If you have National Health Insurance, you are entitled to one free home visit from a midwife. This will take place one to two weeks after the birth and she will provide a standard check-up of the baby and answer any questions you may have. Services after the baby is born vary between wards but typically free medical check-ups are given for babies at three to four months, a dental check-up at 18 months, and another free medical exam at three years of age. All these services are provided in Japanese. If after the birth you decide to breastfeed, support groups like La Leche League of Tokyo (www.llli.org/Tokyo.html) can provide advice. Breastfeeding in public is accepted, but a little modesty will go a long way. If you are looking for a lactation consultant, Iona Macnab is the only private International Board Certified consultant (www.blueskytokyo.com) who is not affiliated with any hospital.