Maternity hospitals in Singapore: A guide for new parents

Ready to give birth? Here are the top private and public maternity hospitals in Singapore for you to explore and decide where to meet your little one.

In today's world, parenthood has reached a whole new level. More and more people today are well prepared and willing to spend lavishly on that hospital experience during a child's birth. They look for the best hospitals and maternity packages for that most beautiful time of their lives.

The list of maternity packages in Singapore is quite extensive, and they offer excellent amenities for new parents. To make things better for working women, there are well-planned maternity leave options as well for expecting mothers.

How to choose the best maternity hospital for you

In choosing the right maternity package for you and your baby, consider the following factors:

1. Public or private?

When it comes to giving birth in Singapore, you have the option of private or public hospitals, each with its own set of pros and cons.

Private hospitals offer a range of amenities and personalised care, allowing you to have more control over your birthing experience.

These hospitals often have well-appointed private rooms and the flexibility to choose your preferred obstetrician. However, the cost can be significantly higher compared to public hospitals.

On the other hand, public hospitals in Singapore are known for their excellent medical facilities and experienced healthcare professionals. They generally have lower costs and provide comprehensive care, especially in high-risk situations. However, the downside may be longer waiting times and shared rooms.

It's crucial to weigh these factors based on your preferences, medical needs, and financial considerations. Consulting with your healthcare provider can help you make an informed decision.

2. The distance from your home

In general, the distance between your home and the hospital has minimal influence on birth outcomes - but you don't want to be concerned about traffic when your baby arrives.

3. Insurance coverage

Look for maternity hospitals with doctors who take your insurance because what is covered in and out of network varies greatly.

4. High-risk pregnancy centres

If you've had a difficult pregnancy, a complicated previous delivery, or any other preexisting health condition that could affect your pregnancy, find a labour and delivery hospital that can accommodate you in the worst-case situation. Is there, for example, a blood bank? Is there a critical care unit? A NICU?

5. Review Covid-19 related policies

Childbirth is stressful for women in any situation, but giving birth during a pandemic adds to the list of considerations that should be addressed before choosing a maternity hospital.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, hospitals and licensed birth centres remain the safest places to give birth (ACOG).

6. Research the hospital's policies regarding birth companions

To reduce exposure levels, several maternity facilities limit the number of people who can accompany you into the delivery room. Inquire if partners are permitted to attend the delivery, whether they are permitted to leave and return during labour, and what conditions are in place.

7. Assess and evaluate hospitals

To avoid unpleasant surprises, do some research and phone the hospital's visitor information line to find out more about:

• Hospital's rules
• Lodging alternatives are available?
• What if your doctor can't make it?

8. Comfort

It's not about "right" and "wrong", or even "excellent" and "bad", when it comes to maternity hospitals; it's about finding the ideal facility for you, with a doctor and nursing staff who will make you feel at ease and in control.

Examine the interactions between staff. Is it a fast-paced setting or one where everyone is polite, professional, and friendly? Is the room clean and comfy?

9. Newborn facilities

You and your child will almost certainly be at the hospital for at least a day or two following the delivery, so inquire about infant policies and amenities.

What are the hospital's newborn policies? How far are the baby nursery and the postpartum rooms apart? Is it possible to stay in your own room with your infant instead of having him or her cared for in a nursery?

Don't be hesitant or scared to inquire; no question is insignificant.

Best maternity hospitals in Singapore

Now that you know how to choose, the next thing on the list is to do your research on the different maternity hospitals in Singapore to check which one is right for you.

Here is a list of the top hospitals in Singapore, with their maternity packages, with costs* based on the minimum nights of stay:

1. Gleneagles Hospital (GEH)

Location: 6A Napier Rd, Singapore 258500

There is no dearth of comfort and sophistication at Gleneagles Hospital, officially accredited as a baby-friendly hospital under the World Health Organisation's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).

They offer a wide range of services to expecting mothers at all stages of their maternity journey. Understanding that new parents want to make the best choices for their babies, GEH offers maternity tours to help parents learn more about the facilities and services they offer.

The hospital has 10 delivery suites and four-bedder first stage rooms. Each delivery suite has a TV, radio, telephone, Wi-Fi and recliner chair for the accompanying father.

You can get the VIP treatment in their single-bed suite, which includes a 15-minute head and shoulder massage, a group parent craft class, a cocktail party for six people to celebrate, and even a limousine ride home with your new bundle of joy. Definitely one of Singapore's best premium maternity hospitals! Your partner is also welcome to stay with you for the duration, and his meals are provided at no extra charge.

