Compare and contrast, hospitals to give birth, Tokyo

Since many mothers in Tokyo choose Dr. Sakamoto (as have I), I want to give a quick run-down of the three hospitals he can deliver in (as I now have experienced all three). Given my over-all experience, I am going to say Aiiku is the place to go.

Aiiku

Pros:

Very nice staff, efficient

1/3 of nurses speak English

Very thorough

They are advocates of kangaroo care and room-in for your baby.

*To me, this is a pro, but some may see it as a con

They stress the importance of breast feeding

*To me, this is a pro, but some may see it as a con

Monitors on baby bed to check breathing

Nice ammenities. They provide Shiseido face wash, lotions, shampoo, etc. for private rooms.

NICU is high level

Japanese prince was born there. It is typically very difficult to even be admitted to Aiiku.

ROOMS:

Nice light pink decor everywhere. 

Feather blankets (nice)

BRING YOUR OWN PILLOW!

*Pillows are filled with beans or rice and very hard.

All private rooms equipped with shower and toilets

All private rooms have refrigerators

Towels and daily sheet change provided for the suite rooms only

Bring your own towels, just in case

Room-in possible for your husband for the medium and large rooms for 1000 yen extra a day

Smallest room---decent (room charge 25,000 yen/day)

Largest room---spacey (double the charge)

I stayed in both the largest and the smallest room during my 10 day stay

The smaller rooms are usually not available right away, but the larger rooms most likely will be. In my case, I started out with a large room and then downgraded. They usually don't allow you to switch rooms mid-way unless you are changing from a shared to a private room. I had a special exception made for me because I had not delivered yet 

Cons:

Food--hit and miss. Bring your own breakfast food. Repeat: BRING YOUR OWN BREAKFAST FOOD (they serve bean soup with rolls ever other day for breakfast) 

Japanese meal selection is decent, but the attempt at the Western style meals can be compared to coach airplane food.

I stayed at Sanno on my previous pregnancy, so was spoiled there. A step down, accommodation/food-wise from Sanno, but step-up facility wise.

If you want an epidural, you must use Dr. Sakamoto, or schedule delivery.

Seibo Hospital

Pros:

Very good facilities

Nice staff, very patient and plenty

-I had a nurse come in and sit with me for 3 hours to help me breastfeed my daughter. 

There is an English speaking sister (Sister Barbara)

General nurses: I don't think many of them speak English, other than Sister Barbara, who did visit a couple of times to check up on me

Food: Typical hospital food. Bring your own snacks.

Shower: It depends on the room. I had to use a shower down the hall, but had a toilet in my room.

Room-in: They let me husband room-in, for a small extra charge.

Dr. Sakamoto seems to prefer this hospital and pretty much guarantees a private room

I think this is the least costly of the three options (not by much)

Good NICU (I did not use this, but reputation is good)

Rooms:

Old, hospital-like, but decent

Green interior 

Showers are not in all private rooms/Shared shower

Bring your own towels

Cons:

Far from my home (but it was ok because it was my first baby, so a long labor and no rush to get to the hospital)

Big hospital, a bit run down

*The delivery room was huge, something from the 70's

*The halls were long and very hospital-like

*As of 2008, they didn't have monitors on the baby beds that alert you when the baby stops breathing (they do at Aiiku and Sanno)

If you want an epidural, you must use Dr. Sakamoto, or schedule delivery.

Sanno hospital

Pros:

Rooms are like a business hotel, very nice for a hospital.

Friendly nurses

Nice facilities

All rooms equipped with shower and toilets

I cannot remember if there was a fridge in the room

Good circumcision doctor.

Baby beds equipped with monitors to check breathing

Nice delivery room.

Food is good and you can select the menu

If room and board is your priority, Sanno is the place to go.

It is a full service hospital, so your medical needs can be met there

All rooms are private.

