Rejection from Matilda

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Decbaby2011

Registered User
Hi All

Would like to seek advice. I am due end of the year. Application went into Matilda but i was rejected and now am stuck for private hospitals. Public is always an option but having done a ring round of most of the HK Island hospitals including Sanitorium, Adventist, Cannossa they are all full until Feb.

My GYN advised me to have seen him when I was 6-7 weeks....but that does seem very early ....especially since some of my friends who are now close to 8-9 months mentioned they did not need to do so until week 12. Should I start booking into public or try the hospitals in Kowloon.

Does anyone know whether this is just a normal phenomena for HK where the back up eases in a few months and bed spaces will free up ?
 
You can't book for public. HK island has 2- Queen Mary or Pamela Youde. You just have to get in the system and you don't really get to choose, it goes by your address. Depends on your doctor but some may have more pull at certain private. They all recommend booking by 9 weeks tho! Especially now that hospitals and doctors are allegedly taking premium prices and gifts from mainlanders and agencies!
 
Hi

It's true you do need to get in early with your OB GYN around 6/7 weeks, so they can do your blood test and prepare your file, ready to send it promptly to your hospital of choice at 9 weeks (that is the case for Matilda anyway). Get yourself on the waiting lists, and you may get a place. Just have a plan A,B,C in terms of choice.

I know the private hospital situation is frustrating in HK, but don't worry the public system still delivers a high level of care.

On another note I'm due in Dec too so if you fancy meeting up, pls PM me. Or come along to Oolah on 12th June 9.15am, as a few of us mums to be are meeting up.
 
Thanks Banane76 & Kaandy

It is a little frustrating since we did go to see the doctor at week 8, at the time the doctor told us it wouldn't be an issue likely for Dec end at Matilda. We trusted his nurses to follow up with the hospital with the paperwork. However when we followed up with them last week, it seems they only put through the paperwork last week and now the hospital is backed up until Feb. I do note however that they did tell me at the moment 7 in 10 pregnancies taking place were from mainland mothers coming to HK.

In any case, I do agree that public hospitals are good since they will have all the medical facilities which private don't - however it is the backup plan and preference would be with one of the private hospitals.

Just wondering whether the only way to get bumped up or into a good private hospital is by knowing the right people .....or as Banane76 says ...to bear gifts for the nurses.

Kaandy, many thanks for the offer, are you planning for the baby at QMH or one of the others , Will PM you separately re Oolah ...
 
Hello Again,

We went with a private doctor for most antenatal checks and then delivered at Queen Mary. I was REALLY happy with both my deliveries there. The midwives are excellent. My second baby only cost 250hkd. My first was 800 as my baby had to stay a week for antibiotics for precautionary reasons. It's sad about the mainland situation though.
 
if you really want to deliver private then perhaps you can try seeing a OBGYN based out of one of the private hospitals since they might have a bit more of a quota in getting patients to deliver at thhe private hospital.

having said that -my 1st one was delivered at Matilda but ended up at QMH cause they didn't have the medical equipment necessary to resucitate (wrong spelling) her and then keep her out of the critical period.

i know for a fact the nurses are great at the public, but comfort level etc is not as great - but if you are having a "normal" birth you really only be at the hospital for 2 days, and in big picture of things, it's not really a big problem in terms of bfeeding, bonding with your baby, having the baby sleep with you etc....at least in my opinion - others will obviously differ. just my 2 cents. good luck with whatever you decide. just keep faith in the HK system - it's good - that's why it's jam packed too.
 
Private hospitals are booked very far in advanced by mainland mothers all over the territory, so it doesn't make any difference to go to Kowloon. In fact, the Hong Kong Baptist Hospital in Kowloon delivered more babies from mainland mothers than any other private hospital in all of Hong Kong.

To get into a public hospital, first find out which public hospital serves your home address. Then, go to any one of the Maternal and Child Health Clinic to register your pregnancy for HK$1. You'll need copies of you and your husband's HKID as well as proof of address as well as a letter from your doctor confirming your pregnancy. After that, if you choose to have any public prenatal consultations and tests - which are all free, they'll make you an appointment according to their schedule. However, you can choose to continue seeing your private doctor and just deliver in the public hospital. I've delivered at Canossa and at Queen Mary Hospital and frankly, I think the QMH experience was a far superior one.
 
