Voices of MOM services and event participants
(Introduced from the latest.)
,Thank you for your help with our breastfeeding!Baby is doing well and we're not using formula any more.Much appreciated!!R, C and Baby (2021, Oct)
I would like to take the time to thank Ms. Michelle Yuki Leon for giving us the opportunity to attend her MOM classes. I started taking Michelle's classes with little confidence of becoming a soon to be father but thanks to her vast knowledge and understanding of everything from pregnancy to parenthood I feel ready to be a great father.
I highly recommend taking her classes to anyone who feels they need more confidence and information that will teach you anything when it comes to having a child. Michelle is able to answer any questions you may have and her teachings truly shows her passion for what she does .
Thank you so much for all you've done, Ms. Leon!
(TN-January-March 2015)
I attended a childbirth preparation class.
While I was pregnant, it was physically difficult to take classes after work, but I was glad that I participated because they taught me all the things that would be useful for my first childbirth in an easy-to-understand manner, and I was able to take care of my breast milk after giving birth. .
Especially in postpartum breastfeeding care, it was really helpful to have my swollen breasts soothed with a massage. This community nurse will not give you a breast massage even if you visit.
Also, it was great that I was able to make a Japanese friend who will give birth around the same time as me, and even now we can exchange information and go for walks, and let my Canadian husband know the differences between Japan and Canada.
However, the teacher's advice when there was no excretion of the baby immediately after giving birth was different from this one, and I was troubled. . (I was advised to drink plain hot water, but when my husband looked it up on the internet, the doctor here said not to drink plain hot water.) My husband began to properly gargle in the Japanese style. It was nice to have them.
(S.N Vancouver, used in 2014)
first birth and breastfeeding. Everything was my first experience, especially in Canada!
When the baby is born, I want to raise it by breastfeeding! Contrary to my hopes, breastfeeding for the first time was a series of pain and stressful difficulties for me, and it was a difficult start to parenting.
I didn't know who to talk to, so I went to a local breast feeding clinic several times, but it didn't go well, and both my child and I continued to breastfeed while crying. About a month after giving birth, I was lucky enough to find out about MOM. I was greeted with a gentle smile, listened to what I had to say, received a massage, and gently held my child in my arms...
I remember the tense tension that had been simmering all at once. (January 2008)
After that, as advised, the pain during breastfeeding improved over time and I was able to continue breastfeeding until my son's second birthday. Now that son is 7 years old, he goes to school full of energy in G2.
After the breastfeeding massage, I was invited to participate in a mom's meeting, which was a great opportunity for me to go out into the world with my child. I am so grateful that MOM was there for me during that difficult time. Thank you very much.
(Machiko)
Postnatal visits and breastfeeding massage.
Breastfeeding was not going well for me and I was using powdered milk at the same time, but my daughter noticed the difference between the breast and the bottle.
I was confused and couldn't suck properly on my chest, and I felt pain in my chest and that's why I stopped breastfeeding.
I wasn't drinking properly.
I had a strong desire to breastfeed, but I was about to give up. and when
I thought my milk supply wasn't enough.
At that time, I called Michelle, and at first I was very happy with her response.
It was very quick. When I was in trouble, you kindly asked me what the situation was, and I felt uneasy.
I felt at ease.
And I was very happy that he visited me immediately after hearing about my situation. especially chest pain
Thank you so much for helping me solve it so quickly.
It was reassuring that I had no knowledge about breastfeeding at all, but he gave me a detailed explanation. this hospital
I was recommended to breastfeed, but there was no proper explanation or massage, so I myself
Is this right? I was full of anxiety. So when you visit us, you will find that you have enough breast milk.
I was very surprised by the fact. And with confidence from Michelle! Just saying that gave me confidence.
If I hadn't called you at that time, I probably would have given up breastfeeding and used formula.
Breastfeeding at the hospital! breast milk! I was told so much that I tried to give powdered milk to my daughter who was hungry.
Breast milk! I was told that (I was in the hospital for 3 days because breastfeeding didn't go well), and the nurse who visited me after giving birth was also breastfeeding! When
I kept being told that I was mentally stressed. Breast milk does not come out properly (I thought so at that time) powdered milk
I'm disqualified as a mother to use it at the same time, and when the sucking doesn't go well and I end up with just powdered milk
I was thinking only negative things that I gave so much. And it doesn't absorb properly
There was a time when I was annoyed with my daughter. I really wanted her to drink my milk.
