Woah, time flies! I am now in my 34th week of pregnancy. In just a couple more weeks, I’ll be down at the hospital pushing my little miracle out! Yesterday, I finally completed packing all the items in my hospital bag for giving birth in Japan.
For all the other expecting mothers reading, check out all the items I have put together, where to get them, and for how much!
Some Background Information
Hospital Stay
In Japan, the usual practice is for the newborn and the mother to stay in the hospital for five days after a normal delivery – longer if you had to go through a cesarean delivery (about 7-9 days). Having a scheduled pregnancy is also very common, and mothers are admitted to the hospital the day before the actual delivery. Hoping and praying for a normal delivery, the items in my hospital bag for giving birth in Japan are in anticipation of a 6-day stay at the hospital. Note, however, that many hospitals in Japan have laundry machines where you can do your own laundry.
Hospital-Provided List
The things I have prepared are based on a list given by my midwife. I initially went on a rampage of watching YouTube videos and checking out blogs about what to bring, and it just ended up confusing the heck out of me. So, for once, I’ve decided to make my life easier by simply adhering to the straightforward list the hospital provided. Of course, there are a few items that I’ve added as a personal preference, but for the most part, we’re sticking to the list for the hospital bag for giving birth in Japan!
Why I’m Not Bringing Lots of Baby Clothes
As I go through the items I will be bringing, you will notice an obvious lack of clothing for my baby. This is because the Childbirth Package our hospital offers already covers the clothes that the baby will be using throughout the entire stay.
Other Items In Our Childbirth Package
In addition to the baby clothes, I will also be receiving the items below:
- Baby thermometer
- Umbilical cord box (Say what?! If you didn’t know already, it is tradition in Japan for the family to take home a portion of the umbilical cord. You can even buy these personalized and adorable engraved umbilical cord boxes on Amazon! )
- Belly button care set (for sanitizing and taking care of the baby’s navel until it’s completely healed)
- 30 pcs. of maternity napkins
- 2 pcs. of maternity panties
- 1 pack of newborn diapers (contains 36 pcs.)
- 1 pack of baby wipes
The hospital document also says that I can order additional supplies from them or bring my own from home if the above is not enough.
Items I Have in My Hospital Bag for Giving Birth in Japan (Based on the Hospital List)
Medical Documents
I, personally, will be bringing an entire file case full of my pregnancy-related documents such as ultrasounds, medical test results, and receipts. However, the three most important papers that you should never forget and that were specified on the list issued by my hospital are:
- Your Hokensho/Insurance Card – you will be in the hospital so duh, you will need this to be admitted.
- Your Boshi Kenkou Techou/Mother and Child Health Handbook – this is necessary not only for admission to the hospital but for processing documents such as your baby’s birth certificate.
- Your Hoshokin Jushosho/Proof of Payment of Deposit – I can’t speak as to how things are in other hospitals, but in ours, we had to give a deposit of ¥300,000, and I was told that they will not be deducting it from the final bill if I fail to bring my proof of payment.
Pajamas
I was told to bring 2-3 pairs of pajamas. Since my delivery will be in February, which is usually the coldest month of the year, I bought two fluffy pairs of pajamas from Uniqlo for ¥1,990 per pair. The Disney designs were very cute, and I can’t wait to wear them, but the reason I chose them is because they were on sale.
On second thought, however, I realized that since the top is a ‘pullover’ style, it might not be very convenient for nursing the baby. A top that has buttons would make more sense, so I also picked out a satin button-down pajama from GU. It also happened to be on sale (exactly the same price of ¥1990) and surprise! also had a Disney print.
Lastly, and this was specified on the list, is a long, one-piece sleepwear with buttons in front (called maebiraki/front-opening pajamas). My midwife mentioned that this is especially useful for right after delivery – makes it more comfortable down there, if you know what I mean.
Underwear
Maternity/Nursing Bras
I already had a bunch of these since my cup size has increased over the last few months. There are a lot of styles available on Amazon and some that I got are ones with additional/removable tabs (I love that I can still use these even when I’m no longer nursing) and easy-to-fold cups. These cost me only ¥1500 for 2. My favorites, however, come with front clasps that can be easily opened or closed when breastfeeding without any additional fumbling (¥2600 for 4).
Maternity Panties
I haven’t really been using maternity panties throughout my pregnancy so far, so I will be bringing 2 of my usual, everyday panties. As mentioned, I expect to receive 2 maternity panties as part of my hospital’s Childbirth Package.
In addition, the hospital list states that I should bring what are called Sanjoku Shorts. I’ve tried having this translated, but it returned some weird scientific word in English which I didn’t even try to commit to memory. They are high-waist panties that can be opened from the bottom.
