Posted by
swmbo
19 yrs ago
I'm going to have a baby in HK (not my first but my first in HK). I don't understand how it all works. What services does the hospital provide (lactation consultant?, home visits?, baby check?). Where to people like Annerley midwives fit in? Are there baby health clinics (to check progress/weight etc) or do you just go to a paediatrician for regular checks?
I'm just not sure how the system here works and was hoping someone could explain it.
Thanks
Please support our advertisers:
swmbo-
first question is does your insurance cover maternity? I discovered while I was pregnant, I did not have maternity coverage. You should first find this out.
If not, but you are a HKID holder - you have at your disposal the excellent public hospital route, which will cost you less than $1000 HKD for your entire pregnancy - including prenatal visits and your hospital stay and delivery. The well baby clinic through the public hospital system is also virtually free - (you've paid your taxes for this privilege) and they provide immunizations, checkups and basic baby healthy progress.
Lactation consultants and midwives are often "extras" that people choose to have afterwards. Having Hulda from Annerly come to your home after you give birth is wonderful - she can attend to your stitches, see how you're feeling, weigh the baby, teach you to bathe, help the baby latch on - lovely extras after you've given birth.
Please support our advertisers:
If you deliver at Matilda (for example) you will have excellent midwives and lactation consultants for the duration of your stay (normally 3-5 days, depending on VB or CS). And your first well baby visit at the hospital would be free.
I took my antenatal classes with Hulda and then bought her package of follow-up visits which was wonderful and as our pediatrician was completely comfortable with Hulda looking after us, we didn't have to shlepp over to his office until weeks later. You're not a first time mum, but for us, just getting out the door with a newbie fed and changed was a challenge so it was nice not to have to. Hulda was so helpful and so reassuring...(remember how new it all was?!)
See what your insurance covers--ours covered the in-hospital time as well as all the follow-up midwife visits.
btw, one of the things people say about the public system is that you have to wait. The care is good, but you hang around waiting for your appointment. I waited a good long time for my private doctor too, so don't opt against public just for that reason. And remember, if there's any concern about the baby, they go straight to Queen Mary's NICU anyway.
Please support our advertisers:
swmbo
19 yrs ago
Thanks for the responses. We're going private (as we can) so I guess I should talk to the hospitals about what they provide. I'm concerned about breast feeding as had problems with the first.
It's also been a while since my first baby (who is now 3!) so I'm tossing up whether to do a baby care class - I feel like I've forgotten everything. I'm not really interested in the birthing process as I recall that VIVIDLY, just the babycare. Has anyone found a good course/class they would recommend?
And lastly (for the moment) what about the different health clinics? I know Matilda and Annerley have one - do people just pick the nearest one? Do you get some sort of health record book (you do in Aus), to record progress, weight/height/etc, and immunisations?
Please support our advertisers:
Most of the pediatricians, if you go private offer some sort of "well baby" clinic - which is for regular checkups and immunizations.
As for a baby care class - Annerly Midwives (Hulda who is awesome) offers a "refresher course" for 2nd or 3rd time parents. You might consider taking that. I took a private course with her and my husband- which is really nice, and we felt like it was money well spent.
as for breastfeeding, most people say that after they get home, and have to do it on their own, on their own turf, with the baby screaming - is when it suddenly gets complicated. That's why having hulda come home with you - having her be on call for you is AWESOME. Many insurance policies to cover midwife visit, so it's worth thinking about - even if they don't, it's definitely worth paying for in my opinion.
Please support our advertisers:
I think most of the antenatal classes focus more on preparing for birth rather than care, but I may be misremembering. But I think Annerly (and maybe others) also offers a class for veteran mums so you may want to see what that's about.
I've thought about what I'd do this time around too--we're in the process of adopting--I think between the midwives at the hospital (I wouldn't have those, of course) and a series of midwife home visits there'd be good support but maybe review a baby care book from before and see how comfortable you feel.
Hulda is fabulous with all the breastfeeding issues and care concerns.
On clinics, I went to our pediatrician's office for well baby check-ups, but I think having a pediatrician is an American thing. And we did get a record book that was updated each visit.
Please support our advertisers:
swmbo
19 yrs ago
Thanks for your responses guys. I feel like I know where to start and what questions to ask now.
Please support our advertisers:
hkchoichoi, I think you and I were responding at the same time, nice we were pretty consistant though!
I totally agree on Hulda-home-visits, much much harder once the little treasure is home...
Please support our advertisers:
RAM
19 yrs ago
Another option for home visits is Yvonne Heavyside at The Family Zone. Yvonne is British trained midwife/health visitor. She has a personal approach to her mums and babes, both ante and postnatal. Tel: 2544 3399 Email info@the familyzone.hk www.thefamilyzone.hk
Please support our advertisers:
@@
19 yrs ago
Hi Swmbo - Congratulations! One thing I would suggest, get your family to get you a health book for the baby in Australia, they are so much better than anything I've seen (or my ped has seen) in Hong Kong.
We are from Melbourne and the Department of Human Services was more then happy to post one out to my parents free of charge.
www.dhs.vic.gov.au/phd/childhealthrecord
Please support our advertisers:
@@
19 yrs ago
sorry the link has been moved to:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/childhealthrecord/
Please support our advertisers:
swmbo
19 yrs ago
Thanks to @@ and Ruth - both good suggestions.
Please support our advertisers:
In Hong Kong antenatal care and check ups are usually done with your obstetricain in clinic who works as a team with a paediatrician and anaesthetist (though you can choose your own).
Matilda offers antenatal classes, first aid and CPR classes and domestic helper training courses, in preparation for babies arrival.
Postnataly we have baby massage classes a well baby clinic and a mother and baby group run by our health visitor.
Our midwives are very supportive throughout your time in hospital and most are now lactation consultants so you will get a lot of help if you choose to breast feed.
I would suggest you come up and get a feel for the hospital and Angela will be happy to arrange a time for you 2849 0355.
If you need help with insurance questions you can call Carlos on 2849 0375.
Hope it all goes smoothly,
Lynne - 2849 0328
Matilda International Hospital
Hong Kong
http://www.matilda.org
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail