For most expatriates, it seems like a clear cut decision to go private for our healthcare needs, much less when it comes to our maternity needs. That’s why it’s so refreshing to hear from two expatriate mothers who made the unique decision to give birth at local public hospitals in Beijing. What’s more, after going through the whole shebang, with its share of ups and downs, they would do it all over again. We at jingkids just had to talk to these two moms who dared to be different and demystify the process of giving birth at a Chinese public hospital. 

We last spoke with Rebecca Carter in an interview welcoming her family to Beijing, and she has since delivered her second baby at the Sixth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) (中国人民解放军总医院第六医学中心). Funny story though: Until her 36th week of pregnancy, she had all her doctors’ visits and appointments at a different public hospital – Beijing Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Hospital (北京中西医结合医院) – which abruptly announced its closure at the end of August. With her baby time bomb ticking down, Rebecca scrambled to find a different public hospital in which to deliver her baby and managed to settle on the PLA’s hospital.

Thankfully, Alfred Carter was born happy and healthy on Sep 12 after a somewhat smooth Caesarean operation. There were a couple of hiccups, which we will delve into later, but nothing major. The best part? The bill came to RMB 11,500, inclusive of a four-night stay in the hospital, epidural, surgery, all medications, and even the hospital pajamas. Once the bill was paid, the deposit of RMB 30,000 that was required upfront was refunded in full. Including the pre-delivery medical bills at the now-defunct hospital, the total cost of welcoming Alfred Carter into Beijing was under RMB 25,000. 

In comparison, the standard maternity packages at private hospitals in Beijing start from RMB 100,000 and can go up exponentially. But it wasn’t just the cost that swayed both Rebecca and fellow expat mom Janita S to go public; it was that both expat mothers believe Beijing’s public hospitals are better equipped to handle any emergency medical issues. And in my research, this belief is echoed by many local mothers, especially those above the recommended age of having babies.

Janita told us: “I had a friend who was told by her doctor that she should go to the local hospital to have her baby due to the likelihood of complications in her pregnancy. It does make sense to me. After all, public hospitals have more varied resources like the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and some of the best doctors in the country.”

For Janita, giving birth to her first child in the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in Chaoyang was more straightforward than Rebecca’s experience, since she managed to stay at the same hospital for the entire process. The labor still came with its own challenges, though, namely that she went into labor earlier than anticipated, so the English-speaking gynecologist who had been with her the whole pregnancy was not available and she ended up with a new doctor. Maybe something was lost in translation, or there was a clash of cultural differences, but the new doctor who delivered Janita’s baby did not see eye to eye with her about certain things, such as the need for anesthesia while getting stitched up after tearing during labor. 

Both Rebecca and Janita faced unique challenges at different public hospitals in Beijing, but certain aspects of their experiences overlapped, which leads us to believe these might be the norm in public hospitals. These are the similarities:

1. Nobody else was allowed to accompany them into the delivery room –not even their husbands. During the pregnancy, their husbands weren’t allowed in the OBGYN room during check-ups, either.
2. Rebecca and Janita were subject to varying levels of nakedness in front of several strangers as they were wheeled into the delivery room, while in the delivery room, and as they were returned to their hospital beds. Janita had a hospital gown, but Rebecca was quite naked and felt like “everything was on display for everyone.” 
3. Mobile devices were not allowed in the delivery room.

Having said that, we must acknowledge that Janita has been shopping various public hospitals to choose where she will deliver her second child in eight months. Armed with insights from her first experience, she is much more confident in what she is looking for and knows how to advocate for herself. She has now found two public hospitals – Beijing LiYing hospital of Maternity and Gynecology (北京俪婴妇产医院) and Peking University First Hospital – that permit husbands during medical check-ups, as well as in the labor room! 

It is precisely this sort of knowledge that she wants to share with us in order to address the mistaken preconceived notions many of us hold and to help guide us through the process of having children at public hospitals in Beijing.

Firstly, know that there are dedicated maternity and childcare hospitals in Beijing that are not nearly as crowded as general public hospitals. All the hospitals mentioned in this article are purely devoted to pregnancy and medical maternity needs. To ensure you choose a maternity hospital, Janita suggests searching “妇产医院” (fùchǎnyīyuàn) in your maps app to find one in your neighborhood. 

Secondly, language isn’t as big of an issue as you think. While a majority of the staff and doctors at public hospitals may not speak English fluently, there are some who can, as evidenced by Janita’s personal experience. At another public maternity hospital she visited recently (as part of her hospital shopping), the staff and doctors were perfectly happy to communicate in English with her. 

Having said that, it is best that you have a local friend who can be your translator, especially if things go south. It also helps if you have some basic Chinese skills and a translation app at the ready! 

Images: Courtesy of Rebecca Carter & Janita S.

KEEP READING: A New Club for Your Teenage Aspiring Doctors

Here’s the problem: I am 175cm tall, curvy, and hover around a size US 10-12, so I have a hard time finding clothes that fit well here in China. I very rarely shop for clothes on Taobao because the sizing and quality can vary enormously, so I tend to rely on second-hand clothing swaps or chain stores for my needs. But when I became pregnant I was suddenly faced with a bigger problem: all my usual duds felt uncomfortable, and I quickly needed clothes that would see me through the next few months. I was lost.

After listening to me moan for a bit, my friend and jingkids Managing Editor, Mina Yan, suggested getting some items tailored. Compared to other parts of the world, tailoring in China is still affordable and fast, and this way I could have full control over the fit and design of the items. I was game!

Preparing in advance

First step: deciding what to get made. As it was early summer, Mina suggested wrap dresses as a highly versatile item which can be worn both with a baby bump, and without. I expanded on this to also include a wrap skirt. A few minutes of image-search later, and I had reference pictures of the kind of cut and length I wanted, which I could use as a guide.