Gleneagles, an official BFHI hospital, is dedicated to assisting mothers in successfully breastfeeding. During your stay, you will also be offered a customised nutritional confinement menu. Before being discharged, your newborn will also receive a comprehensive newborn blood screen, bilirubin test, hearing screening, and vaccination. You will also receive a personalised consultation from a lactation specialist.

The hospital also has a Gleneagles ParentCraft Centre where a team of trained personnel is ready to prepare mums-to-be for childbirth and provide advice on confinement/postnatal care, as well as caring for newborns in areas such as bathing and breastfeeding.

Cost: $3,926 (Single Room, two nights), $2,714 (Two-bedded Room, two nights), $6,468 (Superior Room, two nights), $10,024 (Dempsey suite, two nights)

Take a virtual tour of the maternity wards here. For more information please call +65 735 5000.

Book a guided tour:

Maternity tours are conducted from Mondays to Fridays at 1pm and at 11am and 1pm on Saturdays. Tours are not conducted on Sundays and public holidays.

For your safety, and in view of the Covid-19 situation, only four persons are allowed for each tour. As the slots are limited, book your maternity tour early. For enquiries and reservation, please call 6470 5616 / +65 6470 5615 or register online.

2. Mount Elizabeth Hospital (MEH)

Location: 3 Mount Elizabeth Singapore 228510

Enjoy dedicated childbirth and post-delivery care at this BFHI-certified hospital, complete with premium amenities for a touch of luxury in your stay. They also offer breastfeeding advice, gourmet meals, complimentary head/shoulder massages and even a limousine service back home. Simply amazing, isn't it?

Mount Elizabeth, located on Orchard Road, has comfortable single or two-bed rooms. All of their maternity packages include a nutritious and customised confinement menu, a baby bath demonstration and feeding, newborn screening and hearing test. You also get a free parking space for the duration of your stay.

Upgrade to their Daffodil / Magnolia suite for a more lavish experience that includes a romantic dinner and cocktail reception to celebrate the birth of your newborn, as well as a hair spa/manicure/pedicure session! You will even be chauffeured back to your home in a limousine.

Mount Elizabeth has been praised for their courteous and friendly service, which makes the entire process go smoothly. To help ease you into parenthood, MEH will also assign a personal nurse who will guide you through hands-on bathing of your newborn and breastfeeding.

Cost: From — $3,970 (Single Room), $2,996 (Two-bedded Room), $12,741 (Maternity Suite), $12,741 (Daffodil/Magnolia Maternity suite)

Take a virtual tour of the maternity wards here or register online for a tour. For more information, contact +65 6735 5000.

3. Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital (MNH)

Location: 38 Irrawaddy Road Singapore 329563

Welcome your little one in the calm, cosy atmosphere of MNH (BFHI certified) as you enjoy the modern amenities in your room. Postnatal menus, complimentary massage, breastfeeding/bath demo and gift sets are added perks.

Mount Elizabeth Novena, which opened in 2014, is a private hospital with only single-room maternity wards, allowing you to focus on your recovery in privacy and comfort.

Upgrade to the Junior Suite for an even more luxurious stay, which includes adjoining living rooms and an outdoor terrace with plenty of space for your family to welcome your newborn.

You will receive additional services such as personalised breastfeeding coaching and a customised confinement menu.

Before discharge, your baby will receive a basic screening as well as a hearing and metabolic screening test. You can also easily choose their partner, Stemcord, for cord blood banking services. Mount Elizabeth Novena has received BFHI accreditation.

Cost: Starts from — $4,062 (Single Room), $9,393 (Junior Suite)

Take a virtual tour of the maternity wards here or register online for a tour. For more information, contact +65 6735 5000.

4. KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH)

Location: 100 Bukit Timah Rd Singapore 229899

KKH is the only public hospital that focuses on women and children. They have a comprehensive menu of services and facilities to care for you and your newborn, making it one of Singapore's most popular maternity hospitals.

Every day, their delivery suite witnesses 30 to 35 births, demonstrating their expertise in childbirth. They also have a 24-hour peri-natal team on standby at the delivery suite, so if any unexpected complications or emergencies arise, you will be well taken care of.

Choose from the 28 private delivery rooms and enjoy additional services like educational classes, complimentary cake, confinement menu and the 'room-in' option. Each room has a single bed, an attached bathroom with shower, a couch-bed, and a phone.

If your baby is healthy and does not require special care, you can have them "room-in" with you. Your baby will be given a safe Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) test before being discharged. This is a hearing test designed to detect any hearing loss for early intervention and treatment.

Cost: Normal Delivery — Starts from $2,168 (Single-bedded Room, two days), $1,378 (Four-bedded room) ; Caesarean Delivery — Starts from $2,662 (Single-bedded Room, three days), $2,020 (Four-bedded room).

5. Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH)

Location: 820 Thomson Road Singapore 574623

Happy pregnancy is what they aim at, and the entire team leaves no stone unturned in offering the best services to people. From contemporary maternity wards to a homely environment for the entire family, Mount Alvernia ensures a comfortable stay throughout and promises to provide care post-delivery as well.

Mount Alvernia assists in the delivery of 6,000 babies each year and has been recognised for its warm, welcoming, and supportive staff. Their skilled team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, lactation consultants, and physiotherapists assist mothers at all stages of their pregnancy, including antenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care.

Their maternity wards are designed to integrate with lifestyle requirements, allowing mothers to recover in privacy, comfort, and space. The family suite includes a separate guest lounge for your companion to stay in. In this Singapore maternity hospital, you can also choose between a single bed or a two-bed room.

The operating rooms, neonatal intensive care units, and high dependency units at Mount Alvernia are all close to the delivery ward, making it easier to deliver any high-risk pregnancies.

Furthermore, the delivery ward is outfitted with foetal monitoring and baby resuscitation to detect any foetal movement in the event of an emergency delivery. A midwife is also assigned to assist you with your birth, reducing the need for pain relief.

In their website, it says that the Saint Anne Mother & Child Centre will be open in September 2023.

Cost: Normal Delivery, two days — $3,372.64 (Single-bedded Room), $2,332.60 (Two-bedded Room), $3,939.74 (Super Deluxe), $4,273.58 (Family Suite)

6. Thomson Medical Centre (TMC)

Location: 339 Thomson Road Singapore 307677

All your pre- and post-delivery needs are met at Thomson Medical Centre, with spacious, furnished suites at your disposal. Mothers are given a stylish bag of post-delivery items and also provided with breastfeeding practices right after birth. To top it all, they also provide healthy food, hydrotherapy, water birth facilities and follow-up calls by nurses.

Thomson Medical is a popular choice among parents, with over 40 years of experience assisting mothers during labour. They deliver approximately 8,000 babies per year and are Singapore's only private hospital with water-birthing facilities.

Each of Thomson Medical's maternity rooms has been specially designed to provide the comfort and ambience of a resort, allowing you to concentrate on relaxation and recovery during and after your pregnancy.

The Thomson Family Suite is the most luxurious option, with a dedicated team of staff attending to your every need, a separate living room area for your family members, complimentary first companion accommodation with meals, and much more. You can also select from a variety of suites, including single-bed, two-bed, and four-bed options.

Thomson Medical also offers childbirth education classes prior to the birth of your child, providing parents with the knowledge they need to care for their children. They offer confinement nannies, confinement food home delivery, and even 28-Day Confinement Herbal Care after pregnancy to help mothers' overall wellness after delivery.

They also provide a useful two-year Maternity Membership Programme, which allows mothers to enjoy member rates on everything from prenatal scans to follow-up visits for their children.

Cost: Normal Delivery — $3,775 (Single-bedded Room), $2,603 (2-bedded Room); Caesarean Delivery - $5,866 (Single-bedded Room), $4,251 (2-bedded Room)

7. National University Hospital (NUH)

Location: 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road Singapore 119074

Bringing your most precious gift into this world in a safe and healthy manner is their responsibility. NUH boasts of being Singapore's first hospital that was certified under the WHO's BFHI and offers various educational programmes, a water birth facility, healthy food, antenatal exercises and much more.

National University Hospital is a public hospital that specialises in high-risk obstetrics and is committed to providing patients with high-quality care. NUH is the best maternity hospital in Singapore for complicated or high-risk pregnancies.

They provide a wide range of obstetrical services and prenatal foetal care facilities, including pre-conception counselling, premature labour, breastfeeding, and postpartum care, among other things. If you are having difficulty conceiving, NUH also provides a full range of fertility investigations and treatment options, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and others.

The NUH maternity suite also has a water birthing facility (for private patients). Their delivery suite includes a four-bedder first stage room as well as seven single-bed suites with attached bathrooms. Their telemetry monitoring system will keep patients closely monitored and well-cared for.

NUH provides a variety of maternity packages, including an antenatal package that includes all pregnancy-related consultations after the 22nd week of pregnancy.

Cost: Daily Charges: General Ward — $802.50 (Deluxe), $535 (A1 Class), Nursery — $95.23; Daily Charges: General Ward — Starts from $240.75 (B1 Class), Nursery - Starts from $75.97

8. Parkway East Hospital (PEH)

Location: 321 Joo Chiat Place Singapore 427990

Experience the joy of childbirth and recovery in a cosy environment, with state-of-the-art facilities and services. The BFHI-certified hospital offers antenatal classes and various health screening benefits, while a dedicated nursing team attends to you and makes you feel at home.

