Diary of Parenting Overseas...Entry #5

Entry #5: Room Reservations
There are three room categories at The Cradle and it is a good idea to reserve a room at least one month prior to delivery. Reserving a room would seem like a pretty simple process, but, as we have learned, it is just as complicated as many other processes in India. Here are a few tips we have learned so far in reserving rooms:

• Room Categories on Normal 2 Day stay: Deluxe-Rs 42,000 ($860); Super Deluxe-Rs 51,000 ($1,050); Suite- Rs 60,000 ($1230). These prices include the room, meal plan, all doctor fees, operation charges, LDR charge, and general nursing care. This does not include costs for pain relief, medications, vaccinations, or any other special care required.
• The above fees are for Indian citizens. For foreigners, the prices are more expensive. (We are still not sure what the reasoning is behind this). However, we were given the Indian information when we took our guided tour and, therefore, only have to pay Indian amounts.
• It is best to bring your passport when reserving a room so they can make a copy of it and your visa. Otherwise they ask you a lot more questions and then tell you to bring it at the time of admission.
• Make sure you bring any information you were given at the time of touring the facility as well as the name of the person who guided you in the tour. Otherwise, reception and other staff members may not believe that you actually took the tour and will ask you a lot of unnecessary questions.
• You are required to pay an advance on the room when reserving it. We had to pay Rs 10,000 in advance.
• If, for some reason, the room you reserved is not available when you go to deliver, they will upgrade you to a room at higher category and only charge you the amount of the room you reserved.
  

Diary of Parenting Overseas...Entry #4

Entry #4: Packing Checklist
Unlike hospital stays in America, there are many items that the hospitals in India do not provide. Here is a list of items we have learned that WE are responsible for bringing when our little one finally decides to come:

• Slippers/shoes for mother
• All clothes for baby (must be washed and ironed)
• Little hats for baby
• Diapers (you can bring them with you or purchase from the downstairs pharmacy)
• Clothes for mother (making sure all clothes are warm during winter months)
• Any other items that are needed/required for mother and baby care that are found in the pharmacy are to be personally purchased: pads, wipes, etc... These are not provided when you need them by the hospital staff. Instead, you are told what is needed and then you are responsible for going downstairs and purchasing them. Again, it is not something they provide that shows up as a charge on your bill at the time of discharge.
  

Diary of Parenting Overseas...Entry #3

Entry #3: Not in India
We have learned that many practices as well as medical supplies are not common in India. It is good to be aware of this so that you can make plans in advance.

-Boys are not circumcised in the Hindu religion. Some hospitals are very aware of the procedure, but have to put the baby under anesthesia. Others, including our facility, is not aware of this practice at all. When we asked our doctor, she looked at us as if she wasn't sure why anyone would ever do such a thing.
-Newborn diapers are very difficult to find. Those with free space for the healing belly button are not available.
-Nipple creams and medicines to reduce burning are also not used/found in India.

Diary of Parenting Overseas...Entry #2

Entry #2: Scheduling Appointments
We began making appointments around our 4th week of pregnancy. Our doctor had us schedule appointments every 3 weeks. After our 28th week, she began seeing us every 2 weeks, and after our 34th week, we began seeing her weekly.

Our facility is through a large hospital that has sites all over the NCR area. Therefore, our doctor is only at our particular facility for 2-3 hours a day. Taking into consideration this piece of information, along with the fact that there are at least 2 million people living in our city, and the cultural understanding that most Indians run late, the hospital will more than likely schedule 3 patients for every scheduled time slot. This ensures that the doctor will constantly be seeing a patient and that he/she will possibly see more than 1 patient in each time slot in order to get to cover all appointments within the time they are at the facility. So it helps to make sure you are right on time for your appointment if you want to go first. Otherwise, know that the patient that got there before you with the same appointment time will go first.

Each doctor's visit costs Rs 350 which is just over $7.00. You are usually required to pay this fee BEFORE your appointment. The receptionist prints out two receipts: on is given to you and the other is given to your doctor by a nurse upon your arrival into his/her office. Anything apart from this is a paid for separately.

Before leaving the facility, we recommend you schedule your next appointment.

*All facts are based on our experience in Gurgaon at the Cradle through Apollo Hospital.