Next, finding the right place to get tailoring. There are many small stores in and around Sanlitun, where I live, with tailors that speak excellent English. However, I found that the range of fabrics they offered was lacking, catering mostly to men’s suits, or silks fit for making traditional qipao.

Therefore, I decided to visit Daxin Textile Market 大新纺织 in Dongsi. A combined fabric and tailor market, it has a dizzying array of fabrics and haberdashery, making it a great one-stop-shop.

The range of fabric at Daxin beats small-sized tailor shops hands-down.

Navigating the fabric store

The market was calm and quiet on the weekday afternoon that we visited, and wandering through the rows of fabrics, my friend and I quickly found one stall with everything we wanted: bright, traditional “Dongbei” fabric to remind me of China after I leave, and a lovely range of satin and silk.

Take the time to wander through the whole store before deciding what fabric you want.

To determine how much fabric to buy, a tailor from one of the stalls along the back wall popped over to help. We showed him pictures of the items we wanted made, and he quickly measured us to get an estimate of how much fabric we’d need for each item. Fabric is sold per meter, with cotton from around RMB 60 per meter and silk starting at around RMB 100.

As well as traditional qipao, the tailors have experience making Western-style clothes.

With the fabric measured out and cut, we paid for it at the old-fashioned central payment station. Then the tailor reviewed our reference photos, asked questions about any modifications we wanted, and took our detailed measurements.

I was especially impressed with his attention to detail around my bump: he explained that as I grew bigger, the front hemline of my dress would gradually rise, therefore we decided to extend the hem to ensure it would always hit below the knee, as I wanted. He also asked me how far along I was, to get an idea of how big I would eventually become (probably enormous if I am anything like my mother), and took this into account.

Our tailor hard at work measuring and calculating the cost of our items.

With all measurements made, he wrote our receipt, we paid and left with a friendly wave and instructions to come back in about nine days to pick our clothes up.

The result

A few days later, we were back, and ready to try on our clothes in the small changing room. The wrap dress was an immediate success, and I even asked my friend to try it on to verify that it would look fabulous on someone with an actual waist (it did.)

Flattering, forgiving…what more do you want from a maternity dress?

On the other hand, the skirts weren’t perfect: instead of the same simple “poke the waistband through the hole and tie it on the other side” kind, the tailor went for a more sophisticated design which included a button. This does look neater, but is not as adjustable as I wanted. On the other hand, they are beautifully cut and finished, and will probably fit even better as I get larger.

The skirts drape beautifully, even if they are not quite what I expected.

Despite this hiccup, all the pieces are lovely, one of a kind, and I hope I’ll be able to wear them long after my kid is grown.

In total, I got two wrap skirts and a wrap dress for a bit over RMB 1,000 (fabric and labor), all in cotton fabric. I always forget to even try bargaining, so you may be able to negotiate a better price.

Tips for a successful experience

• Consider what items are best for tailoring: wrap skirts and dresses, stretchy empire-line or t-shirt dresses and tops are ideal. Modifications are also a great option: check out this blog post with some simple modifications that a tailor can make to your clothes to make them bump-friendly.
• Get reference pictures ready. Roughly draw any modifications you want on the picture to make it clearer, for example shorter sleeves or hemlines.
• Better yet: bring an example piece for them to copy. As I learned from the skirts, there is more than one way to make a piece of clothing so it helps to be specific.
• Go with a friend. Deciding on fabric and cut is much easier with a pal, as the choice can be overwhelming.

Good luck!

KEEP READING: Picture Perfect! From Maternity Photos to First Job Application

Images: Michael Burrows from Pexels, Anna Pellegrin Hartley

A friend of mine recently shared the wonderful news of her pregnancy. I was so overcome with joy that I almost forgot she was not my surrogate, and it was not ‘our’ baby but hers. Almost as instantly as the joy exploded, so too did massive anxiety on her behalf. She is far from the first friend to have a child, and of the many that have, one thing remains constant – Beyond the mind-numbing physical pain they endured through their labor and deliveries, choice was partially or entirely taken away from their birthing experience.

Despite it being their deliveries, they ended up feeling like spectators, or were made to feel like a nuisance by their attending doctors or midwives, the culmination of which was an unforgettably horrific ordeal on what was meant to be an incredibly happy day.

To that end, there are movements across the world led by women advocating for more mindful births, hoping to lessen the surgical, sterile, revolving door experience in delivery rooms and transform them into calm, affirming, wholesome experiences. Likewise, dads are also looking to get involved in the births of their children, beyond just holding mom’s hand and offering a few words of encouragement.

As such, doulas like Beijing-based expat, Alessia Scorzas , are increasingly stepping in to bridge the gap between the medical establishment and nervous parents. As a mother of three, Scorzas knows just how challenging childbirth can be, and aims to make the process as wholesome as possible.

I spoke with Scorzas to find out more about her work, and why a mom-to-be might benefit from having a doula by her side.

Give us a quick introduction of what being a doula is and what it entails?

Being a doula is for me a privilege. I feel blessed. People who trust me welcome me into their homes, heart and sacred birth space. Being a doula means keeping up with research, guidelines and evidence in order to support my clients as best as possible and provide them with information. It means always learning from other doulas, from moms and my own experience. It means continuous training and, as you would expect, few sleepless nights.

The word Doula is derived from Greek and means servant. Historically it is a woman serving other women, a mom serving moms. This is what it is nowadays, with the pros of having science and evidence on our side, helping us improve our knowledge and our service.

What sort of training does one have to go through in order to become a doula? Are there any accreditation or qualifications one must attain?

I was trained and certified by Childbirth International, which I have to say is fantastic. We are all still in touch with trainers and trainees. They offer continuous updates and the community is very active.

How did you get into being a doula and how long have you been doing it?