While the rooms aren't as fancy as some of the other maternity hospitals on this list, the care is warm, supportive, and excellent. Furthermore, they deliver over 2,000 babies each year! A halal-certified confinement menu is also available.

Cost: Normal Delivery — $3,883 (Single Room, two days), $2,596 (2-bedded Room, two days), $2,412 (4-bedded Room, two days); Caesarean Delivery - $6,187 (Single Room, three days), $4,262 (2-bedded Room, three days)

Register online for a maternity tour. For more information, contact +65 6735 5000.

9. Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Location: Outram Road Singapore 169608

SGH offers a high level of comfort, a nutritious confinement menu, and a full range of maternity services. With BFHI certification, and a highly experienced team of nurses and clinicians, SGH boasts of providing excellent services and comprehensive care during all the delivery stages.

As a BFHI-accredited facility, the hospital encourages mother and infant bonding by providing skin-to-skin contact for an hour after delivery, allowing the baby to initiate the first latch at that time, and transferring mother and baby to the postnatal ward together. You can also choose to stay in the same room as your baby to promote bonding and breastfeeding.

Lactation consultants and nurses are also available at SGH to help you with latching and breastfeeding issues. What we like about SGH as a Singapore maternity hospital is that they have neonatal nurses to help you give your baby his or her first bath. Physiotherapists will also teach you postnatal exercises to help with pelvic floor and abdominal muscle recovery.

Cost: Normal Delivery — Starts from $3,740 (Class A); Caesarean Delivery — Starts from $7,462 (Class A, excluding operation fee)

10. Raffles Hospital (RH)

Location: 585 North Bridge Road Singapore 188770

Their luxury suites are sure to give you a one-of-a-kind experience. The BFHI-certified hospital offers top-notch services (pre/post-delivery) for the mother and baby.

Raffles Hospital provides comprehensive obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatric, and neonatal care. While their rooms are simple, their maternity packages include a well-designed confinement menu, a ParentCraft session that teaches you how to bathe, feed, wean, and breastfeed your baby, as well as a post-lactation consultation.

Skin-to-skin contact is encouraged at this BFHI-accredited hospital, and your baby is placed on your chest after birth. Furthermore, Raffles Hospital offers post-delivery care services to ensure a smoother and faster recovery.

Traditional medical services are also available on Level 2 of Raffles Hospital, which is not commonly found in other Singapore maternity hospitals.

Raffles Hospital also offers foetal screening tests to ensure your baby's healthy development. We encourage you to enrol in their seven-week antenatal course, which covers a wide range of topics such as maternal nutrition, exercise, psychological care, breastfeeding preparations, and more.

Cost: Normal Delivery, two nights: Starts from — $3,200 (Single Room), $2,600 (2-bedded Room); Caesarean Delivery, three nights: Starts from — $5,300 (Single Room), $3,950 (2-bedded Room)

What is a maternity tour?

Having a hard time deciding between these maternity hospitals?

Scheduling a maternity tour in Singapore is an essential step in preparing for your childbirth experience. It allows you to familiarise yourself with the facilities, services, and amenities provided by different hospitals.

To schedule a maternity tour, start by researching hospitals in Singapore that offer maternity services. Contact the hospital's maternity department or visit their website to inquire about tour availability and booking procedures.

Some hospitals may have an online booking system or designated hotline for scheduling tours. It's recommended to schedule the tour during the second trimester when you have a better idea of your preferred hospital and birthing plan. Remember to clarify any specific questions or concerns you may have during the tour.

Taking the time to explore your options and gather information can help you make an informed decision about the best maternity care for you and your baby

What to bring when you to go to the hospital to give birth

Preparing for the big day of giving birth in Singapore involves ensuring you have everything you need packed and ready. Here's a handy list of items to bring along to the hospital:

1. Identification documents (NRIC, passport, or relevant identification)
2. Hospital admission letter
3. Maternity records and antenatal check-up reports
4. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
5. Insurance details and maternity coverage documents
6. Personal toiletries and essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.)
7. Comfortable clothing (loose-fitting nightgown, pyjamas, robes)
8. Nursing bras and breast pads
9. Maternity pads and underwear
10. Baby clothes, blankets, and diapers
11. Mobile phone and charger
12. Snacks and drinks (as permitted by the hospital)

Remember to pack your bags in advance to avoid any last-minute rush. It's always advisable to check with your healthcare provider or the specific hospital you'll be delivering at for any additional items or specific requirements.

ALSO READ: Restless nights: Unveiling the possible causes of sleep problems during pregnancy

This article was first published in theAsianparent.