Giving birth in a foreign country can be scary, especially when you don’t know the language. However, a large number of foreign women choose to give birth in Japan, and are pleasantly surprised by the resources available; although a lot of research may be needed to find the information you need.

Once the doctor has confirmed you are pregnant, you will be given a confirmation slip that you need to take to your ward office and exchange for the Maternal & Child Health Handbook, or Boshi Kenkō Techō in Japanese. This is used to document all appointments, measurements and vaccines.

You’ll have to decide early on in your pregnancy what kind of birth you would like. Whether you want a waterbirth, have a midwife deliver your baby (with no doctor present), or create your own birthing plan complete with scented candles, all these options are available – you just need to research and find out where. Once you’ve decided on the method, it’s advisable to choose the place and caregiver, as some doctors and midwives may not be willing (or have the time) to take you on at a later date.

If you want a hospital birth, be sure to ask a lot of questions about what will happen on the day as some places won’t allow your husband to be in the delivery room or may separate you and your baby for most, if not all, of your hospital stay. These regulations vary with each birthing place. Also check what pain relief is available, as if you want to have an epidural most places do not offer this.

The best people to talk to are the various support groups such as Tokyo Pregnancy Group (http://tokyopregnancygroup.blogspot.com) and the Childbirth Education Center (www.birthinjapan.com). The Childbirth Education Center runs a number of classes including Birth Preparation, Baby Basics, a Birth Refresher class and a Choosing a Caregiver class.

Once you’ve delivered, you have to register with the city, your embassy, and immigration. Each embassy has a different policy so check details before the birth. After the birth you can leave the hospital whenever you decide but most women stay 4 to 5 days. New mums, who have National Health Insurance, will also receive a lump sum of ¥350,000 once the baby is born.