Pregnant in Japan: prenatal visits

After I registered my pregnancy, I was all set for my next visit scheduled for May 9th, 2013. I was 11 weeks, 6 days pregnant.

There are two waiting areas for women. One area is out in the open and it's for women who don't have appointments and are seeing the doctor for other female related issues. Basically anything outside of your normal scheduled prenatal visits. Then, there was a private waiting area for people scheduled for prenatal visits and one month postpartum checks. 

After you have given your hospital card to the front desk they will print out your number. Then you should go to the prenatal waiting area. Here you should take a cup write your name and date on it. Then you should use the bathroom and leave a sample of your urine. There is a small window with a door on it in the bathroom where you leave your cup. Then you should take your blood pressure. I've seen those kinds of machines in drug stores in America. After you take your blood pressure it prints it on a sheet of paper. After that you should weigh yourself and write your weight and name on the blood pressure paper. There is a table that you then place your maternal handbook along with your blood pressure and weight slip. Then, a midwife will document this in your book and give it to your doctor. The midwife will also document the results of your urine test. You can do your blood pressure, weight and urine test in any order you choose. I always did the urine first because I figure it might make me weigh at least a tiny bit less!

Here's my records from my hospital visits. I was very fortunate to have a healthy pregnancy. I covered up the weight section on here because it's a secret!!!

When I went on May 9th for some reason I just assumed an interpreter would be there waiting for me. I was wrong. I actually needed to schedule it with the main office. It was no big deal. I just did my best with my limited Japanese. After I did all my routine things my number was called. I went back where to my surprised I received another ultrasound. At only 12 weeks I had already had three ultrasounds for this pregnancy. The doctor said everything was ok and then scheduled me for my 16 week check. After that, the midwife informed me I needed to get my blood checked and I had to go buy a maternity hand book from the convenience store on the first floor.

The midwife escorted me to where I should go to give my blood. In the hospital, there is a special area that only does blood tests. So anyone from any department of the hospital who needs blood work should go to this area. You give them the slip the doctor gave you plus your card. Then you are given a number again. Then, once they call your number before they take blood they ask you your name and you must verify verbally who you are. 

It was kind of cute and funny the conversation or lack there of that I had with the midwife. She was asking me in Japanese if my husband was Japanese. When I said no he's Canadian she then wanted to know if he spoke Japanese. I said a little like me. She went on about how we'd have a baby with two English speaking parents in a country that spoke Japanese. She said a lot things about it, but I am not good at Japanese so I had a hard time expressing myself. Then when she took me to the area where you give blood she told the staff "she doesn't understand Japanese." I just thought it was funny. I think she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that there are different levels of language ability. It was clear that for her that it was very black and white. That's ok because this happens sometimes. It's nothing new here or any other country.

After the blood work, she gave me the slip and told me to go downstairs and buy this book for 8 dollars. It's a book about what will happen to your body during pregnancy. It gives advice for experiences, eating and what not during pregnancy. It also explain how labor works. Overall, it's everything you need to know in order to prepare for your baby. It also has a section which explains what you will need while in the hospital. There is another list which gives you the recommendations on what you should have for a newborn. There is another section about breastfeeding and the special massages you can do to prepare your breasts for making more milk. In the very back of the book there are all the forms that you will need to submit once you are in the hospital for your labor. There were also some forms for classes that you could take during your pregnancy and classes you could take after the baby is born. Even though I couldn't read it was full of fun pictures that gave me a good idea about things.

Maternity Life handbook for Ichinomiya Hospital

In case you didn't already know...don't smoke 

& drink!

stages of baby's growth

Once I got the book I came back upstairs to get my things for checkout. The same midwife escorted me to the office so I could fill out a form with my basic information stating that I would deliver the baby in this hospital. Once again she told the other employee "she doesn't understand Japanese." If I didn't understand any Japanese how would I have understood when the woman was asking me to write my name, address, phone number and other things in Japanese. It was pretty funny to me. 

a map showing where to take the folder

Then they showed me again how to check out. That was nice, better to be showed a few times then to just assume I've got it. When I left I was so tired after all that. I realized that if I wanted to have an interpreter next time I have to tell someone. So, some time later I called Mr. Yokohama and with my terrible Japanese I told him my name and when my next appointment was.

A clear folder with your number and info

Panoramic view of the hospital's main floor. To the left is the checkout area. It's where you turn in the folder and pay.

On June 6th, I went in for my 15 week 6 day check. I went to the office first where I met my interpreter. She was a nice Japanese woman who actually had lived in America and had her son there. That was at least 20 or so years ago. She told me what I should do even though I knew. I didn't mind though since it was her first time with me. Everything was ok and the doctor scheduled me for my next appointment. After that we met with a midwife who went over the book I had bought at my last appointment. We went through the checklist of what to bring to the hospital and what to do if I went in labor outside of office hours. The midwife even wrote in Japanese on a slip of paper my information and where the ER staff should take me. This was just in case I needed it. I also asked her about the gestational diabetes check. Everyone in America has to get it done. Everyone I know has talked about how horrible it was to drink the special drink they give you. I was a little worried about having to do it. To my surprise you only have to do the gestational diabetes test if you test positive for sugar in your urine. What a relief!!!

