The first Mothers-to-be Body Painting Contest held in Hainan Province pulled in 78 participants from all over China.	Jin Yu and her baby.	Fathers-to-be at a maternity hospital training course.

Best wishes for a son!” is the most frequently heard greeting at Chinese weddings. It expresses the common aspiration to procreate as soon after marriage as possible.

When Jin Yu became pregnant, both her parents and parents-in-law took turns to prepare nutritious meals for her. Her husband, meanwhile, took a greater share of the housework and did his utmost to be generally supportive. In the early stages of her pregnancy Jin Yu’s appetite dwindled. But after the initial prenatal reaction she became ravenous, eating four meals a day and often waking at midnight with food cravings.

“During pregnancy a woman may be expected to gain 11.5-13.5 kilograms. But 80 percent or more of pregnant women are currently seriously overweight. Their resultantly ‘outsized’ fetuses necessitate more births by Caesarean section. In the Beijing area alone, Caesarean births make up 45-70 percent of the total,” according to Xing Shucha, director of the School for Pregnant Women run by the Haidian District Health Center for Women and Children. Overeating in the belief that abundant nutrition will nurture a healthier baby is at the root of this phenomenon.

In order to increase Jin Yu’s protein intake, her family started eating meat instead of their habitual rice porridge for supper. In her fourth month of pregnancy, Jun Yu began weighing herself each week and recording her rate of weight increase. Any disproportionate gains she countered by taking more exercise. In China, expectant mothers undergo at least 10 physical checkups. But as one doctor explains, “Since there is always a long line of expectant mothers awaiting consultation, I can usually only spare them a three-minute, rather than a 10-minute, basic consultation on general guidelines. They must fill in the details themselves from recommended reading on the subject.” Jin Yu, a case in point, bought more than 20 books, including Menus for Pregnant Women, A Guide to Having a Healthy Baby, and How to Exploit the Wisdom of Babies.

These gaps are also filled by various recently established clubs for pregnant women and fathers-to-be. They offer yoga classes for expectant mothers, baby bathing instructions for fathers-to-be, as well as information on various methods of delivery and the anesthetic procedures applicable. Such classes inevitably hike the cost of preparing for the new addition to the family but, as Jin Yu says, “It’s best to know as much as possible beforehand.” Hospital pre-natal clinics encourage both pregnant women and their husbands to attend courses on diet, weight control, and preparations for the actual birth. The positive response to such advice is evident in the standing-room-only situation at courses on mid and late pregnancy at the Hai-dian District Health Center for Women and Children. Attendees include elders as well as young couples. All listen intently, taking notes.

Ladies-in-Waiting

When Jin Yu became pregnant, both her parents and parents-in-law expected her to resign from her job, stay home and prepare for the birth of her baby. But after listening to the opinions of various antenatal specialists, Jin Yu decided to carry on working. She was advised to continue participation in various activities organized by her workplace, and generally to maintain outside interests. Jin took this advice, and also decorated her baby’s bedroom.

Throughout her pregnancy, Jin Yu was conscious of the influence of her mood on her unborn child. Her doctor had told her, “The affect of the mother’s mood on the fetus is as significant as that of her diet, both of which directly influence the baby’s temperament. Children with a balanced temperament are generally rational and have good cognitive skills, rather than being fractious and demanding.”

Jin Yu was understandably apprehensive at the prospect of giving birth. Her mother was even more anxious, as when she first married, childbirth generally took place at home with the help of an experienced midwife. Poor hygiene and a lack of medical expertise, however, made parturition a crucial time, fraught with risks such as a breech delivery or hemorrhages. Jin Yu calmed her mother’s fears, telling her, “Nowadays hospitals not only give pregnant women careful examinations, but also prepare them for the actual birth by showing them how to breathe, bear down, and adopt the position most suitable for delivery during labor. I feel as prepared as I possibly could be, and my husband will be with me in the delivery room, to give me an added sense of security.”

Jin Yu’s husband attends classes for fathers-to-be at the Haidian District Health Center for Women and Children. He confirms, “Although my wife will be the one actually giving birth, there will be plenty for me to do. I can help relieve the pain by massaging her, and soothe her distress simply by talking to her. Being by her side at that time will show me just how traumatic the process of giving birth can be. It will also strengthen the emotional bond between us and create an even more harmonious environment in which to bring up our baby.”