Cost of Giving Birth

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

I hope I am not duplicating any previous post but I would just want to inquire a rough ballpark figure of the costs related to giving birth - from the check-ups all the way to the maternity room.

Also, I am really more interested hearing from a PR's point of view (probably less than 2 years in Oz) - thanks guys and happy week ahead!

ricshei · October 2012

nice @ psychoboy - family planning really matters

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

nice @ psychoboy - family planning really matters

Yes, yes - it is better to be prepared Sir...

ricshei · October 2012

really looking forward to any feedback on this topic.... its one of my many concerns isama na ang childcare (",)

tita_vech · October 2012

Kung PR kayo covered naman lahat nang Medicare. I mean kung yung GP nyo ay bulk billing tapos public hospital, libre lahat ito.

May option kayo to go private, just make sure na maganda ang private health cover nyo para halos libre din lahat.

Having said that, hindi naman ako new migrant. Pero experience yan nang friends ko whose been in Oz 4-5 years.

@ricshei - you might have to specify your location, kasi sa Sydney CBD nakakalula ang cost nang childcare. If you're lucky baka maka-contact ka nang mga pinays in your area na available, laking tipid yon.

faye · October 2012

Interested din ako sa thread na to sana may makasagot thanks in advance!

donking · October 2012

@faye uuuyyyy... :-D

li_i_ren · October 2012

for PR holders who have met the 1 year ata na condition sa residency nila ..there shouldn't be a problem meaning libre lahat under medicare..pero ung mga kids benefits i had a look at centrelink like baby bonus/ carer benefits.. 2 years waiting period po.

private naman.. 3000 aud normal deliver. 6000 aud for CS... if you have insurance, you can claim for those but remember you have to hold that insurance for 1 year already if not you won't be eligible to make claims for pregnancy either public/ private or whatever rules your insurance company has with those things.

pero may catch po for the primary visa holders if not permanent residents, apparently like me, im the primary visa holder of my family..if i get pregnant and will be unable to work as mandated by my visa then there is a chance my visa will be cancelled and we will be sent home since i have a work visa type. there was a nurse in brisbane who got pregnant and got her visa cancelled..kasi less than 1 year pa sila dito sa oz and though she was able to work until her 2nd trimester..she really couldn't go on na for health reasons i guess and had to request time off from work but the hospital couldn't give her prolong leave and had to cancel her visa.

so if not a permanent resident and in oz for less than a year or 2 better check with your employers what are you're entitlement..kasi mahirap mawalan ng work.

2 words: birth control.

bellecaye_18 · October 2012

Hi! I just gave birth last Sep 30 here in Melbourne. We're holders of PR visa and we got here in AU mid of January... So, we've only been here for 8.5 months when I gave birth.

I didn't pay a single centavo for the check-ups, tests (i.e. blood test, glucose, etc), ultrasound and delivery / hospital stay... We just used Medicare for everything. I was under shared cared... Meaning I was seeing a GP in the community health centre and an OB in the the hopital (Mercy Hospital for Women which is a first-class public hospital).

As for the pregnancy vitamins like Vitamin D and multivitamins, I purchased it from the Chemist.

For the benefits, I'm entitled to claim Baby Bonus which does not have residency requirement.

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

Hi! I just gave birth last Sep 30 here in Melbourne. We're holders of PR visa and we got here in AU mid of January... So, we've only been here for 8.5 months when I gave birth.

I didn't pay a single centavo for the check-ups, tests (i.e. blood test, glucose, etc), ultrasound and delivery / hospital stay... We just used Medicare for everything. I was under shared cared... Meaning I was seeing a GP in the community health centre and an OB in the the hopital (Mercy Hospital for Women which is a first-class public hospital).

As for the pregnancy vitamins like Vitamin D and multivitamins, I purchased it from the Chemist.

For the benefits, I'm entitled to claim Baby Bonus which does not have residency requirement.

This is good news!!

021607 · October 2012

Hi! I just gave birth last Sep 30 here in Melbourne. We're holders of PR visa and we got here in AU mid of January... So, we've only been here for 8.5 months when I gave birth.

I didn't pay a single centavo for the check-ups, tests (i.e. blood test, glucose, etc), ultrasound and delivery / hospital stay... We just used Medicare for everything. I was under shared cared... Meaning I was seeing a GP in the community health centre and an OB in the the hopital (Mercy Hospital for Women which is a first-class public hospital).

As for the pregnancy vitamins like Vitamin D and multivitamins, I purchased it from the Chemist.

For the benefits, I'm entitled to claim Baby Bonus which does not have residency requirement.

Hi @bellecaye_18! I am in the same boat as you were in. Pregnant now with our second now, started conceiving on our 5th-6th month here in Brisbane. We landed Australia March 2012. Bilis natin no? I can attest to what you said, there is no need to spend much here, everything is covered by Medicare. The little things I spend for is additional cost of special ultrasound and vitamins. Congrats on your new baby!

li_i_ren · October 2012

@bellecaye_18 good for you! congrats on the baby!:D that's good news to hear na di needed yung 2 years na nasa centrelink para maka claim ng baby bonus as long as PR:)

tita_vech · October 2012

In addition, blue passport si baby kahit PR palang parents.

faye · October 2012

@bellecaye_18 thanks for the info

faye · October 2012

@bellecaye_18 applicable din kaya ung free delivery sa NSW kahit na wla pang 1 year stay sa AU? congrats nga pla!

faye · October 2012

@donking haller! ano na blita?

