Soyeon Myung: Making Mothers and Families Happy Through Postpartum Care

In 2009, the author gave birth to her first child at an advanced maternal age in South Korea, her home country and a leader in postpartum care, and utilized advanced postpartum care services. At the time, Japan did not have postpartum care services like those in South Korea. In South Korea, postpartum home visit services and postpartum care centers (residential facilities) became fully established in 2009, and with government subsidies, the utilization rate of postpartum care now exceeds approximately 90%. Meanwhile, Japan was overwhelmingly lagging behind. Therefore, based on the author's own painful postpartum experience and a desire to help as many postpartum women as possible, she developed a postpartum care service tailored to the Japanese market and founded the company in 2014.

Postpartum care refers to total care for the mother's physical and mental health, newborn health and childcare, as well as housework and family support after childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most significant and difficult periods in a woman's life, accompanied by various changes. Many troubles can hide within this important period. A survey of postpartum care service users regarding postpartum issues revealed that direct physical and mental problems—such as "breast issues," "postpartum edema," "perineal pain," "postpartum depression (mental instability)," "joint pain in shoulders and wrists," "lack of sleep," and "hemorrhoids/constipation"—account for approximately 96% of cases.

On the other hand, indirect problems are also occurring. These include domestic issues caused by postpartum depression and divorce resulting from "postpartum crisis," which have become social issues. Postpartum crisis is a phenomenon where the relationship between a couple deteriorates or falls into crisis after childbirth because the mother returns to her family home to give birth, preventing the couple from spending the postpartum period together and making it difficult for the father to develop a sense of fatherhood. Since postpartum support from husbands is important, the government and companies are encouraging an increase in the rate of husbands taking childcare leave. However, the author feels that there are many "nuisance Ikumen" (husbands who talk a big game about being involved in childcare but can't actually do anything, and who are actually more work to have around the house during leave).

These various postpartum troubles and problems can be prevented with appropriate postpartum care, which is what postpartum care services provide. Examples of physical care include breast care to prevent mastitis, foot care to improve edema (swelling), abdominal care for lochia recovery, and wrist care to prevent tendonitis. Regarding mental care, since moods tend to fluctuate wildly, our company provides diverse support to alleviate loneliness and anxiety to prevent postpartum depression, such as providing nutritionally balanced meals, ensuring sleep, and offering childcare consultations. In other words, it can be said that postpartum helpers are responsible for "hospitality for postpartum mothers."

The following are real voices from customers who received our postpartum care support: "When I had my first child, I was doing 'one-op' (solo) parenting, and I only remember the pain of anxiety, intense tension, and loneliness. I am so moved that I could spend such a happy postpartum period with my second child." "My body was a wreck and I was in no condition to take care of the baby, but thanks to the postpartum helper taking care of not only my body but also the meals, housework, and the baby, I think I was able to get through the most difficult time."

While the above are excerpts from many customer reviews, I truly feel that "heartfelt support" is essential during the postpartum period, and that it makes everyone around, starting with the postpartum woman, happy.

The background of the growing postpartum care market includes the fact that while the number of births is decreasing due to the declining birthrate, advanced maternal age births are increasing. Furthermore, with the increase in births among the more than 3.6 million foreign residents, there is a growing demand for third-party postpartum care services because parents and siblings who would normally provide support are not nearby.

Furthermore, the establishment of the "Children and Families Agency" in 2023 has bolstered the expansion of the postpartum care market. Municipalities are strengthening "Postpartum Care Projects" to provide physical and mental care and childcare support for mothers and children within one year after childbirth. In light of the declining birthrate, these projects aim to ensure a support system where everyone can raise children with peace of mind by creating a safer and more secure environment.

In Japan, the utilization rate of postpartum care is still not high compared to South Korea, but considering the social significance and potential demand for postpartum care, further promotion of postpartum care service utilization is expected in the future.

As already mentioned, postpartum women undergo rapid physical and mental changes and experience postpartum disorders, and it is clear that this situation will accelerate with the increase in advanced maternal age births. It is an urgent matter for society as a whole to acquire correct knowledge of postpartum care, for postpartum care to be widely used, and for social issues such as postpartum depression and postpartum crisis to be resolved alongside the physical and mental care of postpartum women. If the support system that allows people to live and raise children with peace of mind after childbirth becomes stronger, it will help stop the declining birthrate, create a healthy and sound family environment, and ultimately serve as the foundation for Japan's growth and development.