I was just reading through a few of my past articles when
I came across one of the very first that I wrote. A few of
you other “long in the tooth expats” may remember
the very strong advise I gave to leave Bali for birthing at
all costs. Well, my how things have changed!
Five star rated birthing hospitals have sprung up like mushrooms,
and the medical teams are now constantly up-dating their knowledge
and facilities with many of the obstetricians and midwives
studying overseas, and utilizing their knowledge to its full
in the field.
I have even heard it said that when comparing our private
hospitals here with perhaps the public health care system
in Australia or the UK, that Bali comes out way in front for
hospitality and care.
So here are a few tips on how to plan your birth in Bali,
for the safest as well as the most pleasant experience:
- Choose your Obstetrician carefully.
(I am more than willing to drop names for those that wish
to contact me). Make sure that he will listen to your concerns
and will answer all your questions. If he doesn’t want
to listen to you now, he never will. Change your doctor until
you find one with a compassionate ear! Make sure that you
write down all your questions before your visit. Keep the
questions brief and to the point. Remember that this guy does
not have a lot of time to spend with any one patient, probably
ten minutes at the most.
- Keep yourself informed. There is
enough information on the net, or even at the local bookstore,
to educate yourself about your pregnancy.
- Remember that you have the right
to refuse any treatment. If your doctor suggests giving medications
(other than vitamins) during the pregnancy, find out what
they are for, and if they are safe for pregnancy. (I am more
than happy to give information on safety of medications during
pregnancy).
- You do not need an Ultrasound scan at
every visit. This is just helping the doctor to pay for his
machine! Some studies have suggested that the ultrasonic waves
may be harmful to the babies hearing apparatus if used too
frequently. One scan at 12, 16 – 20 weeks and another
at 28 + weeks is standard practice. There may be specific
reasons why your doctor feels that he needs to scan you more
than this, but he should give you a good explanation as too
why.
- Choose a birthing partner that will be strong
and firm (not angry) with the doctor/ hospital
staff. (Preferably someone who
is bilingual especially if you do not speak Indonesian).Your
birthing partner should be someone other than your husband,
that is either qualified or very experienced in childbirth.
Let the team know what you want, and that you may do things
a little differently to what they are used to. Some of these
things may be:
-You DO want to walk around
during early labor.
-You DO want your husband
/ partner to be present at the birth.
-You DO NOT want an episiotomy (perineal cut) unless it is
absolutely necessary.
-You DO want to hold
and breast feed your baby as soon as it is born.
-You DO NOT want your baby to have any drugs (vaccines, antibiotics,
steroids etc) without your consent, unless it is an emergency
situation.
-You DO NOT want your baby to be formula fed by the nursing
staff, if you are planning to breast-feed.
For those who would like to see me during their pregnancy
I do run a pre & post natal clinic as well as prenatal
education & relaxation classes. I work with several obstetricians
and hospitals on a “shared care” program. The
hospitals that I currently recommend are Puri Bunda &
Prima Medika. My number is 08123660000. If hospital births
are not for you, you might want to contact the Womans Health
Center in Ubud (Yayasan Bumi Sehat) run by American midwife
Robin Lim, the contact number is 970002.
Who should not birth in Bali?
Naturally not everyone has the choice to leave the island
for a complicated pregnancy or birth, but for those that can,
the following conditions would be better handled overseas.
• Mothers with any pre-existing
medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, severe asthma
etc.
• Any mother suffering from
high blood pressure before or during the pregnancy.
• Multiple pregnancy more than
twins (triplets +)
• Rhesus negative blood group
mothers unless you have pre-arranged blood donors, and imported
the Rhogum injection before your birth.
“Kim Patra is a qualified Registered Nurse and Midwife
that has been living and working in Bali for almost twenty
years. She now runs her own private practice and medical referral
service from her Kuta office. Kim is happy to discuss any
health concerns with you and she may be contacted via e-mail
at info@chcbali.com”.