Metaform · October 2012

@bellecaye_18 This is my most favorite post in the history of my favorite posts.

Hi! I just gave birth last Sep 30 here in Melbourne. We're holders of PR visa and we got here in AU mid of January... So, we've only been here for 8.5 months when I gave birth.

I didn't pay a single centavo for the check-ups, tests (i.e. blood test, glucose, etc), ultrasound and delivery / hospital stay... We just used Medicare for everything. I was under shared cared... Meaning I was seeing a GP in the community health centre and an OB in the the hopital (Mercy Hospital for Women which is a first-class public hospital).

As for the pregnancy vitamins like Vitamin D and multivitamins, I purchased it from the Chemist.

For the benefits, I'm entitled to claim Baby Bonus which does not have residency requirement.

bellecaye_18 · October 2012

@faye: Yes, you can avail the service of public hospitals & health centres free-of-charge (i.e. bulk bill) as long as you're a PR visa holder and you have Medicare.

bellecaye_18 · October 2012

@tita_vech: Yup, that's right. Baby is automatically an Australian citizen being born here in AU... Though we would want him to have dual citizenship so he'll have his options in the future.

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

@tita_vech: Yup, that's right. Baby is automatically an Australian citizen being born here in AU... Though we would want him to have dual citizenship so he'll have his options in the future.

He will get AU citizenship for sure as parents are PR but isn't he also a Filipino citizen at the same time? Kumbago, dual citizen na kid?

bellecaye_18 · October 2012

Thanks everyone for the congratulatory greetings.

Having a baby in a different country like AU is very challenging esp. if you don't have immediate family or relatives to help you. In our case, we only have friends here so we just have ourselves (hubby, me & 11-year old son) to rely on in raising the baby... No extra help unlike when I gave birth to my eldest in Manila.

The first two weeks were a struggle but eventually things get better... I guess, we just need to live one day at a time to survive.

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

congratulations pala @bellecaye_18!! =D>

bellecaye_18 · October 2012

@psychoboy: Baby is a natural-born citizen of the Phils and we need to apply with the Phil Consulate in AU for him to get a dual citizenship status.

For more info, you can refer to this link -- http://www.philippineconsulate.com.au/dual-citizenship/introduction-note.html

faye · October 2012

@bellecaye_18 thanks again

PogingNoypi · October 2012

Thanks everyone for the congratulatory greetings.

Having a baby in a different country like AU is very challenging esp. if you don't have immediate family or relatives to help you. In our case, we only have friends here so we just have ourselves (hubby, me & 11-year old son) to rely on in raising the baby... No extra help unlike when I gave birth to my eldest in Manila.

The first two weeks were a struggle but eventually things get better... I guess, we just need to live one day at a time to survive.

Bilib po ako sa inyo. Naintindihan ko yung hirap nyan. kasi kami ng asawa ko kaming dalawa lang nagpapalaki sa daughter namin dito sa States. Puyat puyat tapos pasok pa sa work. medyo nakabawi na nung malaki na hehehe!

LokiJr · October 2012

I just saw it in TV...yung una mong pananganak $5,000 yung ibibigay ng gobyerno bilang "Baby Bonus", pero bumababa siya sa $3,000 etc...sa pangalawa at pangatlo mong panganak.

Ang nakakatawa sa policy nila...kung twins ang una mong panganak, $10,000 ang ibibigay nila hehe

sticktoexecute · October 2012

Hi everyone, nice seeing your stories here. My wife will give birth on December, and because we are only temporary resident visa holders, we are not covered with medicare, the problem now is the cost of the delivery. Just curious if hospitals there would reject patients if they do not have cash to pay for the delivery? Thanks for the replies...

li_i_ren · November 2012

just go to a public hospital.. you need also a midwife, the midwife will arrange with you before the date of delivery where you will have the baby.

hindi po uso ang walk in to ANY hospital... dapat talaga po you have an allocated midwife and your midwife knows where you are going to have your baby.

so before having a baby, planned na po which hospital you will be going to.

also when you present po in the hospital, they will ask you sino midwife nyo so you need a name to give them..and they will call your midwife to deliver the baby.

you will be billed afterwards naman din..if you have medicare and insurance, get that ready before date of delivery. you will need that presented to the hospital.

hindi naman same sa pinas..na parang no money no entry. hehehe! billing will be afterwards..and who knows eligibe pa la kayo for medicare so no payment po yan. just have a medicare number handy. and this is one thing you can discuss with your midwife..payment and legibility for govt support.

don't bother going private if money is an issue.. kasi 3000aud normal delivery and about 5k to 6k CS in private.

but first po..i hope may midwife na kayo before december. your prenatals are going to be with a GP or a nurse practitioner or midwife. sa oz kasi po, yung having a baby is midwife centered...you will only have an ob-gyne if there are complications or high risk ka on assessment.

good luck;D

TotoyOZresident · November 2012

Thanks li_i_ren, very informative, now may idea na ako

li_i_ren · November 2012

@TotoyOZresident may girlfriend kanang nakita sa church group mo noh??:P ..specially now citizen na si totoyoz.. extra pogi points na yan sa mga chicks:P hehehehe!