An Expat Talks about What is Was Like Having a Baby in Jakarta, Indonesia

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Jakarta

How recently did you give birth in the country that you are reporting on?

2002

Describe your experience giving birth there. What type of facility did you go to? What (if any) type of pain management did you use? How long did you stay in the hospital? Was it a positive experience? Etc...

Doctor at international SOS clinic was my obstetrician. Gave birth in a high class local hospital called "Pondok Indah Hospital" - stayed 2 nights for normal delivery. No pain management pure natural birth. Yes, a very positive experience, you are being treated very special. You can afford to stay in a VIP room, for which in Singapore you would not even have a normal standard room!

How did you choose your doctor, midwife or other type of medical professional?

Via international SOS and on recommendation from friends who had given birth with him already and had had good experiences.

If you were to have another child in this country, would you do anything differently in terms of preparation and/or the delivery?

No. Same. However, health systems have since upgraded and more advanced scans are available, etc...

If a friend of yours living in the same country were expecting a baby, what advice would you give her?

If you feel comfortable in the country and your birth presents itself without any problems. By all means give birth in Jakarta, where you can stay close to your family, your other children, your house-help, your work (you can work until the last moment and keep all your maternity leave for when the baby is finally there)! You have friends visiting. You don't have that if you travel abroad to have the baby! I did that for my first 2 babies, as I was living in Cambodia and Myanmar, where local childbirth is really not recommended at all.