Private Hospital – Childbirth

[David48]

Experiences of childbirth in a middle level Private Hospital.

What to expect in terms of

• costs,
• service,
• value for money,
• competence
• what to take to the Hospital
• after delivery services

How to choose the right place.

Written from a Male perspective.

Not an exhaustive list, but it gives you a feel for things to discuss.

I'll give our experiences, but please jump in at any time and share your experiences also.

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[David48]

Background.

Myself and my Thai partner, a member of this Forum were expecting our first child earlier this 2014.

When I say 'first child', that extends into the fact that neither of have had kids before so one thing I can't compare are Private Hospitals in the West as compared to Thailand.

When comparing Private Hospitals in Thailand, the one popularly talked about is the Bumrungrad Facility in Bangkok. It has a real international feel about it ... but that comes with a cost. For example, their quote (at the time of writing) for a C-section birth is Bt 93,000. We paid close to 1/2 that.

Then, the next level down would be Hospitals such as Bangkok Hospital.

I'm not expert on Thai Hospitals mind you.

So, then you have middle level Private Hospitals such as the Facility we chose.

Photo Credit and credit

Website

The Paolo Memorial Hospital Samut Prakan is a 237 Bed facility located on the fringe on the South Eastern fringe of Bangkok.

A list of Thailand Hospitals can be found here at Wiki.

[David48]

How the Hospital / Doctor was chosen.

There was a strong thought that choosing the Doctor is equally as important as choosing the Hospital ... that was certainly true for us.

The Doctors for consideration were basically gleaned from my partner's friends and relatives personal experiences. That was then confirmed by searching on-line.

The Hospitals for consideration was a mix of that above, plus also proximity to the 3 'F's ... Family, Friends and Face.

Face plays an important role in the decision of many Thais ... the place chosen to have your child does not escape that.

We did consider the wonderful Siriraj Hospital which is a Government Hospital, the oldest and largest in Thailand ... but it was 3 hours travel by Public Transport.

It's important to have the support of Family and Friends at this special time. The Hospital was about 30 - 40 mins drive from where we lived.

What were my thoughts on the process?

I was happy to go with what my Partner decided as long as they were within Budget (I did say a male perspective).

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[David48]

Costs

This was interesting concept for me ... 'birth packages'.

The concept that Healthcare is bundled up and 'packaged' was new to me, but when in Thailand ...

So, the reviews of the Hospitals undertaken in the post above also included their 'packages'.

At Paolo Memorial Hospital Samut Prakarn, there was a choice of two.

The Basic and the 'Gold' (essentially the Basic +)

The Basic was a 3 night/4 day package - Bt 42,000

Unfortunately the promotional brochure was in Thai so I can't reproduce it for you.

From memory, inclusions were ...

3 nights in a private room

Choice of Birth options (Push or C-Section)

A free pre-natal consultation

Some freebies from the Big Pharma side of babies (baby formula, pretty bag, magazine etc)

That plaque thing were they have the babies photo, their foot print, astrological info.

Birth Certificate

The list was quite extensive ... though, my memory less so.

I'll refer to the other bits as I recall them.

As for the room ... it was fine.

Initially we were allocated a room on the 10th floor (nice views from the balcony).

But got reassigned a room on the same floor as their ICU area as we had a few issues.

You are allowed to sleep in the room ... I was there 24/7 and while there is no 'bed' for you, that couch in the rear of the shot was more then comfy. They supplied both Blankets and a pillow for me.

All the things you need. Functional.

You even get a gift pack. (Make sure you souvenir those small towels ... they come in handy for cleaning the babies mouths after a milk spill.)

Even the fridge came with some freebies, coke, bottled water some pastry thing.

Your Hospital maybe be different ... indeed, I'm sure it will be ... these are just our personal experiences.

I'm sharing them because I had no idea what to expect and hope to make the journey easier for you.

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[David48]

Prenatal (the stuff before the baby is born)

The doctor who does the medical imaging and general consultations was the attending doctor/surgeon who was there running the show in the operating theatre on the day my partner gave birth.

Affable chap, conversational English, was happy to explain any detail I asked.

Can't recall his name, will get that later for you.

Each visit was Bt600, and when you consider that this is the same guy who will operate ... I think great value.

But here's the catch. Available only Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. While the attending physician at Bumrungrad (apparently from other reports) was available everyday ... but I'm sure he charged a lot more then Bt600.

It was monthly visits to check on the progress till the 7th month then it went to every 2 weeks.

Essentially you sit in the comfortable waiting room with the other Mum's to be, the Nurse does her bit BP etc then await the call to the doctors room. There they do the ultrasound.

Certainly has all the gear.

There was a TV that replayed what the Doctor was viewing, which also allowed the patient (and me) to watch what he was doing.

Explained everything in English.

After that, off to his office to discuss the results etc.

There were sometimes some medication to be bought ... we purchased it at their in-house pharmacy.

Being a Private Hospital, I'm sure there was a mark-up to that price you could buy the same on the street ... but the stuff we had to buy wasn't that expensive, so we bought in-house.