And it was a vicious cycle of reflecting on it later and becoming even more depressed.
I have to breastfeed with words from around when I am in the hospital! The pressure was amazing.
I was like that, so Michelle's help was very helpful. My feelings and life changed completely.
I'm really glad that you helped me.
After receiving the breast milk massage, the condition of my breasts was completely different. And it felt good.
I didn't know that I needed a massage when I stopped breastfeeding, so I would definitely like to ask for it at that time.
Since my baby has not been vaccinated yet, he came to my home and gave me advice and massage.
It was very helpful.
When I called him later when I suspected mastitis, he responded quickly and gave me advice.
It was helpful. It was reassuring to hear that you kept in touch with me even after the consultation. After all, the master and the two
It's a daily life, so when I'm in trouble, I feel different when someone on the road helps me.
I owe my current breastfeeding life to Michelle. I am truly grateful.
The feeling becomes positive, and the childcare life is also positive. Thank you very much.
About baby health checkup.
It was my first time to participate last month, but it was a lot of fun.
I was happy because I don't usually have the opportunity to eat slowly.
Also, it was very nice to be able to talk with other mothers who have babies of the same age.
I don't have many chances to talk at home, so I was able to relieve stress.
And it was nice to be able to ask questions to the nurses. It's my first child, so I had a lot of questions.
However, thanks to your prompt reply, my doubts have been resolved.
What I thought was good about participating in this time was the location. To go because it was in the middle of downtown
It didn't bother me. I went by bus, but it was convenient because it was close to Granville St.
It was good that the time was neither too early nor too late.
Potluck is fun because you can eat various things. For people with babies, the floor is covered with mats.
It's very helpful.
It was fun and the time flew by.
(SA Vancouver)
In January 2014, I took a childbirth preparation course.
I gave birth to a baby girl on March 24th, 2014.
Almost 1 year old! !
In the class, I really learned a lot of things, and furthermore, the teacher said, "If you're worried or in trouble, you can contact me anytime, 24 hours a day."
During the breastfeeding massage, I was feeling uneasy and tired, so please listen to me and take care of my heart.
After that, massage and weight measurement really helped me both physically and mentally!
(T child Burnaby)
”When I was thinking of taking a weekend English course, I just found out that there is a MOM class. It was in the evening after work, but my friends who take classes together even when they are tired. I was looking forward to talking with you! Thank you very much.”
(Name withheld by request)
The postpartum visit and breastfeeding massage were very helpful. When I was the first one, even if I let him suck, he was attacked by a pain that seemed to harden and burst. Only advice to let this nurse suck.
However, he came to the postpartum visit and weighed the baby twice before and after drinking, and carefully checked the mouth, etc., and told me that I was not drinking the breast.
I decided to proceed with milk instead of breast milk, and I received careful advice on everything. About a month later, the baby suddenly became able to drink from the breast, and I was able to change from mixed feeding to breast milk only.
It was really helpful to have a wonderful massage that saved my breasts from mastitis, and also gave me various advice on the progress after that by email and phone. And when I was the second baby, I had a breast milk massage, and thanks to you, I'm having no troubles.
Thank you very much.
(M.H Vancouver)
In 2014, I used MOM's birth attendance support.
The nurses at this hospital were more kind and professional than I had imagined, but they didn't stay with me until the actual delivery started, and their attention to detail is no match for MOM's delivery support.
My mother, who was there, was also very impressed with the details and attention to detail of MOM's support.
MOM's Yuki-san gives me concrete advice on everything. For example, when pushing at the final stage, it's the first experience in my life, so I don't know what to push. MOM's Yuki-san tells us the exact location, saying, "Focus on 'here'." The obstetricians and nurses here just "push!"
From labor pains to delivery to postpartum body care, she provided close support to pregnant women. Support with both professional skills and motherly kindness, it was truly super support! It was thanks to MOM that my first childbirth was such a lovely experience. I am so glad that I asked MOM to attend the delivery.
