To-Do List After Giving Birth In Hong Kong

New Baby On Board: To-Do List After Giving Birth In Hong Kong

The postnatal phase can be an overwhelming experience for parents – especially for a mother. Those who just gave birth would have to take care of the needs of a newborn baby without stretching their physical bodies to the limit as they recover from the pains of childbirth. As if the recovery and the needs of a newborn are not enough, the to-do list that parents have to meet is quite extensive.

What to do right after giving birth?

When you give birth in Hong Kong, you need to ensure that your baby is registered. There is actually an automatic registration from the hospital to the birth registry. Either you or your husband would have to make an appointment to officially register the birth – including the name that you will give your child.

Once the registry is done, the next steps would be the postnatal check-up of your child. The first check-up is within 10 days after giving birth in Hong Kong. You and the baby will be checked. The succeeding check-ups will only be for the baby – which will happen when he/she reaches the first, second, fourth, and sixth month.

You can choose to go to a private paediatrician or you can opt for the more economical route of the government funded Maternal and Child Health Centres. For the latter, you will find a lot of these in every town – but the waiting line may be long. That is the price you have to pay for the free yet high-quality care that you will get from the public healthcare facilities in Hong Kong.

While your focus may be on your newborn child at the moment, you have to make sure that you get the right amount of check-ups as well. Apart from the 10th-day check-up, you are also expected to go to an obstetrician on your sixth week (after giving birth). Since your body went through a lot of changes during the pregnancy and especially while giving birth, it is important that you go to the doctor to ensure that you are healing properly.

According to the data from the Institute of Mental Health and also Women.gov, women go through physical, psychological and physiological changes from the pregnancy to postnatal phase. The hormonal changes should not be shrugged off because some women go through mental issues like depression and anxiety. This can affect your ability to care for your baby. A newborn is very fragile and an unstable mental state might compromise the safety of the baby.

Financial changes that need to happen after you give birth

There is no doubt that your life will never be the same after giving birth. It is not just your physical body that will change. Your mind, heart, and soul will also go through changes. While all of these may seem overwhelming at times, you need to get your act together because the list of changes is not yet over. There are a couple of things in your financial life that will change because of the new addition to your family.

According to the data published in the Wall Street Journal in 2014, child care in Hong Kong will cost a family an average of HK$5.5 million. This is the estimated amount that a family will spend on a child from birth to their college graduation. This huge expense is the very reason why you need to implement the right changes and improvements in your finances. That way, you will not compromise the opportunities that your child will have – especially when it comes to their education.

Here are 6 different financial changes that you need to think about after giving birth in Hong Kong.

Budget.

One of the first things that you need to do is to look at your budget. If you did not have one before, you should start one now. Make sure you incorporate the new expenses like milk, diaper, baby clothing and equipment, and child care. Even if you will opt for a public healthcare, make sure you have a budget for your baby’s medications and vitamins.

Beneficiary.

If you have a will or insurance policy, it is time to update your information. Make sure you include your child’s name as one of the beneficiaries. This will ensure that he or she can get a claim in case something happens to you. This is also something that your husband should do as well.

Financial plans.

Your financial plans for the future will also change. After all, you have someone new to think about. Your plans should now include the welfare of your baby. It is not just about you and your husband. You also have to consider what your child will need as they grow up and try to prepare for it ahead of time.

Saving goals.

If you used to save only for your retirement or the deposit of your house, that will no longer be the case. You may have to start saving up for the education costs of your child. While the government takes care of the first 9 years of your child’s education, the levels after that end up being very costly. Save up for this so your child can choose to pursue a higher education without putting themselves through debt.

Child care.

Since the cost of living in Hong Kong is high, you will probably go back to work a few months after giving birth. Because of that, you may be forced to get a nanny to help care for your baby. Since we are talking about the welfare of your child, you may want to consider this carefully. You do not want to entrust your child to someone who will not treat him or her right. Of course, good help will cost you. Make sure you make room for your budget for this expense.

Accommodations.

Finally, you have to think about accommodations. Your house may not be big enough for the family. If you used to live in a small 1-bedroom home, you may have to relocate to a 2-bedroom unit. If you will get a nanny for your child, you may need a more spacious flat. You need to explore your housing options so you do not have to spend a lot on your housing arrangements.

All of these changes will happen after giving birth to make sure you and your husband have a talk about your finances. It is best that you create your new budget and other financial plans and goals together. That way, you can be in harmony with the direction that your finances will take you, especially now that you have a baby in your midst.