Giving birth in China

[expatmommy]

Does anyone have any experience on giving birth in China? I'm wondering if it is treated like a very medical experience, or if there is a more natural approach possible?

[MamaRabbit]

High C/S rates and highly medicalized. We have quite a few women fly here (Thailand) to have their babies. If you can say what area you're in China, you may get recommendations for options.

[expatmommy]

Beijing.

I have a friend who knows another expat who apparently had a homebirth. Unfortunately, she has lost touch with this woman, so I have no way to find out more info.

[donutmolly]

I know a woman who has had both babies in China (in Beijing), she could give you a first-hand idea of what it's like. She did the Beijing Int'l hospital route and had 2 c/s ... yes, very medicalized "special" treatment, esp. for foreigners. PM me if you'd like her email address, she's a very AP mama.

There is an American midwife who may or may not still be in Beijing, I can look for her info as well...

I am a former expat who chose to go back to the US for both of my births, because I wanted homebirths with reliable options to transfer. But, going home was an option for me...

There is another mama on mdc who is a Beijing expat mama, I'm sure she'll chime in soon!

Best wishes! I remember so well the difficulties we had in deciding what to do!

[Lizbiz]

Hey - I'm in China and very interested in this post - I hope somebody sees it and responds. I don't have much help to give - I had my first in the States, but we're ttc #2 this Spring and we'll still be here. I'd like to deliver here, but at home (had a homebirth with #1). No idea how this will work. Honestly? Being in a Chinese hospital to deliver scares the be-jeepers out of me. I don't think Chinese hospitals are incompetent (the good hospitals, anyway), I just think culturally it would be really hard. I speak some Chinese and could communicate with a doctor - but the concept of authority is really dif't here. Questioning the doctor's orders would be tough to navigate with the importance of saving face. I have also heard it's pretty medicalised. My (currently rather weak) plan is to find a western midwife (somehow, I have no idea how) and convince her to attend my homebirth. Yeah, I'm gonna need some luck.

If you're interested, I do have a list of 'good' hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing (I just know that foreigners here trust these hospitals, not that they are necessarily pro-natural birth). Many women also go to Hong Kong to deliver, but I'm sure they go to the hospitals there and I'm not so sure they have a natural mindset. As I find out more, I'll post.

[lioralourie]

I live in Beijing the past 3 years. And Shanghai 2.5 years before that. I have a short list of all the "Birth Options" in China...doulas, water birthing hospitals, and pro-natural birth docs (and a midwife proper in Yunnan province) I can send you. Please PM me so we can get in touch!!

And if you're interested in organic and natural living in BJ, join my Beijing Organic yahoo group, too. 375 members or so.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/beijing_organic_consumers

Liora in Beijing

(Unassisted home birther, due with #3 peanut in February!)

[lioralourie]

Beijing.

I have a friend who knows another expat who apparently had a homebirth. Unfortunately, she has lost touch with this woman, so I have no way to find out more info.

I had a home birth (unassisted). So did one of the Beijing LLL leaders here (unassisted, twice I believe). So did another expat woman, a doctor, with the Yunnan Province midwife in attendance.

And I know a couple in SH, too. So it DOES happen here! hee hee

Liora

[Mei Mei]

I'm 12 weeks along with my first and it looks like I'll be delivering in Shanghai.

While I'm not insistent on a homebirth, I would at least like to feel comfortable, and as though my wishes are respected, which I think will be hard to achieve even in a western-style hospital or clinic. May I have some information about who to contact here in Shanghai? It seems like some of you know of some ways where a natural birth may be possible without me feeling stressed and pressured by a doctor the whole time.

Thanks in advance!

[lioralourie]

PMing you with doula etc. details.

liora in Beijing

[SAmama]

Liora, would you pm me with the detail for the midwife in Yunnan? We live here and I have an expat friend who is expecting. She has had two home births and would love another one, if possible. She is also looking at UC.