Even if this article is not in your hospital list, I would highly recommend it. I was informed by my doctor that this is especially convenient right after delivery and useful before the delivery when they do the various tests to check if the baby is ready to come out. Just search for Sanjoku Pants on Amazon, and you will find a lot of choices. I got mine – a 3-piece pack – for ¥1615.
Towels
We are supposed to bring towels for personal use, and I opted to bring just one bath towel and one baby towel. My husband can bring me more if they are not enough, or I could just wash them at the hospital.
Gauze Cloth For Baby’s Use
Technically, the list asks for 5 gauze ‘handkerchiefs’, and when I searched for that on Amazon, the search returned smaller-sized gauze towels. But I’m a rebel, and my sister gifted me some larger gauze cloths embroidered with our baby’s name! How can I resist?! Of course, I’m packing these instead.
Personal Stuff
- Toiletries – The hospital will be providing us with shampoo, body soap, and hair conditioner, so I will only be bringing travel-sized bottles of facial wash and feminine wash.
- Makeup – I’m not delusional and know that I will probably be too busy and overwhelmed with the baby to even paint my eyebrows, but hey, here’s to hoping. One article that I made a point to bring is a lip balm. It wasn’t singled out on the list, but lots of videos I watched on YouTube say that your lips get so dry during labor and even after delivery.
- Slippers – This was specified on the list, and since I will be giving birth in the middle of a cold winter, I went for a cute pair of warm slippers from Uniqlo. They also have a Disney Peanuts design, and I got them on sale for ¥1500.
Cover-up For Baby After Discharge
I believe they require this throughout the year since the baby’s skin is still very sensitive, but this is especially crucial for us since we have to leave the hospital during the freezing season.
Instructions say that a bath towel would be good enough. However, I have received this embroidered (with my baby’s name) towel with a hoodie from my sister and have chosen to use it for this purpose. I’m not quite sure if I will bring it yet, but I also got an adorable hooded cloth from Uniqlo for ¥2990.
Another awesome cover-up that I got from Uniqlo is one that is made especially for the colder seasons – one side is made of waterproof material while the other is wool-like and warm to the touch. It also has some padding for added warmth and cost only ¥2990.
Additional Items I Have in My Hospital Bag for Giving Birth in Japan (That Are Not On The Hospital’s List)
Thankfully, the hospital gave me a very short list, which I think is very convenient for the expecting mothers. That said, I did decide to bring the following additional items:
Traditional Wear for Baby During Discharge
Apparently, all babies in Japan wear this dress-like type of clothing after discharge. I didn’t know this and was very shocked when I received it from my mother-in-law since she knew full well that I’m having a boy! It also comes with a matching cap – how cute is that?!
Additional Nursing Pads
During a talk I had with the hospital’s midwife, I have actually pre-ordered a pack of breast pads, but the other day, I received breast pads in the mail from my sister-in-law who also just gave birth a few months back. Just in case, I decided to bring over about 20 additional pairs. I honestly have no idea how much is typically needed in this case – I hope I don’t leak that much though.
Extra Clothing For The Baby
Yes, the hospital is going to supply us with the baby’s clothing the entire time we are there, but just as a precaution – okay, fine! Just because I already bought a lot of baby clothes and am very excited to see them on my little tot – I have included about 5 overalls in my hospital bag for giving birth in Japan. In Uniqlo, these cost ¥1990 for a 2-piece pack.
Extra Baby Wipes
The hospital’s Childbirth Package also includes a pack of baby wipes, but I didn’t think that would be adequate for a 5-day stay and also wanted to check out the options out there. I got a three-pack set (¥418) of the brand ‘Moony’. I think they would be good since the package says they were made especially for babies, are made in Japan, soft, and can be flushed down the toilet just like any other tissue paper!
Final Thoughts on Packing for Birth in Japan
There you have it! Everything that I’ve stuffed into my hospital bag for giving birth in Japan. I’m sure each hospital has a different arrangement, but hopefully, this has helped other expecting mothers out there figure out what they would need and where they can obtain these items in Japan. Preparing for the big day can be both exciting and overwhelming, but having a well-packed hospital bag can certainly ease some of that stress.
Remember, every pregnancy and birth experience is unique, so feel free to adjust your hospital bag for giving birth in Japan to fit your personal needs and preferences. The key is to be as prepared and comfortable as possible during your stay. Good luck in pushing your little cutie out, and may your delivery be safe and smooth!
As an expecting mom, be sure to also check out my other useful blog posts on being pregnant in Japan, especially this detailed guide to Japan’s maternity leave and pay.
