that's somany people watching me naked.
But then at that point I'm likeyou know what, I don't care.
(15:38):
I mean, everybody has seen italready, yeah.
So that was kind of funny.
I mean just like, oh my god,there's so many people here.
But you know, at that time Iwas like whatever, what can I
say, you know?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So, sumi, you said that also because it's only less
than 10% of the people that doreceive epidural, and obviously
it's their choice to do it Notall the hospitals can do this.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
No, most hospitals can't do this in Japan.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Most birthing centers .
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Especially if you live in the countryside.
It's rare to find, I think,hospitals that give epidurals.
One reason is because I'veheard that Japan is a little bit
behind in this field and therearen't many anesthesiologists
that have license to giveepidural.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Yeah, but honestly I think Japan also does a lot of
holistic approach anyway, youknow.
So I don't know that they wantto push for that anyway.
I mean, japan is so known forlike holistic medicine and all
that stuff, all natural medicine, you know.
So I don't know if they care tolike speed it up at all yeah,
they probably don't like well,mostly the older generation.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They believe that natural birth is the right way
to give birth.
Like you have to feel that painin order to become a mother,
type of thing so do you knowanyone who's done it to me?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
then what?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
epidural yeah, like your friends or actually none of
my friends have they've allgiven through a natural birth.
If it's only like less than 10percent, I'm sure.
Yeah, I decided my hospitalbased on that, based on whether
they'd give epidural or not yeah, because I have very low pain
tolerance levels, yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Well, do what you want to do.
I think it's fine.
Yeah, Like all my friends didepidural right and they told me
that a lot of times.
Like you can't feel yourselfpushing, so you end up pushing a
lot longer.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've also heard that.
The reason why I don't know ifthis is true, but people in the
US when, after they give birthor they go back to work, like
pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
If you have C-section , you have to stay in the
hospital for I don't know howlong.
Is it like five?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
days.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
I want to say three to five.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Then you know if you're.
If you give natural birth, youcan just walk out the next day.
Yeah, and I heard that thereason for that is because most
people in the us use epidural.
I guess you have a lot ofenergy left in you and so you
can go home earlier.
That's what I heard.
So in japan they require you.
Well, it depends on whichhospital you go to.
In my case, I will have to stayfour nights, five days, at the
(18:20):
hospital after giving birth.
Four nights, five days, okay Torecover.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I stayed three days.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
What yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:26):
And it was my choice.
I could have left earlier.
I've heard from other mothersthat you know this is the only
time that you get help at thevery beginning, especially if
you don't have families around.
So let the hospital take careof the baby.
And so I took that advice and Isaid okay, I'll stay for three
days.
And besides, we didn't haveLucas's name solidified anyway.
(18:49):
Like without a name, he can'tleave the hospital either.
So we're like we can't.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, I left the next day, but I remember being so
glad I stayed that night and hadthe nurse there, because I
remember well.
First of all, you know it's sohard to tell if the baby's
breathing because they're sostill and their nostrils are so
small and you can't even feelthem breathing really.
So I remember I kept likestaring at her like is she
(19:17):
breathing, Is she breathing?
And I remember I kept likestaring at her like is she
breathing, is she breathing?
And I remember like putting myfinger under her nose and I'm
like is she breathing?
But anyway, at one point itlooked like she was choking and
I didn't know what was happening.
So I called the nurse and thenurse came and she held her
upside down and something cameout of her and it was like
amniotic fluid.
But I wouldn't have known.
Oh geez.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
You know Well, you suspected something, so yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
But I remember thinking, oh, my goodness, I'm
so glad I had someone here.
I wouldn't have known, yeah,what was going on.
But then I was so ready to gohome after.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
But at the same time, like it was like, like so scary
to put a baby, a newborn baby,in a car seat and oh yeah, car.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
In the us you can go to a place where they can check
to make sure that you'reinstalling the car seat
correctly and I just remember,like I remember after giving
birth, like thinking because wehad a scare at the hospital
where a suspicious package wasdelivered at the hospital that I
was at after I gave birth.
So I was watching this, the TVof the hospital that I was
(20:27):
staying at, and there washelicopters hovering and I'm
like oh my gosh.
And they were saying you know,nobody can leave or enter right
now.
