Farang Couple Having A Baby In Thailand

[louise260]

My husband and I are both farang. We have a business here (Koh Samui) and we want to start a family next year. Anyone have a similar experience? Did you stay here for the birth or go home? If we stay here we'll need a good hospital and a doctor that speaks good English (my limited Thai doesn't stretch to child bearing :-)

Thanks.

[matcube]

Good luck for your new adventure! I assume you have already read all the posts in the pinned topics "advice for new mums and dads" and "having a baby in a Thai hospital". If some questions/concerns still remain, I guess you need to be more specific in order to receive prompt replies.

M.

[louise260]

Good luck for your new adventure! I assume you have already read all the posts in the pinned topics "advice for new mums and dads" and "having a baby in a Thai hospital". If some questions/concerns still remain, I guess you need to be more specific in order to receive prompt replies.

M.

Yes I spent quite some time yesterday reading older posts, but none are specific to my situation, i.e. we're both western, I was hoping to get some helpful info from a western/farang couple e.g. neither of us can speak Thai, what's the experience of registering the birth etc... the answers to these questions for a Thia/farang couple don't apply to me.

[StrongView]

Odd no one has replied. We've done it for one child, and we're going to have #2 soon enough. PM me and we'll see how we can help.

[alex_4000]

we're both farang and we've had two children born in bangkok over the last 4 years, one at Samitivej, the other at BNH. both were ok, although BNH did not allow the mother to stay with the newborn right after birth (despite the doctor assuring otherwise) - we never were tricked in Samitivej thou.

dont know about samui hospitals you will have to check for yourself. generally doctors prefer c-section and every hospital has different approaches towards natural birth (some will strip the mother down others offer water birth or 20 women in one room with curtains between the beds when giving birth ...) naturally there are big differences between governmental and private hospitals

as for registration this is usually done by the hospital and they will obtain a thai birth certificate for you. the certificate will bear a thai id, but it is no good for residency and does not entitle the baby for a thai passport. take it to your embassy to register the birth with your country and get a passport for the baby. some countries have heavy charges for that, others dont.

the baby will not need a visa until i think 14 years of age (dont have the passport handy, they stamped a note like that in there last time we left the country).

thats about everything i can think about - any other specific questions? good luck!

[dieter1]

you should know, that in Thailand they have one of the biggest rate of c-section in the world.

Dont now why. Maybe, because they get payed much more for it. So be prepared to get a lot of pressure from doctors to do it.

Dont do it ! Unless there are realy important reasons!

Its a big operation and the uterus gets damaged for ever. So complications with next birth. I think normaly you have to make a c-section all the time if you did it once....

Dont forget. If there are no real big reasons to do it, its not neccessary !! It will only damage you ! 95 % of women dont need it ! Normaly, giving birth is something absolutely normal ! And you are prepared for it (nearly like for nothing else !)

The first contact ( lets say the first 24 hours) between mother and child is totaly important- for both, mother and baby.

For examble the first fluid from breast gives baby very important needed things for immun-system.

And dont forget the emotional aspect. the baby did know the mother (and only her) before birth. Did hear her voice for (about lets say 2 month before birth. etc etc ..... Baby needs to hear, smell (!) and feel you! after birth! And you need to hear, smell and feel/touch your baby!

All of this is totally disarranged by a c-section !

Oh , and yes: because of the c-section, the mother has to stay in hospital for about one week ! So thats what gives a lot more money for the hospital.

Giving birth is not an illness ! So normaly, there is no need for medical care (hospital, doctor!) Its just neccessary in the case of complications .... Thats the only reason, why you go to a hospital for a birth!

what you can do:

before birth:

most important:

dont drink or smoke !! No exusess allowed !!!!

Totaly damaging for baby. !!!!!

And normaly avoid other drugs (legal or illegal)

eat healthy food.

make some special gymnasties (regularly) - its not that much and easy to do an will avoid a lot of problems you can have after birth ...

(me:psychologist, specialised for children ...)

[polecat]

My partner and I (both farang) had our son at Samitivej, Sukhumvit 39. Great, on the whole. Water birth, I cut the cord. Baby stayed with us parctically the whole time. Spent two nights in hospital (me on couch). No communication problems. Still the odd hiccup (i.e., the ambulance went to our old apartment despite me informing them of our move; they were still running the bath when Mrs Polecat was in it) but no biggies. Got a bill at the end for something like 70k. Very happy.

[kannon99]

dieter1 had some great info there

Samitivej Sukhumvit is the only hospital in country that passes the Mother-Baby Friendly initiative certification.

[thaihopeful]

Hi, I am also having a baby (I'm now 7 weeks along) and we live on Koh Chang... no hospitals here, but there is in Chanthaburi, about 3 hours form us (we'll obviously have to move to the main land once the time gets nearer)... this is my second child and the first I had in The Netherlands and it is quite obviously VERY different.

I'm quite nervous about it all, as we also don't have medical insurance... I'd love to hear how you got on with your birth and everything!

[1gav1]

Hi all just had baby in thaksin hospital suratani and pretty good cost 30 k for c cetion and was aloud to be in there with my wife.

But only after she told them i had studyed nursing in uk lol may be the only way to go if you want to make sure your new baby has the best chance for life.

I must say what ever you do make sure if you have baby in thailand be heard dont let them shut you out or you could have many problems in the future with baby health real...

One thing is that life is cheep here and the people who look after your baby get very small money and many dont care about your baby like you do.

If i had not been vigalant i may have had a big problem with my child and still worry.

For when my baby was born they told me i had to look at her through a window while looking in to the baby room.

I was shocked to seee 5 men walk in with no proctive clothing step ladders and cutting torches yes i did say a cutting torch with high pressure gas tanks.

They put up a small screen a little like a towl on the back of a chair removed the air con covers about 1 meter from 4 baby not more then 1 hour old and climbed up the ladder with out any of the others holding on to him.

All i can say is the shi.... hit the fan big time i lost the plot but they all seen somone who cares and acted very quick by moving babys into another room mmmmmm and making the 5 enganers put protective clothing on as i said so simple to do safe.

THIS was the most unbalivable thing i have ever seen so dont let any one shut you out of you rights and you have many in thailand concerning your children but money talks

I have posted a pic i took think all would think twice about leaving baby alone in any thai hospital.

The birth and every thing the doctor helped with 1 grade his cut was amazing small low and very quick to heal she had baby one month ago and fulley heald and very hard to see

gavin