Deciding on a hospital to delivery our baby wasn’t so difficult for us. We only had two choices: St. Luke’s Medical Center and Providence Hospital (both in Quezon City) as my obstetrician is affiliated with these. After reading the experiences and recommendations of moms in online forums and knowing the rates of maternity packages available, the choice was clear. It was Providence Hospital along Quezon Avenue. In this blog post, I’m sharing my thoughts and our experience with Providence Hospital.
Review of Providence Hospital (Quezon Avenue) Maternity Package
We intended to have a maternity tour to know what to expect during our stay. Unfortunately, since our bundle of joy has arrived three weeks earlier than the due date, I had to be admitted to the hospital without getting all the information I thought I needed. Anyway, I’m grateful that everything went well. We’re very pleased with the facilities and services in Providence Hospital. Here’s a more in-depth review.
Providence Hospital isn’t one of the most popular choices when it comes to delivering a baby in Metro Manila. I’ve read only a few inquiries and information about their maternity package online, but most of them were quite positive and promising. Netizens agree that Providence Hospital is prominent when it comes to delivering high-risk pregnancies. It boasts a multidisciplinary perinatal team on standby around the clock and specially trained nurses in its obstetric wards.
me, two hours before delivery
Travel Distance from Home
Providence Hospital is just about 15-20 minutes of drive away from our home. I didn’t have to worry about traffic when baby is on the way.
Admission
Prior going to the hospital, we called Providence Hospital to check if there’s any private room available and learned there was none. All rooms were occupied and the worst case would be me staying in the delivery room until one becomes free. It was like being a chance passenger and we were okay with it.
Reception Area
Admission was a bit of a setback since there was only one person in the reception. It was evident that he could not entertain and accommodate incoming patients and attend to calls at the same time. Then I knew why the phone kept ringing and nobody was answering when I was on the other end of the line before.
Another surprising part of admission was that the hospital requires patients to pay the cost of maternal package upfront before they can continue with any accommodation. Additions (in case of complications) or deductions (PhilHealth discount) in cost will be adjusted/settled upon checkout.
Billing Department
There’s no going to the ER first for labor and delivery. So I spent half an hour feeling the contractions and ready to give birth while still having to fill up forms and go through the process of payment in the billing department. The receptionist received the copy of payment confirmation and luckily, one of the small private rooms (for postpartum recovery) was freed. 10-15 minutes later, the attending nurse guided us to the room for check-in. We were given a welcome kit and stayed in the small private room.
Freebies from the Hospital
Labor and Delivery
In case you haven’t read about our birthing story, click here. When we first came into the room, the nurse immediately told me to change into their hospital gown and slippers. Then, she wheeled me to the Labor Room where a resident doctor performed an internal examination (IE) on me to determine my body’s readiness for labor. My cervix was already dilated at 7 centimeters that time. A couple of minutes later, our obstetrician-gynecologist reached the hospital and gave me labor tips to ease my worries.
Labor Room
The nurses checked the fetal monitors almost every 5-15 minutes to see the baby’s heartbeat as well as my contractions. Our doctor did a cervical check every 30 minutes. I was very glad that my husband was allowed to me by my side the entire time during labor. And I was even more relieved when he was also allowed to enter the operating room to see all the action. I knew not many hospitals in Metro Manila permit that.
The ambiance in the delivery room wasn’t at all stressful. Everything went well and under control. The doctors told me when to push, counted to 10 in every push, and kept me informed with the progress. Since the birthing process can be like an athletic endeavor, it’s great to have the nurses, doctors, and my husband as cheerleaders and coaches. Happy songs were played when the baby was out.
Adequate Nurses
The staff-to-patient ratio was okay and the nurses did not seem overworked. Rather, they were energized and engaged. The assignments were clearly defined and attention was given to the right patient at the right time.
There was also sufficient staff handling post-delivery care during odd hours. We rang the bell to call the nurse every other two hours to help us feed the baby and there was always at least one who would come.
Photography and Videography
We didn’t hire any professional photographers. My husband used his phone camera and the anesthesiologist also helped us capture the most precious moments during delivery. Taking photos and videos was allowed in the labor room and delivery room.
Small Private Room
The room was neat and was spacious enough for us. It was furnished with a single bed (for the patient), air conditioner, mini fridge, and a sofa bed so the dad-to-be can welcome the newborn together. Providence Hospital encourages “room-ins” so healthy babies can stay with their parents for better bonding from birth, with a lactation nurse to visit new moms and nurses available on call. The restroom was just across and a few steps away from the room. I didn’t use a catheter since I was able to walk slowly to the restroom hours after after delivery.
My first attempt to walk
Visitors were allowed anytime, so we didn’t feel obligated to pack visitors into every minute. Food for me was delivered on time for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner–and amazingly, all the dishes served were yummy unlike the typical “hospital food.” A copy of the daily newspaper was also sent for my reading leisure.
Lactation Support
After attending a seminar that discussed about the benefits of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact right after delivery, I chose to breastfeed right away. Thankfully, Providence Hospital has an in-house lactation support nurse who massaged my breasts to help lactate. She was a big help indeed.
Maternity Package Rates
I gave birth via NSD on October 20, 2018. Normal Spontaneous Delivery Package costs P33,000 without PhilHealth and P28,750 with PhilHealth. Caesarean Section Basic Package costs PhP 44,500 without PhilHealth and P31,850 with PhilHealth.
The package already includes use of labor room, delivery room, and post-operative care, pre and post-delivery medicines and supplies, newborn care which consists of the newborn screening test, newborn hearing test, vitamin K, BCG, and eye ointment. Professional fees (obstetrician, anesthesiology, and pediatrician) are not included. To avail the maternity package, secure and sign the maternity package form from the OPD reception or at the Admitting Section (lobby area) and present the signed form and admission order on the day of admission.
Day 2 at the hospital, photo-op before going home :)
Wrap Up
When preparing for birth, choosing the right hospital to welcome the young one is important. A maternity hospital where would-be-moms will comfortable should be planned in advance. Overall, our experience in Providence was satisfactory. For more information about their maternity services, you may check out their website or contact them at (02) 558 6999 to inquire about detailed descriptions of the packages.
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