Expat Health Insurance & Healthcare Guide to Switzerland

I gave birth to the lovely Lauren on the living room floor of our apartment at 1:26 am following almost 22 hours of labour. No pain meds, a birth pool in the corner (only used for a short time) and a great, calm, patient midwife by the name of Marie-Jose Meister. Oh - my super cool hubby too (when he wasn't sleeping!!!! Delivered on the birthing stool and the little angel look up at us from the floor and smiled at us before she had even started to breath... it was magic!

I went to a private hospital that was recommended to me through my husband's work. His insurance would only pay for a semi-private room, but for a 100CHF a day we were able to upgrade to a private room. You are allowed 10 days in the hospital and a mid-wife to come to your home if you leave before that. The hospital was like a hotel and every shift had at least one English speaking nurse on duty. It was a lovely stay, I would highly recommend the Swiss way to anyone who is pregnant.

Although our families were thousands of miles away, I was so well-cared for giving birth in Switzerland. I was initially planning to have my baby in a private hospital (much like a hotel) however my son was 2 months premature so we went to the University Hospital. I chose to give birth naturally and that is the usual method of choice in Switzerland so the midwife was very helpful in coaching my husband and I through the process. The baby nurses were so warm and caring and took a lot of time to show us how to care for our baby and helped me immensely with breastfeeding. The majority only spoke German. I stayed in the hospital for 1 week, which is customary, although it was longer than I felt I needed it was nice to be close to my son who stayed in hospital for 1 month. We paid a small fee and my husband was able to have a bed in my room and take meals as well so that he too could feel a part of our new family.

Our daughter was born at a birthing center associated with a very reputable hospital in Zurich. I had midwives with me the entire time which were wonderful. Unfortunately due to complications, I ended up needing an emergency c-section which was not at all what I was expecting. As a result of the surgery I stayed in the hospital for 7 days although my insurance would have covered 10 days. Normal births have 5 days in the hospital. Overall it was a wonderful experience.

I had only the lowest public insurance which determined a lot.

I had a c-section (kaisserschnitt) and was only given paracetamol (ibuprofen). I had no idea, except that it wasn't helping.

Some of the staff didn't seem to like me as a foreigner. My language skills were low, but functioning.

I had difficulties with my blood sugar and my blood pressure and had great difficulty getting the doctor to take things seriously.

I was labelled a "nervous foreigner" instead of being taken seriously (I'm normally a very smart, calm professor). I could have died from the poor treatment I received.