Morning mummies.
Re: Hospital packages
Natural is always cheaper than C-sec due to the shorter stay. The most expensive is emergency C-sec (i.e. you try natural, but due to complications/baby in distress, you have to go for emergency c-sec) as the hospital/gynae can charge you natural fees+c-sec fees. The amount of medisave that can be used is counted like this: $450 (for pre-delivery consultations) + $450 (for delivery) + $450 per day of stay. You can visit the link below for some bill size stats.
http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/billsizeDetails.aspx?cId=10
Re: Essence of chicken, Birds Nest, Tonics, Herbs
Advisable to start from 4th month/2nd trimester onwards. Reason being is that the first trimester is very crucial for feotal development. Some herbs have unknown/negative effects on the babies development. If you really need to take, try to take only plain essence of chicken with no herbs.
For first trimester, the crucial vitamin is folic acid. However, do note that excessive folic acid is negative to feotal also so stick to prescribed doses.
For 2nd trimester, usually obimin (multi-vitamin), fish oil is prescribed.
Re: EDD
EDD calculated by GP is usually based on last menstral date. May not be accurate if you do not have exactly 28 days regular cycle. For example, I do not have regular menses. So my EDD based on last menstral date is always very far from my EDD through scan (as much as 3 weeks for me). EDD through scan in first trimester (usually abt 10 weeks or so) is the most accurate as growth of baby in the first trimester is the most standard - i.e. baby to baby is almost the same (if measured the same way).
yumii:
You may have dry skin. How about using some hydrating creams on the area.
mei80:
KKH works like this. There are patients who see at the clinics on subsidized rates. Cost is very cheap but each time a different doctor sees you and most are medical officers. I do not recommend unless you need to choose this option due to cost. If you choose your gynae, you have to pay private rates - you can see at clinic or at private suite. In clinics, scans are not by your gynae and they usually don't scan during 2nd trimester much. Hence, private suite is recommended.
Come delivery time, private patients have choice of 2 type of packages - the standard private package where the team on duty looks after you but your gynae comes in for the delivery or the premier private package where your gynae is responsible for you the moment you are warded in delivery suite. Premier is I think $500+ more than standard for normal delivery. Classes of wards for private patients is class B1 (4 bedder) or Class A (single bed).
Actually the main consideration for premature delivery - why some gynaes are you to consider delivering in KK is coz KK is the most equipped for neonatal complications. Most private hospitals have to transfer the babies to KK if they have serious neonatal complications and this transfer is on an availability basis (priority is of coz given to KK babies). And of coz transfer has expensive transfer fees. Transfered in babies will be charged private rates (may not be the same as kk's private patients - this one I'm not sure).
