“In-house midwife” who wants to reduce retirement after childbirth April 20, 19:02

Do you know what the ratio is 46.9%?

A little older, but a national 2016 survey shows the percentage of working women quitting their jobs after giving birth to their first child.

(Source: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research)

It is a surprising number that almost one in two people quit.

The reasons are different for each person, but it is said that working women who give birth and raise children are now facing more difficulties due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, which has reduced opportunities for consultation such as cancellation of parents' classes and refraining from going out.

"In-house midwives" who provide support from within the company are starting to support such women.

Companies are also beginning to introduce activities that are incorporated as company benefits.

(Osaka Broadcasting Station reporter Fumi Nakamoto)

Working moms choosing a retirement path

A 33-year-old woman living in Kawasaki.

I worked as a sales position at a food manufacturer, but left the company last summer.

After giving birth to my first child, I sent my child to a nursery school at the age of 0 and returned to work.

However, it is said that children tend to get sick and often leave work early or take a break suddenly, so they could not get the understanding of their business partners and workplaces.

"I was guilty of feeling guilty about both the crying child and the workplace I was just asking for a cover," he said.

"In-house midwife" introduced by a confused company

Is it possible to reduce the number of female employees who retire after giving birth?

The Osaka City Shinkin Bank, which has its head office in Osaka, introduced a consultation service by midwives who can be called "in-house midwives" as part of their welfare program.

A midwife contracted by the company will always consult with employees about their concerns.

Emails are available 24 hours a day, online consultations are available from 6am to 10pm, and all employees are free.

The ratio of women in this credit union is about 40%.

I felt a sense of crisis that it would be a loss for the company for employees who have become accustomed to work and have accumulated know-how to have trouble with pregnancy and childbirth or to quit their jobs.

“Every year, 80 to 100 women take childcare leave, and I really want them to come back. Life events and health considerations are essential for women to work,” said a human resources representative. I can't do it, so I want to support you. "

Advice for pregnant women

"I'm a little hungry ...".

On this day, Ms. Bie Asai, who is 8 months pregnant and works for the Osaka City Shinkin Bank, was consulting with a midwife online on her home computer.

I am currently on maternity leave, but due to the influence of the new corona, parents' classes in local governments and obstetrics and gynecology have been canceled one after another, and I have no chance to consult with experts face-to-face.

"Please spend some time at rest."

The midwife listened closely to her physical condition and gave advice from a professional standpoint as to what kind of condition she should be in when she was about to give birth.

Mr. Asai, who was dying to worry about when labor pains would come, was relieved when he consulted with him.

Mr. Asai

"When I searched on the Internet, I was overwhelmed with information and became more anxious. I am grateful that I can resolve my anxiety and doubts by having an expert listen carefully like this. Moreover, it is free because it is a welfare program. There is also a sense of security in introducing the company. "

Midwife launches a consultation service company

The midwife's consultation service is provided by the Osaka venture company "With Midwife".

Midwife Seigetsu Kishihata (29) started her business a year and a half ago.

Mr. Kishihata heard various worries of working women while working in the obstetrics and gynecology department, and wondered if he could support him from within the company rather than from the hospital.

Mr. Kishihata:

"I often heard from working women about their problems related to menstruation and child-rearing. When I came to the hospital after taking a break from work, I was in a state of urgency, and I wondered if I could deal with it before that

happened

. I thought it would be encouraging if we could be in the workplace where we spend eight hours a day. "

There are 40 registered midwives nationwide.

So far, we have dispatched midwives to 14 companies such as Takenaka Corporation and P & G.

There are other consultation services that support working moms.

"Kids Public" in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo offers online consultation services for midwives, gynecologists, and pediatricians.

About 160 registered specialists.

In addition to receiving a reply within 24 hours by chat, there is also a service where you can consult for 10 minutes by voice call or video call from 6 pm to 10 pm.

In particular, the number of companies contracting for coronavirus has increased over the past year, and 35 companies such as Recruit and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance have introduced it as one of their welfare programs.

Midwives, in fact, also for men's worries

It's not just for women that companies pay attention to these services.

An increasing number of male employees are struggling to balance work and childcare.

As double-income work becomes more common, men are spending more time raising children, such as picking up children and taking a bath.

Some people have trouble partnering with their wives, but others don't know who to talk to and are in trouble.

In these cases, men cannot go to obstetrics and gynecology.

However, even if I consult with my boss, it seems that it is difficult for people of the generation who were not as active in childcare to understand their worries.

Midwives provide advice from a specialist's point of view even for such problems such as childcare for men.

We also accept consultations on "pregnancy"

Some companies are asking midwives for further support.

The theme that Osaka Shinkin Bank chose at the online consultation meeting for employees was "pregnancy".

This is a pressing issue for couples who want children.

When I asked the person in charge of the Human Resources Department, he said that he was supporting him because he thought that breaking a healthy family relationship would result in a good job.

A male employee who attended the online seminar said that he was happy that the company thought about his family and that he was motivated to continue working.

Business executives need to be determined

Detailed consultation service for working moms.

However, it is not yet widely recognized among businesses.

There are hurdles for small and medium-sized enterprises that do not have the financial capacity to introduce it, and some companies think that "private things are not solved by the company, but by employees individually." Says.

In Japan, with the declining birthrate and aging population, the labor force population is declining, that is, the shortage of workers is becoming serious.

Under these circumstances, how to increase the number of working women and how to create an environment where women can continue to work with peace of mind can be said to be a major issue for society as a whole.

At that time, I felt that the support provided by midwives as one of the systems to help employees get pregnant, give birth, and raise children is encouraging as a person who raises children while working.

Solving social issues will require the decision-making power of corporate executives, and in some cases, administrative support may also be required.

Osaka broadcasting station reporter

Fumi Nakamoto

, 2004 it joined

the Okinawa station, the current affiliation through the metropolitan area center

medical and living a charge of

two children of child-rearing in the