Baby things

Long time no see!

I haven't posted for a while as I have been busy with many things. Also writing a paper everyday makes me want to stay away from the computer screen.

The last week was a good "baby week" with lots of baby things going on. It started off with a visit to our midwife and our first antenatal class....


1. Antenatal class


Now, as this is Japan, everything is in JAPANESE. Of course! The antenatal class was in Japanese and was attended by 6 Japanese women, and me.  Due to me be the only man, Ikumi and I served as models for the whole class and so we had our first experiences of "baby delivering poses". Because of the unusual vocabulary, I had a hard time trying to understand the class. However when the class finished I checked with Ikumi about what was said. I had actually understood a lot more than I thought so I gave myself a High Five!

The class was very useful and it answered a lot of my questions and helped prepare myself better  for the big day.

2. Scan #4

A couple of days after the class, we went to doctor's and Ikumi had her 4th scan. This time our little girl was sleeping at the time of the scan. She wasn't moving very much, but every now and again she would twitch (like she had hiccups) you can meet her below - She is looking at YOU!

She is healthy and the doctor says she has no problems. However the doctor did say that she is upside down at the moment (head facing up), so she needs to move around. Our midwife then suggested that we have to talk to her more and also I have to press certain pressure points on Ikumi's body....which leads me onto...

3. わにわにのおふろ(Alligator in my bath!)

I bought my first ever children's book - and it's in Japanese!

Its a great story about an alligator/crocodile (hey, they are the same thing) that goes to a house (unannounced) and takes a bath - maybe because the water in the local swamp was a bit too dirty or cold for him that day.

Anyway he goes to a house and runs a bath....

takes a shower AND sings using the karaoke machine installed in the bathroom (hey, its Japan!).

Then he takes a bath and finishes it all off with a nice cold drink.....

Thats one intelligent and cheeky alligator/crocodile. Innit!

I've read this story one time to her already this week. I think I like the story more than she does!  I will read it to her again tomorrow night - this time I'll do a better job at getting my "ずる　すり　ずる　すり" and "きゆるり　きゆるり" sounds right.　

4. うまれる


Also we went to see the Japanese film/documentary うまれる (birth) this week. The film follows the lives of 5 different couples and their experiences leading up to the birth, the actual birth and also after the birth.

At times it was a bit too melodramatic, however on the whole it was a good film as it showed the lives of 5 ordinary couples and not beautiful/made up actors. It also helped both Ikumi and I find out more about the actual birth itself.

The movie was on limited release, so we went to Saga to see it (about 90minutes car drive from our house).

For lunch we ate soba noodles....

 

After that we went to a local shopping mall. Check out the "White Day chocolate" that they were selling.....

White Day (March 14th) is the day in Japan were men have to buy chocolates for women - as women buy men chocolates on Valentines day. Read more about White Day/Valentines Day in Japan on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Day

The chocolate in the picture is a model of Mt Fuji. You can it buy for your loved one for only ¥5250 (thats around 37 pounds!!)

5. Baby flips over - good girl!


At the end of the week, Ikumi was told by the midwife that our baby has flipped over. Her head is now head down. Hurrah! Looks like the pressure point and book reading worked!