Stressing over no beds during Dragon Year

[sfolola]

My husband and I just found out we are pregnant with our first! We are due in late September. While it's very exciting, I have heard from nurses at our clinic and during visits to the hospitals that September is already booked up due to the masses of women trying to give birth during Dragon year.

My ob-gyn is Dr. May Mok at the Women's Clinic--a recommendation I got from this site, thank you ladies!--and during our consultation Dr.Mok told me we shouldn't have anything to worry about and that I would get a bed.

But of course, I can't help myself from worrying (new pregnancy trait?). Can anyone who has gone/is going through the Dragon year bed shortage share their experiences?

 

[rebekah]

I booked at the requisite 9 weeks and had no problem getting a bed for March.

 

[lesliefu]

Though I havent gone through it ...I've had three kids...at threes different hospitals...but anyhow, if your doc gives you the word i am sure you will be more than fine. She probably delivered at more than one hospital so she will be bound to get you a space somewhere. She has the "connections" that will secure your place, no need to worry.

 

[bagel]

Trust what your doctors says. I am due in July and there was no problem with getting confirmed bed although as soon as you are confirmed to be pregnant they put pressure to make a booking.

For me, the doctor's office gave me a list of hospitals we could consider and said that Matilda and Sanitorium are fully booked for July. Anyway, they are too far from where we live. We went for a tour of a hospital closer to our home, at her recommendation, and decided to book a bed there.

So go ahead and make the booking for the expected date of delivery once you identify a hospital. We had to pay the deposit to get confirmed bed when I was 5 weeks pregnant.

 

[elle]

Dr. Mok has a good relationship with Matilda and is a "resident" doctor I believe, so her patients get some sort of booking preference. Has her staff confirmed whether there are rooms available at Matilda? They will do the initial contact with the hospital (as early as 5 weeks I think) and then Matilda will contact you directly with details for payment of the deposit to hold your spot (of to let you know that you are on the waitlist).

ps. as soon as you can pay your deposit you should in order to reserve your space. I think you have up to 30 days, but have had friends who were initially offered a spot that were then waitlisted when they delayed paying the deposit...

 

[LOJITT]

The shortage of private maternity beds in HK is a reality, so you're right to make sure you get an early booking. By your dates I figure you're only around 4-5 weeks, so you're well within the window to get a bed. My understanding is that you have to have a scan showing a viable pregnancy for Matilda to process your booking (although not quite sure what that means. I remember from my last pregnancy that my 4+4 scan was too early so I had to get another 2 weeks later and they used that). Your Obs will submit your request. You'll then get an email (via your Obs) giving the outcome. Either accepted (in which case you have 28 days to pay the $20,000 deposit so you can usually wait till after your 12 week scan and then pay), waitlisted, or declined.

Of course, Matilda is only one option, and depending on where you live might not be the best choice for you.

 

[evgreen]

Congrats! I submitted my application to Matilda at 7 weeks, though they wont tell you if you've gotten a room or not until the prerequisite 9 weeks. I confirmed my booking with them by 10 weeks but they give you about for weeks to confirm by deposit once a bed has opened to you.

 

[Christine@MIH]

Matilda International Hospital maternity bookings

Hi Ladies. We (at Matilida International Hospital) have been reading various threads lately discussing maternity booking arrangements at our hospital. Some ladies have mentioned a ?waiting list.? We are writing to clarify that there is no waiting list, and any cancellation notification ladies received from our hospital is final. All obstetricians are aware of the number of their deliveries that we can accept and as such, ladies receiving such a notification are strongly advised to work with their doctors for alternative arrangements.

Having said that, we are currently (as at 18 Jan 2012) taking bookings at nine weeks for ETD around end-August. (ETD = estimated time of delivery)

Regards

Christine Lau
Deputy General Manager - Communications

 

[elle]

Hi Ladies. We (at Matilida International Hospital) have been reading various threads lately discussing maternity booking arrangements at our hospital. Some ladies have mentioned a ?waiting list.? We are writing to clarify that there is no waiting list, and any cancellation notification ladies received from our hospital is final. All obstetricians are aware of the number of their deliveries that we can accept and as such, ladies receiving such a notification are strongly advised to work with their doctors for alternative arrangements.

Umm, has the hospital changed its wait list policy since 2010? When we were "waitlisted" (when I was about 14 weeks along I think) our OB had a specific number of people waiting for beds at Matilda ahead of us (initially 6 people), and we were periodically updated with our position on the list as it moved up. We ultimately had a spot confirmed at 28 weeks or something.

 

[newbaby01]

Congratulations! I wouldn't worry about it. I go to the same clinic and see Dr. Doo. He delivered my first at Matilda in 2010 and I was confirmed as soon as he sent in the request. I am due with my second in May and was much later than you to find out. Because of this he thought I would not be able to get a immediate spot at Matilda and got me a confirmed spot at Aventis.

If the office has told you they think you will get a spot you likely will as she probably has a list and you are pretty high on the list. I think the Dr. and office has a good idea as the spaces they have available so don't worry.