The J-Pops: Attempting Parenting in Japan

Week 11 & Month 4. The boys are growing and getting better at talking, and so are their babies... Hey oh! But seriously, this week's episode gets into baby social, physical, and cognitive milestones for 2 and 4 month olds, as well as some actual baby talk. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 9 & 16. This week we catch up on almost two weeks of updates, like birthdays, more vaccines, consulate visits, & some baby trauma (but not really). Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 8 & 15. We forgo all the normal stuff today and interview Japan podcast legend Brian Waters. His family background (one Japanese parent and one American) gives him a lot of perspective relevant to our own mixed race kids. He has also raised kids of his own in Japan, so Brian brings the J-Pop goods. Did we mention he does autopsies? Topics include: the pursuit of bilingualism, being "...

Weeks 7 & 14. Both J-Babies spent quality time with 2 year olds this week, and we share what we learned. Nico had his 100-day ceremony, and he pretended to eat many foods (and nonfoods) as part of it. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 6 & 13. This week was much of the same, so we get into some bottle feeding & sanitization needs. There are also new types of dad jokes being told, so be prepared to cringe a little less this week. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 5 & 12. This Golden Week was all about travel, festivals, and medical emergencies. Not full-blown emergencies, I guess, but a trip to the hospital for a case of lactation mastitis. We also talk new parents' diets and baby acne, and we sing the praises of the Honda Freed, peace be upon it. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thej...

Weeks 4 & 11. Check-ups, immunizations, and home visits from healthcare professionals. We had all three this week, and we talk about 'em. Baby shots, man. Heartbreaking. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 3 & 10. The topic this week is a cherished rite of passage: baby's first consular appointment. We also talk about babies' lopsided heads, and we jump back into the frigid waters of dad jokes. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 2 & 9. This week we share what we've found on developing both your baby's vision and bilingual skills. We also share some extreme poos we've experienced, and we co-author a saying that will continue to be used hundreds of years from now, no question. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Weeks 1 & 8. How do you integrate a baby into your dog's life? Or is it a dog into your baby's life? Either way, we answer this question from the perspective of Mark's dog Isla. We also reveal our fatherly emotions and that we have them. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

A 7-week old & ...a newborn! In this very special episode, the J-Pops welcome another J-Baby. Mother and child are A-OK, both hanging at the hospital this week. Mark shares the ins and outs of the delivery (OK, mostly just one big out). Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy week 37 & a 6-week old. This week we take a dive into What to Expect: The First Year and discuss the wildest things written there. Then we, the hosts of a parenting podcast, caution against overparenting. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy week 36 & a 5-week old. Not gonna beat around the bush: This week we talk about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the measures you can take to defend against it. It's a heavy topic to be sure, but we artfully balance it out with dads bods, ridiculous customs, and a carefully curated selection of the finest dad jokes. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at...

Pregnancy week 35 & a 1-month old. This week we highlight a few newborn necessities. We also separate the deep ideas from the high ones. There are a few cultural anxietites mixed in, mostly to balance out the mellow from all the high ideas. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy week 34 & a 3-week old. Track your baby's progress via app like a real 21st century parent! We also share a few baby-centric YouTube channels that we've come across. Oh, and there's a lot of wisdom this week, but please don't expect these wisdom levels out of us every time. This time we were just so wisdom for some reason. Please send any questions or comments to us o...

Pregnancy week 33 & a 2-week old. We run the gamut today: picking them up when they cry, child-friendly photo sharing, STEM toys, the mysteries of the placenta, and giraffe turn-ons. You heard me. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy week 32 & a 1-week old. The main event today is a good long chat with TV personality Bobby Judo. We talk about his experiences raising twins in Japan, using baby sign language with them, and how being mixed race has come into play. We've also got the usual updates and jokes*. (*Mark and Justin freely admit that what they say cannot technically be described as "jokes" and...

Pregnancy week 31 & ...a newborn! In this very special episode, the J-Pops welcome a J-Baby. All is good with mother and child, but there was a surprising and sad turn along the way. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy weeks 30 & 37. This week we dive into the pregnancy book and find the five weirdest things written there. We also talk about how we'd like to prep our little digital natives for their high-tech futures. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com .

Pregnancy weeks 29 & 36. Turns out there are rules to naming a human. We get into those rules on the Japanese side as well as how to register that newly named human on the US side. Also, when it comes to raising kids, is it better to be more strict (stricter) or less strict (... unstricter)? We have a highly theoretical discussion about it, solving the issue once and for all. Please send any q...

Pregnancy weeks 28 & 35. Baby pics on social media... to post or not to post? Then there's the heavy-metal-sounding issue of cord blood. We cover it all in this ep, plus living with the in-laws post baby and pregnancy-related health... benefits? Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy weeks 27 & 34. Can your fetus hear you? Turns out the little eavesdropper can retain a few things from the womb. We also discuss babies of unusual size, several languages' worth of "c-section" etymology, and there's a quiz! If you have any questions or comments please reach out to us either on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com

Pregnancy weeks 26 & 33. On today's show: fun with MRIs, Justin crossdresses as a pregnant woman, umbilical jerky, and placenta pouches. Things turn serious with hospital restrictions, then we bring it back around with dad jokes. Please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter at @JPopsPodcast or by email at info@thejpops.com.

Pregnancy weeks 24 & 31. This week, we'll tell you everything you always wanted to know about Japan's parental leave system but were afraid to ask, and we share misadventures in a maternity photo shoot. We also have new car updates, and we put the final nail in the JLPT's coffin. As always, please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter @jpopspodcast or via email at info@th...

Pregnancy weeks 23 & 30. It's time for a sex reveal! We also talk more about pregnancy ceremonies in Japan, Amazon's baby registry welcome box, & concerns about safety. As always, please send any questions or comments to us on Twitter @jpopspodcast or via email at info@thejpops.com.