Right, it was like a oh my gosh,that's so scary Temporary
lockdown and I remember, cause Iwas watching the news on TV of
the hospital I was at and I waslike, oh my gosh, anyway.
(20:48):
So I remember feeling, for thefirst time ever, fearing for her
life, like someone else's life,and I just remember thinking I
didn't care about my life.
At that point I was like oh mygosh her, you know, oh my gosh
her life.
And I just remember that veryclearly, thinking, wow, this is
what it feels like to care aboutsomeone else's life more than
(21:09):
yours.
I just remember that, thinking,oh my gosh, we need to keep her
safe, you know, and it was likenothing, it was just a hoax.
So in the US, I guess, whenyou're expecting, one thing I
can think of is parking space.
You can park closer.
Expect a mom parking spaces.
What else is there?
I think?
Train seats, maybe Buses Notthat I know, I mean, I don't
(21:35):
really take publictransportation in my area, but I
think so.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
So that's all I can really think of, you know I was
just thinking how small japanesepeople are when they're
pregnant, like you can barelysee that they're pregnant and
they're very like, close to evenlike giving birth.
There must be I mean japanesepeople in general when I do go
(21:59):
back and visit realize how smalleveryone is um and the babies
are small yes, and babies aresmall simi, you were told, uh,
for your weight you should gainonly 22 pounds which, which is
10 kilograms.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
That is so crazy and she's trending higher than that.
So you're told like you caneven skip dinner if you have
nutritious first two meals ofthe day.
Like that's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Do you think that has something to do with your
health?
Like, are they concerned aboutyour health and the baby's
health?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
No, the reason they are so strict is because of the
risk of you getting diabetic,and that will cause risks to
your baby, didn't you have?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
something tomorrow, didn't you know like poke your
fingers is this a subway thing?
Speaker 4 (22:50):
no, well, okay.
So you know, in the us theyalso check to see if you're
diabetic, right, and they makeyou drink this sugary drink and
then take your blood and see howyour blood responds, to see if
you're diabetic.
Well, that sugary drink, Icouldn't keep it down.
It was so sweet.
I threw up and I remember the.
(23:12):
They were like okay, well, doyou want to do make an
appointment again or do you wantto just assume you're diabetic?
I was like I know I'm notdiabetic, I know that you know,
when you're pregnant things canchange, you know, and you could
become diabetic.
But I know I'm not and I'm.
This stuff is just really sweet.
And I was like I just don'tlike like such sweet thing and
but I don't want to go on a dieteither.
(23:32):
So let me try this again.
I made another appointment and Iwent and I remember I picked
like lemon flavor.
They had different flavors.
I thought maybe this isrefreshing.
So then I did that one andstill I felt it coming up.
It was so sweet.
I can still like taste it If Ithink about it.
It was so disgusting and I justchugged it, though.
And then you know you had towait in the waiting room for a
(23:55):
while for it to like sit in yourstomach and stuff, and I was
like, oh my gosh, it's coming up, it's coming up.
And I remember the second timeI took Matt so he could distract
me and I was like Matt, it'scoming up, it's coming up.
And he's like, no, stop, likekeep talking to me and I kept
talking to him but I was like Iand it came out.
I threw the test.
(24:16):
We need to assume you'rediabetic and we got to put you
on a diet plan and I had toprick my finger four times every
day, had to be on this superstrict diet and I was so hungry.
I remember I was so hungry andthen one day I just decided I
don't even care, I ate a footlong because I was so hungry and
(24:36):
my number shot up and Iremember the nutritionist was
like what did you have this day?
And I was like a foot long andshe's like why?
I was like because I was hungry.
I'm suffering, my baby'ssuffering.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
My baby was hungry too, it's just crazy that when
you're actually pregnant andyour body's doing all the work,
that you're restricted fromeating certain things or like
the amount.
I guess it makes sense, butstill.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
They said well, since you're diabetic and I'm like no
, no, no, no, no, I could notcomplete the test, so don't
title me as diabetic.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, I just my, my diabetic test is coming up
pretty soon.
What do you?
What do you do I?
Speaker 1 (25:17):
have to drink that sweet thing.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Oh, you do have to drink.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Same thing, yeah, okay.
So when I did home birth thesecond time, I told them I was
like, do I have to drink thissweet stuff?
They said no, no, no, no.
