Im pregnant and in Japan..

Im so lost. I dont know where else to turn. I am hoping someone on this forum can help me.
I arrived in Japan on a student visa, which Im still on. My boyfriend is Japanese, which is pretty much the whole reason I came to Japan in the first place. Several weeks ago, I discovered I was pregnant. Since becoming pregnant, Japan has gone from an amazing land of wonder and surprise to a big pain in my butt. So I wanted to return to America to have the baby, but this is impossible because I need to be here for a while longer before I can petition him for a green card in America.
We will marry next week, and Im really happy! But there are so many problems..
Im going to a hospital in Hatanodai currently, and the doctor speaks A LITTLE English. Not enough though.. To go to a doctor that REALLY speaks English I think Ill have to go further into Tokyo. However, if I do this, it will cost us a fortune being its outside of our ward.
So, Im wondering about prenatal vitamins. Where can I get them? I asked the doctor about it, and he said that I should take vitamins. But he didnt give me a prescription or tell me where to buy it like they would in the US... I went to the drug store and asked about it and they looked at me like I was a crazy lady.
Also, Japanese food is making me sick to my stomach. I need some American junk food. If anybody knows where to get something like spaghetti-os, hamburger/chicken/tuna helper, hot pockets, microwave pizzas, etc. please let me know. I just need some good old fashioned comfort food right now. Im very stressed out... Please help!!!

You should find frozen pizzas at most local supermarkets in Japan, but you should really be upping your intake of fruit and vegetables so that the baby gets the nutrients it needs (they won't come from hamburgers and pizzas)- so don't just rely on a multi-vitamin, eat fresh food. Salads, fruit juice, watermelon, apples, strawberries.

Also in the absence of a prenatal vitamin supplement, any normal multi-vitamin supplement should be fine! Look at taking extra iron and folic acid, but do not over do it with the vitamins.

If you are having trouble understanding your Japanese doctor, why isn't your Japanese boyfriend (and father of the baby) there with you to translate?

I also don't really get the part where they looked at you "like a crazy lady" because you told them you were pregnant and needed vitamins? I think you should try that one again- next time take your boyfriend. It is not an odd request, so I'm guessing there was a communication breakdown- they just didn't understand what it was you wanted.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_prenatal-vitamin-supplement...

Check the explanation about "prenatal vitamins" in the above website BabyCenter.

Actually even in the US, there seems to be no fixed guidelines on what must be in "prenatal vitamins" in terms of formulation; if you are eating a wide range of food, it may not even be necessary. I have not heard of this term "prenatal vitamins" in Japan - this may be a US thing. So that's why the doctor did not "prescribe" you any, and the pharmacy didn't know what you were talking about. From the above site, read what is in so-called prenatal vitamins, and you might be able to pick out a few they say you cannot take through food, and ask for those specific vitamins at the drugstore.

Sorry to hear that you are having problem with food - try frozen pizzas, or any fast food chain in your neightborhood. This is a big change for you, so go find your good comfort food :)

Congratulations on your expectant bundle of joy. Pre-natal (or ante-natal vitamins as we call them in Australia) are a must! They are really important in the 3 months leading up to conception (dont worry too much - lots of unplanned babies dont get them) as the folic acid etc have been clinically proven to decrease the risk of nueral tube defects (like spina bifida). They are also hihly recommended in the 1st 3 months and then continued for the rest of the pregnancy. During the 1st trimester your little one is busy forming all its important body parts. You NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL about the type of the multi-vitamin you take as too much of some vitamins while pregnant (VIT A particully) is what we call tetragenic (damages the unborn baby) so I would strongly recommend only taking a pregnancy multi-vitamin as the not so good vitamins are not added and the important vitamins are are included in the recommended doses for expectant mothers.

Try contacting the Tokyo pregnancy group for advice:
http://www.geocities.com/tokyopregnancygroup/

I'm sure there some other mums have gone thru something similar and can recommend what to buy and where to get it. Your other option is possibley ask someone from back home to send you some.

As for diet - I agree your little one requires a healthly start but every now and then its all good to splurge and eat what you want (as long as its not raw meat or a soft cheese) - just bare in mind the Japanese are much more mindful of the acceptable weight gain range then western countries (most mums in Japan all seem to gain only 10kg or less unlike other countries where they dont say to much until the mother gains over the 20kg mark).

Anyway - good luck and congratulations on pregnancy and your marriage - I hope all works out well for you and your new little family.

It is normal to have craves and/or taste changes in the begining of pregnancy. You will have to eat something, even if it was a junk food, rather than starving. Probably you will be able to switch to healthier foods later.

As for prenatal vitamins, unlike in the USA, it is not common in Japan. You should ask your doctor (with the help of the father-to-be) which one you can take as a insurance during your pregnancy.

I am Japanese, and I made it in the USA. If I could do it, you can do it, too. Good luck and congratulations!

Becoming pregnant is a major life change and so can be stressful for anyone, much less someone living in a foreign country. I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant and so understand how overwhelming it can be.

I also feel a need to turn to my old comfort foods like Mac and cheese and campbell's soups. There's a great online shop called the foreign buyers club based in Kobe where you can order all kinds of food from North America, Australia and Britain. If they don't have what you want they can get it for you. It can be pricey but sometimes I need a hot pocket or two to keep my sanity. :)

As for vitamins, I have never seen a prenatal vitam in Japan. However, they do sell Nature Made brand vitamins at the drug store around where I live (Nagoya). They have a multivitamin as well as just calcium or folic acid tablets, etc.
Another great place to look is at baby stores. Most of the big chain stores have a maternity section where they have all sorts of vitamins, de-caf coffee, and other good things to eat for mothers to be.

Since young Japanese men don't seem to know anything useful about these things I recommend finding a woman at your work place or even your boyfriend's mother, and asking them where you can buy the things you need.

Try not to get too stessed about everything, hard though that is. It can be really bad for you and the baby.

Have you spoken to the embassy or alternatively had someone in the US contact CSIS or whatever it is called now to find out if you really need to stay in Japan to sponsor your boyfriend. I think he can enter Japan on a tourist visa, marry you there, and you can apply to change his status without the necessity of him leaving the US during this process. Also you could marry in Japan and have him enter the US with you and then apply. Personal circumstances change all the time, all you need to tell the officer at the border is that your boyfriend has a return ticket. If by then he is your husband show both of your return tickets. When contacting immigration in the US, your best method is to contact your senator or representative's office and ask for advice or assistance in dealing with CSIS. They have staff on hand for this very purpose. Good luck and go easy on the junk food.