I had a non-positive experience with my first child, and I had been suffering from postpartum depression which turned my life into a nightmare. Nothing seemed to help, until I started looking for answers. I am the kind of person who loves studying, so I took this path to selfishly heal myself. I had to follow a few moms in order to get certified, so I asked friends and friends of friends. Each mom and each birth made me realize that this was my calling. I started in 2014 and I am not going to stop!

How different is it doing what you do here in Beijing versus doing it in your home country?

Cultural backgrounds play an important role. In my country, although of course there are some negative experiences and lots can be done towards full empowerment and positive birth, we still follow a more natural approach to childbirth. Midwives and doulas assist mom, help her moving and “riding the waves”, medical pain relief (e.g. epidural) is not offered as first resort, but as a last one, only during a specific time-frame and only if you are in perfect health. Moms keep physically active during the actual birth, and so are the people around her. We have many birth centers and home birth is growing strong. Definitely different from here.

Is there much call for your services? If so, who by predominantly?

In the last couple of years, requests have increased. Mostly from foreign moms who would like to have a positive experience and are looking for as natural a birth as possible. Most of them previously had a negative experience, and some are going to try for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-Section).

If I were an expectant mom, how would I know whether I need a doula or not?

A doula is a trained birth coach who provides emotional, physical and informational support throughout pregnancy, birth and immediate postpartum. Doulas are NOT medical professionals; therefore, we don’t provide medical care. The doula’s goal and role is to help the client feel safe and comfortable, complementing (not competing!) the role of the healthcare professionals. We focus on our client and her family as well. We do not perform medical tasks, but we are professionally trained as to best support our clients. We help parents gather evidence-based information that can answer their questions, and we help them understand their options. Doulas never give personal opinions, but facts. We basically help moms have an empowering birth experience.

What would a consultation with a doula look like and what are some of the things you help mothers-to-be do?

When a mom reaches out, I like to have a first meeting (ideally with both parents, if dad is involved) before starting to talk about support. We need to click, there must be chemistry. Parents are going to have me present at the most important time of their life. It is therefore important to feel the right energy. This goes for me too. I won’t be able to be a good support if I don’t feel comfortable. Then, we can begin to explore options and together decide what kind of support would be best for them. As I said, my role is to support them physically, with labor coaching classes, emotionally and informatively, gathering evidence-based information that can answer their questions.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your profession?

Sometimes some midwives, who are not used to having doulas around them, may see us as competitors while we are definitely not. Some people do not believe in the importance of a doula’s assistance. They see us as some sort of hippie witches, and I have to say, now I kind of like that. No matter what they believe, research clearly and simply demonstrates that doulas can improve the childbirth experience from both a physical and emotional point of view.

What are some of the legal rights of mothers with regards to not wanting medical intervention and wanting a doula to attend their birth instead?

Legally, you have the right to say yes or no to anything. The thing is, hospitals have their own policies and as they need to make sure they are on the safe side as well, they may push on this. Conversely, so far hospitals have been very accommodating here as long as mom requests my presence in advance. I always ask them to include doula in their birth plan. I would love to see doulas integrated into the hospital staff, just like in other countries such as in the UK, US, and Australia. This would make things easier for everyone, and moms won’t be put in a position of having to ask for something that is technically their right.

In the event of an emergency, how are you equipped to handle the situation and at what point might a doula advise their client to seek medical intervention?

During our training, there is a specific section on emergencies and how to handle them. There are specific signs to look for and things to monitor. We are also trained to assess the situation without performing any medical task. It’s happened a few times already where I understood what was going on and talked to mom, so that she would be mentally prepared to face the situation. It happened just recently that one of my clients showed signs of a Bandl’s ring. Being able to understand what was going on, I was also able to support her and her husband through this emergency.

What are some of the benefits of having a doula attend your birth rather than a traditional doctor/midwife?

As I said, we do not substitute midwives. Our purpose is the same, but while they provide medical care, we provide emotional, physical and informational support. A doula focuses on one client at a time, while hospital midwives usually have many moms at the same time and a huge load of paperwork to take care of. Having a doula at your side has been proven to help you have a satisfying birth experience. Having a doula at your side decreases the chance of unnecessary interventions such as drugs, C-sections, etc., increases the likelihood of natural, spontaneous birth, and decreases the risk of being dissatisfied with your birth experience and birth related trauma.

How does the Chinese society respond to your line of work? Are they receptive or tend to veer towards more traditional/modern medicine?

They veer towards a medical approach to childbirth. There are indeed few Chinese doulas working in Chinese hospitals with Chinese clients, but their approach is a bit different.

What is your advice to women in terms of getting the birth plan they desire?

Be aware, make informed choices, and do not forget this is YOUR sacred birth!

Photos: Pixabay

The process of becoming a mother is a delicate one that is filled with both excitement and worry. Giving birth can be stressful on its own, but giving birth in a foreign country can be doubly worrying. So just how nerve-racking is it to find a good and affordable maternity hospital in Beijing?

Usually you will find most hospitals provide their own maternity packages. The package usually adds up to a total of 13 visits including all of the necessary laboratory tests, consultations, and physical examinations.

READ MORE: Beijing with a Bump: What to Expect When Expecting in Beijing

Some readers have asked for more information on this, so here is our hand-picked selection of hospitals and their customized delivery packages, based on reader recommendations and their general reputations. Please note that prices and other terms are subject to change, and it is best to check directly with the hospitals for the latest information.

Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics 北京和睦家医院

An expat favorite for maternity services, BJU has been accredited since 2005 by the Joint Commission International (JCI) for its comprehensive medical services, including a Western-style LRDP (labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum) birthing suite and a multinational team of doctors, nurses, and midwives. In addition, they have 20 years of service in Beijing and six other locations in China.

