Looking for the perfect hospital to bring your newborn into this world? We've assessed some of the top private hospitals in Singapore, taking into consideration factors like the hospitals' amenities, package costs and inclusions and post-birth support for mother and baby.
Location, Experience and Amenities
Throughout your pregnancy, you will have to visit your gynaecologist and obstetrician quite a bit. Therefore, choosing a hospital which is conveniently located may be a factor – you wouldn’t want to be spending too much on transport each time you go down.
Fun Fact: Most gynaecologists deliver babies, but not all, so be sure your doctor is a certified obstetrician and gynaecologist.
Another factor is the team caring for you. For example, Gleneagles Hospital has several multidisciplinary teams including midwives and lactation consultants, as well as a team of obstetricians and nurses. This ensures you receive the best care before, during and after you’ve given birth.
Among the amenities the hospital has, make sure they have a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), to take care of your baby.
Baby Friendly Hospitals
Another consideration when choosing a hospital is whether it’s Baby Friendly. Under the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, maternity hospitals must meet the best standards in helping mothers breastfeed successfully. Initiatives include staying in close proximity with their newborn, from immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth and 24-hour rooming in for mothers and newborns.
Other benefits of skin-to-skin contact include calming the babies down and warming them, while stabilising their heart rate so they can sleep better. This also helps baby naturally latch on to the breast, and can boost the baby’s immune system. Babies can also get immune-rich colostrum, and enhanced protection from illnesses. Currently, all the Parkway Hospitals (e.g., Gleneagles) and Raffles Hospital are BFHI-certified.
Types of Delivery & Their Costs
The maternity packages in Singapore depend on the type of room you’ll be staying in as well as the type of delivery you’ll have. From the chart above, a normal delivery costs about $3,400 and up, while an emergency Caesarean section can cost up to $7,200. Some hospitals offer the same rate regardless of normal and assisted delivery (i.e., using a vacuum extractor or forceps). For instance, Gleneagles Hospital’s rates remain at $3,775 for both procedures.
Do note that hospital and doctors’ professional fees are separate from the costs above. As doctors are not hospital-specific, and do cross practice, do ask about their fees when choosing an obstetrician.
Maternity Package Inclusions
For Mums
With the new value-added services at Gleneagles from 15 October onwards, mums can enjoy lots of additional benefits such as a 15-minute head and shoulder massage.
Moreover, parents can also learn how to take care of their baby with ParentCraft classes. These classes include reading your baby’s visual cues to decipher his/her needs when he/she’s crying, safely carrying your baby and burping him/her. Also, a lactation consultant will advise you on breastfeeding your baby. While all the hospitals on this list have ParentCraft services, Thomson Medical’s is not included in the package.
For Newborns
Additionally, newborns are also screened to check for G6PD deficiency (lacking an enzyme), hypothyroidism, metabolic disease and hearing loss. Some hospitals do not include hearing screening and bilirubin tests in their newborn screening packages. These tests are important for evaluating the newborn’s hearing and liver functions. High bilirubin levels indicate neonatal jaundice – a condition common among Asian babies. Only Gleneagles and Raffles offer the complete suite of tests and vaccinations.
For Dads
Dads can also enjoy these value-added services! Spouses can enjoy meals and lodging at no extra cost at Gleneagles Hospital – a newly introduced value-added service unique to the hospital. Furthermore, families can welcome the newborn with celebratory cocktails for up to six persons. Parking charges are waived; otherwise mummies can bring their newborns home in a luxurious limousine.Check out Gleneagles’ single room packages, or click here to book a maternity tour to find out more.
