A luxurious maternity stay in Japan

Japan has a bad rap for pregnancy care, due largely to SOME Doctor’s obsession with not putting on weight. However, my experience was very different to the majority, of which you can read more about on a community blog: Pearls of Wisdom, Pregnancy in Japan.   What I experienced was superior care and unadulterated luxury. My message, if any, is it pays to look around. I want to give you a visual of the good side of pregnancy and maternity care in Japan, by show casing my 5 day stay in what I call a maternity hotel.  Five days is the standard in Japan for a vaginal natural birth without ANY medication (not even "gas and air"!).  Throughout my pregnancy there were little added extras like free reflexology and free lunches and/or drinks in the hospitals café. The birth and postpartum stay were nothing but positive thanks to skilled and attentive staff and the hotel-like atmosphere and services of the hospital.

Day 0

Even before you go into labour at my hospital, in a suburb of Saitama (linked below), you are given a selection of practical and luxurious gifts. The food is delicious from the beginning and there was more comfort than I had expected. The meal during labour and after it were served at my bedside.

If you would like to see some images and to read more about the experience on day 0, please see my blog post: http://insaitama.com/day-0-of-postpartum-hospital-stay-presents-galore/

Day 2 (Pictured)

Guess what – yes, even more great food and presents. We could choose gifts from a great selection. I chose a photo album and a bath chair.  Lunch was sushi and dinner was French cuisine. It was also the day of the professional massage in my bedroom.

If you would like more images and to read more about the experience on day 2, please see my blog post http://insaitama.com/day-two-of-maternity-hospital-stay/

Day 3 (Pictured)

The last full day and last physical check-up for Mammy and baby. The feasts continued with Italian cuisine for lunch and “Creative Japanese Cuisine” for dinner. I received a foot massage and a facial. All patients are gifted designer clothes for the little ones.

If you would like more images and to read more about the experience on day 3, please see my blog post http://insaitama.com/day-3-of-a-maternity-hospital-stay-in-japan/

Day 4

The last day, you get discharged at 1pm and sent home with a cake and original baby blanket. In preparation for the discharge, we all get treated to a hair do in the hospital’s in-house hairdressers. My husband and daughter joined me for a Japanese lunch in the restaurant, also gifted from the hospital.

If you would like more images and to read more about the experience on day 4, please see my blog post http://insaitama.com/day-4-in-a-maternity-hotel/

If you are looking for somewhere to give birth or would like to read more information about Keiai hospital in Fujimi, the link is below, however, I cannot stress enough; it pays to ask questions up front and make sure the hospital suits your needs. I had four wonderful experiences at Keiai hospital, because it was a match for me and my personal needs. Everyone’s experiences are different;

This post was written in 2012 http://insaitama.com/keiai-hospital-saitama-general-information/