They charge RMB 66,000 for a Normal Delivery Customized Package; RMB 88,000 for a C-section Delivery Package or VBAC Customized Package. Please check here to get more details about the packages.

Daily 9am-5pm. 2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (5927 7000, 5927 7120 emergency line) www.ufh.com.cn 朝阳区将台路2号

Beijing Oasis International Hospital  明德医院

A convenient medical center for families in the Wangjing or Shunyi areas. Oasis is staffed with an international team of medical professionals working out of a state-of-the-art 15,000 sqm facility in Dashanzi replete with homelike private rooms and delivery suites. With its international JCI medical standards certification, Oasis incorporates doctors from all nationalities as well as local staff to provide a wide range of services such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, and OB/GYN.

They have a Natural Delivery Care Plan (4 days, 3 nights) with a total cost of RMB 46,800; and a C-section Care Plan with a total cost of RMB 72,800. Please check here to get more details about the packages.

Daily 9am-5pm. 9 Jiuxianqiao North Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区酒仙桥北路9号 (400 876 2747)

Amcare Women’s and Children’s Hospital 北京美中宜和妇儿医院

Operating in Beijing for 11 years, Amcare Women’s and Children’s Hospital provides families with international medical services with a Chinese cultural background. Currently it has branches in four cities and offers excellent modern facilities. Services include obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, family planning, and psychological consulting.

They offer packages of Natural Delivery (3 nights) with a total cost of RMB 59,090 (RMB 109,160 for VIP); and a C-section plan (5 nights) with a total cost of RMB 82,740 (RMB 109,160 for VIP). Please check here to get more details about their packages.

Lido Address: 9 Fangyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区芳园西路9号 (6434 2399). Yayuncun Address: Bldg 5 Anhui Beili Yiyuan Chaoyang District. 朝阳区朝阳区安慧北里逸园5号楼 (400 100 0016). Wanliu Address: 7 Wanliu Zhonglu, Haidian District. 海淀区万柳中路7号 (400 100 0016)

Beijing HarMoniCare Women and Children’s Hospital 北京和美妇儿医院

The Beijing HarMoniCare Women and Children’s Hospital (HMC) provides customer-oriented services to their patients, who are cared for by physicians from China’s 3A hospitals. It is considered to be one of the largest women’s and children hospitals with an 18,000sqm facility that is equipped with comfortable maternity wards, digital diagnostic technology, 4D ultrasounds, and the most modern operating rooms. HMC provides services through their gynecology, obstetrics, pediatrics, postpartum recovery, and stomatology departments.

HMC provides two different packages for delivery. Their prenatal plus vaginal delivery package is RMB 42,000 and their prenatal plus C-section delivery is RMB 56,180.

Daily 8am-5pm. A2, Xiaoguan Beili, Beiyuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. (6499 0000) en.hmcare.net 朝阳区北苑路小关北里甲2号

Beijing Antai Maternity Hospital 北京安太妇产医院

Beijing Antai Hospital has been established since 2003 and has been providing their patients with extensive healthcare services that are all compliant with World Health Organization standards. On top of having gynecology and obstetrics departments, Antai Hospital is unique for offering live water births – a practice that it has been conducted by the hospital since 2004. Some of their services include, but are not limited to, ultrasounds, premature birth prognosis, personalized baby care, and postnatal care facilities.

Antai Hospital offers competitive prices for their delivery packages. Their vaginal delivery package is RMB 15,800, their C-section delivery is RMB 23,000, and their water live-birth delivery is RMB 28,800.

Bldg 18, 1 Xinghecheng, Jiayuan Lu, Fengtai District (6753 7758/7768 antaihospital@yahoo.com) www.antaihospital.com丰台区嘉园路星河城1号院18号楼

Photos: Pexels

First-time motherhood comes with a mountain of both exciting and daunting decisions to make, especially when you are in unfamiliar territory. Expectant families living abroad almost immediately begin to ponder on questions related to which hospital to have their baby, private or public, Chinese or International followed by the ever-deeper abyss of birth plan options.

Deciding on which hospital and birthing plan is right for you is a very personal one and with the ever-expanding list of maternity facilities available in Beijing, you may feel spoiled for choice (infinitely more, if you have the right insurance plan or savings). However, one may also feel that these options are your only options and why so many gasp in either delight or horror at my answer to the number one question usually posed to me as an expectant mother – so which hospital are you having the baby? The answer is, none.

After what seemed like a trillion Google searches for the right hospital in Beijing and their price guides, several expeditions to check out local and not-so-local hospitals, calls and WeChat messages to other expectant mothers, my husband and I decided to look into having a home-birth. I was somewhat decided on my preferred choice of having a water-birth as soon as I found out I was pregnant and the growing literature on the health benefits of not only opting for a natural birth but a water-birth, in particular, made me resolute in my decision.

My first quest before I looked into having a home-birth was to find a hospital that offered an affordable water-birth package. It was a few days into my search when I found a very comprehensive Beijing Maternity Hospital Guide in none other than, beijingkids! I whittled my initial choices down to two, based on access to English speaking staff and of course the option to have a water-birth. Antai Hospital and GlobalCare Women and Children’s hospital (Wuzhou Hospital) were the first hospitals I visited.

It immediately struck me that the details of my thought-out-but-not-yet-written-down birth plan were at the mercy of the regulations of a chosen hospital. Personal choices and perhaps processes and procedures that are readily accessible to expectant parents in my home city of London in the UK, I assumed would be readily available to me here. Decisions, such as having my husband cut the cord required clearance at one hospital and then denied unless a hefty fee was paid.

I wish to have autonomy over a number of other labor and delivery decisions that kept being denied or required clearance. These included, delaying cord clamping (not to be confused with Lotus Births) artificially rupturing my membranes (manually breaking my waters to speed up labor where there is no emergency) and leaving baby during first skin-to-skin contact to latch and bond unwashed. Vernix Caseosa, the waxy coating on a newborns skin is a proven natural moisturizer and cleanser, full of vital vitamins for baby.

