Off to the doctor

Still super excited from the positive result, I really wanted to get the baby ball rolling. I had read so many conflicting reports on when to go to the doctor from blogs; some were saying to wait 8 weeks, some were saying you can go straight away. I did a bit of research and found* a doctor in a few towns over, about a 20min drive away. There was small one birthing clinic in my town (that looks a bit like a little shack) but as it is my first child, I felt that having a baby in a bigger place would be better for me and more of a chance that they might speak English. I also chose my clinic based on the fact that they had a really professional website and set up. Also, they do epidurals, which is SUPER rare in Japan (from what I have read). I am thinking I won't be going down that route and do it Japanese style but it is good to know that the less painful option might be there. This clinic is a lot more expensive than our local one. I believe it is about Y600000, maybe more, where as the local clinic was about Y400000. I believe in Japan we get about Y420000 from the government as a baby bonus to pay for the birth (I am still to confirm this number), so with the clinic I have chosen it might only leave us about Y200000 out of pocket.

Anyhoo, so on Monday morning, off I drove to the clinic. The reception area was lovely, with so many pregnant women waiting and their partners. There were a few receptionists behind the desk and also like a concierge (not really), who greets people and helps them. So she sat me down, and (after telling her I can't read Kanji well) she walked me through the form. If your Japanese is about my level (which my teacher thinks I would pass the N4 test- so, lower intermediate) it would be great to bring someone along. I muddled through with my Japanese and my dictionary (for the medical words), and got there without too much trouble.

After I filled out the form, she took me over to get my blood pressure tested (which is a self testing machine in Japan). After which, she told me to sit down and wait for the bathroom and when I go in to write my details on a cup (which was literally a paper cup), fill it up and then open the little window and stick it through, and to do this every time I come in. Though I understood it all, I was a little unsure I had translated it correctly, but luckily it all made sense when I got into the bathroom. After that, there was a wait for a nurse and thank goodness, they gave me one who spoke a little bit of English. Which at that stage made it go a little bit quicker as we had to run through my medical history- which really would have been pushing it for me. We took my weight and then it was another wait in a different area for a doctor. She told me that the doctor I would be seeing is old, and he talks really fast but he could speak a little bit of English- Yay!.

The wait at this clinic was quite short, I think this is due to the no nonsense approach and kind of lack of bedside manner (not that the doctor was rude, but just no mucking around.). So off I went where he greeted me and then a nurse took me to 'the chair' (which is half hidden by a curtain) where I was told to strip off and climb into the stirrups. Once ready, they move the chair higher until your bottom half is completely covered by the curtain, so all you can see is the occasional pair of feet. It's a little weird to get used to, but I suppose it's the way they do things over here. I just hope they aren't pulling faces behind there.

First thing first was a pap smear (ouch), but then after they do the internal ultrasound and sure enough, on the screen next to me was a little dot, about 3.8mm wide. "Congratulations, you're pregnant".

After all was done, I was rushed out of there pretty quick (not rudely, but I got the impression that sitting for a chat or getting advice was not the thing to do). The only thing he said to me was that I shouldn't have any hot springs any more (being Summer right now, it really isn't a problem though). He did ask if I had any questions, so I asked if my husband could be in the delivery room with me. He kind of brushed me off, but said yes, so I got the impression that the time for those sorts of questions was not yet, if never.

The visit cost Y10500 (about $120). These visits should (hopefully) be subsidised in the future by the government once I notify them of my pregnancy (but I got the impression from the receptionist it might be too early to do that yet). I will go back in 8 weeks if it all goes well (fingers crossed), but until then, it will be baby steps on the long road ahead...





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*This is a great site to find an OB/GYN. It is in Japanese, but if you have google chrome set to autotranslate, you will hopefully  be able to find a doctor around your area. http://women.benesse.ne.jp/kensaku/obstetrics_and_gynecology/

Here are some useful words for pregnancy related things that I got from this site (great site, by the way): http://tokyopregnancygroup.blogspot.jp/2007/03/labour-and-delivery-japanese-vocabulary.html

General vocabulary

anemia: hinketsu

backache: senaka ga itai

bleeding: shukketsu

delivery: osan, bunben

indigestion: shoka furyo

infection: kansen

admission: nyu-in

midwife clinic: josan-in

midwife: josanpu

nurse: kangofu-san, naasu

obstetrics and gynecology: sanfujinka

swelling: hare

toxemia: ninshin chudokusho

uterus: shikyu

vagina: chitsu

vaginal discharge: taige, orimono

Pregnancy

due date: bunben yoteibi

last menstrual period: saishu gekkei

morning sickness: tsuwari

pregnant: ninshin shiteiru

pregnant woman: ninpu

Labor

breech position: sakago

show (pink or bloody, jelly-like discharge): shirushi

labor pain: jintsu

rupture of membrane: hasui

cesarean section: teio sekkai

fetal monitor: taiji kanshi sochi

pain or discomfort: itami, itai desu

shaving: teimo

enema: kanchoo

injection: chusha

general anesthetic: zenshin masui

epidural: komakugai masui

spinal anesthetic: sekizui masui

Delivery

delivery room: bunben shitsu

delivery table: bunben dai

episiotomy: ein sekkai

father attending birth: otto tachiai bunben

pillow: makura

placenta: taiban

umbilical cord: heso no o

vaginal delivery: keichitsu bunben

I want to push: Ikimitai

Push now: Ima ikinde.

Don't push: Ikimanaide.

Telephone Phrases

Hello, this is xxxx moshi moshi, xxxx desu

The labor begins: Jintsu ga hajimarimashita

It comes every 10 minutes and lasts 50 seconds: Ju (10) pun oki de, goju (50) byo tsuzukimasu

The water flows: hasui shimashita

How long does it take to come to a clinic: byoin made nanpun kakarimasu-ka?

20 minutes by taxi: takusi de niju (20) pun desu Postpartum

bowel movement: otsuuji, haiben

catheter: kuda, kateteru

constipation: bempi

diarrhea: geri

lochia, normal bleeding after delivery: oro

heavy bleeding or hemorrhage: shukketsu

laxative: kangezai, bempi yaku

perineum: einbu

rooming-in: boshi doshitsu

sanitary pads: napukin

stool: ben

urine: o-shosui

I want to go to the toilet: Toire ni ikitai

Please may I get up? Okitemo ii desu-ka?

The Baby

baby: akachan

birth certificate: shussei shoomeisho

jaundice: odan

meconium: taiben

May I see my baby? Akachan ni attemo ii desu-ka?

May I hold my baby? Akachan o daitemo ii desu-ka?

Please bring my baby: Akachan o tsurete kite kudasai.

nursery: shinseiji shitsu

Breastfeeding

breast: oppai, o-chichi

breastfeeding room: junyu shitstu

breast massage: o-chichi no massaji

breast milk: bonyu

breast pump: sakunyuki

colostrum: shonyu

formula: miruku

glucose water: budoto eki, tosui

nipples: chikubi

I want to breastfeed: O-chichi o agetai desu.

May I feed my baby? Akachan ni o-chichi o agetomo ii desu-ka?

My breasts are full: O-chichi ga hatte imasu.

My nipples are sore: Chikubi ga itai desu.

General Hospital Phrases

What are you doing? Nani o shitemasuka?

Who are you? Donata desu-ka?

Please call the doctor/nurse. Oisha-san/kangofu-san o yonde kudasai