Cons

Limited staff, but it didn't bother me, as I had a healthy baby. May need to think twice if you may deliver a premature baby or baby with other possible complications.

Do not go there if you suspect anything going wrong with your delivery or baby. No emergency facilities and limited NICU. 

I was not impressed with the in-staff pediatrician 

Dr.  Sakamoto was on vacation when my son was born, so a Sanno doctor delivered him. I was not impressed with Dr. Oshiba, as she barely made my delivery (I had a mid-wife pushing my baby in to wait for her to come). I was screaming at the mid-wives to just catch the baby and not wait for the doctor!!!

If you want an epidural, you must use Dr. Sakamoto, or schedule delivery.

Do's and don'ts of going to a hospital in Tokyo

For a lot of foreigners, figuring out which hospital to go to, can be a big drama.

I'm posting this blog today, because I have been hospital hopping for the past three weeks. I'll get to that part later. For now, let me give you a quick break down of what to expect at a Japanese hospital and what you should prepare.

To prepare:

Your national insurance card
If you do not have national insurance, then you have to work out with your International provider how to pay.
Letter of introduction (except in the case of the emergency room)
*You can get a referral letter from your local GP
A friend who speaks Japanese, if you don't know Japanese*
*For subsequent appointments, you may be OK to go without a friend, if you were lucky enough to be assigned to an English-speaking specialist and you are comfortable with the check-in process.

 You'll find an bilingual friend helpful for the initial paper work and to make sure there are no "lost in translation" moments during your appointment. Be sure to remember the check-in process. For mothers, contact the Tokyo Mother's Group to find a bilingual volunteer who can help you. There are a lot of mothers who volunteer to help out other mothers in Japan. I can also help you, by the way (email me directly: janica@japan-cast.com), even if it is to translate over the phone. Seriously, send me an email.

International Clinics

These are great places to go to for general check-ups; however, it is best to ask for a referral letter for more serious appointments requiring a specialist. Big hospitals have access to better facilities and there are a lot of qualified doctors who can help. International clinics can set up an appointment for you and give the basic information of your condition to the hospital in advance. Make sure to bring a letter from your GP, explaining your condition. This is a must. Ask for it at the International Clinic.

International Clinics, for preliminary diagnosis and hospital referral

Hiro International Clinic

http://www.hiroo-ic.com/
03-5789-8861
Open: M-F
Saturdays til noon

I like Dr. Tsutsumi at Hiro International Clinic. He's knowledgeable in both U.S. and Japanese medicine and has a lot of contacts at hospitals with English speaking doctors (especially the Red Cross). He also accepts both International, as well as Japanese national health insurance. He speaks perfect English too and is great with kids.

His clinic is close to the New Sanno Hotel and French Embassy. He also can take X-Rays right at his clinic. They manage patient appointments well and so there is not usually too long of a wait. If you want to see a specialist in any area, I suggest going to see Dr. Tsutsumi first, have him refer you and make the appointment on your behalf. It will save you a lot of drama and make everything smooth when you visit the doctor. Plus, with him being a respected doctor, with his referral, the hospital will flag that you need English assistance and the doctors at the hospital will take you more seriously because you have his referral.

Tokyo Medical and Surgical Center

http://www.tmsc.jp/
This is the place that I think most foreigners go to. It is located next to Tokyo Tower. The benefit of this place, is that there is parking. Dr. Sakamoto has an office there (the famous OBGYN) (continued);

Dr. Sakamoto's Omotesando clinic

http://www.medical-c.net/tomoko/

However, I prefer his Omotesando clinic, which is strictly for OBGYN purposes. I.e., you are not around sick people in an international clinic. It is a nicer office and half the price because you are not paying the "international health clinic" premium. He accepts Japanese national health insurance at his Omotesando office, as well as international insurance. He only accepts International insurance at TMSC.

