Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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To Bali with baby: part II (Ubud)
UBUD Ubud, the cultural and artistic heart of Bali, is a little town of 30,000 residents, surrounded by picturesque rice fields, covered with vibrant arts and crafts – and swarming with backpackers. Luckily, just a five minute walk from the center of the action, Green Field Hotel and Restaurant promised to provide “a hidden eden”;…
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Paternity Leave in Japan: the law vs the reality
Did you know that in Japan, after the birth of a baby, both parents can take up to one year of paid leave at the same time? No? Neither did we! Today, as my husband starts his three months of “paternity leave”, he joins a tiny minority of men who take time off to care…
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To BCG or not to BCG . . .
This week, Hope received her BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) vaccination. Regarded as a hallmark of modern medicine, the vaccination is administered each year to over 100 million babies across the world, to protect against tuberculosis (TB). The BCG shot is controversial among foreign parents in Japan due to its 18-needle “stamp” method of insertion. BCG in…
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“Maternity pay” in Japan
I’m pleased to report that last week, just as Baby Hope reached the 7½ month mark, I received my second installment of “Maternity Pay”. “Maternity Pay” is a simple term that masks a rather complex set of calculations involving different pots of cash. Here’s how it works in Japan. Maternity Pay I: Health Insurance benefits From…
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Taking your baby to ER in Japan
This morning brought a rite of passage that we could have happily put off for another few years: taking our 7-month-old baby to the Emergency Room (ER). If you need to take your baby to the ER in Japan, here are some things to keep in mind. Remember your documents At the Japanese Red Cross…
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Mother and Child Public Health Care Services in Japan
Japan has a high-quality national health system, offering universal coverage and free choice of health care provider. This is of particular relevance for new mothers and babies. Every few weeks, we receive vouchers in the post from our local public health authority (Minato-ku), which allow us access to a variety of “Mother and Child Health…
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“Mummy and Me Yoga” in Tokyo
Yesterday, in a change to our regular exercise routine at Crossfit, we tried “Mummy and Me Yoga”. As the name suggests, you take a yoga class alongside other mums while your babies play peacefully (haha!) at the front of the room. Taught at my friend’s apartment by the lovely and experienced Bex Kelly, the class was…
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Flying with a 6-month-old vs Flying with a 5-month old
I recently discovered that traveling on a 12-hour flight with a baby who’s six and a half months old is very different to traveling with a baby who’s five months and three quarters. Baby Hope and I just returned to Tokyo on British Airways 007, after a three-week family holiday in Epsom, near London. While we…
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Baby’s first flight: Tokyo to London on British Airways
I’m pleased (and relieved!) to report that Baby Hope and I had a very smooth journey from Tokyo to London, including a pain-free 12-hour flight on British Airways. Pre-departure I’d been a bit anxious about taking such a lengthy journey with our wriggly almost-6-month old, so was glad when we got off to an efficient…
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Happy 17th birthday, ewoman!
This evening, Baby Hope and I broke our curfew to attend a reception in Roppongi Hills, celebrating ewoman’s 17th and Unicul’s 30th anniversaries. Both orgs were founded by Kaori Sasaki, one of our favourite ladies in Japan! As well as running two businesses, Sasaki-san sits on the boards and advisory boards for several large organisations,…
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2020 Mum in Tokyo 