https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:58:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1763591 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 05:27:19 +0000 Hilarie71031 1763591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hey Everyone!! My husband and I have recently moved from Hong Kong to Phnom Penh and just found out I am pregnant. I am debating on whether I will be going back to Hong Kong or Bangkok for the birth. This is my first pregnancy and I'm freaking out!!!! I am thinking Bangkok will be the better option as it is closer and easier to bring my helper and dogs with me but I have never been to Bangkok and don't know what to expect.<br /> @Mrs Rivera how long did you stay in Bangkok? What were your challenges?<br /> @nono have you decided to definitely go back home for the birth?</p> <p> I am taking a trip back home to the US next week and wondering if I should bring stuff back with me as well. Any info or feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1715428 Sun, 22 Jun 2014 22:30:00 +0000 MoonMoon 1715428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have not experienced pregnancy or childbirth while abroad, but I want to second the positive review of Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok. I fell really ill with what turned out to be a parasite when I was in Myanmar a few years ago. I was supposed to be heading to Cambodia, but decided to seek care at Bumrungrad, and was really happy with their high quality care. And paying in cash was many many times cheaper for me, as an American, than paying for similar care in the U.S. I noticed in my time there that they had a huge maternal care wing, and many foreign pregnant patients. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1715384 Sun, 22 Jun 2014 21:39:23 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1715384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on the country your in, too. My SIL was pregnant with their second while living in China. A few things I remember off the top I my head were that they couldn't find out the gender, and there were some really different rules regarding delivery than in the US. I think my brother was only going to be allowed in after she was like 3 or 5 cm dilated, and a few other delivery issues that I can't recall at the time. They were in a smaller city of about a million, and about 6 hours away from the closest western hospital. The other issue they ran into was that her due date was right around a time when many people take off for some time, and the doctor couldn't them that he would be there or that another doctor would allow them to have my brother in at all, etc. They considered going to Thailand, but eventually decided it would only be a little more expensive than going home, so they decided to fly home about 2 weeks before her due date and stayed for 6 weeks after my niece was born. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1715341 Sun, 22 Jun 2014 21:02:55 +0000 Mrs Rivera 1715341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NONO sorry I just saw this message. I gave birth in Bangkok and it ended up being great although there were some challenges. I'm now back in Cambodia. It is tough being without a lot of the support services that we may be used to.<br /> There are a few local facebook groups you can join which are very helpful such as the Cambodia Parents Network. Through one I met a few other pregnant women and we created a prenatal yoga class with an expat teacher who has now sadly left.</p> <p>I'd be happy to answer some other questions if you want to pm me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1684281 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:27:25 +0000 maelaolao 1684281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nono<br /> You might look up this lady--she would be an excellent person to talk to about your options!<br /> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pregnancy-Birth-and-Beyond-in-Phnom-Penh/405139326250974?ref=br_rs" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pregnancy-Birth-and-Beyond-in-Phnom-Penh/405139326250974?ref=br_rs</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1661722 Wed, 28 May 2014 07:19:33 +0000 Lolo 1661722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NoNo Thank you for starting this thread up again. I am a Scottish expat living in Qatar (middle east) and at 16 weeks pregnant I am also interested to hear how others coped generally with pregnancy and birth out with their home country. I have to say my experiences have not been great so far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1661650 Wed, 28 May 2014 04:41:08 +0000 Nono 1661650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Rivera: Came across your post while frantically googling... I'm living in a small town in Cambodia and have just found out I'm pregnant. I also paid a visit to a local clinic / NGO linked with WHO, but unfortunately there were no English speaking staff there, which made the whole experience quite daunting. </p> <p>My partner is Khmer and I've got some Khmer friends who have kids. I'm hoping to find some other ex-pat preggos locally, but being a small town it's proving tricky, especially since I'm not yet past 12 weeks and still wanting to keep it fairly secret for now.</p> <p>I'd be really grateful if you'd be willing to share any tips for coping with pregnancy and motherhood in Cambodia?! Current plan is to head home to the UK for the birth, then back out here after a couple of months, but would love to hear your experiences of birth in Asia, maybe they will change my mind? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1061059 Tue, 03 Sep 2013 01:59:49 +0000 Lozza 1061059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't pregnant there, but I lived in Vientiane, Laos for a couple years and saw several other friends go through pregnancy, labor, and delivery there. I can't speak to issues about gear, but pretty much every expat I knew went to Bangkok for medical care- they'd go once a month or so for a regular OB visit, and then usually a month or so before their EDD they'd go rent a short-term apartment in Bangkok and stay there for the birth and some time thereafter. Specifically, I feel like most people I know went to Samitivej in Bangkok, though whenever I was there for medical care I went to Bumrungrad and I was always really happy with my care there. Both the French and Australian embassies in Laos had a doctor on staff, so my friends would often go there if they had a particular issue in between OB visits, but their official OB care was all out of Bangkok. (Not sure if BKK would be an option for you, depending on whether you're somewhere like Siem Reap or Battambang that might have flights or somewhere more rural).<br /> Personally, knowing what I do about medical education in Laos, I would not have felt comfortable getting obstetric care at a local hospital or clinic, even if staff received additional training or supervision from an NGO or WHO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1060801 Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:08:45 +0000 Mrs Rivera 1060801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi ladies,</p> <p>Thank you for your responses. I am in Cambodia (not in Phnom Penh) so it makes things a bit interesting some times. We certainly don't have access to lots of imported baby products.