These, of course, are all very personal requirements, a result of extensive research and by no means a call to admonish birth plan choices other expectant mothers make for themselves and their unborn baby. The importance I place on highlighting the above is that an expectant mother should have, at least in my opinion, autonomy over her labor, delivery, and postpartum choices unless there is an immediate cause for concern and genuine emergency determined by your health-care provider during labor. It is important to emphasize that with every birth plan comes a contingency plan in the unlikely event of an emergency or the level of risk factors associated with the health and medical history of a mother-to-be. Depending on how a pregnancy journey unfolds, even the best laid out plans need room to evolve and adapt.

It turns out, that to have the kind of labor in the kind of environment I wanted, where my birth plan could be executed to the T – essential oil diffusers, candles, music; birthing pool (I kid you not) – I needed to think of alternative options to make it happen. While home-births are becoming a popular and everyday option for expectant families where I am from, the thought of how I could go about having a holistic home-birth in Beijing, was yet to be another ride and adventure on my mother-to-be voyage.

We can imagine what you must be going through upon finding out that you are pregnant for the first time as an expat in a foreign land like Beijing. So we’ve compiled a list of necessary terms that will hopefully make things a tad easier in days leading up to and on the big day itself.

Birth – 出生 chūshēng
— birth canal – 产道 chǎndào
— birth plan – 分娩计划 fēnmiǎn jìhuà
Breastfeed – 喂奶 wèinǎi
Breast milk – 母乳 mǔrǔ
Breast pump – 吸奶器 xīnǎiqì
Cesarean/C-section – 剖腹产 pōufùchǎn / 剖腹产术 pōufùchǎn shù
Circumcision – 割礼 gēlǐ / 包皮环切 bāopí huánqiē
Crowning – 儿头初露 értóu chūlù
Deliver (baby) vaginally – 顺产 shùnchǎn / 自己生 zìjǐ shēng (common language)
Doctor – 医生 yīshēng / 大夫 dàifu
Due date – 预产期 yùchǎnqī
Emergency – 急诊 jízhěn
Epidural – 硬膜外麻醉 yìng mó wài má zuì
Exam/check-up – 检查 jiǎnchá
Fetus (8 weeks – 40+ weeks) – 胎儿 tāi’ér
Formula (milk supplement) – 配方奶粉 pèifāngnǎifěn
Give birth (to a child) – 生孩子 shēng háizi
Hospital – 医院 yīyuàn
Morning sickness – 晨吐 chéntǔ
Movement (of baby) – 胎动 tāidòng
Natural delivery; no complications – 顺产 shùnchǎn
Normal (test result, etc…) – 正常 zhèngcháng
Nurse – 护士 hùshi
Obstetrical ward/maternity ward – 产科病房 chǎnkē bìngfáng
Pregnancy test (noun) – 试孕纸 shìyùnzhǐ
Pregnancy test (verb) – 怀孕试验 huáiyùn shìyàn
Pregnant – 怀孕 huáiyùn
Premature labor – 早产 zǎochǎn
Ultrasound – B超 B-chāo (common) / 超声波 chāoshēngbō (formal)
Water broke; amniotic fluid/water (to naturally break) – 羊水破了 yángshuǐ pòle

Photo: sherwood via Pixabay
This article appeared on p36-37 of the beijingkids July 2018 Home & Relocation Guide issue

We can imagine what you must be going through upon finding out that you are pregnant for the first time as an expat in a foreign land like Beijing. First of all, we would like to go through some of the advantages of having a baby in Beijing. If there is one thing we’ve learned by going through this, it’s that there are definite benefits in the maternity process that you won’t find in other countries (ahem… the US) along with a massive amount of support and courtesy that goes far beyond just the relinquishing of a seat on public transportation. For instance, you can usually expect at least three months of paid maternity leave during your recovery, most of the time at least two weeks of paternity leave, and even multiple lactation breaks at work to collect milk for your baby. This, along with affordable help after the baby comes, makes that transition after your child’s arrival much more manageable. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the beginning.

Getting Started

Chances are if you are reading this with a bun in the oven, or a dumpling in your basket, or whatever metaphor best suits your situation, you have already made an initial consultation to find out if your pregnancy test was indeed accurate.

After you receive this verification, it is time to start looking for the hospital which is best suited for your needs. The first factor you need to take into consideration is what you can afford, as this determines whether or not you should be looking at international or local care. We’re not going to sugarcoat this for you by claiming that local hospitals are easy, but it can be done and because having a baby is a very common procedure, these hospitals are more than capable. Despite this, they operate very differently from what we are accustomed to in the west. This, combined with the fact that it isn’t very often that you have the luxury of a doctor or staff that speaks English, result in many foreigners going with a pricier international hospital.

That being said these hospitals are pricey for a reason, as many have very comfortable accommodations, decent food, English-speaking staff, and the necessary amount of privacy you would want during your labor and recovery. In fact, these places are almost designed to look like furnished hotel rooms, with private bathrooms and showers.

Usually, before you decide on which hospital you would like to continue at, there will be a comprehensive tour of the facilities so that you will see exactly what you are paying for. If you want the big day to be at one of these international hospitals but the monthly checkups at a local hospital, to save some money, this is also an option. Below you will find a list of popular hospitals.

What’s in a Package

The package usually adds up to a total of 13 visits including all of the necessary laboratory tests, consultations, and physical examinations. If you can’t afford the full 13, there are also cheaper options consisting of five or ten visits. These consultations and exams usually begin after week 14 and continue in varying degrees of frequency throughout the term.

