[Voices of Japanese Parents Abroad_Korea Vol.1] Five Childbirths in Korea

Nestled in the peaceful countryside of southwestern Korea lies the small rural town of Haenam. It is here that Satoko has led a truly remarkable life of raising children. She married her Korean husband in 2016 and has given birth to five children. In this column series, we will unravel her unique and powerful experiences. The first installment focuses on her experiences of childbirth in a regional city in Korea.

Childbirth Not Left Entirely to the Hospital — Confusion in the Korean Medical System

―You gave birth to five children in Haenam, a provincial city in South Korea. First of all, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced giving birth in South Korea?

I felt that there were many doctors and nurses who didn't have much experience with childbirth, perhaps because of the declining birthrate throughout South Korea. As a result, I was often confused by the medical staff's responses compared to childbirth in Japan.

For example, in Japan, they will wait for hours, tens of hours, or even days to support natural childbirth, but in South Korea, I got the impression that they are less likely to wait like that. Even when the baby is not yet born, they tend to try to expedite labor by saying things like, "Let's just give it to come out with medication," or "If this medication doesn't work, we'll do surgery." I myself experienced a lot of pain because I was forced out.

Also, this may just be my imagination, but perhaps because I am a foreigner, I sometimes felt that I was being treated rather carelessly and looked down upon. At one hospital, when I was bleeding, I was instructed to do uterine massage to speed up uterine involution, but I was only told to "do the uterine massage" without any explanation, and when I fell asleep because I was tired, I was severely scolded with something like, "Why didn't you do it?!" I had a hard time dealing with such an overbearing attitude.

*Photo for illustrative purposes only

Giving Birth in a Rural Area — Choosing Amid Distance and Anxiety

―Yougave birth at several hospitals in Korea. Could you tell us about your criteria for choosing a hospital and your experiences with each one?

I gave birth to my eldest son and daughter at a maternal and child center in Mokpo, which is an hour and a half drive away. I chose the Mokpo hospital because it was closer, as if something had happened, I would have had to go to the university hospital in Gwangju. I gave birth to

my second son at a small general hospital in Hainam, about 30 minutes by car from my home. With my eldest son, my husband couldn't accompany me to checkups, which made driving difficult, and I also wanted to avoid going out due to the pandemic, so I reluctantly chose a nearby hospital. Because there are few people giving birth at this hospital, I was able to have a room to myself during my hospital stay and received attentive care.

Due to special circumstances, I gave birth to my third son at Chonnam National University Hospital in Jeollanam-do, which is about two and a half hours from my home.

Overcoming a Diaphragmatic Hernia — A Miraculous Birth

―Iunderstand your third son had a special medical condition. Could you tell us more about it? Also, what was the birthing experience like at the university hospital?

My third son had a congenital condition called diaphragmatic hernia, where his intestines protruded through a hole in his peritoneum towards his lungs, compressing his lungs and heart. The doctor told me, "There's a 50/50 chance this child will be born and survive, and a quarter chance he'll be born healthy."

At the university hospital, they initially recommended induced labor and suggested surgery, but I wanted to avoid having to have a C-section because I was planning on having more children, including a fourth. In the end, even though an induced labor date had been set, my water broke naturally, and I went into labor on the way to the hospital, giving birth in the process.

It took two and a half hours to get to the hospital by car after I went into labor, and it was snowing that day, so the journey was extremely difficult. My husband was shaken up and couldn't move for a while, so I ended up calling the emergency room while we headed to the hospital.

The midwives and nurses at the university hospital were much kinder than those at other local hospitals. We were told that this baby might not even cry, but we heard a cry the moment it was born, and afterwards its breathing stabilized, so it was determined that its life was not in danger.

*Photo for illustrative purposes only

“Facing Life” Through a Home Birth — Trust with the Midwife and the Husband’s Presence at Delivery

―Whydid you choose a home birth for the first time with your fifth child?

I've given birth in various hospitals and had many different experiences, but for my fifth child, I had a midwife come to my house and gave birth there. I feel that this was the best option. You

don't get that level of attentive care in a hospital, and I also had to take care of my older children. With a home birth, I was able to really focus on myself and my baby, and I really appreciated the moment the baby came out and the time I spent enduring the contractions and waiting for the baby to descend.

In particular, the midwife was very understanding and motherly, which made it easy to create a "connection" that went beyond the typical pregnant woman-midwife relationship.

―I heard that the midwife actively worked with your husband during your home birth.

That's right. Actually, my husband had never been able to attend any of my births because of work. Even then, when the baby was about to be born, my husband said he had to go to a neighborhood association meeting, but the midwife stopped him with just one word: "Wouldn't it be better if you didn't go?" I wasn't in the mood to think about it, but thanks to the midwife who conveyed that message, my husband was able to be present for the birth for the first time. I am very happy with that experience.

Children on a walk (photo provided by Satoko)

[Overseas Parenting Column - South Korea]
Vol. 1: Giving Birth in South Korea (5 Parts)
Vol. 2: Proper Postpartum Care in South Korea
Vol. 3: Parenting and Education in Rural Areas
Vol. 4: The Reality of South Korea's Declining Birthrate
Vol. 5: Beloved Children in South Korea

Family Dialogue・Column