When I say “picture a birthing clinic,” you’re likely to imagine all white rooms and hospital beds…not luxury suites and spa vibes.
But the latter was what Nicole Patrice, who had moved to Japan from Kentucky and underwent a c-section at the Nagoya Birth Clinic, where her husband purchased a 5-day stay in the “precious suite” as a Christmas gift.
Her tour of the facility and all its next level amenities—not to mention its price—left viewers in shock.
Though Patrice was separated from her baby for 24 hours as she received phototherapy treatment for jaundice, the clinic provided in-person snuggle time when able, even bringing him up to her suite for morning visits.
The rest of the time, Patrice was free to focus on her own healing, and it was as though every aspect of the clinic was specifically designed to facilitate that. From the restaurant worthy meals (all of which are apparently “made to promote healing, excite the palate and encourage lactation” to the cozy reading nooks, to the on-site aesthetic clinic for rejuvenating facials. Yes, really.
But wait, there’s more: Nagoya also provided adorable props for family photos, an in-room hot water heater for tea and coffee, plus in-room breakfast and afternoon tea.
“They really care about mothers here, and they just want us to rest and relax and really enjoy our time,” Patrice said in the video.
For a five day stay with all these bells and whistles, Patrice paid less than $3000 USD. By comparison, you’d be lucky to pay that for a single stay in something similar here in the United States.
@nicole_does_japan Day two after having a C-section in Japan. Pain management has been surprisingly easy. I came off of my IVs the day after my surgery- and I fully believe that not relying on pain medication has allowed my body to heal and create a threshold of tolerability, that I did not experience with my first C-section. In Japan, they don’t give a lot of unnecessary medication in regards to narcotics. I think the strongest thing that I had was Tylenol. the food, and the peaceful atmosphere all attribute to my healing. It’s been a dream giving birth at the Nagoya birth clinic. ##birthinjapan##japanpregnant##nagoyabirthclinic##nagoya##japanesefood##hospitalfoodreview##LifeInJapan##Csection##dayinmylife ♬ Lofi/Fashionable/Rose Piano/10 minutes(1455693) – nightbird_bgm
Needless to say, people were impressed.
“I wouldn’t want to leave. Good food, baby nursery, facials to which Patrcis replied “Smae .It felt like ‘mommy camp.’”
“5 star maternity hotel is what it is.”
“I just love how progressive, considerate and healing the Japanese view and approach the birthing and recovery period.”
The underlying reason why Japanese and American approaches to childbirth differ so greatly could be due to fundamental cultural views. An article in PubMed states that while “autonomy is cherished in America,” Japan still adheres to more traditional gender roles, and maintains a “women-centered” approach to birth practices. Male partners often do not even help in labor. Additionally, Japan prioritizes natural births, believing it strengthens the bond between child and mother.
This system is, of course, not without its flaws due to those social norms, but in an ideal scenario, we would be able to blend both Western and Eastern modalities to create a birthing experience that truly caters to the needs of new mothers and prioritizes their healing journey.
Source: https://www.upworthy.com/japanese-birth-clinic