Posted on 04/09/2025 12:43:16 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Mamamia spoke to six women about their experiences giving birth in seven different countries, where expectations around pregnancy, birth and postpartum care were distinctly unique.
Simone is an Australian who moved to LA with her husband and two dogs for a planned two-year work (and life) adventure. They returned home eight years and two babies later.
‘In America, they allow you one or two nights in hospital but that’s it. You’re out,’
This was pretty much the opposite of Jodie’s experience in Tel Aviv, Israel where she had her first two babies. ‘They had a health centre dedicated to pre-natal and post-natal exercise, educational programs (including food preparation, baby first-aid and more) as well as support groups (usually 5-10 women run by a social worker with your bubs),’ she explains.
…For Mihal, the highlight of giving birth in the Netherlands was the kraamzorg. This is a midwife that comes to your house every day for about eight days, for six hours each time, to check the baby, clean the house and help look after older kids and mum.
Health insurance in the Netherlands is compulsory, and it fully covers the cost of the kraamzorg (who provides support to all new mums, regardless of where they give birth).
In Hong Kong, rest and recovery for new mums is also part of the culture, Aviva explains. ‘The mother and baby stay home for 40 days of confinement and are supported by family or helpers. There is a culture of support. Even after the 40 days, babies aren’t really seen out and about, they should stay home. If the mother leaves, there is always someone at home to care for the baby.’
(Excerpt) Read more at mamamia.com.au ...
For my first child, I was in the hospital for 3 days because of a complication after the birth. With my second, I was kicked out within 24 hours. On the third, they told me usually they would send home within 8 hours, and I begged my doctor to let me have 24 hours there. I only had a little help with any of them when I got home from the hospital. We had no family around, so on baby #1, mom and dad came a couple of days after he was born, and stayed for about a week. Mom did laundry constantly as I recall, and of course, did the cooking. Dad didn’t do much, but did run out to the grocery store if needed.
There was no such thing as family leave back then, so we got lucky that our first two were born on weekends. Hubby was always right back to work on Monday after the birth. We needed his income without taking sick/vacation days.
With the third kid, we did hire a trusted teenager to come help out for the first couple of weeks when she finished HS classes. She was a godsend. She would help watch the other two while I tended to the baby, and got dinner going. I don’t know what I wouldn’t done without her.
It’s far different these days, at least it seems that way when my grandsons were born. Both mom and dad take time off from work, get paid while they’re off, and still have a job to go back to several weeks later. Sooo different.
I hear a hernia is close to it but with x3’s the pain?.
The quality of care at the Belgian hospital and afterwards was far better. The nurses were numerous and ever present. And after discharge, besides excellent pediatric care for the girls, my wife had kinesiology treatment for recovery. Just one family's experience.
Yes because I looked into it at the time....course that was 25 years ago
My husband was a pediatric resident when our second was born and we had no family to help me at all. He got two days off and then was gone working in the hospital for a solid week. I am still bitter about it.
Here’s what I found from one of the AIs:
historically, postpartum care in Japan included a longer recovery period. While the hospital stay for new mothers is now typically five to seven days2, there is a traditional practice called the “confinement period.” This involves staying indoors and resting for about a month after leaving the hospital. In the past, this confinement period could extend up to 100 days, emphasizing rest and bonding with the newborn.
It’s fascinating how cultural practices evolve over time, isn’t it? Let me know if you’d like to explore this topic further!
About 2-3 days after my birth, hospital put me in a cardboard box with a blanket and some diapers. Folks put the box into the car (no seat belts back then) and drove me home.
I didn’t believe it, but the box was still in the attic (being used to store Christmas lights) - had a paper with my birth info still taped to the side.
A kidney stone the size of a small watermelon
bump
Military hospitals in the ‘60s.
The first one admitted me for water retention and because I was overdue.
I was twenty years old, a thousand miles away from family, and had never seen the doctor or anyone in labor and delivery before.
They woke my husband two hours later and informed him that I had gone into labor and that he had a son.
Husband stopped by the hospital on his way to work to inspect the newborn.
The second time, we were even further away from home and family.
Husband had just left for work, baby extremely overdue so he immediatly returned home.
On the way to the hospital, husband became concerned that we might not make it, so parked in the driveway of the ER.
He took me up to Labor and Delivery and then went down to move the car.
When he got back, sat in waiting room a few minutes when nurse came out with what he thought was an armful of laundry.
She showed him son number 2 and told him to admit us both.
Since the hospital was full of Viet Nam wounded, mothers were in a ward of 6 beds and we took care of our own babies.
The morning after delivery they came around with one clean sheet each.
Told us “top sheet on the bottom, clean sheet on the top, and used bottom sheet in this bin when you get it done”.
in 1959 my mother had visiting nurse services for a week or two after my brother’s birth. The nurse actually wore a big cape.
Love the kids - didn’t really care for the song. The “Oh bloody hell!” part kills me though.
I’m a simple man.
Twenty to thirty years ago, hospitals sent us home after a day or two, and maternity leave was six weeks.
I never received paid maternity leave, but my employer let me take eight weeks off each time.
Now, even the fathers get 12 weeks of leave.
The Korean government federally funds prenatal, postpartum full-on luxury, spa treatments, massages, childcare assistance and training and other perks to lure women into having children.
Dubai hospital maternity wards may as well be hotel resort spas from the footage I’ve seen LoL …but Islamic standards still apply: not sure women who have babies out of wedlock get treated well…
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