Hi everyone, my partner and I are expecting and currently looking for a place to give birth. We live about 20 minutes from Tsukuba, Nagareyama, and Kashiwa.
An epidural (painless delivery/mutsuu bunben) is a non-negotiable for us. While there are many clinics nearby, I personally feel much safer in a large hospital setting in case of emergencies, but I know epidurals can be harder to find or more "restricted" in big hospitals (e.g., only available 9-5 on weekdays).
Does anyone have experience with:
1.Tsukuba University Hospital: Do they offer elective epidurals? If so, is it 24/7 or only scheduled/business hours?
2.Hospitals in Nagareyama/Kashiwa: Are there any large hospitals (not small clinics) in the Chiba/Ibaraki border area that are known for being "epidural-friendly"?
3.English Support: If you’ve given birth at any of these places, how was the communication?
We’ve heard the horror stories about being denied pain relief mid-labor because it’s "after hours," so we really want to find a place that is reliable. Any recommendations or warnings would be greatly appreciated!
by inspector_440