Had anyone tried having a baby in Thailand as a foreigner?

[IvorBiggun2]

Use a government hospital and just pay extra for a private room. Cheap as chips and good service. Forget them private hospitals. Same doctors that work at them also work in government ones.

[SomchaiCNX]

Both my sons were born in Mae Sariang. Cost 500 baht local insurance + 2500 baht envelope for the delivery team (C section) around that time (mid 90 ties) it was 100.000 baht + at Ram en 50.000 + at Mc Cormick in CNX. For many poor people it is a financial decision with no options and for those with money more like an emotional decision out of safety concern. All check-ups were done before we moved to Mae Sarriang, because of my job (away from home) it was better to stay with her family. Both C-section on appointment (4.125 gr and 4.520 gr). We had a private room ( bathroom running water and typical Thai toilet) as in the ward we had a lot of refugees who just got a couple days to deliver and then had to go back to the refugee camp. Our room was more like 200 baht guest room,at the ward with 15 beds, you had in average 2 people extra per bed sleeping on the floor to help the mother. I took care of my wife (washing and cleaning) as the nurses only gave injections and took care of the medicines. Another team of aid nurses took care of the babies. FYI the C section was performed by a normal doctor only 3 available at that time in the Mae Sarriang area. Once at home my mother in law took care teaching her daughter how to do it. BKK hospital is good but don't forget it is a business, Overbrook is also private but has Christian roots. While in Chiang Rai we always used Overbrook for our customers in case we had a medical problem on the tour.

[liona]

we are pregnant too,  just one month in Bangkok.

8 weeks time for appointment .

some ppl from facebook suggested  but we still didnt decide:

vipharam hospital

samitivej

bumrungrad

B.Care hospital natural deliv.-37900 C section 49900 

Bamgkok hospitals normal labour 94k- c section 132900

anyway we are going tomorrow for ultrasound in paolo hospital cuz its not far from where we living 

 

[TravelerEastWest]

Samitivej Srinakirin I think has a special care center for problems... a good hospital for children.

[farang10328470127340197412]

I have a Thai wife who really wants to avoid having a c-section birth. She thinks Thai doctors tend to push for c-sections because they're faster and routine. Anyone have experiences or advice with this?

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, farang10328470127340197412 said:

I have a Thai wife who really wants to avoid having a c-section birth. She thinks Thai doctors tend to push for c-sections because they're faster and routine. Anyone have experiences or advice with this?

Absolutely true at private hospitals.

 

Won't usually happen in a government hospital.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

I think ‘ours’ was at the high end (without complications) and paid for with Insurance which covered the birth and any necessary aftercare including necessary paediatric care and congenital issues for up to 90 days. 

I also took out additional insurance for our son (from day 0) to ensure we were covered for congenital defects / issues (had we taken out the insurance after birth these could have been classed as pre-existing conditions and not covered). 

 

330,000 baht for all involved delivery costs and 4 days - Bumrungrad in Bangkok. 

Private delivery room (attempted natural birth). 

Moved to C-Section (medically elective pre-agreed with Dr. if foetal heart rate shows signs of excessive stress or dropped below a xxx bpm for >1min).

4 nights in recovery / normal (private) room

 

Private hospitals push for C-Section, but our insurance would only cover that if it was medically necessary. Hence lots of discussion with Dr. that we’ll try for natural birth and if necessary move to C-Section and the Dr. would sign off that it was medically necessary (for insurance purposes). 

 

 

 

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

 

24 minutes ago, farang10328470127340197412 said:

She thinks Thai doctors tend to push for c-sections because they're faster and routine

I think the doctors push for it because it fits in well with their diaries. C sections come in handy when holiday times are coming up. My twins were due during Songkran but the doctor chose to do the C-section a week before.

[IvorBiggun2]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

330,000 baht for all involved delivery costs and 4 days - Bumrungrad in Bangkok. 

Private delivery room (attempted natural birth). 

You must be rich. It free for a Thai at her government hospital. I have 3 children all born in government. Never a problem.

[richard_smith237]

31 minutes ago, farang10328470127340197412 said:

I have a Thai wife who really wants to avoid having a c-section birth. She thinks Thai doctors tend to push for c-sections because they're faster and routine. Anyone have experiences or advice with this?

Very true, its quicker and easier for the doctors. Its also quicker and easier for the Mother (in most cases) where labor can be prolonged.

Labor was prolonged for my Wife and we (she) switched to C-Section as pre-agreed with the Dr. after xx hrs and specific foetal conditions were met. My  Wife was up and walking in a shopping centre a week after C-Section so recovery from that is fairly quick. 

 

Its is your  Wife’s and your choice. Even IF you are pushed to go C-Section you can plan to have a natural birth - just be clear and firm of what you expect from the hospital.  

 

[richard_smith237]

Just now, IvorBiggun2 said:

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

330,000 baht for all involved delivery costs and 4 days - Bumrungrad in Bangkok. 

Private delivery room (attempted natural birth). 

You must be rich. It free for a Thai at her government hospital. I have 3 children all born in government. Never a problem.

Insurance paid. 

[IvorBiggun2]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

Insurance paid. 

You pay the insurance premium? 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Insurance paid. 

You pay the insurance premium? 

Yes...  For myself, my Wife and now my Son.

 

It was the insurance we’d been carrying for a few years (renewable each year) with a 10 month moratorium on pregnancy which we’d easily met. 

 

The insurance covered delivery for my Wife (natural birth and / or medically elective C-section). 

 

 

I’m not going to get in to a discussion of the costs of insurance, I have found health insurance to be beneficial and the private hospitals to be excellent and a far better choice than relying on Thai Government hospitals (a personal choice) - the private insurance also covers us for other countries (where as the Thai system wouldn’t and travel insurance may not be ideal). 

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by richard_smith237