Matilda full, Canossa full, stuck with Baptist

G

Gracey

Registered User
I was ready to deliver at Baptist. It's close to me, I'm doing all my pre-natal stuff there, and I like my doc, who told me not to worry about booking a bed till about 12 weeks. (I had a rocky first trimester.)
But I was really disappointed when I finally saw the maternity ward -- on attempt #2, because it was too busy the first time.
No windows! No sunlight! Totally cramped and no way to book a private room in advance. (Which means no way to guarantee that I can actually stay with my BB and breast-feed on demand).
It was like a mainland train station, with dozens of weird-looking men holding suitcases lined up in the hallway, people screaming on mobiles, etc.
The place where you labor was so narrow that I asked the nurse how anyone was to stand or walk around. She said, "By this point, you just lie down and we strap the machine to you." Great.

So I went looking around. I know HK hospitals are booked early, but I was shocked. Matilda is booked till October. Canossa is booked till Sept. (I'm due late Aug / early Sept).

And I'm kicking myself bc, by the time I got up there, I decided I really liked Canossa. It may be old and small, but it's quiet and sunny. Private rooms looked available and overlooked trees. The nurse was warm and helpful, and I wasn't even a patient. The nurses in Baptist were so over-run trying handle hordes of people that they had gotten irritated and short. They had no time to answer questions from a stranger.

So I gave up. I'm not switching doctors just so I can get on a Canossa wait-list.

But a warning to other expectant moms. Do this early in your first trimester. And don't assume that an otherwise nice doc and nice hospital will have the maternity ward you want.
 
To corroborate, we booked at Matilda and Sanatorium at 7 weeks. Matilda was nearly full already and Sanatorium was completely full. Sanatorium is our first choice, so our doctor is trying to work us in, but if not, I guess it's Matilda.

But the point is, even though these hospitals do not confirm your booking until week 9 or later, the earlier you book, the higher up on the list you will be when they do start to confirm. So definitely book early.

(by the way, Sanatorium is almost fully booked for November already - that's 9 months in advance!)
 
We were refused Matilda at 9 weeks. I had no idea you could "pre-book" before 9 weeks - we were told that we had to wait until 9 weeks and we applied then and were told "no space at all" - although it took Matilda 4 more weeks to actually tell us... which really annoyed me. We did get into the Sanatorium though when we applied at 13 weeks.
 
at 12 weeks wanted to book Sanatorium (due early Aug) but it is already full. to be honest, you are only there for 3 days and you will be so tired you probably won't notice too much. i'm having #3 and this is the 3rd hospital - as long as your doctor is good, i wouldn't worry too much about the rest - time goes by SO quickly. i'm delivering at adventist this time, but to be honest, i haven't even visited the facilities - all i know is that I have my OBGYN and he will make sure it's a safe delivery. the system in HK is crazy it surely is - you have to book once you confirm you are pregnant. also, no hospital (at least the 3 i've been too - matilda, sanatorium and now adventist) will confirm the room type for you at the time of booking - you basically get to choose what is available at the time (i had a choice between 4 people sharing and deluxe last time - luckily for insurance i could choose deluxe)...unfortunately there is no guarantee. i don't know what to expect at adventist...but i've got 2 at home, so i just know i'd be wanting to get home asap and not stay longer than necessary.

anyhow, don't worry too much! i'm sure things will turn out perfectly fine. just have everything on your birth plan and make sure your doc and the nurses at the hospital know about it. good luck!
 
Hello,

I'm due in mid-June and am waitlisted at Matilda (I wasn't in HK and applied at 15 weeks). I was told that I probably wouldn't be confirmed until a week or two before my due date. I asked my doctor if a backup plan was necessary and she said not to worry about it. But I have read on these forums that Matilda had turned people away. Any advice on what to do?
 
catan, if i were you, i'd book somewhere else. you can still keep your doctor - just ask them where else he/she delivers. i went through the whole wait-listed process with Matilda, and then when i was 6 months+, my doctor suddenly didn't sound so confident anymore and asked me to register at a public hospital as a possible back-up. all the choices of private hospitals where unavailable to me that point because i was too far along. you don't want to me in that situation...unless you're ok with public of course which is always an option if all fails.
 
Thanks mariac, I was thinking of the same thing. The other hospital that my ob delivers at is Adventist, and based on what I've been reading on here about breastfeeding support and rooming in, I am not keen on delivering there. I am thinking of registering at a public hospital, most likely Pamela Youde based on my district. But I recently saw a notice at my ob's office, that they do not provide antenatal care for those intending to deliver at government hospitals. So I haven't brought the subject up. But I need a note from my ob to register at the public hospital??

I'm already 6+ months along and probably it's too late for other options anyway....
 
Hi,
I tried to book the Adventist at 8 weeks and was told they were already full. So, my doc tried the Matilda at 9 weeks when they open the booking and I was on the waiting list. About a month later they declined my booking.
I'm now 23 weeks and still can not get into a private hospital.

I've registered at my local public hospital and although I'm sure the care is great I'm really put off by the 2 hour visiting time even for husbands. I'm desperate for a private room at a private hospital as it seems the only way to be together and bond as a family in the first few days.
If I end up in the public hospital I just have to hope I don't have any complications and recover quickly so I can go home asap.
 
if baptist is not far from u, would u consider union in shatin? it's bright n roomy there. if i m not living in the island side, i would go for union for sure.

i heard there are private and semi private wards available in public hospital and the charge is as much as the private. if u cannot get a confirmation w/ private hospital and have no preference for a c-section, going to public can actually be an option. some local moms are seeing both private and public. those plan to deliver in the public hospital will take the private as a second opinion and to have more ultrsound scan (at each visit). those plan to go private will take the public as a plan B, just in case there is an emergency, they have a medical record in the public. i heard that emergency delivery before 33 weeks is not accepted by matilda, not sure if this applies to all private hospitals in hk.

to my best knowledge, only matilda or the public hospital will let you have your baby by your side even u r not in the private ward.
 
I know that for Aventist, they will not take in any women before week 34. It happen to my friend before as dr ask her to bed rest. So she bed rest for a night, and Aventist think that there's a risk of her giving birth premature, they sent her to Queen Marry.
 
Cherina - I recommend you try Union Hospital in Shatin. They have beautiful private rooms and baby can room with you. I am scheduled to deliver there. If you want, PM me and I can give you my doctor's name.
 
Hi,
We booked at Matilda at 18 weeks, see Dr Michael Rogers - he gets beds reserved for him. It was no problem me getting in.
Good Luck
 
Catan and Cherina - I got a private room at the Union Hospital when I was 6 months along. The hospital is newer and nicer than Matilda and the rooms are beautiful. But they are in Shatin so they do not tend to get a large expat clientele. But so far, I have found all the staff to be friendly, helpful, and with sufficient English skills. Moreover, they have tried to accommodate all the requests on my birth plan for a natural delivery, baby-rooming in, etc. If you have insurance or if the money or location is not a problem for you, I would recommend looking into the Union. PM me if you have further questions or need to see a specific doctor there.
 
Hi, Thanks for the advice about Union but I don't really want to change to a different doctor. I'm holding out for Matilda, think I will get in eventually.
 
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