Two days ago my doorbell rang just as I was laying down for a nap. I thought it might be a package delivery (that's usually who rings the doorbell during the day) so I went and opened the door.
Immediately, I regretted it. It was a lady rattling off very fast Japanese and indicating that she wanted to talk to me and come in my house. She said something about the baby and had paperwork with our information on it so I inferred that she was from city hall and had questions regarding our registration of Cora. So I let her in.
She proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions about Cora and her delivery, only some of which I could make out and answer. She wanted to see my
Maternal/Child Health Handbook (Boshi Techo) which I provided. I then proceeded to watch while she copied information from it. I started to worry that I was way off base and that she and I were having two different conversations. I also started to worry that she was a salesperson.
So I stopped her and called the company representative who helps us and translates for us and asked her to talk to the lady and interpret for me. Lo and behold, I was correct----she
was from city hall and
was basically doing a well-baby check and making sure I knew about local pediatricians and vaccinations. And for the record, she seemed to think our conversation was going well and she understood me. Before we hung up I asked the company rep if the lady would need to see Cora, knowing that Cora was peacefully swaddled in her crib and having her morning nap (at least someone was). She said no.
Of course, as soon as I hung up, the lady asked to see the baby. So I headed up the stairs and midway realized that the lady might not know what to make of the swaddling. They didn't swaddle at the hospital and I had to order (and receive as gifts from the US) my velcro swaddling blankets and sacks because they don't have them here. Swaddling can look a little bit like child abuse if you do it right and aren't used to it. (It works though, when you have a baby who flails and stretches a lot.) When she saw Cora, the lady looked a little surprised and immediately started jabbering and gesturing....I still don't know if she understood or was berating me for binding my child. I unwrapped Cora (who started screaming--I was really pleased by this point) and let the lady see her and inspect her belly button (healed for weeks now). Fortunately, she seemed to let it go and Japanese DSS hasn't come, so I guess the swaddling was OK.
Then she looked around my (thankfully clean) house---I believe it was to see that I had adequate space and bathrooms and things for the baby. She commented specifically on the two bathrooms and went in my living room and looked at the photos I have displayed of our families. She commented on the photos with grandmas in them specifically---I think she was glad to see that we had family somewhere, if not in Japan. Shortly thereafter, she left.
A few times when I had Cora out in her stroller or sling in Tokyo ladies would comment on her being outside so soon (at two weeks old). As a rule Japanese mothers don't take babies out until they're a month old. The checkout lady at my local convenience store here (I take Cora in the stroller to get milk and bread almost every other day) has asked me if it was OK to have her out walking. So this city hall lady was just about one too many people questioning me (plus I missed my nap :( ). While I suppose it's good to have people check on us, I really wish someone had warned me that this lady would come to my house. Anyone who might be reading this in preparation for having a baby in Japan be forewarned!
.JPG)
