Facts about the birth of children in different countries. Four stories about childbirth in different countries

Everything seems to be the same: contractions, attempts, birth, but in each country, childbirth has its own characteristics. We are accustomed to thinking that, of course, everything is worse with us than with others. However…

If you want to give birth - pay money

It turns out that you cannot give birth abroad under the compulsory medical insurance policy. So, in the United States, childbirth costs a woman in labor a tidy sum (up to 15 thousand dollars for a cesarean and about 10 thousand dollars for a natural birth, plus 10 thousand dollars for a hospital stay). By the way, America and Australia are the most expensive countries for childbirth. The insurance that they purchase in advance helps future mothers save money. But even with it you have to pay extra (about 2 thousand dollars).

Maternity hospital? What is it?

In many countries there are no maternity hospitals at all, only departments at hospitals. So, for example, it is arranged in the same America, and the delivery is taken by the doctor on duty - one for the entire department. The rest of the doctors are busy managing the pregnancy. In addition, there are special birth centers, focused mainly on natural childbirth (without surgical intervention).

Opening is still low! Come home!

This is in Russia, if labor pains are present, and the dilatation is still small, the woman in labor is still left in the maternity hospital. Abroad, everything is tough: “Contractions less often than after 5 minutes? Why did you come then? Ride home! Come back later!" Of course, they have only one department in the hospital, there are not enough places!

Husband is always there

But this fact can be envied. Abroad (USA, Israel), relatives and friends can be near a woman during childbirth (in Israel, the limit is no more than 2 accompanying persons), and after the baby is born, the husband stays overnight with his wife and child - even for him in the ward allocate a separate bed! They say that doctors are not even comfortable if a woman gives birth and lies in the hospital alone!

Wrestling match

TV in the delivery room is not uncommon in some countries, for example, in Israel. And if you ask local doctors why he is needed there, they will be surprised: “What will the husband do while the wife is giving birth?”.

Do you want to visit the villa? Israeli women too, especially during childbirth, and for the villa to be closer to the hospital. Women in labor who do not want to go to the clinic rent a villa and hire a midwife. So childbirth takes place with maximum comfort and in a homely atmosphere. If something goes wrong, then you can always quickly move to the hospital, it is nearby.

It's good in the hospital, but at home it's better

This is how Dutch women decide, because giving birth in a hospital is an expensive pleasure, and the insurance company pays for childbirth only for special indications: a caesarean section, a period of more than 42 weeks, complications. But the insurance company sends expectant mothers everything they need for home birth: sheets, towels, diapers, cosmetics, umbilical cord clamps. So, women, go ahead, handle it yourself! If you don't know how - train on cats!

Ancestral hotels

This is also common in Holland. They are used by women who do not want to give birth at home and can afford to allocate additional funds for renting a hotel. They rent a room and wait for the birth to begin, and then call the midwife, who conducts the birth.

gave birth? Time to go home!

In the hospital (if the birth took place there), the mother and child are not kept for a long time. So, in the USA, they are discharged two days after a natural birth or 3 days after a cesarean section. But while the woman is in the clinic, they are doing it with might and main: every half an hour or an hour a nurse comes and asks about her well-being, and before discharge, the newly-made mother receives detailed instructions on how to care for the baby.

By the way, did you buy a car seat?

In many countries (Israel), in order to leave a medical facility with a newborn, you must present a car seat for the baby. And the midwife can also check whether the parents have fastened the little passenger securely.

Soon Belarusian dads will have the opportunity to visit mothers with newborns in the maternity hospital. Perhaps the traditions of discharge will eventually change? Flowers can be presented already on the first day after childbirth and a photo "for memory" with balloons can be taken right in the ward. In the meantime, the decision on the visits of dads is "hanging in the air", we will show what traditions of greeting newborns exist in different countries.

1. Save the umbilical cord (Japan)

As a rule, when a baby's hair is cut for the first time, parents in most cases leave a strand of his hair as a keepsake, others keep the baby's first shoe. Japanese mothers usually prefer to nurture the umbilical cord.

In hospitals in Japan, the umbilical cord is packed inside wooden boxes and given to the mother upon discharge from the hospital.

Inside the box is sometimes placed a small doll depicting a sleeping baby in a kimono.

It is believed that the preservation of the umbilical cord in this way - it is a guarantor of the future excellent relationship between the child and the mother.

A week after birth, new parents and close relatives hold a ceremony to give the baby a name (Oshichiya), during which the child receives his official name in front of the home altar.

