Sanhujori: Postnatal Care in Korea Today

To get a better understanding of how sanhujori operates in Korea today, after my visit to the National Folk Museum, I spoke to women and men about postpartum care options and who can participate in them.

I first spoke to Cathy, a Gyeongbokgung Palace tour guide (Gyeongbokgung was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in Seoul and the country). Cathy told me about her younger sister’s experience with a Postpartum Care Center that cared for her before birth, through delivery, and then housed her afterward so she could rest, eat warm meals, and heal. During the several weeks she stayed at the Center, Cathy’s sister had been given seaweed soup three times a day, her room was kept deliberately warm, and her movements were limited so her body could recover. Cathy remembered how her sister’s workplace hadn’t questioned the long absence; it was understood, almost expected, that childbirth required time, protection, and collective care.

I asked Cathy if her sister chose a public or private Postpartum Care Center and she said it was private although public ones were available. I asked her what the difference between the two entailed and she explained that private facilities can provide customized meals, education programs, spa programs, etc., based on the mother’s labor and delivery method, lactation plan, and the mother's health and psychological conditions.  Public maternal care on the other hand, Cathy explained, operates out of national or municipal hospitals and is integrated with the national health insurance system. At public hospitals prenatal checkups, delivery, and medically necessary postpartum care are largely covered, which makes them more affordable and accessible than private facilities. However, Cathy noted that these hospitals tend to be busier, more standardized, and more clinically focused. Rooms are often shared, visiting hours are limited, and postpartum stays are shorter.  She said they focus on medical safety and efficiency which can be an excellent option for high-risk pregnancies. Since her sister’s pregnancy was not high-risk, she wanted a more personalized postpartum experience. While emotional or comfort-based care exists at public hospitals, Cathy said her sister wanted more individualized care. 

Listening to Cathy’s explanation of the differences between public and private postpartum options in Korea highlighted a potential equity challenge: while private centers in Korea can provide personalized care that is more conducive to holistic recovery and workforce reintegration, these private Postpartum Care Centers are often financially out of reach for low-income families. At private Postpartum Care Centers, expecting mothers can stay for several weeks; they offer private rooms, hotel-like amenities, round-the-clock newborn care, lactation consultants, tailored meals, massages, and classes — all at significant cost, often only partially covered or not covered at all by insurance. Public centers—though safe and more affordable—unfortunately offer less tailored support. This raises questions about how universal postpartum policies could ensure both safety and individualized care for Korean mothers and their newborns.

Culturally, private Postpartum Care Centers reflect a continuation of traditional sanhujori: the mother rests, her job is temporarily “suspended,” and care is collectively provided — just in a modern, commercial form.  Cathy told me that Korean families navigate a mix of both public and private maternal care, often choosing public hospitals for safety and private clinics for the deeply valued postpartum period. She noted that her family believes a mother’s care before and after birth shapes the child’s future and this made sense after learning about historical sanhujori at the National Folk Museum.  

After speaking with Cathy, I was very curious to learn more about private Postpartum Care Centers and their offerings. I did some research and decided to visit the Postpartum Care Center located at the CHA Ilsan Medical Center. There, I spoke to Minseo, a nurse, who told me that that particular Postpartum Care Center is known for combining obstetrics with wellness-style recovery. Before she was hired, Minseo completed specialized training in maternal–newborn nursing, lactation support, and emergency neonatal response, on top of her RN license. Her days were spent monitoring mothers’ vitals, caring for newborns in the nursery, guiding first breastfeeding sessions, and coordinating services the clinic was known for—customized postpartum meals, wound care, infant bathing instruction, and scheduled rest periods designed to support sanhujori in a modern and tranquil setting.

Minseo explained that for the prevention of infection, the mother and baby should refrain from leaving the premises during their length of stay.  Visitation is also restricted although husbands can stay overnight. Minseo and I chatted outside of the Center because of these restrictions, which Minseo enforced gently but firmly. Inside, she explained, the Center maintained a tightly controlled environment to protect recovering mothers and newborns from infection, overstimulation, and disrupted rest. Family members could watch their babies through the nursery glass or receive updates by phone, but the rooms beyond were kept quiet, warm, and private. I asked Minseo what the average length of stay was and she said typically no less than two weeks.  

In terms of what the Postpartum Care Center at the CHA Ilsan Medical Center offers, Minseo said there are 24-hour professional nurses available for newborn care who are able to quickly respond to medical emergencies that might occur to newborns as the NICU and pediatrics department is located within the same building. Pediatricians make rounds to the nursery, and the observation room, nursing room, and washing room are separated to systematically manage infection control. There’s an air purifier inside the nursery to maintain clean air, and there’s continuous monitoring from the Infection Control Department. All equipment used in the nursery is thoroughly sterilized and the nursery is disinfected by using UV sterilizers daily. 

For mothers, the Postpartum Care Center provides a one stop service from prenatal care to delivery to postpartum care. Restricting visitors helps provide maximum relaxation to the mother. There’s a hotel-style heater and air conditioner and an emergency call bell installed in all rooms. Minseo also shared that lectures by pediatricians, obstetricians, and psychiatrists are provided to mothers which help them better manage their baby’s health, their own health after delivery, and their mental health postpartum, respectively.  

After speaking to Cathy and Minseo, I sought to understand Korean men’s experiences with Postpartum Care Centers.  I first spoke to Eric who is married, has two young children, and works at a dermatology clinic.  Eric shared that both of his wife’s deliveries were at a private women’s hospital connected to a Postpartum Care Center (similar to the one connected to the CHA Ilsan Medical Center, but he said it was not as “luxurious.”) Eric noted that while he returned to work during the week after his wife gave birth, he was expected—by his family and by the clinic—to stay with his wife on weekends. He learned how to swaddle, how to sterilize bottles, how to move quietly through a recovery room where rest was treated as medicine. No one praised him for “helping;” Eric said this was simply what a husband did during those first weeks.  Speaking with Eric made it clear that sanhujori also deeply influences how Korean men perceive and experience childbirth and postpartum care. I couldn’t help but think about how men (and some women) often frame childcare in the United States as individual effort balanced against work, something negotiated or admired when done well.[5] In Korea, this role feels more collective and time-bound: labor happens within a system that temporarily slows everything down—including the mother’s career and father’s own professional and social life.

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