Move to HK from SG while pregnant?

[Pregnant and worried]

Hi

I found out last week that I'm pregnant (our first child), and found out today that my husband has been offered a great job in Hong Kong. Ideally, I'd like to stay in Singapore, as I understand it's generally preferred by people with babies/young kids.

However, I would really appreciate some info from people who have lived in HK and had a baby or young family there. I'd like to get a better sense of what it's like for babies and new mums in HK, and whether the move from SG would be acceptable, or disastrous.

I know that the Singapore v Hong Kong subject has been discussed before here - I've searched back through the threads for the past couple of hours and have seen lots of people explaining why they prefer SG to HK for young families, but found little info on what life is like in Hong Kong for pregnant women and young babies.

I really hope someone can help, as I've been thrown into a bit of a spin by this. I feel very settled in Singapore, have found a good ob-gyn and know lots of women with babies and young children, so Hong Kong feels very alien. But this is a VERY good job opportunity for my husband, and I'm not dead against a move...

So, any help would be extremely welcome,

Thanks

[One story.]

I was in Japan (which has excellent pre-natal care) and a new British friend of mine flew back to Hong Kong to have her 3rd child there as the care there had been so good for her previous two pregnancies/births.

[Sing to HK]

Hi,

I still read this board ;-)

I lived in Singapore, had a baby there.  Then moved to HK when my child was a year old.

Number 2 is on it's way and I'm more than happy having my second one here.  I am delivering at Matilda, it's the main expat private hospital.  You will need maternity insurance to cover it.

I live in Discovery Bay which is referred to DB (dogs and babies).  There is a great community here of young families.  I have found it a great place to meet so many people and the children get to run around in a safe environment.

The apartments are affordable, nothing compares to the newness of the ones in Singapore, but they are fine.

Generally speaking I prefer living here to 7 years in Singapore.  I didn't enjoy the heat and found outdoor activities limited.

I loved my first winter here and bought an annual pass to Disney.  It's only a short distance from DB.  Yes it's naff, but it's a good day out for the kids.

Short ferry journeys to clean lovely beaches.

Hiking with the kid back pack.

We are having a wet and dreadful summer and there is smog.  But this place feels more real.

All the best.

[HK to SG]

Had our first 2 in London, 3rd in HK and 4th in SG.  I love HK so much.  Also gave birth at Matilda.  Superb Obstetrican (Ghosh).  Had the best paediatrician we've ever met in HK (Thonduo).

Lived on the south side (Stanley) with full sea view.  Spent weekends at beaches, on boats, in Disney/Ocean Park, going on walks etc.  HK is perfect if your budget allows for the accommodation and you can handle the air quality.  We could not, so we left.  If they ever clean up the air there, we'll be back in a jiffy.

If you decide to go, book in early to the hospital (Adventist is another expat hospital). 

[i love hk]

Hong Kong is great, very dynamic and has millions of more things to offer compare to singapore, I had my first child there at adventist hospital and the doctors and nurses is top notch. 

There are many things to do in Hong Kong with kids but the downside is the pollution.  But if you ask me, the heat here is just as bad as the pollution in Hong Kong.  If I had to choose, I would rather stay in Hong Kong then Singapore. If you find meeting mothers here simple it's even more easier in Hong Kong...

I say go!  You will not regret it, unless you are the type that prefers a very quiet slow lifestyle then singapore may be more suitable for you.

[Me too]

I had baby number 2 in the Matilda hospital at the Peak and it was fantastic. I also had Dr. Ghosh who was great.
I had no problems getting out and about with both my kids and joined a few mother and toddler groups which were nice. We got a pass for Ocean Park and used the kids playground there most days, we went to the beach, the club and friends houses.
You'll be fine, I loved Hong Kong.
Good Luck x

[SIN HK]

Our son was delivered by the wonderful Dr Alex Doo at Matilda Hospital.  He and the anaesthetist and the hospital were fantastic, despite the unexpected need for an emergency C-section on a public holiday.
       
Don't worry about HK.  Like Singapore, it is a very convenient city with superb hospitals. We feel immensely lucky to have lived for many years in both these cities.
 
