Thanks for all the responses. I've had some time to think and discuss with my husband and I am going to stay here in HK, mainly because it's a long way to fly when heavily pregnant, and it will be very expensive and disruptive for the family. The other thing I realised that if everything does not go to plan and I end up in a hospital anyway, it would all be a waste of time.
Instead I've registered at PWH and I intend to educate myself as much as possible about natural childbirth techniques. I also plan to hire Hulda from Annerley to act as my doula. If all goes well, I want to arrive at the hospital at the last minute (so do most of the labouring at home)and then get out ASAP afterward. I'm going to write a specific birth plan because I understand that PWH will honour them.
tsbasa - my main reasons for not choosing Union (or any private hospital for that matter) is that to do so, you have to have a private OB. For my first pregnancy I had one but I felt like I didn't need him (I had no problems so it was overkill), and I also feel like having a private OB increases the likelyhood of intervention, including c-sect. I also know Union's c-sect rates are very high (probably no higher than any other private hospital though). That is the one thing I want to avoid the most.
I don't want to be separated from my baby after birth, and I know Union doesn't allow rooming in with your baby unless you get an expensive private room AND you hire a nanny/nurse to be there with you all the time. I don't get that. It makes no sense to me. I also understand they are not very breast-feeding friendly, and this is very important to me. These are the main reasons. I would not have understood the implications of these policies had this been my first baby so I am glad I am a second-time mum and I know what I want in my birth this time.
Instead I've registered at PWH and I intend to educate myself as much as possible about natural childbirth techniques. I also plan to hire Hulda from Annerley to act as my doula. If all goes well, I want to arrive at the hospital at the last minute (so do most of the labouring at home)and then get out ASAP afterward. I'm going to write a specific birth plan because I understand that PWH will honour them.
tsbasa - my main reasons for not choosing Union (or any private hospital for that matter) is that to do so, you have to have a private OB. For my first pregnancy I had one but I felt like I didn't need him (I had no problems so it was overkill), and I also feel like having a private OB increases the likelyhood of intervention, including c-sect. I also know Union's c-sect rates are very high (probably no higher than any other private hospital though). That is the one thing I want to avoid the most.
I don't want to be separated from my baby after birth, and I know Union doesn't allow rooming in with your baby unless you get an expensive private room AND you hire a nanny/nurse to be there with you all the time. I don't get that. It makes no sense to me. I also understand they are not very breast-feeding friendly, and this is very important to me. These are the main reasons. I would not have understood the implications of these policies had this been my first baby so I am glad I am a second-time mum and I know what I want in my birth this time.