0-1 Year Olds [Differences in Childcare Between Japan and China🇯🇵🇨🇳]
I am Japanese, and my husband is Chinese.
In the year since my daughter was born, I have experienced childcare in both Japan and China up close. In Japan, I received a great deal of help from postpartum helpers and babysitters, while in China, I was supported by my mother-in-law, relatives, domestic helpers, and Chinese babysitters.
Including moving and visiting family, more than 20 people—both Japanese and Chinese—have helped take care of my daughter between the ages of 0 and 1. Because of this, I was able to observe many differences that I wouldn't have noticed if I had only experienced childcare in one country.
Of course, these things are not uniform across a country; ideas vary by region, family, and individual. In this post, I would like to summarize the differences in childcare culture between Japan and China that I felt through my actual interactions with these 20+ people.
※Please note that these are just trends I felt through the people who helped me. Ideas vary depending on the region, family, and individual.
① Ideas on keeping babies warm
🇯🇵Japan:
Babies have higher body temperatures than adults, so try not to overdress them.
🇨🇳China:
There is a culture that places great importance on 'not letting the body get cold' starting from pregnancy. People are encouraged to drink warm beverages rather than cold ones. Babies are also kept warm with thick blankets (of course, they checked frequently to ensure the blankets didn't cover the baby's face).
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② Diaper changing💩ver.
🇯🇵Japan: Wipe clean with baby wipes and put on a new diaper.
🇨🇳China: After lightly cleaning with baby wipes, wash with water and soap. Apply moisturizer and let the skin dry before putting on a new diaper.
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③ Ideas on holding/carrying
🇯🇵Japan: When carrying for a long time, people often use a baby carrier. I often see people using carriers when they are out and about.
🇨🇳China: I didn't see many people using baby carriers. Strollers are the main mode of transport when going out. Even at home, they often didn't use carriers and just held the baby in their arms.
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④ Responding to crying
🇯🇵Japan (in the case of the babysitter I hired): If the baby didn't stop crying after being held, they would sometimes lay the baby down to see how things went. There were times when she cried for nearly an hour, and when my husband went to check on her, there were several occasions where she wasn't being held.
🇨🇳China: Even when doing a little housework or laundry, many people would continue to work while holding the baby. They didn't use carriers and held the baby using only their arms.
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⑤ Family participation in childcare
🇯🇵Japan: There is a culture of 'satogaeri shussan' (returning to one's parents' home for childbirth), where mothers return to their parents' home after giving birth to receive support.
🇨🇳China: I have the impression that many families consider it completely natural for grandparents to take on childcare duties. Mothers-in-law and grandparents participated in childcare just as actively as the mother.
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⑥ Reporting during babysitting
🇯🇵Japan: Depending on the company, they often wrote reports so detailed that I could visualize exactly how the care went. They also sent photos, which provided peace of mind. Smartphones were basically only used for work-related communication.
🇨🇳China: Unless specifically requested, there weren't many photos or detailed reports. I had the impression that it was relatively normal to use a smartphone for personal reasons while the child was pulling themselves up to stand or playing by themselves.
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⑦ Babysitter meals
🇯🇵Japan: For long babysitting sessions, many people brought bento boxes or light snacks, or finished a quick meal at a nearby shop.
🇨🇳China: Because there is a culture that values warm meals, many people cooked and ate freshly prepared food themselves even while babysitting.
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It wasn't a matter of which was right or wrong, but being able to actually experience the differences in culture and values was a very precious experience.👶🏻✨
Even with the same goal of 'raising a baby with care,' I was surprised by how different the methods can be depending on the country. I hope to continue raising my daughter while incorporating the best parts of both Japanese and Chinese childcare.