(Living in KU Vancouver)
Now I have a son who is 9 months old. After attending a childbirth preparation class with Michelle, I gave birth safely. After giving birth, I mixed formula and breast milk, but when my son was one month old, I became constipated and consulted Dr. Michelle. I was told that I was prone to constipation because of the mixture, but I hesitated to breastfeed completely because I thought I was not producing enough milk. I had Dr. Michelle visit my home and give me a breast massage. Thanks to this, I was surprised at how much breast milk I could produce, and I decided to give up powdered milk, thinking that I would be fine with complete breast milk. Thanks to this, my son's constipation was cured, and he still loves breast milk. Thank you very much.
(SH Vancouver)
We are extremely lucky to have found Nurse Michelle's "Mom" and all of the services that her incredible organization has offered since my wife's first pregnancy. It is hard to imagine where we would be right now without her irreplaceable help and 24hr a day guidance Mom is a perfect name for one cannot imagine what it would be like without a mother and that is how we feel. The medical system in Canada is based upon hospitals and doctors, and not always the best interests of it's patients, so we are very grateful for Mom's prenatal class where our vast education began. With a translation service offered for an English speaker like myself I was able to follow closely the many teachings as we began to work through the life changing pregnancy, then through the delivery process, and finally all of the details for first time parents with hand s on learning such as how to hold, bath and dress a newborn, right through to all aspects of early childhood development. The class not only introduced us to other parents, but has given us long term friends and now a small community of friends for our son to meet with regularly and many birthday parties. It has been three years now since we began our prenatal class, since that time Nurse Michelle has helped us on a weekly basis with our first son, and now our four month old baby girl. (RE Downtown)
Since it was my first child, I thought I had to study hard, so I chose the Japanese prenatal class. I was able to ask questions in Japanese, make friends with pregnant women, and chatting was refreshing.
Immediately after giving birth, my breast milk did not come out, and the Canadian nurse just told me to use a breast pump. With MOM's massage, a lot of breast milk came out immediately.
(KK/N.Vancouver)
My breasts were swollen and hurt, but the nurse here didn't do anything and told me to warm them up, which made it worse. MOM's breast milk massage made it easier for me to produce a lot of breast milk, and I didn't get mastitis. (CO/Vancouver)
The guidance of experienced MOMs from Japan and Canada was more useful than I imagined.
I was able to learn more about Vancouver's health care system, cultural differences, and actual childbirth.
It was really reassuring to be able to answer my questions accurately. (NT/Vancouver)
This MOM Prenatal class was a great educational experience.
The information was very relevant and highly practical.
It was an excellent opportunity to learn about Japanese attitudes towards delivery and babycare.
The instructor and interpreter were both first-rate.
I highly recommend this to any expecting intercultural couple (NT's husband)
The breathing method I learned in class would be difficult to practice by myself, so I asked for someone to be present for the first time.
When I went into labor, he led me well and I was able to ride through the waves.
During postpartum visits, she listened to my concerns and questions one by one, gave me advice, and now I am working hard to raise my child.
If you have a little question, you can easily understand it by looking at the MOM textbook, so it was useful not only during pregnancy but also for taking care of the baby.
I don't know how much MOM helped me during my pregnancy and after giving birth. I think that time was very precious for me as well.
(K.M/Richmond)
My wife and I can't thank enough for receiving a huge assistance from MOM.
Ms. Leon's step-by-step instructions lead to a better care of our first baby that it enormously helped us both mental and physical.
I would strongly recommend MOM's service to any couple or individual who is expecting a first rate service to a birth of their child. (KM's husband)
I met MOM when my daughter was born. As my daughter's contractions became shorter, she provided meticulous support such as breathing exercises and a warm towel to minimize pain and scars. Every time she had labor pains, she called out to her and made my daughter feel at ease.
After giving birth, I felt like I saw a different childcare method from the past, such as a massage to improve breast milk flow and help to suck breast milk well.
I am grateful for the postpartum visit guidance that gave my daughter some time to feel at ease. (participant's mother)
I asked for birth attendance and postpartum care.
During the delivery, she stayed by my side all the way until the baby was born safely and gave me detailed instructions on how to breathe and so on.
It took a long time to give birth, but I was able to do my best.
Before I gave birth, I didn't know what the postpartum breastfeeding guidance and breast massage would be like, but when I actually received it, it was very effective, and after the massage, my breast milk flowed differently. .
Thanks to you, my daughter is able to drink plenty of breast milk, and I am relieved that she is growing up quickly.
I feel free to talk to her about any concerns I have about childcare, so she's been a great source of emotional support.
