While maternity care and hospital bills are potential budget busters, the real financial impact of having a baby in the family is the loss of income for the employed spouse. Most women do get 45 days paid maternity leave, but many choose to go back to work only after the baby is six months old.
"So, in effect, they're without income for about five months. For a mom whose average monthly salary is Dh20,000, the loss would be about Dh100,000," says Dannie McDonald, financial services manager of Lifecare International.
To minimise the financial impact of maternity costs, McDonald advises couples and those planning to have a child to purchase an insurance plan in advance, preferably at least 10 months before pregnancy. Some insurance companies in Dubai provide cover for both antenatal care and delivery, if you take a comprehensive plan.
"You have to purchase the correct level of insurance from the outset though. If you get a cheaper, more basic package, you will probably not have maternity (care) covered, but the more comprehensive ones will cover the antenatal care and delivery," explains McDonald.
Insurance can cost about Dh4,000 to Dh5,000 for a local policy or $3,000 to $4,000 for an international top-level policy. Corporate insurance policies are much cheaper.
If you don't have insurance and a baby is already on the way, the best you can do to minimise costs is to avail yourself of maternity packages. It pays to shop around. Most hospitals offer a variety of packages that cater to different requirements of pregnant women.
A basic antenatal package includes doctor visits/consultations, ultrasounds and other medical tests. If you don't take a package, you will end up paying more. One ultrasound alone can cost Dh350 while simple medical screenings like diabetes and blood type tests can cost from Dh500 to Dh1,000.
Choosing the right package
When choosing a delivery package, expectant moms are advised against taking a "community package" where you are charged only for the hospital room and you pay extra for your own doctor to deliver your child. This type of package normally costs lower than the basic maternity programmes, but when you add the cost of paying extra for the doctor, your total bill can spoil your budget.
Basic normal delivery packages usually include payments for the hospital's doctor, two days accommodation and certain medical tests. "If you take the community package, you will also pay extra for any medical screening you may require during delivery, aside from shouldering the service fees of your own doctor," says one staff at a private hospital.
Another way to save on cost is to book a shared hospital room instead of paying for a private suite. At Zulekha hospital, for instance, a normal delivery package (sharing) costs Dh5,000. If you opt for a VIP room, you will need to add Dh3,000 more.
Don't forget that the newborn needs to be clothed and fed. Months before your delivery, it is advised that you shop around for baby's supplies, clothes and accessories. For Daniela Baldoos, a Filipina mother of three, bargain shopping does the trick.
"There are a lot of items like playpen, basket, toys and baby's clothes that you can buy for cheap when they go on sale. During my previous pregnancies, I wouldn't buy unless there's a sale. It helped me cut my expenses significantly," she says.
Indian expat Pooja Chainani who recently gave birth to a baby girl says restraint is the key to keeping maternity-related expenses low.
"If the child is the first child in the family, parents tend to get more excited and it is difficult to control our desires especially in a place where we are spoilt for choice. But there are ways to control our expenses by being cautious while buying. Be smart and don't be hasty while buying stuff for your (newborn)," she says.
