Birthing in Korea

[cairomama]

A Korean-speaking Canadian doula/childbirth educator/lactation counselor/hypnobirthing instructor is currently constructing a website with the birthing options, especially natural birthing options in Korea:

http://www.birthinginkorea.com

The website is not complete, but it will get you started and if you have questions contact Lisa through her Birthing in Korea website.

Bottomline, even though Korean Obstetrics is highly medicalized with a 40% c-section rate, you can have a natural birth, homebirth, VBAC and even vaginal breech birth. Homebirth and birth center options are extremely affordable with Korean midwives. Unfortunately, most do not speak very much English so if neither you or your partner speak Korean, you might want to hire an English and Korean speaking doula. There is also an OB who does homebirths and speaks English but costs more money.

I chose to go home (US) to have my VBAC because I was told by a Korean doctor that Koreans were not allowed to VBAC and only a few hospitals and a few doctors would let foreigners try. However, while I was in the US preparing for my birth, I continued to research and found a lot more options than I knew before.

There is also prenatal yoga, infant massage, Dunston Baby Language in Korea.

[MamaRabbit]

Fabulous info, thanks! I get the occasional email from someone hunting down options here in Asia, so I'm happy to have a resource to point them to.

[Morningcalm]

Fabulous link! I wish it was there when I was pregnant in Korea. Mind you, I lived outside of Seoul so I probably couldn't take advantage of the resources.

I ended giving birth in a small private women's hospital in a provincial city. We had to drive an hour and a half to get there. That hospital supports natural childbirth and breastfeeding. I had to shop around to find that hospital. It wasn't perfect but for Korea it was pretty good.