2. Receive a box as a gift (Finland)

In Finland, babies are "born with a box".

For 75 years now, women preparing to become mothers have received a "package" from the state. The package is a starter set of clothes, diapers and toys.

The mother has a choice between the package and the €140 cash subsidy, but in 95 per cent of the cases women choose the "package" because its content is worth much more.

Originally designed for low-income families, the maternity package is now available to every woman in labor since 1949. Since then, the package has become a staple for newborns and a sign that, regardless of their future, all Finnish children get an equal start in life.

3. Putting a newborn in a sieve (Egypt)

In modern Egypt, survival and the number seven are inextricably linked. Therefore, on the seventh day of a baby's life its existence is officially recognized around the world in a naming ceremony called Sebooh.

According to tradition, a mother puts a white-coated child into a large sieve and begins to gently shake it to help the newborn begin to get used to the vagaries of fate. After that, the baby is placed on a blanket spread on the floor. with a knife on my chest whose role is to ward off evil spirits.

Meanwhile, the guests of the ceremony are throwing around the kid grain, gold and gifts. All this symbolizes the happiness and wealth that is desired for the child. The mother stands seven steps away from her child, again with the aim of driving away evil spirits, and listens to the singing of special people who conjure the baby to obey the mother and obey her.

This is followed by a procession with fire and incense led by the mother. Singing children and guests hold lighted candles in their hands, blessing the house and its inhabitants.

In the Sebooh ceremony, the baby's name is also chosen using candles. Several candles are lit, each given a potential name for a child. The baby will get the name the candle that will burn the longest.

5. They put it on the floor to find out its future (Armenia)

When a child grows up first tooth, Armenian parents celebrate a ceremony called Agra Hadig. They put the child on the floor, and around him there are various symbolic elements, such as a tape measure, a stethoscope, a spatula, a book, and others. Then they ask him choose any of the suggestions.

Depending on what the baby chooses, this will symbolize his future. For example, if a boy picks up a tape measure, it will mean that in the future he will become an engineer or architect. Of course, only time will tell whether such a prophecy is true or not.

5. Parents are given red colored eggs (China)

In Chinese families, when the baby turns one month old, the Full Moon ceremony is held. This is the first important event in the life of a little person.

In the morning, on the 30th day of the baby's existence, relatives and friends get together to give gifts and their blessings to the newborn. The parents of the child also give gifts to their relatives and friends.

The types of gifts vary from case to case, but red-dyed eggs tend to be the most popular gift, probably because in Chinese culture eggs are a symbol of ever-changing life and its fluidity.

Their round shape is a sign of a harmonious and happy life, and red is the color of happiness.

During the celebration, grandparents usually give their grandchild gold or silver to show their deep love. Of course, parents and the newborn also receive "modern" gifts, such as children's clothing, toys, books, gift certificates.

At the same time, money wrapped in red paper is no less common gift. In other words, everything is like in the West and in Europe, only strictly in a month!

6. Placenta and umbilical cord are buried, and a tree is planted in this place (Jamaica)

Surely, you have heard the phrase that each of us should plant a tree, build a house / write a book and raise / give birth to a son (varies depending on culture). In Jamaica, apparently, the only thing left for parents to do is write a book, because everything else they have already done.

According to the Jamaican tradition, after a woman gives birth, the placenta and umbilical cord must be buried in a specially selected place for this, on which then a tree is planted. The tree is chosen by parents, godparents or other relatives and friends.

The tree is a pedagogical tool that teaches the child to take a responsibility on himself, because it symbolizes the beginning of his life, which needs to be taken care of.

This tradition was born from a Jamaican expression which says that "home is where your umbilical cord is buried." This speaks of a spiritual attachment to the place where each person comes from.

7. Don't let babies touch the floor (Bali)

While some parents around the world feel quite comfortable leaving their baby to crawl on the floor, Balinese babies' feet don't touch the ground until they're done. 210 days, because the child is considered a divine being who descended from heaven.

When a baby first steps on the floor, this indicates that he has become complete person.

8. Putting money in the hands of a child (Trinidad and Tobago)

In Trinidad and Tobago, when people visit a newborn, they usually put money in the baby's hands to bless the baby for a successful life.

Also in this country there is a rule according to which some parents do not allow guests to come to them after 18.00, because it is believed that the evening dew that the guests bring with them will cause the child to get sick.