There are some great places to live in HK with a young family.  If your budget permits, Hongkong Parkview is a short taxi or shuttle-bus ride to the CBD and perfect for kids (great facilities and adjoining a national park). On a tighter budget, the newish Park Island development is worth a look, particularly the sea-facing units.  It is on a traffic-free island connected by several high-speed ferries each hour to the CBD, and it also has loads of facilities for kids. 
 
Enjoy!

[Pregnant and worried]

Thanks so much all of you for taking the trouble to reply. You've all painted a much rosier picture of HK than I would have thought, so that's set my mind at rest a bit - and you've given me some pointers for hospitals and residential areas to look into, which is great.

I'm still a bit concerned about the pollution there, as I hate the days when the air reeks here, but maybe I could learn to live with it?!

Thanks again for your replies.

[exHK'er]

The bottom line is that Singapore is more child friendly than HK, but HK is still better than living in London with a child. There are a number of benefits that I feel HK has over Singapore. I lived in HK for 7 years and have lived in Singapore on and off for 6 years and had a child in both.

1) The Docs/ OB's in HK are much more professional and seem to be able to make decisions than those in Singapore (with the exception of Dr. TC Chang). I would rather have had my 2nd child in HK than Singapore. In fact when I had issues with my second pregnancy, despite being with one of the best docs here, I contacted my old OB in HK and he helped me out with some great advice. That Doc was Dr. Alex Doo. In HK there are some great Docs. Check out Lucy Lord, Alex Doo, Milton Leung, Dr. Ho, Sarah Ferguson. Have your baby at The Matilda.

2) The Matilda Hospital is wonderful and has many western midwives and nurses.

3) In HK there are a few British Health Visitors/ Midwives who you can contact and they come over to your house and help you out. For example I had a lady called Yvonne Heavyside who came to my house about 4 times, once a week and weighed the baby, talked to me, showed me how to look after my baby and generally was a lovely person to talk to and we enjoyed many chats over a cup of tea! Just what you need post birth.

4) The shops in HK are better than the shops in Sing for baby clothes and baby items. There is a great warehouse in Central that stocks everything.

5) HK, expat mums are generally more down to earth and not as social conscious as Sing expats and in my experience I met some great people and have some great long lasting friends. The friends I made in HK will be my friends forever, the acquaintances I made here, won't be.

6) There are lots of things to do and they are often better run - e.g. I have been to lots of classes here with my children however none compare with MyGym in HK, Koala Junction or the playgroups dotted around the island.

7) I was there last weekend and noticed that the food in the supermarkets is much better and fresher.

Good luck, I think you'll find that HK is not as baby friendly but ultimately you will prefer it. One thing you need to watch in HK is the maids. In Singapore the maids have no rights, in HK they have lots of rights and you can be fined for things you cannot prove (e.g. paying wages etc.). You have to have all your T's crossed and I's dotted when employing one and make sure you follow the law to the letter with documentation to prove it or you may get into a bit of a muddle.

There is a great HK website for expats. Google is your friend!

[go for it]

Assuming that you have no respiratory issues to start with (no denying the air pollution issues), HK is fantastic.  $ for $ you will a lot less space, especially on HK island.  You might consider places like Clearwater Bay before you resort to Park Island or DB to have accommodation comparable to Singapore.  If your budget will stretch to it, the southside of HK island has so much to offer.

There is a much better 'can do' attitude in HK - that applies to everyone from the civil service to shopkeepers.  Agree with much of what has been said above.  Also delivered at Matilda.  Will warn you though that outside of the maternity care, the Adventist is a better hospital.  When we had medical problems after our baby was born at the Matilda, the nursing care in the general paediatric wing was woeful and our paediatrician suggested that the Adventist was a better place to be if you can look past the food and views etc.

Little things that make people find HK trickier with children (apart from the lack of space in apartments and houses); parking is much more limited, some buildings do not have any; Central is so much more crowded and faster paced; Mainlanders can pay an uncomfortable amount of attention to Gweilo children.  That said, we were never short of things to do with the children at weekends in HK.  Here, we seem to rehash the same few things over and over.

Two things that I prefer here are our garden and the children's school.  I found that the selective nature of schools in HK put the pressure on much sooner ands the amount of outside tuition in the better schools in HK was scary.

All in all each is what you make of it.  Good luck with your decison