Pregnancy Princess

Almost 23 wks... gettin' big

I've had requests from friends for a picture of the 'baby bump' and updates on what it's like to be preggers in HK.  I don't have much to compare it to, as this is our first baby, but I'll try to explain some of the surprises and interesting aspects of the HK health care system.  For example, I believe most expectant moms in Canada get two ultrasounds over their pregnancy, and at almost 24 weeks, I've had 6 ultrasounds so far (will finish with about 10-12 ultrasounds in total... a seriously monitored bambino).  I see the doctor every 4 weeks (sometimes more frequently) and at every visit I've left with new black and white images of the baby (which have only in more recent visits actually started to resemble a baby... most early pics look like nothing to me... like trying to understand abstract art.)

In Canada, you aren't allowed to leave the hospital until your vehicle is inspected for a correctly installed car seat.  In Hong Kong, not so much.  Generally you're ushered out into a taxi when your stay is up.  Most moms simply hold their baby in the back seat, cautious moms wear a seat belt and a sling or a carrier for the baby.  If you could experience the switch-back roads (HK Island is all mountains in the middle) and crazy HK taxi drivers, you'd know why this idea is a bit terrifying.

Hong Kong has a two tier medical system, with cheap public health care as well as private care for additional (expensive) fees.  Before getting knocked up I had heard and read horror stories of the public health care system... from there being no guarantee that your doctor will speak English, to dirty conditions and dodgy care.  [I need to say that more recently I have talked to a few women at my school who had excellent experiences in the public system, but apparently it's a matter of booking at certain places and maybe a little luck.] Because of these crazy stories, Foley and I made sure to take out extra private insurance to allow us access to the top quality facilities and doctors.  [Without additional insurance, a straight forward pregnancy & child birth in a good private hospital would cost about $25,000 Canadian, more if a cesarian is required or if there are complications].  Although I unquestionably prefer the Canadian health care system (more equitable), it is interesting and admittedly a little fun to get exposure to this alternate reality where I am treated like a privileged pregnancy princess.

About 21 weeks

We chose to book at Matilda International Hospital (on glowing recommendations from several people), for our baby's big debut.  All hospitals here (private and public) require advance bookings to secure a bed.  I had to submit my booking request to Matilda when I was only a few weeks pregnant.  They don't hold you to your specific due date, but they only take a certain number of women within certain time periods to ensure they'll have capacity.  If the hospital is 'full', you are not allowed to deliver there. There is an issue here of mainland Chinese mothers coming to Hong Kong to deliver their babies, and flooding the local system.  Chinese babies born here are given an HK ID card which allows access to HK schools and the medical system, and it's one way people try to get around China's one child policy which doesn't apply in HK.  The result is that it can be difficult to secure a bed and some people just have to show up in an emergency room when they are in labour (not a recommended strategy, obviously).  I'm happy to have a confirmed place at the hospital we wanted (thanks to my doctor for recommending the early booking).

Last week was my tour and orientation at the hospital.  The whole experience was surreal.  First of all, Matilda is located at the Peak, which is the most prestigious place to live on the island.  It's like heading to the Bridal Path in Toronto to deliver a baby.  When you first walk into the hospital it looks more like a swanky hotel lobby than a hospital with plush furnishings, fresh flowers, and marble floors.  After a brief orientation and powerpoint presentation, we were taken for a tour of a delivery room and some of the birthing suites where you stay after delivery.

The delivery room - much bigger than shown here

The delivery room had all the typical equipment, but it also had a bathtub in case you want a soak part way through labour.  There was a flatscreen TV with DVD player to pass the time, a speaker set with ipod dock for you to bring and play a 'birthing playlist'.  Moms are provided with robes, slippers and a few toiletries, not unlike hotel offerings.  The most shocking furnishing in the room was the big massage chair beside the hospital bed where Foley can sit back and relax through the 'ordeal'.  [The words 'labour' and 'delivery' cause me some anxiety, so I prefer to refer to all-that-jazz as the 'ordeal'... I think I got this from my friend Pam who used to refer to her first child's arrival as the 'event'... less daunting that way.].

The birthing suite - 'VIP room'

Anyhow, after the 'ordeal', we'll move with the baby into a birthing suite.  The birthing suites are also gorgeous with hard wood floors, a big flat screen TV, marble en-suite bathroom, and a pull-out bed for Mike to sleep in.  There are also beautiful views (from the Peak the views are stunning) and a balcony off the room.  Apparently the food is amazing with menu choices that rival top restaurants.  On the weekend a friend said that if Matilda were open for meal bookings, she'd go up there to eat all the time... it was that good.

