Having a baby in Hong Kong

As I promised in my last post, I would do another blog post about what it was like having a baby in Hong Kong as many have been interested in the differences from here to the states. Since this was my first child, I don't have any personal experience of delivering in the states so I can't give any first hand remarks on most things. 

As previously discussed here, I went through the government funded, public healthcare system for my prenatal care, delivery and now postnatal/child care. Ryan and I made this decision after a lot of research and thought. The public system is in conjunction with the university so it is also a teaching hospital. There are also many private hospitals throughout Hong Kong, but the public hospitals are the only ones equipped with a NICU; so if your child needed extra care or your pregnancy became complicated (which Xavier did for one night) you would be sent to a public hospital for care. 

The main difference we came across with being in the public hospital was lack of privacy. Upon being admitted for my induction, I was in a general ward for monitoring and the early stages of labor. For normal deliveries, you are kept here until you are at least 3-4 cm dilated before you are sent to the labor ward. While you are in the general ward, your husband or partner is only allowed in during visiting hours (12-1pm and 6-8pm) so I was a bit nervous about being induced and having to be alone for awhile. 

We spent time on floors 9, 10 and 6 throughout our stay

Once you have been monitored and are in active labor, you are moved to the labor ward where your husband/partner is allowed to join. This is a private room and where you will stay for your delivery. From what I have been told, the hospital is very open to any form of pain relief/movement to reduce pain. I was offered nitrous oxide (laughing gas), pethidine (an intramuscular injection) and an epidural for pain relief. Due to Xavier's low heart rate, I wasn't allowed to get out of bed or move off my back, which is not comfortable, so I was given the nitrous oxide and pethidine to help ease the pain until the epidural which was available. Unfortunately we had to do a c-section before that could happen. 

Poster with information for being admitted to hospital

Poster for information for husband/partner during delivery

Information on care for mother and child during labor 

After your child is born, you are taken to another general ward where you stay for the remainder of your time in the hospital. The ward consists of various bays that contain 6 beds, all sectioned off by curtains. Luckily for us, I was placed in a bed by the window so I had a nice view, rather than being surrounded by curtains. The area you have is big enough for your bed, the baby's bassinet and a chair for your visitor (again, only during visiting hours). Since the fathers are only allowed in during visiting hours, I was determined to be released as soon as possible. For normal deliveries, this can be within 24 hours. For me having a c-section and Xavier being in the NICU, we had to stay an extra night and were released 48 hours after he was born. 

Other differences we noticed were having to supply everything for yourself and the baby (diapers, wipes, toiletries) and obviously the food. I was given the 'western' food which normally consisted of a soupy oatmeal for breakfast and rice with cabbage and some type of meat for lunch and dinner. I had read all over the internet to bring in your own food, so I was stocked with energy bars and dried fruit, but didn't mind the food I was given also (lots of traveling in China will change your taste buds).

My first food I was allowed after surgery, warm rice milk

I've been asked a lot since Xavier was born if I would do it again here and at the same hospital. Even though it wasn't the greatest circumstances for us, I am happy we were at the public hospital throughout it all. Ryan and I have both agreed we received great care throughout the time there and know if we were anywhere else we probably would have ended up at the public hospital in the end. It wasn't the nice, large delivery suites I see back in the states, but you can't beat the price we paid ($58 US dollars!) and we still have an amazing baby boy in the end. 

Receipt for myself and Xavier. Ryan was instructed to go pay before we left the hospital. I had actually forgotten to pay for a day I was admitted for brief monitoring the week prior- so the actual delivery cost $39

It was quite an experience and we look forward to telling Xavier about it someday. We know it wasn't the closest location we could have chosen to have our first child but as with everything Ryan and I have seemed to do- it all has added to the adventure of our marriage.