#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Living In Thailand Forum >  >  > The Family Room >  >  Thailand - Childbirth - Private Hospital - our experiences

## David48atTD

Experiences of childbirth in a middle level Private Hospital.

 What to expect in terms ofcosts,service,value for money,competencewhat to take to the Hospitalafter delivery servicesHow 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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## David48atTD

Background.

 Myself and my Thai partner were expecting our first child earlier in 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


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

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## David48atTD

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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## Norton

> What were my thoughts on the process?


Good question? 




> I was happy to go with what my Partner decided


Up to you darling.  :Smile:

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## kingwilly

Samitewej hospital (spelling) on sukhumvit 43. Insurance paid.

Bumrungrad has a 90% c section rate. (WHO recommends 10-15%)

Proximity to home is also important.

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## David48atTD

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 the new Dad in Thailand.

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## Pragmatic

First of all I'd like to say that my three children were born in a government hospital. I, and my wife, really don't/didn't see the advantages that a private hospital would give us. After all the same doctors work both.




> Bumrungrad has a 90% c section rate. (WHO recommends 10-15%)


 May be the reason behind that is because the wife will have been to the temple and asked a monk for a 'best day' for the baby to be born on. The doctor will have given her a 7ish day window to work on. Public holidays will be taken into consideration as well due to the doctor wanting to go away. This is Thailand.

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## David48atTD

> First of all I'd like to say that my three children were born in a government hospital. I, and my wife, really don't/didn't see the advantages that a private hospital would give us. After all the same doctors work both.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> ...


Yes, the children weren't to be born on a Wednesday, certainly not a Wednesday night.  Heck, many Barbers/Hairdressers are closed on a Wednesday ... bad luck to get your haircut on that day!

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## Pragmatic

Sorry I forgot to include costs. For a private room 1,200 a night. Tea money for the doctor who provides a 24 hour coverage was 1,500. 
Birth and care of the child, free.

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## adzt1

AHC

Paid as I went for 9 months then 40,000+ on the day

All great experience 

Had a great vaccination programme available using quality branded drugs
I only learnt this after I returned to uk for the summer (@8months)and registered with the NHS 
Seems the big NHS wheel takes around 7 years from a WHO recommendation until it's on the shelves!

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## David48atTD

*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.

 Oh, 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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## David48atTD

*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.

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## Bogon

Great read David.

This sounds a silly question at first, but isn't when you think about it. How and when did you know the boys were identical?

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## AntRobertson

> We were having TWINS


One thing I recall quite clearly was during the first ultrasound and the doctor remarking that she could hear a good heartbeat, moving the probe thingy and saying 'there's another heartbeat'.

My initial stunned thought was 'WTF, it has got two hearts?!'.  :Very Happy:

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## David48atTD

> Great read David.
> 
> This sounds a silly question at first, but isn't when you think about it. How and when did you know the boys were identical?


Mate, not a silly question at all.

As *AntRobertson* mentions above, we found out through the ultrasound.

Initially, we had 1 heartbeat on the ultrasound and then, about 4 days later, we, well the doctor heard a second ... so, either we were giving birth to Dr Who or having twins!

So, to answer your direct question, in the ultrasound, the growing embros are contained inside the same Amniotic sac, and that was apparent on the ultrasound.

The original embryo 'split'.  



Or, as Thai's quite amusing say ... they were in the same house (sac/placenta).

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## patsycat

David, I'm still waiting for my quarterly video!!

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## aging one

> My initial stunned thought was 'WTF, it has got two hearts?!'.




exactly the same!!!  

18 years ago the choice of hospital was presented like this. Doctor " I do rounds at Chulalongkorn, Samitiwej, and Bumgrumrat, which would you prefer?"

What are some differences?  " At the two private hospitals you can get KFC or McDonalds easily, 24 hour a day"." At Chula you can be sure there is a doctor for any emergency right there 24 /7."  

We went with a private room at Chula and it was just great. 3 nights and back home.