EDITED to add. If you don't want to know the sex of your child, discuss this early on your both your partner and the Doctor. It's not a big thing for them seemingly and they are excited when they know what sex the baby is ... so, as a Mum to be, or a Dad ... discuss this early.

BTW ... we had twin identical boys ...

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Edited May 28, 2014 by David48

[David48]

Planning for the big day

For some reason, Thai Doctors, rightly or wrongly seem to have a stronger predisposition to Caesarean Birth, then we do in the West.

We were having TWINS and one of them was anticipated to be in the wrong position come the birth ... so it was always going to be a C-Section or, as the Thai fondly call it ... 'Expressway' ...

A full term birth is typically around 40 week^* date, we were having TWINS so that bought it back to about 36 weeks ... so we discuss with the Doctor when is a good time for this to happen.

Guys, if you have a Thai Partner, don't be surprised if a 'Wednesday' birth is declined. It's old school thinking, but still around that it's considered by some as 'Bad Luck' to have your baby born on a Wednesday, worse even a Wed night. Not everyone thinks like this, but that thinking is still out there.

For example, the guy who cuts my hair closes on a Wednesday ...

So the big date is set, all we hope is that the twins co-operate.

HUH ... fat chance of that. 5.30 on the Saturday morning (week 33) I get a tap on the Shoulder ...

For the Mum ... we really didn't need to take anything apart from the phone, charger and the like (but they will pack heaps more), Hospital supplies most things, but for yourself, have a small bag pre-packed with what you'll need for 4 or 5 days.

I had that sat in the corner, but not completed as we were weeks away from the due date.

For me, in the early morning rush, the biggest thing I had to try and assemble were the stuff for the Baby and what to take them home in ... now, I wish I hadn't ... but more on that later.

So, pitch dark outside, excitable Father running round trying to remain calm, checking everything, remembering to take everything.

Bag for Mum, bag for Dad ... camera, phone and charger sorted and on the bed.

Out the door we go ... I got both bags, even remembered to bring the Mum to be along! But the camera, phone and charger ... left behind on the bed ...

Oh well, best laid plans of mice and men.

^*counted from the woman's previous menstrual cycle, not when the baby was conceived ... took me a while to get my head around that bit of info. OH ... if I get any of the medical stuff incorrect, please pull me up on that, I want this to be as factual as possible.

EDIT - Spelling

Edited May 28, 2014 by David48

[David48]

To be there during delivery ... or not?

Apparently, if your partner is giving birth in a Government, most times you are not allowed to be there.

But, since you have chosen a Private Hospital, sometimes that can be an option for you.

I ummed and arhed and we decided to ask the doctor if this was allowable.

Sure ... step this way Dad to be.

This doctor, and I'm sure yours as well was very accommodating and did his best to guide us ... well me, through the process.

For me, there was a change of cloths into some hospital garb, new shoes and a hair net ... not the sexiest, but not important.

Waited maybe 30 - 45 mins (seemed like hours) while they prepped my partner and then guided me into the operating theatre.

I was sat at the head of the Table, next to my Partner and was basically instructed to simply remain there.

There were 10 people running round doing stuff plus, from what I could gather another observing doctor and two others with him.

Heck, they even warmed the sheets that the babies got cradled in after the birth ...

The balance of the details are a bit to personal to share ... suffice to say, Mum and Dad to two relatively healthy premature TWINS.

So, following the birth, I get shuffled out of theatre, the Doctor is again helpfull in directing me into what happens next.

Then waited, maybe a couple of hours before the new Mum arrived in our room.

The bubs were undergoing assessment in their sort of ICU.

There is lots of waiting ... lots.

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[krisb]

Nice report David.

I think it would have given you confidence knowing it was the same Dr you guys had been seeing througout the pregnancy right? Obviously her firstly, but us westerners, I know I would, would feel safer having an ongoing Dr/patient relationship. I know it's her's and bubs firstly, but us Dads also go through it all, we kind of get put aside.

Btw, hospital looks good. At least you had a lounge and spacious room for visitors. I had a crappy chair(couldn't sleep) room shared with another couple divided with a curtain. That's public in the west for ya I suppose.

[EyesWideOpen]

I drove my wife to the hospital on a motorcycle for a check up virtually on her delivery date.

This was at a government hospital. She started having contractions while we were having

breakfast. Rushed to the delivery room, and had our daughter 45 minutes later via natural

birth. It happened so quick I never got a chance to be at the delivery. An hour later paid the

bill of 3000 baht, and left. There were no beds at that hospital, so we went to another

hospital for three days to sort of keep an eye on things, and then left to go home....

Edited June 7, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[Mario2008]

I drove my wife to the hospital on a motorcycle for a check up virtually on her delivery date.

This was at a government hospital. She started having contractions while we were having

breakfast. Rushed to the delivery room, and had our daughter 45 minutes later via natural

birth. It happened so quick I never got a chance to be at the delivery. An hour later paid the

bill of 3000 baht, and left. There were no beds at that hospital, so we went to another

hospital for three days to sort of keep an eye on things, and then left to go home....

Congratulations.