On every visit, you will receive a series of tests including but not limited to urine and blood analysis, a 15-minute fetal Doppler monitoring session of your baby’s heartbeat, and a checkup from a physician, who usually explains some of the findings from your tests. The doctor will also provide prenatal counseling and general healthcare knowledge to make sure that you are making healthy decisions while your baby comes to term. Finally, the climax of your visit will no doubt be the obstetric ultrasound. These will usually take place at every other visit.

One of the most exciting parts of the prenatal process is the discovery of the baby’s sex. This is important for many families as it determines everything from the name to the color scheme of the bedroom or wardrobe. This being said, it isn’t always possible to gain this knowledge at a public Chinese hospital as it is technically against the law. More often than not for foreign couples at international hospitals, they will make a sly exception, so you can ask a little question like “should we buy pants or dresses,” and they will likely let you know. It’s kind of fun and sneaky, so we like it. However, at a public hospital they make you sign a waiver that doesn’t allow you to know the sex.

Around the 34th week, you will also go through a mandatory birth rehearsal so that you are aware of the process of admitting yourself to the room and making sure that the hospital is ready for your arrival. It is also when they give you one last tour of the facilities so that you aren’t freaking out when the time comes to provide the right environment for your loved one in labor and you’ll know how and who to call for assistance if needed.

Resources

Beijing United Family Hospital
This is likely the most luxurious option in Beijing’s birthing scene. With 20 years of service in Beijing and six other locations in China, they also have Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, which is a fancy way of saying that they are as good as it gets.  2 Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区将台路2号 (5927 7000)

Amcare Women’s and Children’s Specialized Health
Operating in Beijing for 11 years, this hospital chain focused on women’s and children’s health currently has branches in four cities and offers excellent, modern facilities. This is a popular option due to the sheer convenience of their services, with three locations in Beijing alone. Lido Address: 9 Fangyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区芳园西路9号 (6434 2399). Yayuncun Address: Bldg 5 Anhui Beili Yiyuan Chaoyang District. 朝阳区朝阳区安慧北里逸园5号楼 (400 100 0016). Wanliu Address: 7 Wanliu Zhonglu, Haidian District. 海淀区万柳中路7号 (400 100 0016)

Oasis International Hospital
First opened in 2012, and located near 798, this is a convenient medical center for families in the Wangjing or Shunyi areas. Also with JCI accreditation, you can expect top-notch modern facilities, with homelike private rooms and delivery suites that offer comfort, safety, and privacy for patients and their guests. 9 Jiuxianqiao North Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区酒仙桥北路9号 (400 876 2747)

This article appeared on p36-37 of the beijingkids July 2018 Home & Relocation Guide issue

FROM THE BEGINNING
We can imagine what you must be going through upon finding out that you are pregnant for the first time as an expat in a foreign land like Beijing. Even though you aren’t the first, and definitely not the last couple to go through this magical but challenging ordeal, we all know how hard it is doing quite basic things in China like paying your electricity bill or setting up a bank account. So having a baby is on an entirely different level. But what we can tell you is that, with a little bit of help and support from your Beijing community, producing your offspring here is totally doable, and we hope this will provide you with some of the basic knowledge of what to expect throughout the coming months.

First of all, we would like to go through some of the advantages of having a baby in Beijing. If there is one thing we’ve learned by going through this, it’s that there are definite benefits in the maternity process that you won’t find in other countries (ahem… the US) along with a massive amount of support and courtesy that goes far beyond just the relinquishing of a seat on public transportation. For instance, you can usually expect at least three months of paid maternity leave during your recovery, most of the time at least one week of paternity leave, and even multiple lactation breaks at work to collect milk for your baby. This, along with affordable help after the baby comes, makes that transition after your child’s arrival much more manageable. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the beginning.

MOVING FORWARD
Chances are if you are reading this with a bun in the oven, or a dumpling in your basket, or whatever metaphor best suits your situation, you have already made an initial consultation to find out if your pregnancy test was indeed accurate. This is the essential first step and can be done easily at a local or international hospital, depending on the amount you wish to pay or the command you have over the Mandarin language. Most foreign couples opt for the international option, because it’s just much more familiar and a less foreboding experience, but keep in mind that these familiarities come at a price.

After you receive this verification, it is time start looking for the hospital which is best suited for your needs. The first factor you need to take into consideration is what you can afford, as this determines whether or not you should be looking at international or local care. We’re not going to sugarcoat this for you by claiming that local hospitals are easy, but it can be done and because having a baby is a very common procedure, these hospitals are more than capable. Despite this, they operate very differently from what we are accustomed to in the west. Often at the more popular hospitals, rooms and delivery dates have been booked very far in advance, especially in auspicious zodiac years (monkey, dragon, or snake) so it might also not be possible to go through with your delivery at a convenient hospital. This, combined with the fact that it isn’t very often that you have the luxury of a doctor or staff that speaks English, results in many foreigners going with a more costly international hospital.

That being said these hospitals are pricey for a reason, as many have very comfortable accommodations, decent food, English-speaking staff, and the necessary amount of privacy you would want during your labor and recovery. In fact, these places are almost designed to look like furnished hotel rooms, with private bathrooms and showers.

POPULAR INTERNATIONAL OB/GYNs IN BEIJING
Usually, before you decide on which hospital you would like to continue at, there will be a comprehensive tour of the facilities so that you will see exactly what you are paying for. If you want the big day to be at one of these international hospitals but the monthly checkups at a local hospital, to save some money, this is also an option. Below you will find a list of popular hospitals and their current going rate for prenatal consultations, exams, and delivery packages. Please note if you are reading this in the future, that prices are subject to change and these current prices are almost double what they were a decade ago; one of the perks of the two-child policy and a thriving economy we suppose.

