Natural childbirth disappointment...

My wife was a perfect candidate for natural childbirth, and it was one of our main reasons for choosing Samitivej, having heard (wrongly) that they had a low c-section rate. We discovered, too late, that they are a C-section factory, where every sigle person in our birth class had a C-section... I have done a ton of research, and I feel very strongly that my wife did not need to have the c-section, but in the moment of birth pain, any doubt gives the doctor a chance to do their "job" and tell you to have a c-section. The WHO recommends a 10-15% c-section rate, one Samitivejj nurse told us it was 50%, but since I can not find even one natural birt parent here, I think it is much higher. There are some blogs, which influenced our choice to give birth at this Samitivej, but I now believe they are propaganda , paid for by this hospital to generate business. whatever you choose, please be strong, know what is supposed to happen, do NOT go to the hospital too early!!!! It is your choice, don't let the doctors, or anyone else control you against your will.

Best birthing unit in Bangkok

I switched from Bumrungrad to Samitivej when I became pregnant with my first child. I actually liked Bumrungrad - I have relatives who are doctors there, and had been going there for years, all my family go there. But after looking into it, I felt like it just didn't have the facilities or the general staff support for vaginal birth (I have also heard that the cesarean rate there is close to 90%, though that is often at the request of the patient). The natural birth facilities at Samitivej are just much nicer, and the birth unit staff (as well as the doctors) and more experienced in and committed to natural birth.

In addition, there's more support postpartum, including a breastfeeding clinic - I didn't think about that much beforehand, but this support is very valuable. Samitivej is the only hospital in Bangkok that is WHO-certified Baby Friendly Hospital (meaning that it follows established procedures for promoting breastfeeding, etc). I've later learned that standard procedures in many other hospitals here (keeping mother and baby separated after birth for "observation") pose real obstacles to a successful start to breastfeeding.

Since giving birth, I've continued to use Samitivej, because I find the experience (atmosphere, setup) overall more friendly and relaxed than Bumrungrad, which can sometimes feel like a factory. I was very happy with my birth experience and postpartum care, and wouldn't consider delivering a baby anywhere else in Bangkok.

Still, no place is perfect, and not all doctors at Samitivej have the same approach. And even though it's got a better cesarean rate compared to other private hospitals here, it is still astronomically high compared to rates recommended by the WHO (15%). I'd encourage anyone considering giving birth here to research you options, figure out what you want and find a doctor that supports your approach. The Parent Vine Thailand (parentvine.net) is a good starting point to get oriented if you're looking at giving birth in Thailand.

Having a baby in Bangkok

I had flown short-haul to Bangkok from Kathmandu, where my husband, a diplomat, and I then lived, 36 weeks into my pregnancy. I had chosen not to return to London to give birth because a long-haul flight back would have meant leaving home over a month earlier. When I arrived in Bangkok, I followed the hospital’s recommendation and checked into a luxurious, centrally serviced apartment, complete with huge swimming pool, 24-hour reception, security and air-conditioning.

I was one of 338 non-Thai women to give birth at Samitivej last year. Most had come from neighbouring Asian countries, and some from farther afield, attracted by Thailand’s warm climate, low prices, delicious food and finely honed service culture. Incidentally, the hospital says its success rate for ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and IVF (in vitro fertilisation) is 37.8 per cent and a growing number of IVF patients now travel there from the UK and South Africa for fertility treatment.

In Samitivej, every mother-to-be is allocated an obstetrician of choice, whatever type of birth they plan. I had chosen US-trained Dr Sankiat Vayakornvichit on the hospital’s website, and booked my first appointment online. The care I received before, during and after the birth was excellent. Dr Sankiat gave me his mobile number so I could call him at any hour, and joked that I should practise riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi to avoid getting stuck in Bangkok’s notorious traffic on the big day.

Samitivej’s recently revamped birthing unit consists of two large low-lit birthing rooms, painted pink and yellow, and designed to promote “active” births. Each room has a large birthing pool, a low bed covered in pillows, a birthing chair, an en suite bathroom, a fridge and CD player, and ropes and a climbing frame (for those who want a really active birth). Medical equipment was present but totally hidden from view. Patient rooms ranged from Presidential Suite to “ Superior” — the most basic, but still equipped with an en suite bathroom, a private balcony, satellite television and a bed for my husband.

Dr Sankiat presided over most of my straightforward labour and was there throughout the birth, a luxury afforded only to women with complications in Britain. In addition, three midwives were on hand with encouragement, gentle massages and generous doses of Thai graciousness.

I spent most of my labour wallowing in the pool, nibbling bagels delivered by Starbucks downstairs. A bookshop and newsstand delivered reading matter to while away the adrenalin-charged hours after the birth, and had I had my laptop, I could have made use of the in-room wireless internet connections. Once I had been discharged, there was a lactation clinic with a 24-hour emergency number to answer breast-feeding queries. A nurse rang me at home a week later to check that the feeding was going well. Paediatric care was automatically arranged and a doctor saw my son an hour after he was born.

I chose to have my son sleep in the nursery so that I could rest, and I prolonged the luxury of free childcare by electing to spend three nights in hospital before discharge. When I left hospital, I had no home visits from health visitors as I would in England, but I had an emergency nursery phone number and regular routine appointments with the paediatrician.

For all the modern facilities, the experience had many Thai quirks. My son’s feet remained blue for a week after they were pressed on to an inkpad at birth and then on to his medical records for identification purposes. His birth certificate states which phase of the Moon he was born in, and that it was the Year of the Cockerel. Had I consulted an astrologer, I could have, for a few baht more, instructed the hospital to arrange an auspiciously timed C-section. Antenatal classes dealt with the usual issues, but also air-conditioning, climate and training Burmese maids.

The hospital’s international department, staffed by Englishwomen, dealt efficiently with the paperwork surrounding birth in Thailand, and the complicated business of obtaining an exit visa for a baby who had never formally entered the country. Whenever a foreign baby in the nursery opened his or her eyes, a photographer down the road was hastily summoned, thrust into hospital overalls and asked to take the baby’s first passport pictures.

A week later, when I went to the British Embassy to register my newborn for a passport, consular staff looked visibly relieved because we made a welcome change from the usual customers in string vests complaining of passports stolen by bar girls, the kind of tourist Thailand is more used to.

Treatment Giving birth.
Cost of treatment About £1,135 (80,000 baht) for natural birth, prenatal classes, breast-feeding tuition and two-day stay. Caesarean sections cost about £1,120.
Additional costs from £1,222 a month for luxury one-bedroom flat, return flights to Bangkok from London from £495; British embassy passport fee for new baby from £91. (Baby’s ticket: 10 per cent of adult one-way.)
Cost if done privately in UK The Portland Hospital charges £4,025 for a natural birth and a two-night stay (does not include obstetrician fees or antenatal classes).

Waiting time None.
Quality of treatment Excellent.
Quality of post-treatment support Excellent.

(via www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article678127.ece)