Tokyo Mid-Town Clinic

http://www.tokyomidtown-mc.jp/en/index.html
You can go here and be fine without knowing Japanese. They have English speaking doctors and very nice facilities. It is located in Mid-Town. I had my health check-up there and really liked the doctors. It is open later than other clinics (until 7PM), so perfect if you are working. They are open 9-12 on Saturdays. Closed Sundays. Facility wise, it is better than an international clinic, but not as large as a hospital.

Red Cross Hospital (Hiro)

http://www.med.jrc.or.jp/en/access.html
Facilities are great. Very modern. It is very nice inside. You have a buzzer that goes off when it is your appointment and sends you updates to this buzzer, such as "Please wait in front of the doctor's room now", "See the front desk" "Your name will be called shortly", etc. I like this system very much. Because there are a lot of foreign patients, there usually is someone who can  speak English. If you mention that you cannot speak Japanese, they will put you with an English-speaking doctor, if available. And there are usually English speaking doctors.

The Red Cross requires that you have a letter of introduction, before seeing them. If you do not have this letter, you will be charged 3000 yen or 4000 yen extra, and making an appointment can be a drama. (see my comment about getting a referral letter from Dr. Isao Tsutsumi at Hiro International Clinic).

Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital

http://www.twmu.ac.jp/info-twmu/

*Very famous for pediatrics
I was referred to this hospital from Aiku hospital. It is a university hospital and they are always looking for the latest treatments and methods. The pediatrics department is very famous. I took my sons there and the doctor sat with us for AN HOUR, carefully accessing them. This is unheard of. Most hospitals and doctors will see you for 10 minutes and then schedule a follow-up.

I saw Dr. Imai, who does not speak English. He is very, very thorough. I suggest getting a referral letter from a clinic and then going to see him on a Wednesday morning. On Wednesdays, their pediatrics only accept new patients who hold referral letters. So, you won't have the typical 1-2 hour wait. Yes, there is usually a wait. But, it is for a reason. They are good. Very good. I noticed one of the nurses was completely bilingual.

My son had an MRI there, where he had to stay overnight. They did 2 tests on his chests and examined him very closely before using the anesthesia. They are very cautious with children and . The pediatric ward was very nice. There were little cars like strollers that parents push their kids in. For X-rays, the aprons had panda pictures on them. They are staffed with a lot of doctors, as well as university students, always looking for new ways to treat illnesses.

Aiku Hospital

http://www.aiiku.net/index_english.html
A great hospital for basic pediatric care. They can take care of the basics, colds, etc., but when you have something needing a specialist, they will refer you to another hospital.

 National Hospital for Global Health and Medicine 

http://www.ncgm.go.jp/center_info/toiawase/index.html
(English portion on HP)
When you have tried everything else and you STILL don't have an answer, go here. If you have a puzzling illness, you should go here. Their doctors are trained in rare overseas diseases, infectious diseases, and more. I was reffered to them by Tokyo Joshi Dai because of my sons' puzzling illness.

Why I am hospital hopping.
Both of my sons woke up a month ago, while we were in Australia, not being able to use their hands properly. Their hands have been locked in a fist position and then at times, not being able to shut properly at all, on and off for the past month. It is the strangest thing I've ever seen. Why both of them?

Our local GP at Hiro International Clinic, Dr. Tsutsumi, referred us to the Red Cross
We saw an orthopedic doctor, who diagnosed them with tendinitis. However, the doctor did not even properly look at their hands (or even touch them) and made the diagnosis too quickly, for my taste. When I went to Tokyo Women's University Hospital, the doctors there said that they don't think the cause is orthopedic because it is too random for them both to have this condition at the same time. We are still looking for answers to this mystery. I'll go to the National Hospital for Global Health and Medicine at the beginning of the week and see what they have to say.

Please, wish me luck. I appreciate any information to help in my search for a diagnosis.