WHAT’S IN A PACKAGE
The package usually adds up to a total of 13 visits including all of the necessary laboratory tests, consultations, and physical examinations. If you can’t afford the full 13, there are also cheaper options consisting of five or ten visits. These consultations and exams usually begin after week 14 and continue in varying degrees of frequency throughout the term. From weeks 12-28 you can expect to visit about once every month. After week 30, you will begin to visit every two weeks, then at week 36, it will be every week until your due date. This all seems standard in comparison to other hospitals of an international standard around the globe.

On every visit, you will receive a series of tests including but not limited to urine and blood analysis, a 15-minute fetal doppler monitoring session of your baby’s heartbeat, and a check up from a physician, who usually explains some of the findings from your tests. The doctor will also provide prenatal counseling and general healthcare knowledge to make sure that you are making healthy decisions while your baby comes to term. Finally, the climax of your visit will no doubt be the obstetric ultrasound. These will usually take place at every other visit.

One of the most exciting parts of the prenatal process is the discovery of the baby’s sex. This is important for many families as it determines everything from the name to the color scheme of the bedroom or wardrobe. This being said, it isn’t always possible to gain this knowledge at a public Chinese hospital as it is technically against the law. More often than not for foreign couples at international hospitals, they will make a sly exception, so you can ask a little question like “ should we buy pants or dresses,” and they will likely let you know. It’s kind of fun and sneaky, so we like it. However, at a public hospital they make you sign a waiver that doesn’t allow you to know the sex.

Around the 34th week, you will also go through a mandatory birth rehearsal so that you are aware of the process of admitting yourself to the room and making sure that the hospital is ready for your arrival. It is also when they give you one last tour of the facilities so that you aren’t freaking out when the time comes to provide the right environment for your loved one in labor and you’ll know how and who to call for assistance if needed.

DON’T FORGET THE PAPER WORK
If you or your partner is not a Chinese national then you can skip this section, as all you need is your passport when you pay the hospital bills to get your baby’s birth certificate. For mixed or Chinese couples this was honestly one of the most frustrating parts of the process. It required a lot of running around to various community offices, all of which needed to be checked off a list to get final approval so that you can make sure your baby is legal under the various laws and restrictions of the People’s Republic of China. Also, while you could start prenatal care at an international hospital without these documents, the same can’t be said if you want to do so at a public hospital.

The main things you need to get your baby’s birth certificate are the IDs of both parents and Mother Child Health Brochure (母子健康档案 Mǔzǐ Jiànkāng Dǎng’àn), the latter being a nightmare to obtain. Getting married is an essential first step in making your half-Chinese, half-foreign baby legal. Following the marriage certificate, which by the way has its own lengthy list of requirements, you’ll need register at a couple of places in your neighborhood in order to receive this Mother Child Health Brochure. This requires an ID from both parents, a hukou from your Chinese spouse’s hometown, the marriage license, residence certificate, and finally proof from your hospital that you are with child.

You’ll find that the residence certificate is the most challenging of these tasks. To get this, you first go to the community center (居委会 jūwěihuì) nearest to your apartment. Here you will get an introduction letter (证明 zhèngmíng) to prove you are living in your apartment, and to get this, you’ll need your ID, contract for your apartment, and landlord’s ID.  You will then bring this proof of residence to your local police station to get your residence certificate (居住证 jūzhù zhèng). Here you will fill out the “Residence Certificate Application Form” and hand it to the officer on duty with your ID, spouse’s hukou, proof of six months valid residence, your housing contract, and a passport photo. This will take a couple days to process, and then when you return they will give you a card that you can then bring to the community health center (社区卫生服务中心 –  shèqū wèishēng fúwù zhōngxīn) to finally get your Mother Child Health Brochure. Please take note that this is different from the community center that you first had to visit. If this all sounds very complicated, that’s because it is and leaves many couples in a constant state of frustration until completed. But after you have this brochure you can be certain that your child will be legal when entering the world. What a relief!

BIRTH PLAN
The birth plan that you are given from the hospital doesn’t differ much from that of your native country, but there are a couple of things that must be taken into consideration due to the fact that you are having a child in Beijing. The first and sometimes most unpredictable can be Beijing’s notorious traffic. If you are one of many expats without access to your own means of transportation then it is essential to have this planned, as standing in the middle of the street hailing a taxi wouldn’t be ideal. We recommend car services like Didi, which now has an English interface, or Shǒuqì (首汽), which we like because every car has an air purifier installed. Since the latter is a government-owned company they maintain a certain level of cleanliness to every car, and usually the drivers are very polite. These are super convenient and you can find information on how to use them by going to our website (beijing-kids.com) and searching for Shǒuqì or Didi.

Other things that must be confirmed in your birth plan are your preferences when it comes to pain management and C-sections. You might not know this, but China has a higher rate of Caesarean births than any other country in the world. Over 50 percent of all babies are removed from the womb surgically. Not all of these were necessary, and possibly it’s more out of convenience from what we understand. Some say that it is administered liberally because it is the easiest method to get that little person out with minimal complications, and others think it’s just another billable service to be added when things get tallied up at the end. If anything this information should provide a little bit of comfort that if a C-section is needed, you have no need to worry.

The final thing to take into consideration is that if your due date happens to end up on a public holiday, you will encounter extra charges for the delivery or C-section. This is the case in many countries, but it might help to occasionally whisper to your baby to come out at an appropriate date so that you don’t need to worry about rustling up a doctor at an inconvenient time, and pay more than is necessary.

NOT SO LABORIOUS MATERNITY VOCAB
Finally, while being able to speak Chinese would definitely be a major help to couples having children in China for the first time, it is a challenging language to tackle especially when you have so many other preparations that need to be made when expecting. This is why we’ve compiled a list of necessary terms, that will hopefully make things a tad easier in days leading up to and on the big day itself.

Our hard working School Editor, Jessica Suotmaa, is currently writing from Finland as she cares for her newborn. Below she answers this often asked question from her own perspective.

