Should I have the baby in HK or Canada?

P

pilotgirlcan

New member
I will be living in Hong Kong for the next 5 years or so and am pregnant with my first. I have the option of having the baby in Hong Kong or Canada. Which would be better? If born in Hong Kong does the baby have a Chinese birth certificate?
 
if born in hk the baby gets a HK birth certificate. unless you are a HK PR (that is of chinese decent) this entitles the baby to nothing.

being born here does not give your child any special rights (unless the baby is of chinese decent and you are a HK PR)
 
equally, being born here does not mean that your baby is not able to apply for canadian citizenship. both of mine were born here. i'm canadian. hubby is local chinese.

my kids have both, canadian citizenship/passport(due to me) and HKPR status (due to their father)
 
i've been wondering the same thing...

i'm pregnant with my 1st and have been debating whether to have the baby here in HK or back home in US (los angeles).

it'd be great to have family & friends (esp. mom) to take care of me afterwards but then my husband wouldn't be able to stay for a long time. he would most likely take a 2-wk vacation, if that, and have to fly back to HK for work.

i've heard of many expats going back home to have their baby. for those, was it difficult? how old before the baby can travel and you can return home to HK? how about all the baby stuff?
 
I'd be interested to know how people manage having the baby back home.
How do you time having the baby with making sure you're husband is there? (afterall you can't predict the exact date they arrive...)

Also most airlines won't let you fly after 35 weeks and although having family and friends there I'd be pretty miserable without my hubby.
 
Hi pilotgirlcan,

I had my first one in HK last September and am due with my second at the end of the year and will also have him/her here. Queen Mary was great. Both my parents and my in-laws came out for a vist after and I found it was just nice to recover in my house, in my own bed, around all my things right in HK, with my husband and friends (if I needed them) here. But it is a personal choice and one only you can make.

Best,
Canucker
 
C bebe,

you have to decide what is best for you but let me point out a few things. first, if your husband is only there for 2 weeks, you'll need to be induced or schedule a c/s to guarantee that he is there when the baby is born. I don't know your medical situation, and that may be something you need anyway, but it's a thought to consider.

second, going away to have the baby means that everyone you have ever known wants to see you in the month?6 weeks? that you are home, and you probably will want that time to stare at your baby and spend time as a family.

third, babies change SO FAST you probably wouldn't want to your husband to miss any of those first exciting weeks.

I made a decision to have the baby here, my husband took a week off, plus his 1 week paternity leave, and we really, thoroughly enjoyed having time with the 3 of us as a family. baby is now almost 6 weeks old and she and I are going to the states to visit for 3.5 weeks in July, I know she will continue to change quickly, but I am now up to going all over with her and have figured out what i need and don't need when we go out, etc. and I know my baby, so no one will be confusing me with conflicting advice, etc.

Obviously, this decision worked for me, but isn't for everyone. consider your options, and maybe add a third one of having your mom or someone come stay after if you really think you'll need more than 2 weeks of help (you might if you have a c section, as someone who has had one how much help they needed at the time)
 
I would vote for having the baby where you currently are.
You have your doctor, your insurance, your friends and family, you know the hospital. Also, you know where to buy things (big things, little things) in case you need them and you know how to handle emergencies should they arise. You are confident in being able to make decisions.
Once you come to a new place, most all of that goes out the window. Seems to me you would just be adding a level of stress that you probably don't need.
 
rebekah said:
second, going away to have the baby means that everyone you have ever known wants to see you in the month?6 weeks? that you are home, and you probably will want that time to stare at your baby and spend time as a family.
Click to expand...

that's one i didn't think about! you're right - everyone will want to come over when all i will want to do is spend time with baby & hubby.

i'm booked into matilda so most likely, i'll end up staying here in HK. having hubby next to me & being able to spend time with the new baby as a family is 1st priority.

good luck to you on your trip to US w/your daughter!
 
There is also the beds situation here at the moment. If you want to go private and are already pregnant, you may find it difficult to get a definite booking.
 
C bebe said:
i'm pregnant with my 1st and have been debating whether to have the baby here in HK or back home in US (los angeles).

it'd be great to have family & friends (esp. mom) to take care of me afterwards but then my husband wouldn't be able to stay for a long time. he would most likely take a 2-wk vacation, if that, and have to fly back to HK for work.

i've heard of many expats going back home to have their baby. for those, was it difficult? how old before the baby can travel and you can return home to HK? how about all the baby stuff?
Click to expand...

I delivered my DD in LA and I can tell you good for the help we get from mom and friends, but felt lonely when hubby was to able to be there. Same as your situation, hubby can only stay for limited time. I brought my DD back to HK when she was 2 months old, great flight with feed - sleep - feed. She loved the plane, I guess at that age all they do is feed & sleep. About the baby stuff, you'll have to get new ones like bottle sterializer, baby monitor, and etc. due to different voltage.

My DS was delivered here in HK last year and it was a really good experience here. If you're interested, PM me i can tell you the differences and also about baby's US citizenship.