We will stay for 3 nights after the baby is born (this is the 'standard package', unless there's a cesarian section, when the stay will be extended for 5 nights).  Being the top-care facility that it is, there are midwives, lactation consultants and nurses to help us learn how to care for the new little person in our lives.  They teach new moms how to bathe their babies, nurse, and any other coaching that the parents need.  I'm lucky that my mom and dad are planning on coming for the baby's arrival, so I'll have all the coaching and expertise from my favourite sources on hand and at home.  But if I didn't have them coming I think that all those professionals would provide huge peace of mind in a crazy time.

As I said, the whole experience was surreal, and will likely be surreal during the ordeal.  I'm trying to get over the 'guilty' feeling that I seem to get with receiving the royal treatment, and instead I'm working on trying to enjoy it while we're here... If you have stories or comparisons from home, I'd love to hear them! (Please filter out any scary stories of 'ordeals' until after the big debut... scared enough over here!)

Cross-Border Shopping... Chinese-Style!

Left to right: Me, Chi, Ayu, Mimi

A few weeks ago I went on my first ever shopping trip to China.  The closest mainland city to HK is called Shenzhen.  It is only an hour away by subway/train and super-easy to get to.  There is a border crossing involved, because Hong Kong is a SAR (Special Administrative Region), and we did have to have Visas for the trip.  Although it's just over the border, there are some definite changes when you cross over into mainland China.  There were no toilet bowls to be found (foot pads and squatting holes only), and people smoked excessively everywhere.

Our various passports from around the world

The day trip was with my Cantonese class friends.  These girls were the first friends I made in Hong Kong when we all took Cantonese lessons last February.  I absolutely love hanging out with them because we are all from very different backgrounds and cultures.  In the photo above, from left to right is me (boring Canadian), then Chi (Vietnamese friend, married to a French man), then Ayu (Indonesian friend, married to a New Zealander), and on the right is Mimi (Korean-born American who is married to an American).  Mimi was our expert guide.  She has lived in Hong Kong for the longest, about four years, and has an unlimited Visa for trips to Shenzhen.  Her expertise was amazing because this trip could have been very overwhelming without some guidance and direction.

The main Shenzhen shopping mall

The train station in Shenzhen is connected to the major mall where most people do all their shopping for the day, then hop back on the train back to HK.  Sounds simple, but this mall could be very overwhelming with THOUSANDS of booths, shops and vendors inside.  They also subscribe to the excessive harassment approach to selling, following people around saying "Missy, missy, I give you good price, come see my shop... missy, missy what you looking for?..." and on and on.

The fabric market... aisles and aisles with thousands of options

bright & beautiful colours

Shenzhen is known for certain things.  Most people get things made there (clothing, household stuff like curtains, etc.) because it is quite cheap for custom stuff.  There are also many shops with pre-made items and knockoffs.  Our first stop was to a tailor that Mimi had gone to before.  I wanted to get some maternity clothes made (it is very difficult to find things in my size in HK, but especially with the added belly space), so I came equipped with a few photos printed off from on line.  The process was quite simple actually: show the tailor the photos, get my measurements taken, then walk down the hall to the fabric market with the tailor to pick out the fabric for the various items.  About 10 days later, the new items arrived in the mail.  The fabric market was pretty incredible in itself, but the tailor had specific vendors she lead us to so it wasn't as overwhelming as it could have been.

Cleaning the cup and bowl

Delicious dim sum spread! Mmmm.

After getting our business done with the tailor, we stopped for lunch in a delicious dim sum restaurant.  It was a lovely traditional chinese lunch with friends.  First, using the hot water or tea, it is customary to sanitize your cup, bowl and spoon (as shown in photo).  Then we ordered a series of dishes off the menu according to what everyone felt like, and they are all shared amongst the table.  We got some dumplings, veggies, rice dishes, noodles, and it was all delicious!

Mimi, Chi, Ayu and I after our delicious lunch

Check out the size difference... and we're sitting!

Ayu and Mimi getting their pedis

After lunch we did a few more hours of shopping (scarves, shoes, clothes, jewellery, everything!) then we needed another break...  Mimi and Ayu got beautiful and cheap pedicures while Chi and I sat and relaxed.    Shortly after the pedis we made our way back over the border to the train for Hong Kong.  It was a long day, but totally fun and I would do it again for sure.

This day trip came at the perfect time, when I was missing the annual cross-border shopping trip I go on with my dear friends to Erie Pennsylvania... it didn't replace that trip (nothing could!), but it was nice to experience something a little different from here.