I think that's so disgustingand gross, but we're going to
give you the right amount thatyou have to measure of like
breakfast.
So they were like this is somuch better.
(25:47):
And of course I did that fineand I was not diabetic and that
was fine.
That was an option for me.
So you guys do have that drinktoo, mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
And in Japan, one out of eight pregnant women become
diabetic during the pandemic.
Yeah, I mean, I know you can.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Okay, I know you can you know become diabetic when
you're pregnant.
But for me it was just a sweetdrink I've always had, you know
I don't like.
You know, yeah, I remember I'vethrown up over like chocolate
and stuff that was like toosweet and rich.
So that's just that, was justmy body saying oh any other
(26:23):
tests that's coming up?
Speaker 3 (26:25):
um, I don't know I think that's about it.
So I want to know how much itcosts for you guys to give
childbirth in the us, if youremember yes, I have a paper
here.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
I have a piece of paper that basically was given
to me in October 6, 2009, whichI have not even given birth, so
this must be just an estimate.
It says $2,500.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
I think that's about right.
I feel like mine was about $2,three, you know in between?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, based on contacting the insurance company
.
That's what it says here.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
That's how much you paid, like you actually paid
that.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
It says that, but maybe because this was given to
me before I even went into thelabor, because I gave birth in
March 2010.
This was given to me by October2009.
Remember, this is only anestimate, which include our
charges for the followingservices office visits, delivery
and postpartum visit.
(27:30):
Vaginal birth is $3,175.
C-section would be $3,560.
And obviously, becauseC-section you're having surgery,
it's a little bit more.
I'm assuming the followingservices are not included in the
charges noted above.
They must be paid in fullwithin 30 days of receiving your
statement Ultrasound $350.
(27:52):
Non-stress test $240.
And then some lab tests.
So I'm assuming I paid a littlebit more than $2,500.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
When I look it up online it says like average with
insurance, if you haveinsurance, average is $2,050.
Now, $2,050.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
You mean $2,050?
, $2,850.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, so that's, out of pocket.50.
Yeah, yeah, yeah okay, okay,that's the average and this was
15 years ago, so, and of course,c-section is more.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Oh, it says average cost for home birth, including
prenatal delivery and postpartumcare, is around 46,650.
I don't remember it being thatmuch, but I don't.
I remember it being like notyou know any different, but I
could be wrong Not that muchdifferent from hospital birth.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
I guess in a way it makes sense because you're
getting full attention by onequalified professional.
Because I mean, when I gavebirth, obviously the on-call
gynecologist only came to visitme like a few times.
She was out.
Most of the time she wasn'tthere.
(29:09):
The entire time is what I'mtrying to say.
She was in and out.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
So so to me.
How much is it in Japan?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Japan, the average is roughly from $4,000 to $6,000
USD, and an extra $1,500 to$2,000 if you want to do the
epidural.
But once you give birth, youcan apply for this thing which
(29:44):
is called, which is likeone-time allowance for
childbirth and childcare, andthey will give you 5,000,
roughly 5,000 USD.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
So you can use that, yeah, like kind of like a
refunded to you.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Not really refund, but they just give it to you and
you can use that towards whatTowards your childbirth payment.
Okay.
So it's kind of like whichincludes, like the hospital stay
and everything.
So the actual amount that youactually have to pay is like oh,
it depends on which hospitalyou go to, but it's like some
(30:20):
people get money back like itbecomes a plus yeah, and some
people only have to pay, like Ithink the average is like around
400 usd wow at the end you'llpay more.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I mean, this is for natural birth.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
Yeah right, I'll pay more because you're doing, I
mean this is for natural birth.
Yeah Right, I'll pay morebecause, yeah, interesting, I've
always thought that Japan waslike really expensive to give
childbirth, but apparently.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I guess it's not that bad.
Yeah, and this paper that I'mlooking at is obviously 15 years
ago, so I'm sure the price isdifferent now.
But from what Tomomi said, yeah, maybe it's $2,800, right?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
$2,850 is the average , with insurance, I guess.
Thanks for joining us today.
Don't forget to review SisterVibes and make sure to subscribe
on the app of your choice, soyou don't miss our upcoming
episodes.
Until next time.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Ja ne Bye, cause I've been waiting for so long For
someone to rescue me and if youcontinue to hold my heart,
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