Giving birth at Seiku Iriyo Center - National Children`s Development Center Hospital, Setagaya

HI Lara,

I had my first baby in Australia and my second the following year 2006 in Tokyo at The National Centre for Child Health and Development ( Seiku Iriyo Centre. aka Seiku Byoin) in Seijo, Setegaya Ku. I know its not in your area of preference but its really worth a look at as ita meets all your other criteria and is an excellent hospital.

The best thing about this hospital is that specailise in babies/children so if anything goes wrong they can handle it and the baby stays in the same hospital as you. They take complicated pregnancies and unlike some other hospitals they are fully staffed all the time so thats a real bonus in a worst case senario.






- pain relief: you can have an epidural. It was much better than my first one in Australia and I could still feel enough to push and I could walk almost right after.


- birth plan: yes! followed to the letter! no cutting!


- language: English is spoken by most of the Doctors and some midwives/nurses. They went out of thier way to make sure I understood and was comfortable before they did anything to me or baby. The Anesthitist ( did I spell it right?) was fluent and I had to meet with him about a month prior to my due date so he could explain all the risks and the proceedure so I was sure I wanted one.


- cost: if you get a private room the cost is more but its around ¥500,000 - ¥600,000. They had to do some extra stuff on me so mine was up around ¥700,000 for a week stay and delivery.



Another good thing is that as its a kids hospital there are plenty of play areas / books/ toys for your older one while you wait, even an outside play area. There is a good bakery/cafe in the basement and a good restaurant on the top floor. They have a pager system so after you check in with your card you can wander around in or outside till your appointment.


I cant tell you how happy I was that I had my baby there, it was better than my experience back home and pre natal care at Seibo ( Mejiro). If you have any other Q,s Id be happy to help.
Good luck!


Simonne.

Giving birth at Red Cross Hospital

Hi
>
> I gave birth to my first child at the Red Cross (Nisseki) hospital
> in Hiroo and am back there again for second due in December. I can
> highly recommend it.
>
> They did not offer pain relief, but I heard from a fluent Japanese
> speaker that it is possible if you know how to ask and are
> determined. She had 2 babies there both with epidural I think. They
> also now have a water birth facility which you can use if your
> doctor gives the OK and you take a course. They will also help out
> as much as possible with Aroma oils, foot baths and a hot tub if
> your (waters haven't broken). They were also very supportive about
> an "active labour" allowing me to wander the halls and stairs at
> all hours and had a lot of equipment such as birthing stools to
> help things along. Though I could not give birth standing if I'd
> wanted to.
> They are very pro natural birth and will not intervine if at all
> possible, though I had to ask several times to get a status exam to
> tell me how many centimeters I was dilated!!!
>
> They encouraged me to write a birth plan and tried very hard to
> stick to it, although I got an episiotomy, which seemed to be
> expected, they tried very hard to avoid it.
>
> Several doctors speak English, I was with Kasei sensei for Nick but
> am with Kido sensei for the next one, both are ladies. The midwives
> generally don't speak English but for the birth and labour I seem
> to have been assigned two English speakers who were extremely helpful.
>
>
> The cost is reasonable, it was about 700,000 but I had a private
> room and was in for 6 days due to a long labour. The quoted cost is
> about 500,000. By the way. Meguro-ku now gives 14 vouchers for
> discounted antenatal check-ups with Japanese insurance, my last
> visit cost just 1,500.
> With the private room the midwives were very flexible with letting
> my husband visit very late, though he could not stay over. The food
> was not bad at all.
>
> As it is a "baby friendly" hospital they encourage rooming in and
> are very helpful with breastfeeding and also after care for those
> unwanted cases of mastitis!!!! Theyare happy to take care of the
> baby for a few hours and for the first night if you want though.
> And they give the husband a lesson in baby bathing!!!
>
> All in all we were very satisfied. I Think theystill hold a tour
> Mondays at 3pm.
>
>
> Hope it helps
>
> Norma
>