From Lake Geneva to the Huangpu River: A Story of Global Maternity Care

What made you decide to come to Shanghai to have your baby, even though you and your husband live in Switzerland?

We wanted to use my maternity leave to spend quality time with our family, especially the grandparents, because I’ve been away from home for more than 10 years. It was also important to us to have family support after the baby was born, so returning to Shanghai felt like the right decision.

Since you were making such a commitment to travel for your birth, I imagine you approached choosing a hospital very carefully. What were the most important factors you considered, and why did you ultimately choose our International Birth Center?

From the very beginning, the staff, doctors, and doula team made us feel incredibly welcome. Even before we became patients, we felt valued and genuinely cared for.

Another key factor was that the International Birth Center follows international birth protocols and standards. That was very important to us, as we felt that public hospitals generally couldn't provide the same internationally aligned approach.

Based on your understanding of the culture of birth and newborn care in Switzerland, how is this different to having a baby in China? How did the International Birth Center navigate these differences?

We attended the birth preparation class in Switzerland, so we had a good understanding of what to expect there. I found that the International Birth Center was very closely aligned with international standards. For example, they supported immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth, delayed cord clamping until the blood had returned to the baby, early breastfeeding, and effective pain management. And these details were well discussed openly before the birth.

Whenever there were small differences in practice, the team was always happy to discuss options with us and find solutions together. I also really appreciated having my own doctor as part of my birth team, which is not usually the case in Switzerland. There, doctors generally only come to the hospital if there are serious complications or something unexpected happens.

Another thing I appreciated was the respect shown to mother’s own choices. Simple things, like being able to drink cold water without being judged according to Chinese traditions, made me feel listened to and respected.

You chose to have a doula support your birth. Looking back, what difference did that make for you and your husband during labour and delivery?

In Switzerland, midwives often provide many of the same services as doulas- they meet with families before the birth, support them during labour, and provide guidance on newborn care and breastfeeding afterward.

So I was looking for this extra level of support, and choosing to have a doula was a great decision, and I would definitely recommend it. 

One of the sweetest parts of your story is that your family even brought your new puppy to the hospital so you could see visit it in the hospital grounds when you were in labour! Now that you're back in Switzerland with your baby- and your dog!- how do you look back on your decision to return to Shanghai for the birth? Would you make the same choice again?

Returning to Shanghai to give birth was a big commitment, and we probably made the decision a little quickly. There were definitely challenges we hadn't anticipated, especially for my husband as he had to adjust to living in Shanghai in very short time in addition to the stress of the baby’s arrival.

If my husband agreed, I would absolutely make the same choice again!

Today, Yu and her husband are back in Switzerland, enjoying life with their baby and puppy.

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