Picasso level artist, who paints nails, only in Tokyo, AMAZING

Want to have Picasso level art work at your fingertips (literally), then go to JoliNails.
The art work (and detai in nail care) is unbelievable. All these images are HAND-PAINTED.
It only takes about 20-30 minutes per image. Incredible.
www.joliarts-salon.com
3-10-9 Shirokane
Tokyo, Minatoku
03-6721-9669
Online reservations accepted 24 hours a day
Childcare available during treatment
English speaking

 

 

Lice is going around Minatoku schools

So, I just got a letter from my daughter's school. Lice is going around and A LOT of kids have it.

So, I'm checking daily with care but it is hard to spot those nasty buggers.

Take note if your kid is itching their head. Lice spread at pools and when kids are playing and bump heads. Also, they can crawl around on coats being hung together.

Basically, you're chances of getting it are high, and it's impossible to avoid it completely if you have kids. I did research on how to prevent it.

I did research on preventative measures:

Tea tree oil mixed with water makes a good preventative spray. Also, coconut oil on the hair suffocates existing ones and will prevent lice because it makes hair slippery and hard to attach itself too.

The school letter says to cut your child's hair short, wash it daily and buy lice shampoo.

There are mite sprays at pharmacies too that you may want to just spray around your house, just in case. (See first photo)

And, a word to note, even if your kid has lice, in most public schools here, they say to still come to school! So... Ya wonder why it's going around???

(Translated here: going to school, pool, playing, excursions, are all ok if your child has lice. Just care for it carefully for 10 days).

I've ordered preventative spray from  iherb.com (which is free shipping this week).

Best to you all! 

New concept beauty salonin Tokyo, childcare and music lessons during treatment

I have to say, this is the best concept salon I have seen.

Mothers can come in, leave their children with a professional child-care specialist in a child-friendly classroom, while mothers go to the 2nd floor and partake in the wide variety of beauty services offered.

Nails, massage, IPL hair removal, threading, facials, waxing, professional hair and make-up for events, eyelash extensions, eyebrow dying...

It's like a dream!

Kids play on the 1st floor with a native English speaking caregiver, while mothers go to the 2nd floor for their treatment.

The prices are reasonable and the quality is very high. Staff have experience in 5 star salons, charging double (or more).

The interior is trendy. The owner is American (i.e. you get to read the latest gossip magazines from the States during your pedicure!----a small perk ;-)

So, if you want a place that is high quality, affordable, bilingual staff, plus childcare for those who need it, I recommend JoliNails in Shirokane.

3 minutes from Shirokane Takanawa. It is a small, botique salon. A gem.
www.joliarts-salon.com

Open everyday.

Also, a great place for a weekend date. Leave the baby in the child zone, while Mom and Dad get a couple's massage or food/hand care. There is a menu for dads too.

Mammoth expo in Ueno

I enjoyed this expo the same as the Dino expo last year because it's not crowded. Mammoths aren't the draw, compared to dinosaurs but if you or your kid is into mammoths and other prehistoric mammals, why not check it out?

Place: Ueno park

Expo: 7/12/2014-10/5/2014

Photos: below

Admission: adults 1600 yen, elementary aged kids and up 600 yen. Small kids free.

 

The first part is disappointing, as it is just fossils from mice and small mammals and such. See below:

My husband and I were not impressed with the tree bark and leaves impressions but the giant mammoth and other mammals made up for it. 

I suggest doing a bit of research as a family together before coming so you can appreciate what it has to offer.

Photos curtesy of my 6 year old. :-)

The photo booth was fun at the end! 500 yen.

Artistic aquarium expo at Roppongi Hills

We took our children today to an artistic aquari exposition at Roppongi Hills today.

It you go with the mindset that it is an art expo and not an aquarium, you can appreciate the fine art details by the designing team, which consists of Japanese Olympic athletes and also professional designers.

Location: Roppongi Hills Arena

Dates: July - August 20th, 10AM-8:30PM, everyday

Price: 800 yen adults 

500 yen elementary age children. Kids 3 and under free.