Hi Lesliefu, appreciated and agree with your comments. We tried that already with our OBGYN ...he is a resident at Matilda but it seems even that doesn't matter these days....by the stage we were declined he mentioned there was no guarantee, and our best bet was to perhaps leverage contacts who knew people at Matilda .....unfortunately I don;t have those contacts .... I will register then for QMH also.

Yonge
It is true however that the mainland mothers who perhaps have been doing IVF and are willing to pay the premium are also fighting for the same bed space. From the hospital's perspective, if they can get 30% more fees from a mainland mother then the decision is quite easy.
Quick question, is Canossa any good - i know you mention QMH is good ....however wondering whether the former is better in terms of best rest post delivery - also whether the nurses will ensure my baby isn;t fed formula (understand I need to tell them before hand to ensure they don't feed formula if the mother wished to BF instead)
 
Oh, great! (I'm delivering at Baptist).
I just want to know why they insist on bringing their entire families -- and their suitcases -- into both the prenatal check-up area and the maternity wards!
 
I was declined by Matilda when applied at 15 weeks (last Dec to deliver this June). My obgyn wasn't concerned, and my booking was confirmed when I was past 36 weeks.

As for Canossa, a family member delivered there and had a positive experience, mother got plenty of rest. But I am told the hospital doesn't allow rooming-in with baby unless it's a private room, which may make BF a challenge.
 
i remember at sanatorium they did not allow for baby to room in and I was in a private room, but if you let the nurses know your intention to solely breast feed, they would bring the baby into your room whenever a feeding was needed - they asked if you were sure and as long as you say yes, they will wake you up to feed the baby at all hours - there was no problem there at all. perhaps canossa is similar?!?
 
I don't think rooming in with baby is necessary for breastfeeding. Although many here say that they were allowed to room in with baby in the public system, in United Christian where I delivered, the baby was in the nursery up to the second day when they asked us to keep the baby with us. But they were very supportive of breastfeeding, though it was on a schedule. My son wasn't never getting full on what I was producing and so they offered formula but only after confirming with me that I was ok with it - once I said no and they respected that - and when they did feed him formula they cup fed him. I had no problem breastfeeding although my son wasn't rooming in... and the first couple of days I think I would have been exhausted if he was rooming in.
 
as a 3rd time mum, i totally agree with charade. one of the most important things (in my opinion), for helping w/breastfeeding is to make sure mum is well rested. with baby #1, i did rooming in -- big mistake. i was exhausted, couldn't sleep because i was listening for baby, etc. starting w/baby #2, i room in during the day until midnight and then send bubs to the nursery until 6 am. then i get a good night's sleep and am refreshed and ready to feed in the morning. fyi, i also don't believe in nipple confusion -- all 3 of my kids were equally good at the breast and with a bottle
 
I think it really depends on your baby. I just had my second baby and the experience was a bit different this time around. The first time, my labour was over 2 days so I was exhausted. My baby also had to go up to special care so it was nice to just crash out after she was born. But I was soooooo jealous the next day of the other moms that had their babies with them. I went up as much as I could to see my baby. Up there though, the nurses don't have much time to help you with breastfeeding so it was hard for me to get her going with the latch. I had to wait til she could come home and have a lactation consultant help me. Whereas this time around, the labour was a lot quicker and I was sooo happy to have baby with me. Even though you may say no formula, no sugar water or pacifiers, sometimes it still happens so I was happy to be able to see my baby, cuddle my baby as much as he needed. Just think, they spent 10months in the security of your belly and then all of a sudden get thrust into this cold world. Just my 2 cents. I know that rooming in is encouraged at public hospitals, but not sure about private. I think everyone gets slightly different experiences because the staff on duty can really colour your experience at the hospital.
 
thanks all for your feedback, i totally agree that it perhaps will come down to the staff on duty but I will heed advice and try my best to BF whether that be rooming or not. Good to know for newhkmommy that babies won't get nipple confusion; that was probably one of my concerns as i have received differing views on this.

Appreciate all the advice i am getting from experienced mommies ...
 
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