Prenatal care

For pregnancies that are not high risk, you will expect a majority of your prenatal checkups to occur at your local clinic. You may be referred to RIPAS from time-to-time should anything irregular develop during your pregnancy. If you do not have a high risk pregnancy, it is likely that you will not be assigned to a particular doctor but will see many different doctors during each check up.

 

Conditions vary from clinic to clinic, but for each visit we would recommend bringing:-

• Your health handbook (provided by the hospital/clinic at your first visit)

• Tissues/Toilet paper (for the bathroom)

• Hand soap/Hand sanitizer (again for the bathroom)

 

You can ask for a tour of the labour rooms, delivery rooms and first class ward during one of your prenatal visits. From personal experience, the nurses and midwives are happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have.

 

 

Delivery

 

Should you go into labour or be scheduled for an induction or c-section, you will need to go directly to the Women’s & Children’s Centre at RIPAS, and not the emergency room. The Women’s & Children’s Centre is the newest block in the RIPAS hospital complex (as at 2017).

 

If you have gone into labour or your water breaks, you will be placed on a contraction and fetal heart monitor once you arrive at the Women’s & Children’s Centre at RIPAS. Please note that those accompanying you will not be able to enter and will have to wait in the waiting area. Make sure you have your phone, tablet or book handy as it could take a while.

 

If you are admitted or if you have an induction scheduled, you will be placed in the early labour ward. If you are already in active labour you will be transferred directly to the delivery room.

 

 

Early labour ward

 

Each room in the first stage labour ward consists of 3 to 4 beds with a nurses station directly outside. Each room has its own bathroom. While you’re in this ward you will not be allowed any visitors, this includes your birth partner (husband or female relative), outside of hospital visiting hours. Hospital visiting hours are from 12.30pm to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm.

 

 

Delivery room

 

Once you have progressed to active labour, you will be transferred to the delivery room. Your birth partner (husband or female relative) will be able to accompany you here. In the delivery room, you or your birth partner will also have to complete a form with personal particulars for your child’s birth certificate. If you are having an epidural, this is also the room where they will administer the epidural.

 

Note: If you wish to book a first class room, you or your birth partner will need to alert the nurses at this stage. Rooms are assigned on a first come first served basis, so it is important that you do this as soon as you are transferred to the delivery room. First class rooms are subject to availability.

 

You will remain in this room until you have delivered your baby (unless you require an emergency c-section, in which case you will be transferred to the operating theatre). Once your baby is delivered the nurse will immediately place the baby on you for 5-10 minutes and then take the baby to be measured, weighed and checked. You will spend some time in the delivery room before being taken to the general ward or the first class ward (if you made a booking and provided they are available).

 

 

Emergency c-section

 

In the event that a complication arises during labour, you may be required to have an emergency c-section. Your birth partner will not be able to accompany you and will have to wait in the general waiting area. 

 

You will be wheeled into the recovery room to be prepared for surgery (this may include adding an extra IV line) and then into the operating theatre. Once the baby has been delivered, the baby will be taken for a preliminary check by a doctor/nurse and then brought to you by a nurse and placed near your face. Once you have been stitched up, you will be wheeled into the recovery room where a nurse will assist you in breastfeeding.

 

Do note that after a c-section, you will be required to spend the first night in the general ward, even if you wish to subsequently move to the first class ward (see below).

 

 

Scheduled c-section

 

Note that, as with an emergency c-section, after a c-section you will be required to spend the first night in the general ward, even if you wish to subsequently move to the first class ward (see below).

 

 

Hospital stay

 

After delivery, you will have the option of staying in the general ward (free for Brunei Citizens) or be transferred to the first class ward (subject to availability). 

 

For the general ward, you will be allowed 2 visitors at any one time only during hospital visiting hours from 12.30pm to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm. You will not be allowed to have a helper stay with you (i.e. someone that will stay with you 24 hours a day).

In the first class ward, you will have a private room to yourself with a private bathroom, television and mini-fridge. There are 3 types of rooms at different price points. Contact the hospital for the latest prices. You will also be able to get a short tour of the rooms before your big day (just ask the doctor or a nurse).

 

If you wish to book a first class room, your birth partner will need to make payment while you are in the general ward (for c-section) or recovery room (for vaginal delivery). 

• Go to first class ward to inform them of the reservation (which you would have done either in the delivery room or at some point before your birth) and fill out a form

• Form and deposit payment to be given downstairs near the pharmacy (need to bring documents including copies of your bank pass book)

• Inform the first class ward that payment has been made (at this point the first class ward should arrange for you to be transferred from the general ward/recovery room to the first class ward once you have been cleared by a doctor)

 

The baby will typically stay in the room/ward with you unless there are complications. Please note that the hospital generally waits 24 hours before they give the baby a bath.

 

 

Postnatal care

 

Once discharged from the hospital, you will receive home visits from a nurse regularly (except Friday’s and Sunday’s) until your child’s umbilical cord falls off - the exact interval depends on your local clinic. The hospital may advise you to visit your local clinic after discharge to ensure that they know to send a nurse to your address - though the clinic should already know this, it may be advisable to do so anyway. The nurse will check the the baby’s weight, height, jaundice level and umbilical cord. (2017 UPDATE: we have heard that RIPAS no longer provide this service so please check with the hospital. JPMC do offer this service for a fee, though the time of visits differs)

 

Check ups and appointments for you and your baby will usually take place at your local clinic.