WAKAYAMA, Japan - "Baby cafes" serving baby food are opening across Japan, giving new mothers a place to gather and combat postpartum isolation through shared meals and conversation.
In early April, Baby Cafe Arida, run by a midwife clinic, opened in Arida, Wakayama Prefecture, that has a population of about 24,000. Ten parent-child pairs attended the first session. After finishing their meals, the infants played on the mats while the moms ate curry and chatted happily.
The cafeteria at the facility in western Japan provides baby food free of charge for infants under 2 years old, and is open once a month from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children aged 2 and older can eat for 200 yen ($1.2), and those aged 18 and up can eat for 500 yen.
For the first session, applications were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and the slots reportedly filled up within minutes.
"It's especially important in areas with few obstetrics and gynecology clinics or maternity centers to create an environment where women can receive seamless support from pregnancy through the postpartum period," said Midori Miyazaki, 37, the midwife who runs the facility.
Chikako Tamaki, 27, who was visiting the facility with her 15-month-old son, said with a smile, "There are times when I feel lonely while raising my child, so it was nice to be able to enjoy a meal without any worries."
Yurie Kuki, 33, another mother, said she had been worried because her 1-year-old daughter wouldn't eat her baby food, adding, "I'm glad I was able to talk to (Ms. Miyazaki). I'm motivated to try harder again."
"Now that social connections have grown weaker, postpartum isolation has become an even more serious issue," said Manami Kikuchi, 39, a midwife who runs Baby Cafe Mamana in Samukawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.
In 2024, Kikuchi established a nonprofit that supports baby cafes nationwide. The NPO is engaged in activities such as creating guidebooks to share best practices. According to the organization, baby cafes have spread to 30 prefectures, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
In addition to cafeterias run by midwife clinics, such as Mamana, some are operated by kindergartens.
However, organizers face a heavy financial burden, including renting venues and purchasing food. It is also necessary to assign staff to care for infants and toddlers and ensure their safety, so labor costs are also a challenge.
Some local governments treat baby cafes the same as children's cafeterias, known as "kodomo shokudo," making them eligible for subsidies and food donations. Others receive no government support and operate at a loss.
"Having baby cafes allows mothers to send out an SOS. This also helps prevent child abuse," said Kaori Ichikawa, a professor of maternal nursing at Tokyo University of Information Sciences who is an expert in postpartum care.
"Relying on volunteers alone will undermine their sustainability. Ideally, public support should be provided."