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## armstrong

we chose sukhumvit hospital as they always seemed nice and professional when we started trying.

60k natural birth (i think).   in and out in a day.  included a years worth of immunizations and check ups i think.

managed to have a beer at Bourbon Street while baby and mother were resting too   :Smile:

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## Dillinger

> This sounds a silly question at first





> Mate, not a silly question at all.




Yes it was 
The daft fukker was wondering when you first noticed that they looked the same :rofl:

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## Dillinger

> 60k natural birth


I got   a baby and a big  pair of plastic tits for that :Smile:

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## beerlaodrinker

I had the tits already. But both of my nippers were C section at AEK udon, yes, Thai doctors are pre disposed to the C section but looking at the ultrasound  in both cases there was no denying that there was a big fooker in there, and after consulting the monk my first lad was born at 9 o clock in the morning on the ninth day of the ninth month. Lucky bastard eh, all up I think the damage came to about 60 000 baht for a 3 night stay in a lovely room, only complaint was my mother in law and the aunty got the sofa while I kipped on the floor , aided by a couple of dozen Leo's,  best bit was the company I worked for then paid the bill. Should a had twins

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## reinvented

> Samitewej hospital (spelling) on sukhumvit 43. Insurance paid.
> 
> Bumrungrad has a 90% c section rate. (WHO recommends 10-15%)
> 
> Proximity to home is also important.


had the last one at bumrungrad, no talk of a C section at all willy; doctor was very good, and all around great expereince.

total cost was around 60k i think

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## David48atTD

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> 
> Samitewej hospital (spelling) on sukhumvit 43. Insurance paid.
> 
> Bumrungrad has a 90% c section rate. (WHO recommends 10-15%)
> 
> Proximity to home is also important.
> 
> ...


Great value !

How long ago was that?

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## Bogon

Done the same as AO and went to Chula for my twins.

No complaints about the treatment (or price), but needs a couple of quid spent on it to spruce it up. Starting to look it's age.

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## Lostandfound

There's a poster on TD (now in Canada I believe) whose wife left their private Thai hospital with both a baby and HIV.

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## wasabi

During the harvesting of rice , My Wife popped our Son out in the Paddy field and after a few days rest , it was back to work as usual.

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## David48atTD

*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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## Pragmatic

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


It's down to the doctor as far as I'm aware, private or not. I was not allowed in the first time but the second time, for twins, I was allowed in and allowed to take photo's.




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


Mine were put into thermal sleeping bags.

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## shaggersback

1,600b from go to whoa including the preggo test kit , ultra sounds , 5 hospital visits , 2 clinic visits , 3 nights stay over in the hospital after the birth.
. Govt hospital.
No doctor present and couldnt be in the " birth " room.
Was all over in 20 minutes after the waters broke.

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## David48atTD

> Originally Posted by David48atTD
> 
> Apparently, if your partner is giving birth in a Government, most times you are not allowed to be there.
> 
> 
> It's down to the doctor as far as I'm aware, private or not. I was not allowed in the first time but the second time, for twins, I was allowed in and allowed to take photo's.


Mate, you had a private room?

If so, maybe the reason why you were allowed.

Well done.


When I was in Siriraj Hospital (Thailand's largest Public) we walked past the 'Birthing Ward' and there may have been 8 + ladies in the there and no way was any male partner allowed in, understandable also.

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## Pragmatic

> Mate, you had a private room?  If so, maybe the reason why you were allowed.


  We had a private room the first time but the doctor still wouldn't allow  my attendance. At the second birthing we just used a different doctor.

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## Pragmatic

Here I am post delivery with twins and elder daughter.



My wife and kids a year ago.



And the link to my twins getting married is.  https://teakdoor.com/thailands-festiv...-of-twins.html

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## PAG

^

Very nice family.

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## Pragmatic

Thanks for saying that PAG. All can be a bit of an handful at times. Including the wife.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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