<br /> @mynoahbear - we also don't have a great track record receiving packages but I am hoping that I can import some things via a courier like DHL... I just need to convince the international sellers to use this method of shipping.</p> <p>I do love being an expat though. I look forward to the rest of this crazy adventure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056974 Sat, 31 Aug 2013 01:48:38 +0000 PinkElephant 1056974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: funny story, my hospital had a sliding price range for c-sections - those pre-booked on auspicious dates cost more than if you let the doctor decide the date based on medical need alone. I didn't require a c-section but my friends and I joked about going to a fortune teller to ask about unlucky dates do the hospital would be less crowded!</p> <p>All jokes aside though, I know a lot of westerners who have gotten really into TCM while living in Asia, particularly for fertility </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056971 Sat, 31 Aug 2013 01:43:49 +0000 PinkElephant 1056971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm an expat in Hong Kong, and my daughter was born here. For me the experience was so positive that I hope to have baby #2 here in the near future.</p> <p>Hong Kong is a major city, so we get plenty of imported products, though they are really marked up in price, and are sometimes scarce between stores' shipments (especially imported baby formulas). I tried to carry over big gear items, and definitely buy some things used to save on the ridiculous prices, from a local mommy Facebook group. I tried to disregard the typical American baby registry necessity list because so much of it didn't apply to my living conditions. For example, we didn't need a rock'n'play, because between her crib, Moses basket, and stroller bassinet, she had more than enough places to sleep in our one story apartment. And as live-in help is so common here, we didn't need nearly as many onesies and pjs as a new mama without help to do the laundry might.</p> <p>I can't comment much on health care because I felt mine was fantastic, modern, and pretty westernized. I did come up against some more colloquial superstition a at times (ladies in more local restaurants wouldn't give me cold water in 90 degree weather because it "wasn't good for me" and told me spicy foods would ruin my baby's skin)...but I just smiled and nodded and consumed what I wanted to. Don't mess with a hungry pregnant girl, right?! I also did a lot of reading on my own to be sure I was getting the tests I thought I should get when I should get them. If I'd had questions about quality of local care, I might have tried to get a second opinion on a trip home.</p> <p>Hope this is helpful - if I can share anything else to help, let me know. I think it's neat that our kiddos will have such a fun fact (their birth city) for playing silly introduction games. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056949 Sat, 31 Aug 2013 00:31:54 +0000 regberadaisy 1056949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not but I just want to mention that if you decide to use formula be very careful about buying it in China. All my relatives have family member travel home with cans and cans of formula when they visit. Evidently formula in China is not to be trusted! </p> <p>@mynoahbear: </p> <p>P. S. I can imagine how unsettling it must be being a westerner in Asia during pregnancy and delivery. I'd imagine a lot of our cultural beliefs cross over into medical practices. I wonder how blurred the lines are! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056945 Sat, 31 Aug 2013 00:23:33 +0000 mynoahbear 1056945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi! I'm a pregnant expat in Asia too. I am in Beijing. We moved here last October. Begore this we lived in Tokyo for 4 years. I had my 20 month old LO in tokyo. It was easy getting everything I needed in terms of baby care and supplies. I bought locally and also shipped over from the US. Things like car seat and crib, I bought online in the US and had shipped over. </p> <p>With this current pregnancy, I don't need as much to buy since I kept a lot of things from before. I definitely am not comfortable buying local products here, so anything I need, I plan on buying from international stores here. I would love to order online from the US but getting packages hasn't been a great experience here. There is also a great expat mommy community here, so buying used is also an option. </p> <p>For my prenatal care and birth, I've chosen an international hospital. Its just easier when everyone speaks English and I understand everything that is going on. My doctor is Getman and I'm really happy with him. They follow all western standards, do all testing has been according to what I am familiar with. </p> <p>Overall, I'm not as comfortable having my baby here in Beijing, as opposed to Tokyo but there is nothing I can do about that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056937 Fri, 30 Aug 2013 23:54:59 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1056937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a friend who was an ex pat in Africa with her first. She ended up being transported in the back of a truck to a major city for a c section. It was intense. I know it must be hard but also exciting at the same time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056913 Fri, 30 Aug 2013 23:11:56 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 1056913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience personally, but DHs cousin was living in Asia and came back to Canada when she was 7 months pregnant and stayed until the baby was 4 months old... I think because she hadn't been over there long and didn't have the care she was hoping for.</p> <p>Hope you can find some answers! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/being-pregnant-and-an-expat-in-asia#post-1056910 Fri, 30 Aug 2013 23:08:12 +0000 Mrs Rivera 1056910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>I was wondering if there are any many others who are living in Asia? I am an expat living outside of a major city and have been thinking about how this is impacting my pregnancy. </p> <p>I think there are two main areas: First, it's difficult to buy quality baby items here and there are so many things that I think will need to be ordered or bought as imported items. Although, when I look around at what local parents have or rather don't have it makes me wonder how much gear we need.<br /> Second, I am always questioning (and second guessing) the prenatal care. I go to a local clinic which is run by an NGO who work with WHO and large international organisations and have a lovely doctor who speaks English but she does prescribe some interesting drugs as precautions which I question. Things like systematic treatment for parasites for second trimester patients which after doing some further research are only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk and shown to cause fetotoxicity in animal studies. I decided to toss those tablets.<br /> We are planning to travel to one of the major Asian cities for the birth.</p> <p>Any other expats with similar experiences? </p>