Daycare is available for a mom who needs her own time (and it’s subsidized!)
- Owner Yukie
- Oct 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 19, 2022
I believe moms need her own time. Time for her to feel relaxed and recharged. Time for her to take care of herself. Time for her to feel herself being separated from a state of motherhood.
Around me, many mothers feel obliged to take care of their child 24/7. Surprisingly, they feel somehow guilty to rely on public services and babysitting services. Maybe it's a cultural thing of Japan, which believing in inseparable bonds between mothers and children until children become three years old.
On the other hand, there are some mothers, most of the time, they have multiple children have no hesitations to rely on public services what available for parents for the sake of mother's mental and physical health.
As I stated in the beginning of this blog, I totally agree with the latter mothers. The more professionals involved in our parenting , the more confident and positive I can be towards raising my child. So I'm grateful that the public services for parents are designed and available to use here in Japan.
The Japanese government has taken various services for mothers especially with a new born babies/young children in place. Mothers with young child/children tends to feel isolated. Sad fact is that postpartum depression is estimated to occur in 1 in 10 mothers who give birth in Japan. Factors that increase the risk of postpartum depression include childcare anxiety and stress, as well as a history of depression and strong anxiety during pregnancy.
In addition, lack of support from family members and others, such as "one-operator child-rearing," where the mother is forced to raise the child alone, is also a factor.
There are two major public services for mothers with a baby available in Kyoto. One is short stays and day care at maternity medical institutions. And the other is daycare at registered nursery schools.
The first major public service is called Smile Mama Hot Project (Postpartum Care Project)". Through short stays and day care at maternity medical institutions and midwifery centers, midwives and other professionals provide mental and physical care and childcare support to mothers and their children for up to one year after childbirth.
I registered myself to Smile Mama Hot project but I ended up not using this service. However, I used the very similar service provided by the clinic where I gave birth to my son. This is because I didn't have to bring milk bottles, diapers and other items whereas services provided under Smile Mama Hot project requires moms to bring most of the things the baby needs.
A schedule of daycare was like this.
9:00 Show up at the reception desk
9:30 Enter a private room. Have orientation with a midwife in charge. She takes the baby to a baby room with her. The mother have free time
12:00 Lunch for the mother
16:00 Get ready to leave the maternity medical institutions
*The baby is taken care whole the time. If you prefer to milkfed the baby, they will take the baby every certain time.
Price wise, around 2,500 yen to 6,300 yen for daycare. 5,200 yen to 12,920 yen for short stay. Price will be decided depends on the annual income of the household in the previous year.
The other service is daycare at registered nursery schools in Kyoto. I use daycare service at a local nursery school once a week since my baby became 6 months.
As for daycare, the schedule is like this.
8:30-9:30 Drop the child at the nursery school
11:00 Lunchtime for children
12:00-15:30 Nap time/playtime
15:00-17:30 Pick up the child
Price is also determined based on the annual income of the household in the previous year. Price range is about between 1,200 yen to 2,100 yen.
In order to apply for these services, you'll need to contact city hall or ward offices for Smile Hot Project. And you'll need to call nursery schools and visit them for interviews before you start using daycare. It sounds and is a hassle to register to the services but it's totally worth it.
We can support applications for those services. In this matter, we can help even if you aren't live in Kyoto. Please contact us if you are interested!
References:
Kyoto city website for Smile Hot Mama project
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