You would be surprised how many women have asked me whether giving birth naturally hurts. Or perhaps I am only surprised because men wouldn’t dare ask (of course it hurts, would you like to try the simulation?), and the women back home know it hurts. Yet, in Beijing, young women I’ve just met will ask me if it hurt, and assuming it did, how much did it hurt?

If you take into account the fact that most young women probably don’t have mothers in their network, and asking their own mother would just prompt unnecessary pressure–not to mention the fact that over 50% of pregnant women in China have cesarean surgeries, it starts to make sense. [Note that the World Health Organization recommendation is 15%]

In fact, scheduling a birth is not a trend limited to Mainland China, but has been growing in popularity in metropolitan areas, such as Taipei and New York City.  In the documentary, The Business of Being Born (a worthy watch if you plan on giving birth in the US), this trend is attributed to the fact that women are busier with their careers than before and a schedule-able surgery with predictable recovery time is easier to plan with one’s employer than the ever-so-vague, “I’ll be giving birth between Week 38 and 43, if all goes well.”

In Taipei, much like in parts of China, the traditional superstitious culture has families seeking the guidance of fortune tellers to choose the perfect date and time to induce birth.  Scheduling your child’s birth date and time is even more significant than choosing his or her DNA as it’s the divine gift of molding your child’s character and destiny! No wonder it’s popular. I would want to choose my child’s temperament too–wouldn’t you?

In Beijing, the popularity of c-sections can be attributed to a number of reasons. Yes, there are superstitious parents, but the mainland Chinese younger generation isn’t as aware or superstitious.  There are also women who prioritize their careers and intend to continue working after having a child. These women find scheduling ahead of time convenient in bureaucratic work environments.

Recently, it’s also been in the news that families want to choose an earlier birth date to ensure their child makes the cut off date for school admissions, as a means to avoid getting “left behind” and having to start a year later than peers. Ironic, given how studies show that older children outperform younger children in both academics and sports.

When we were deciding where to give birth, we researched Beijing hospitals, read testimonials, and compared price packages–did you know some hospitals will give you a 40% discount if you schedule your c-section six months in advance? That seems like a good deal in a city where the act of having a baby starts at RMB 40,000 with no ceiling.  It’s also questionable how often doctors will “recommend” a c-section either at the beginning or near the end, when families are pained and panicked, either for the monetary gain or time save.

Finally, there is just plain fear. Birthing naturally has been shown on television, movies, and TV shows when it probably shouldn’t.  Gory scenes of screaming, cursing, and wailing should be banned; scenes like those found in the Shenzhen informational video that scared women out of having babies.  Scary birth home videos should probably be kept in private collections as well, because, let’s face it, who else wants to watch it? I, for one, had banned my husband from recording in the delivery room.

I’m not a medical professional and I haven’t had the experience of a cesarean (although I was offered the choice this time because my first birth was so challenging), but I think the c-section has been over-glorified as some kind of painless option.  So many women have told me they want a c-section because they’re afraid of pain and want to be as sedated as possible during the event.

Uhh…I’m dead afraid of pain too, you know? I actually have a phobia for dentists because nothing they do feels pleasant. I dislike hospitals, the smell of antiseptic, and doctors in general. I don’t have extra piercings or tattoos not just because I have a strict Asian mom (my sister’s got a bunch), but mainly because I’ve got a low pain threshold. I still decided to go au natural though.

Why? I did a lot of research and decided to believe in the band-aid theory: quick pain (pushing a baby out) over recovery from a major surgery (cutting your stomach open). I used to work in healthcare and have witnessed how outpatient procedures hurt a lot even though you supposedly can be rolled out the same day, but in-patient surgeries? That’s a 4 week recovery at best, 3 months at worst. Yikes.

By recovery, I don’t mean you’re immobilized for a whole three months, just that it could take that long to return to your pre-surgery condition. That, to me, is much too long. But, I can see how in a culture where one should spend 30-45 days in bed post-birth for recovery anyway, the 4-week post surgery recovery estimate may sound about right.

What about the pain?
I went into surgery after my first birth and even though my numerous stitches are nothing compared to a cesarean, I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and bled for about two weeks after birth. I had really strong pain killers that I could combine to dope myself, but I was still largely immobile, struggled to produce enough breast milk, and find the energy to care for my firstborn. Then, in the end, I still had to wean myself off pain killers and just suck it up. By the time I got out of bed, my muscles were too weak to carry my son for long periods of time, I had joint and tendon problems from lifting him, and my back and butt ached from laying down too long. Needless to say, recuperation took time.

Now, I know I have been considering a cesarean only as a choice, rather than a necessity.  One of the reasons we decided to not give birth in China was because we had read too many expat birth stories where a natural birth plan had turned into a c-section (almost 20% of natural birth plans end up in c-sections). Given the difficulties I had in birthing my (rather large-sized) son, I’m convinced that, had I been in China, I would’ve ended up with a cesarean rather than just a vacuum manhandling.

But that’s why I didn’t give birth in China, or the US, but chose Finland where you don’t even see a doctor unless the midwife calls it an emergency (in comparison, China has done away with most of their midwives and now the number of midwives in China is 1/8 of Cambodia, 1/20 of the US).  They also don’t give you chemical cocktails without your permission. Best of all, once you’ve delivered and you’re all fixed up, they ask you, “Would you like some coffee or tea?” Bet that would never happen in Beijing.

Back to subject of pain. Did my second birth hurt? Yes. Did I have pain management? It was too late for any. Did I regret not making it to the hospital earlier so I could have my epidural? Absolutely. I’m a cowardly person with a low pain threshold, so I was frightened to push, but your body forces you to get it over with sooner or later.  And once it was over, I could appreciate the quick pain of sooner over the long-lasting pain of later.

Photo: Flickr