Thanks to MOM's help, I feel that I was able to experience both the advantages of giving birth in Japan and in Canada. (KA/Vancouver)
It was a very useful class. For me, who was a first-time mother, everything was really useful. I think the reason why my labor pains and childbirth went relatively smoothly was because I was able to put into practice what I learned in class. The content of the text was also very helpful. For me, who is worried about English, the vocabulary related to pregnancy and childbirth, and the vocabulary related to vaccination were especially useful. (YH Vancouver)
I think that by participating in the class, I was able to feel a little more about the big event of my wife's pregnancy and childbirth, which is difficult for men to realize. Also, as a husband, I am grateful to be able to continue interacting with other mothers I met in class for my wife who is raising children in a foreign land. (YH's husband)
The Review class was a very good review. (Since it's already been 6 years) I was pleased to see that it also included information on how to interact with older children.
I also liked the content of the text. It was very easy to understand because I drew it on the whiteboard and explained it.
In addition, there is no doubt that it will be useful in the future, including explanations such as how to massage.
The presence of MOM is reassuring. Thank you very much. Thank you for your continued support. (From the questionnaire)
I went to a baby checkup and a potluck exchange party. It became a place to meet new mom friends, and I am still friends with the people I met here about two and a half years ago. Many times I have felt happy that my children have grown up together, and that I have mom friends who I can talk to about my worries and questions. (from questionnaire)
Prenatal class : I'm very glad that I've attended the class. I didn't know much about pregnancy and giving birth. The class was extremely informative. It was very interesting to understand some differences in the hospital system in Japan and Canada It was also a great opportunity for me and my husband to meet other first time parents.
Labor coach : I'm soooooo thankful to Yuki-san for all the support she provided me during the labor too. As soon as I had contraction, she was on the phone with me and taught me how to breathe and what helps to relieve pains etc. Some people may think that the labor support service is for those people who may be challenged with English. But, it's not the case. She has so much experiences and know how to help mothers both technically and emotionally to go through one of the Most painful experiences. Because of her, even though I used no pain killer I told my husband right after my labor that I definitely want another one (of course with support of Yuki-san) J I'm sure I wouldn't have said that if it was not for her.
Breast massage : I didn't generate much breast milk first. Even when I used a breast pump at a hospital, I was only able to pump a few drops after 15min. As soon as Yuki-san gave me breast massage, I started generating more breast milk! Yuki-san also provided me breast feeding plans so that I can gradually shift from mixed feeding to breast feeding only. Now I only top up with formula before putting my little one in bed.
Potluck party : I really enjoyed attending the potluck. I met other new moms and also moms from a pre-natal session I attended. It was a great way to expand network with other moms and have fun! I was also worried about my baby's weight There are some other public places where I can go measure my baby, but I was not motivated to go as it did not sound fun. The MOM potlucks really serve two great purposes; baby check-up and fun time for moms.
Without Yuki-san, my whole experience in giving birth would have not been the same. My husband said that having Yuki-san was so helpful because it relieved pressure from him. He also thinks that it reduced potential disagreements between us_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_
(From the questionnaire)
I was a little stuck when I stopped breastfeeding, so I asked for it, but I really, really appreciate it. Even if I searched for information on the Internet, I felt that there was a limit to what I could do overseas. I heard that this medical institution would only give me medicine, so I didn't know what to do and was desperate to ask Mr. Igarashi for the treatment. After just one treatment, I was able to spend time without incident, and I felt lighter both physically and mentally. I still recommend MOM when there are people who have the same problem. (from questionnaire)
Thanks to participating in this class, I was able to give birth with peace of mind.
If I hadn't come across this class, I'm sure I would have panicked.
It also gave me an opportunity to meet people who are planning to give birth around the same time, and I still exchange information with them.
We go on picnics with the children and get along well.
My husband was reluctant at first, but Igarashi-san said things like this before, during and after childbirth, and he supported me in various ways.
If I hadn't met this class, I'm sure my husband's support would have been henna chocolate. (from questionnaire)
If you have Japanese friends who are about to give birth in the future, I definitely recommend it! !
I was a little nervous when I first attended the class, but I was looking forward to it.
It was a lot of fun.
I was worried about the content of the class, and when I practiced taking a bath using a doll with my husband,
I feel indescribably happy.
The time I went to the childbirth preparation course itself is a very precious memory. (from questionnaire)