Pregnancy in the UK vs Aus

[Squiggle1989]

Hi all,

My partner and I are planning on moving to Australia in the next couple of years, we have talked about having a baby to complete our little family. We were debating the pros and cons of having the baby in each country. My first thought was about being pregnant in the heat but also about if we needed any extra care during pregnancy/labour. We will obviously be getting health insurance when we come over but we were also thinking about whether there could be any extra costs etc but also if anyone has had a pregnancy/baby in both countries which was the best overall. 

 

Thank you in advance!

[snifter]

I recall a couple of migrants who had their babies after moving here. All had good access to all the usual facilities, medical professionals etc as they did in the UK. Don't forget there is medicare here and you are entitled to maternity care. You'd not be left high and dry here in terms of pregnancy care and you don't need to have private cover (unless your visa type lists it as being mandatory or you cannot access medicare on the visa). 

https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/medicare-during-pregnancy

https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/health+services/womens+health+services/pregnancy+services

As to the heat, I'd think it may really only be an issue if you were heavily pregnant in the hottest part of the summer or we had a long heatwave. And don't forget, if you have a home with air con of some kind then its only when outside the heat could be an issue. None of us really want to be outdoors in 40C so you would not be alone if you opted to be indoors as much as possible those days.

If you don't have a visa yet, then before you can think about anything else. 

You are asking which someone may have found better in terms of UK or Aus to give birth but tbh I think that can really be answered. Everyone is going to have a different experience of giving birth, no two are alike. In the UK you can have the postcode lottery aspect play its part. Or have a truly terrible experience giving birth in terms of standards of care etc as you could here. Or have a great experience there or here. It will depend on you, where you give birth, how it unfolds, the staff on shift, what time of day or the day of the week you happen to labour on and so much more. So I'd not try to even think of it in terms of where is better as you really cannot know. Both are first world countries with good systems in place. 

My only thing I would say in terms of having a baby away from your family. Often our Mum's play an important part to expectant Mum's and this should not be denied, ignored or overlooked. Hormones rage and many women, especially those having their first baby often experience a huge desire to be close to their own Mum or be able to have them and their family around while pregnant and when baby is very small. Don't discount this. It wasn't what I felt but then I'd long left home, lived away from my family overseas for many years and was a fair way from them while I was pregnant and it never really bothered me in the least, but it does make a huge difference to many it seems. I've read of no end of newish migrants posting  about being pregnant with their first (or even second or third) and having a huge desire to return to the UK to be with their family. Then consider that if you did want to be near your family or had the baby in the UK before moving, would you then be ok with leaving sometime soon after. 

 

 

[Dewao84]

That's absolutely right,, many women want to be around their family and especially mum. I am one among them. I am from India and there every state has different weather conditions. My husband does government job and when got transferred to another state{Kerala) which was totally different and humid too I got many issues as I was expecting my first baby.  Though in first few months I had only my husband with me but later on I called me mom to take care of me. And believe me it's a heaven having her with me all the time.

Edited March 2, 2019 by Dewao84

[llessur]

Having had our first just over a year ago I can report that our public hospital experience was absolutely brilliant. The care we received at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide was first class.

Some of our friends went private and received a few extra benefits like beds for their partners in their hospital rooms (I must admit that would have been nice having slept for the night in a chair), nicer meals etc - but then again they also left with bills of $1000-$3000 on top of the health insurance premiums that they had already paid (private health generally doesn't cover certain things when you're in hospital - e.g. dressings, 'sundries' etc which all add up).

We're planning another one in the near future and will have no qualms about going public again. 

In terms of the heat, it can be a little inconvenient and, depending on timing, you can guarantee at some point during the pregnancy or early months with the little one will be hot. Being a January birth the height of summer arrived when my wife was heavily pregnant and stayed around for the first couple of months after our little one was born. Not the best timing but we made do (very glad we had good AC at home). If summer had come earlier in the pregnancy or later after birth then it would have been easier but babies tend to run to their own schedule as I have rapidly been finding out