When I watched on television while household chores as a housewife this morning, one television program took up a matter popping up among after-childbirth mothers. Just named by the broadcaster NHK as "Sango Crisis (産後クライシス, After-childbirth crisis)," they said that there are many mothers who have problems, mostly mentally, saying "Shortly after giving birth, they are going to have less affection toward their husbands." In other words, those wives think their spouses don't meet their expectation on childrearing. When this situation continues, it leads to the "after-birth crisis" among the couple, eventually which might result in a divorce. I, as a mother of two children, watched the broadcast seriously. I got very interested in the matter because I shared some ideas over what Japanese mothers are thinking. As I tell the Japanese problem, I have one say for a solution.

What does the Japanese word Sango Crisis (After childbirth Crisis)? As I heard it for the first time, the TV said they named it for this occasion. But, even though it was for the first time for me, those key terms soon let me know the meaning as a wife and mother.  Recent years, we have been seeing, generally, more husbands than before take part in their household chores and share childrearing. However, looking back to our home, some wives think that their husbands don't do enough chores or take care of their children. Therefore, these wifes fret over their husbands and dislike them. That's what the Japanese combination of after-birth and crisis means.

When I heard the problem, I remembered another Japanese newly buzz word "Iku Men (イクメン)," meaning fathers who are good at childrearing and also look nice and good. This word appeared to be coined a couple years ago because these men got flourished as TV celebrities as well.

In my perspective, as one Japanese person, the above-mentioned crises have happed between the gaps of ideal and reality. To be sure, when I gave a birth to my first child, I had a lot of expectation on my husband to share childrearing. At the time, I was very distressed because he "did nothing" to our child, like the after-birth crisis.

But now I have two children. I try to be not so worried any more. Once I had watched another television discussing mothers' problem on childrearing like this, one counselor said an impressing wording, "We mothers are given a chance to raise our children. That's a privilege which men don't have." That idea is what I am holding since then. I want to enjoy our time with my children. Sharing happy moments with children is fantastic, isn't it? I try to think that always.

Also, as I watched the morning television, respecting each other among married couples is important, I thought. Bring home the bacon by a husband is important, and managing the household without a trouble also needs hard work. I'll express my thanks again to my husband later.

This subject is a very difficult problem if discussing one time. It has deep roots and backgrounds on each case. Do you have such a social issue on females in your country?

The topic on the NHK's program can be seen in text
at 
http://www.nhk.or.jp/asaichi/2012/09/05/01.html

(in Japanese.)