There are differences between Mexico and the USA when it comes to giving birth.

There are differences between Mexico and the USA when it comes to giving birth.

  • The US care system is baby-centric. Mexico was centered on me when it came care.
  • My doctor in Mexico was easily accessible to me. I could contact her at any hour of the day.
  • If I had another baby, I would only deliver in Mexico City.

I am the spouse to a US diplomat. Just recently, we gave birth in Mexico City to our third child. After having our first two children in the US, it was tempting to return home to a place that felt familiar and safe. But many of our friends reassured me that their birthing experiences abroad were night and day compared to the US — in a good way.

It was a great experience.

I was able to have constant, direct access to my Mexican doctor.

While I loved both my US OBs, I was used to dealing with the more common issues like waiting on hold for a call from the nurses, calling the nurse’s line, scheduling deliveries around their schedules, and seeing different doctors at every prenatal appointment.

Mexico was amazing because I had direct access to my doctor. I could text her any questions I had and she always responded within minutes. Throughout my entire pregnancy, hospital stay, I saw only one doctor. She offered to schedule my cesarean on a weekend at the hospital that was convenient to me.

Mexico brought me relief from my pain

My first child was born by vacuum-assisted vaginal birth. We were admitted to the hospital for two days. My birth was anything but standard. My doctor informed me that I had an “accommodative” birth.Vaginal explosion“, and set a new record for the most sutures required.

I was in such bad shape that my insurance would not cover me staying longer than 48 hours, but the hospital chased me out. It took me almost a whole year to get back on my feet.I have not fully recovered from my injuries.

C-section was my second child. Although I had to undergo major surgery, this was a far more pleasant experience than my first. However, I was still experiencing so much pain. On day two of my surgery, I was still in so much pain that I remember lying on my back in the hospital and crying to my sister and mom. My doctor advised me to go home on day three, but I was able to stay five more days due to our insurance.

My third was an elective in Mexico City. My pain felt managed for the first time. I felt almost no pain following the surgery. My recovery was the only factor that determined how long I stayed in hospital. It was solely decided by me and my doctor. Insurance companies influence maximum-stay policiesYou won’t find them here.

I left the hospital with my pain under control and feeling well on my way to recovery.

The US’s primary focus on care is for babies

The only thing I liked about the US was baby-care. The hospital encouraged skin to skin contact. A baby is placed on one parent’s naked chests and provided breastfeeding support. Modern security protocols included an alarm and printed ID bracelets.

We were not surprised by the high quality of Mexico City’s medical services for our baby. However, this particular hospital had very poor newborn-care policies. Babies are kept in the nursery for the first four hour after birth. To keep the baby with us, we had to sign an agreement. The official hospital ID bracelet of our baby was a hand-strung necklace with beads spelling out our last names. We were afraid he would strangle himself.

I had been through childbirth before and didn’t really look forward to having to navigate pregnancy and birth in another country. It has changed my outlook. The US experience was not as good as the consistent, patient-centered care I received in Mexico. Although neither place was perfect, I would choose Mexico City if I had the choice.

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