Two pages of what to bring to the hospital

What to prepare for the baby

Map of  hospital and where to go during non business hours

The note to give ER staff if I go/went into labor.

On July 4th I went for my 20 week check. I was told that I might be able to find out the sex on this date if it were a boy. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to find out until the 24th week. So, I honesty didn't think I would find out on that day. The last appointment the doctor really made it sound like the chances were very slim. However, to my surprise she was able to tell me that it was "maybe" a boy. It was really exciting. I could not understand why she said "maybe". I came to find out that they don't want to say for sure in case they make a mistake. Every appointment after that rather the doctor or midwife gave me an ultrasound they would say "maybe" it's a boy, even when it was obviously a boy.

This brings me to another point...to my surprise I got an ultrasound every single visit. This is normal. I didn't have a problem pregnancy. It's just what every single pregnant woman gets. Ultrasounds for everyone! Since I was at a city hospital I just got the regular 2d ultrasounds. However, if you go to ladies clinics you will get 4D ultra sounds every time. I am not sure what the 4th dimension is, but that is what they call it. It's in color so maybe that's what they mean. My next door neighbor who is currently pregnant and goes to a ladies clinic told me she gets a DVD of her visit every time.

All my ultrasounds!

On August 1st, Will came with me to see the baby. We had planned for him to come this day because of the way the doctor had originally made it sound that I wouldn't find out until this date. I was glad he got the chance to see the baby. He also got to meet the interpreter. After this visit I was starting to come every two weeks. I felt that's when it started to really become real and time seemed to fly.

On August 15 my interpreter told me she couldn't come to the next appointment. She asked if I wanted to change my date or just have another person come. I said I would keep my date and just send another person. I am so glad I did.

On August 29th, I met Kei the substitute interpreter. I instantly hit it off with her. She was so warm and friendly. She was one of those kinds of people that realizes that there are levels in language learning. She was able to figure out quickly that I could really follow a lot and that I really just needed someone to help me with the medical side of the visit, the Japanese equivalent of big Latiny medical English words, as well as paperwork. That made me feel so comfortable. She was also really good at translating and very quick. I know it's an extremely difficult job to be good at and she is great at it.

Starting on the 28th week which was the day I met Kei, I was told would alternate between seeing the midwife and the doctor. The midwife visits were meant to be longer and where I could gather more information about how to prepare for everything to come. The doctor's visits were meant to be quick because the doctor is busy. So, after that visit I went with Kei back to the office to schedule my next appointment. I then told her I would like for her to come to the next midwife visit and the other one could come to the doctor appointment. I did this because I guess I felt bad to get rid of the other interpreter. Also I thought Kei would do a better job with the more complicated stuff.

I met the first interpreter on the 30th week check. I told her I would alternate between her and Kei. I met her again for my 34th check. I met Kei for the 32nd week check and the 36th week check. I told Kei that I really wanted her to be the interpreter for the rest of the time. I was not sure how to do this because I didn't want to hurt the other woman's feelings. She was nice, we just didn't work together. It was always a bit awkward and she couldn't get that I didn't need to be told how to do the routine work (urine test, weight, and blood pressure) she didn't understand that in some situations I understood perfectly fine what was happening. Kei on the other hand could tell right away what I understood and didn't. She also was very personable and we often went for banana smoothies in the hospital cafe. The other one was nice, but she was just too by the book for me. Thankfully, after I worked up the courage to tell Kei how I felt she was able to handle the situation for me.  She was able to say to Mr. Yokohama in a very polite way with out making the other person sound bad. I was so relieved!

Starting from the 36th week I started going weekly. On the 37th week I started doing stress test. Everything was looking great! Weirdly enough on my 40th week check I got sent to get a x-ray of my hips and the baby's head. I was really surprised by this! It's routine at this hospital. This way they will know right away if you have to have a c-section. I am not sure if it's done all over Japan. I know from another woman who had a baby in the same hospital a few years back that they didn't do this. So, it's pretty new. I have another friend who will have a baby any day now. She is having her baby in a ladies clinic in a different city. She told me that she just got a x-ray too.

My 40th week check was on a Thursday and he wasn't moving too much. So, she scheduled me to come back in on Monday. She told me if I didn't feel movement from the time I left the hospital to Monday that I should come back to the hospital.  Also I am pretty sure she did a membrane sweep on me. She didn't tell me and I felt too out of it after to ask what had just happened. The one thing I've noticed from my limited experience with doctors in Japan is that they don't just volunteer information. You have to ask specific questions or it doesn't get said. Every appointment I kept waiting to be told lots of information about having a baby. I guess that's what that maternity book and midwives were for.

Now it was just time to wait for his birthday. It was exciting and scary because it could be any time!