An American Mom Gave Birth At A Japanese Birth Clinic & Every Pregnant Person Deserves This Experience
“In America, they just give you a bill and some trauma.”
TikTok mom Nicole Patrice moved to Japan from Kentucky and underwent a C-section at the Nagoya Birth Clinic. The five-day stay at the clinic was a Christmas gift from her husband.
Patrice gave her TikTok followers a tour of the facility and all its next-level amenities. After the video went viral, every pregnant woman in America collectively sobbed over Japan’s ahead-of-the-curve practices of postpartum life — focusing on the baby and mom.
“My birth experience at the Nagoya Birth Clinic has been healing and has shown me regard and respect that all mothers and babies and patients deserve, but are often times not given. I realize how fortunate I am to receive this level of care,” she said in the caption of one of her videos.
Patrice’s journey inside the clinic was all about her own personal healing after giving birth. The Japanese clinic was specifically designed to facilitate that.
From restaurant-quality meals (all of which are apparently “made to promote healing, excite the palate and encourage lactation”) to the reading nooks, to the on-site esthetic clinic for facials.
Nagoya was provided with 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 the upgrades, Patrice paid less than $3,000 USD. For perspective, that is less than the hospital bill for when I had my daughter.
Needless to say, people were shocked.
“I wouldn’t want to leave. Good food, baby nursery, facials,” one wrote, to which Patrice replied, “Same. It felt like ‘mommy camp.’”
“5 star maternity hotel is what it is,” another wrote.
“I just love how progressive, considerate and healing the Japanese view and approach the birthing and recovery period,” one user pointed out.
The birth clinic also gifted a thoughtful present to the new mom, commemorating this momentous moment in her life in a way she will never forget — a box for her baby’s umbilical cord.
“Its [sic] the attention to details, and the thoughtfulness of the Nagoya Birth Clinic that has blown me away. For instance, coming back to my room after lunch- and finding this keepsake box for my baby’s umbilical cord. After my C-section, the nurse gave me a bit of my baby’s cord in a cup- she told me to let it dry out, and to keep it safe! Now, I have a beautiful memento to cherish forever,” she wrote.
“In America they just give you a bill and some trauma,” one user commented.
Patrice replied back — giving insight into the differences between her American and Japanese birth — writing, “My first birth did not have any hands on lactation consultants. Literally watching YouTube tutorials on how to breastfeed in hospital.”
“I think this is a good representation of actual care versus for-profit business, like healthcare in the US,” another pointed out.
“I [was] also born in Japan [and] I have a book where there is my picture and hand print, when I open the book there is my first cry audio saved in the book,” one user shared.
Imagine a world where babies and moms are looked after with gentleness and care. A world where a pregnant person can heal properly, take their time with recovery, and not have to feel the dread of that hospital bill being typed up before their baby takes its first breath.
