Having a baby in Budapest, Hungary.

There were originally two purposes to this blog. To keep my family updated from 8,000 miles away, and to help anyone else with the often stressful task of giving birth in a foreign land, specifically, Budapest. Many English speakers find themselves here, whether it be for work, following a spouse, or just a change of scenery. I still don't know why I'm here.

Getting around these parts aren't easy (if you don't speak Hungarian), namely because people don't feel the need to help due to their preoccupation with feeling sorry for themselves. Ok, that's not entirely true, I came across some very nice people along my stressful journey (namely my awesome doctor), and they really made this whole baby thing a really great experience. Considering I wasn't always dreaming of becoming a mother, this whole process was a bit of a shock. 

First, let me preface this by saying I was very used to American health care. Anyone familiar with this system knows, that for the small price of your soul, you can enjoy private rooms, decent food, and the knowledge that doctors will stop at nothing to figure out what the heck is wrong. If you don't have a soul, then it will cost you your house, car and anything else you've worked for your entire life. I didn't really know that anything else existed, which is a testament to how well I was brainwashed. So fear not, you will survive if you end up giving birth in Budapest, but I would still suggest a private clinic. 

Now, let's talk price. Foreigners do not enjoy the same free healthcare as Hungarians, but it is still significantly cheaper here than in the US. The typical c-section price in the US is $10,000-$20,000 depending on where you live and if you have insurance. At the end of my C-section experience, we had spent close to 650,000ft or roughly $2,500-3,000 (which was JUST for the last 6 weeks, surgery and hospital stay). Each extra night in the hospital will cost 50,000ft (which the staff DEFINITELY pushes, for business reasons). 

The tests throughout pregnancy (blood tests and ultrasounds) range from 500ft to 24,000ft, depending on what you need.

BUT...there are cheaper alternatives. With a TAJ card (for those lucky, lucky ladies married to Hungarians like myself, scoff, scoff, or those working) you can go to state clinics for some of the laboratory tests. 

There's also this strange practice that Americans aren't used to, that is essential for giving birth here in Budapest. If you decide on a PUBLIC hospital, you TIP. You pay the doctor around 100,000HUF for his services, and the nursing staff 2,000HUF/day per nurse. That will insure that they will check on you more than once in a 24-hour period. I've heard a few times that facilities are run down, and you must bring ALL your own supplies, including toilet paper and slippers (to avoid anything that may be lingering on the floors). Oh, and don't be surprised if you are sharing a room with three other new moms. This experience will still cost you roughly around $1,000-1,500 or 250,000ft-300,000ft.
 

I chose the other route, suggested by a doctor who knew what I was 'used to' in the states, also suggesting he knew I was a spoiled brat. I owe him. There are a few private clinics here that cater to expats. I chose Maternity, a small clinic located on the Buda side. It was a fantastic experience. The doctors were knowledgeable, the staff was friendly (some even speaking English) and the facilities were clean and well stocked. For the price difference of $1,000-$2,000 (depending on your circumstances), it was well worth it.

Update: I will be doing it the exact same way again because I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant.  That's saying a lot, considering I really miss San Diego.

The Maternity Clinic is located in the Kutvölgyi Korhaz (a state hospital). The floor is very nice, with modern rooms, a great shower and the food wasn't bad (but pretty basic...cheese/ham and runny soup). The best part was that Peter was able to stay with me and stay the night, which doesn't happen in a regular state hospital, where they have strict visiting hours (from rumors around town). Within the hospital, they also have a full Neonatal Intensive Care Unit just in case anything goes wrong, which is not the case with Telki (another private hospital...which subsequently closed) located about 40 minutes outside of the city. Overall it was the best choice, given my limited time frame (I showed up in Budapest at about 32 weeks without a plan). I live dangerously.

Whatever you choose, don't stress. As a first time mom, I found this experience to be really cool. Don't get me wrong, you WILL get frustrated, but that's the fun in dealing with Hungarians in general. Enjoy!! There ARE other private clinics located in Budapest, but I am not familiar with them unfortunately. 

If anyone has an questions, feel free to email me at krains3@hotmail.com. 

Here is a link to the clinic.

http://maternity.hu/en/

And a link to the English Speaking Moms in Budapest Facebook Page, where you can ask all your questions!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1525544647717899/