Double Happiness

It’s been more than a week since I’m home from KK Hospital. Already the whole experience of staying in hospital seems quite remote. As I lie on my bed, perspiring despite having the aircon blasting at 22 degree Celcius, I wonder how on earth I had made it through the stay without aircon. I really really hope that I shall never need to return to Class C again.

The plan is this – if the babies are good and arrive at week 34 or later (deadline: 1 April – easy enough to remember!), we will opt for Class B2+. It’s the cheapest ward possible that provides aircon!!! It’s certainly still a subsidized class (ie: only Sporeans can opt for this class) but there’s still quite a bit of difference from class C charges:

• Price of mother’s ward is $115 daily (compared to $25 for Class C)
• Price of Babies’ Intensive Care (NICU) is $480 daily for two (compared to $200 for Class C). With special medication it may come up to twice the amount
• Price of Babies’ Special Care is $250 daily for two (compared to $100 for Class C)
• Price of Babies’ Nursery Care is $100 daily for two (same as Class C)
• Cost of C-section operation is around $1500

From my calcuation, assuming babies born at week 34 have to stay in NICU for 2 weeks, the total cost would be around $10,000. A large chunk of this can come from Tim and my Medisave.

As the babies (at week 32) are now still in breech position, it is likely that delivery would be by C-section. Under KKH’s regulation, fathers are not allowed in the operating theatre during C-section. Ziyun suggested that since our rapport with Dr Tham is not all that cosy, we may want to consider going to another obstetrician and delivering in a private hospital which allows fathers to be present. Of course this is provided that the babies arrive at week 36 or later (13 April) as private hospital’s NICU charges are much higher. Have decided to try out Mt Alvernia as it is one of the cheapest private hospital and it allows fathers to be in the operating theatre if the doctor is fine with that.

• Cost of C-section delivery by private obsterician is about $2,000 (depending on doc)
• Hospital charges for C-section operation with epidural and 3-day stay in a 4-bedder ward is about $1,800 (including standard medication and procedures)
• Price of Babies’ Intensive Care (NICU) range from $180 to $920 daily for two, depending on intensity of care. With special medication it may come up to twice the amount ($2,000 daily for two, gasp!!)
• Price of Babies’ Nursery Level 1 is $180 daily for two
• Price of Babies’ Nursery is $95 daily for two

We intend to go for a consultation with an obsterician who practises at Mt Alvernia once the 33-week growth scan at KKH is over on 26 March. That way we can have the latest position and estimated weight of babies for the obsterician to make a better judgement of whether they would require NICU and whether he/she would allow Tim to be present in the operating theatre. Will look through reviews online at TwinsPlus.com and SingaporeMotherhood.com for feedback on good obstericians. Really hope that the babies are at a good 2kg for the next scan! Will keep everyone updated.