Source 9Give your child 20 or more names (Nigeria)

On the seventh day after the birth of a girl, or on the ninth day after the birth of a boy, the child is blessed with special elements that his mother gives him with her lips.

First, the mother kisses him with lips dipped in water so that the baby has no enemies, then palm oil is put on the lips so that his life is smooth and easy, bitter Kola (a type of nut eaten in Nigeria) so that life is long, and also pepper and salt to make life sweet, filled with excitement and happiness.

After that, a name is chosen for the baby. In addition to the surname, the newborn receives several names. One of the names describes the circumstances of the birth, for example, the name Idowu means "child born after twins".

Another example is when a middle-aged woman dies giving birth to her daughter, in this case the baby will be called Yetunde, literally - "the mother has returned."

Parents often take their child some nickname, saying that they are praying for their offspring. For example, Ayoke means "one who is blessed" and Titilayo means "eternal happiness".

After the parents announce the names they have given the child, the relatives may choose to name the baby as well if they wish. But before giving a name, they must make a "monetary contribution" to the baby's basket.

Then everyone is given the opportunity to name the baby, the money is collected and transferred to parents who open an account for him. In this way, after the ceremony, the baby can have more than twenty names!

The ceremony ends with prayers, after which everyone is invited to the table.

10. Mother prepares souvenirs for all guests (Brazil)

In Brazil, the expectant mother prepares a basket of souvenirs that she gives to everyone who comes to visit her and the baby in the hospital.

As a rule, this is a small "pleasure" in the form sweets, a fridge magnet, a notebook, a sachet, and even tiny bottles of perfume, which are chosen by the mother in advance.

Thus she thanks the man for coming.

11. Hot stone massage and regular exfoliation for mom (Malaysia)

After reading this, every new mother will want to travel to Malaysia for these procedures. So that's what this Malaysian tradition is all about.

After giving birth, the woman is transferred to a special clinic, where she stays for an average 44 days, during which she is restored to health and feminine forms.

She is regularly given hot stone massages to cleanse her uterus, as well as full-body exfoliation to smooth out postpartum changes.

Moms are not allowed to lift weights or do anything other than feed the baby. All household chores are shifted to the husband or relatives.

How did your family greet you and your baby?

Educational museums in Minsk, where you should definitely visit with children

Each country has certain standards and methods of treatment. Each nationality has its own method of conducting childbirth and, accordingly, the procedures and conditions in maternity hospitals also differ.

America

It's no secret that in the US, all areas of medicine are regulated by insurance. So giving birth here will depend on what kind of insurance you have. Everything is fair: if you have good insurance, I will give birth in the most comfortable conditions under the guidance of the best specialists. But in general, almost all hospitals here are the same. Thanks to the introduction of insurance medicine, almost all medical institutions in the United States are clean, tidy and quite comfortable. By the way, America is one of the few countries where a child is given the title of citizen at birth.

Germany

Referring to some stereotypes, Germany is a very conservative country, but not in the matter of childbirth. Here they adhere to the principle “childbirth is not a disease” and offer a variety of delivery options. If you want, give birth standing, in water or accompanied by relatives. By the way, in Germany you can choose any clinic you like for childbirth, the main thing is to inform about it in advance.

Japan

Many of our compatriots who gave birth in Japan were, to put it mildly, in a stupor when they saw that Japanese women practically did not make a sound during childbirth. A well-known difference between maternity hospitals in Japan is also the food that is fed to expectant mothers. Every meal here is a whole ceremony of several beautifully presented dishes. Fun fact: Japanese midwives wear cheerful pink uniforms, not white coats. In general, they work here according to generally accepted European standards. One of the very important points is to recreate comfortable conditions and a positive attitude. Doctors are sure that this is very motivating young people to have children.

Great Britain

In the UK, childbirth is paid for by the state. Doctors here approach the woman in labor and the process itself very carefully and carefully, because if something happens, they simply will not be paid. The British are big fans of naturalness, so they do not really welcome childbirth with anesthesia. To relieve pain, it is customary to use any available methods: home births, variability of postures, childbirth in water, etc. It is customary to call a doctor here only when necessary.

Africa

This is a different story. Of course, from such countries as Tanzania, Nicaragua and Malavia, no one expects super-new equipment and a royal welcome. Yes, childbirth here is problematic and difficult, just like life in other matters. In African maternity hospitals, as a rule, there is not even running water to wash the baby. Women have to give birth on the floor. There is also an acute shortage of medical personnel, so many hospitals have only a midwife, but no doctor.