Good Luck
 
hi

hi

i m not sure if u hv make yr decision. my only advise is if you are not a canadian resident then I really do not think Canada is a good place due to their medical system.

I just came back from Canada late last month and I am giving birth in HK in Nov 08. My hubby is still in canada but he will be back to HK on time for the birth of the baby.

Hope it helps.
 
Also you need to work out your insurance status as you may not be entitled to give birth in the public and your private insurance may have a waiting period, and private births here are very expensive compared to Australia.
Also most obs and gyn recommend no flying after 34-35 weeks.
Many things to think about and weigh up.
 
In Favor of Birthing "Back Home"

Smiles said:
I'd be interested to know how people manage having the baby back home.
How do you time having the baby with making sure you're husband is there? (afterall you can't predict the exact date they arrive...)

Also most airlines won't let you fly after 35 weeks and although having family and friends there I'd be pretty miserable without my hubby.
Click to expand...

This is an old post but I thought I'd reply.

I did exactly that--went back to the States to give birth. It's not easy but I wouldn't have done it differently. I would never give birth in Hong Kong if I could help it.

I flew at 29 weeks and my tummy barely fit behind the lap tray. It was a really miserable flight and my legs swelled up really bad. I was apart from my husband for about 10 weeks. He got a few weeks off from work and arrived two weeks before the due date. It worked well as I went into labor naturally on my due date and gave birth 43 hours later .

It was not the easiest way to do things--but the quality of care that I received and the options I had for birthing were that which I couldn't find in Hong Kong.

My husband is a local Hong Kong person so I guess even though I'm an expat, we don't really live the typical expat lifestyle that I've noticed here--husbands having really good-paying jobs with benefits--living in the heart of the city--that sort of thing.

So, for us to give birth in a private hospital and have to pay the fee upfront would be an impossibility. In the States we had payment options.

And as we were fully committed to and prepared for natural childbirth with the husband present we couldn't very well go through the public system either.

Home births aren't an option in Hong Kong and as it turns out, I ended up losing a lot of blood so it's a good thing I was in a hospital.

Also, with it being my first child, it was great to have my mother, whom I'm close with, there to help out.

No, it wasn't easy but if I had it to do over again--even with all the crazy travel, I would.
 
jaz1311 said:
hi

i m not sure if u hv make yr decision. my only advise is if you are not a canadian resident then I really do not think Canada is a good place due to their medical system.

I just came back from Canada late last month and I am giving birth in HK in Nov 08. My hubby is still in canada but he will be back to HK on time for the birth of the baby.

Hope it helps.
Click to expand...

Canada is not good because of their medical system? This is a bizarre statement. In canada you do not have to book a room in advance, you never have no worry that you won't have a hospital to dlever in, as they cannot refuse you. The baby stays in the room with you, you husband can stay with you in labor and overnight after baby is born, you labor in a private room. lots of newer hosptils or renovated hospitals will have all private postpartum rooms as well. It is free, safe, and clean. You can pay for a home birth if you want to. It is pretty fantastic to a lot of the stories I read about on here. of course if you are not Canadian or a landed immigrant they you should have medical insurance, as you will have to pay.

As too the original poster, I can see ins pite of how good the system is hear, logistaiclly it would be difficult to go back to canada to have the baby. what did you decide to do?
 
capital said:
Canada is not good because of their medical system? This is a bizarre statement. In canada you do not have to book a room in advance, you never have no worry that you won't have a hospital to dlever in, as they cannot refuse you. The baby stays in the room with you, you husband can stay with you in labor and overnight after baby is born, you labor in a private room. lots of newer hosptils or renovated hospitals will have all private postpartum rooms as well. It is free, safe, and clean. You can pay for a home birth if you want to. It is pretty fantastic to a lot of the stories I read about on here. of course if you are not Canadian or a landed immigrant they you should have medical insurance, as you will have to pay.

As too the original poster, I can see ins pite of how good the system is hear, logistaiclly it would be difficult to go back to canada to have the baby. what did you decide to do?
Click to expand...

I was not a landed immigrant or caanadian so I even have difficulty looking for a ob who is willing to look after a new patient who is willing to pay cash though i do not have insurance. Unlike in HK I can have to option of going private.

My husvband is canadian and I am not cos my country of origin do not allow dual citizenship and I am not willing to give up my original citizenship.
 
I guess it is a great system for those who have access to it then. What did you end up doing? Did you have to go back home to have your baby?
 
hi capital

you are right. The system is great in Canada for those who have access to it.

I am now in HK and waiting for my boy to arrive in Nov 2008. Mu hubby is still in Canada due to work commitment and will be back on time for our boy arrival :)

Thank you.

PS. Only problem was because I only return to HK on 29 Jul and I am suppose to have a c-section on 12 Nov so it was quite really worrying initially when there was no maternity rooms available in the hospital. But now I finally got a confirmation and everything is settled.
 
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