In the West, we pack hospital bags with lavender oil, music playlists, and affirmations. In Japan, my hospital provided a list so specific it felt like a scientific inventory: 2 muji notebooks, 10 pairs of disposable underwear, a yukata for walking the halls, and cash. Always cash.
This is my second pregnancy in Japan. You would think the second time is easier. You would be wrong. It is not harder, necessarily. It is deeper . Just before the birth again- Japan- Pregnant- U...
The first time, everything was a checklist. Pack the bag. Install the car seat (which, in Tokyo, means wrestling a bassinet onto a bicycle). Learn the Japanese words for epidural ( takumaigai zentai ma sui —a mouthful of consonants when you are in transition). The first birth was a sprint toward the unknown, fueled by anxiety and the naïve bravery of a beginner. In the West, we pack hospital bags with
But this time? Just before the birth again, there is no sprint. This is my second pregnancy in Japan