A Comprehensive Guide As A Single MOM

 

Cost of Giving Birth in the Philippines 2022

Price of Normal and Cesarean Delivery, Ultrasound and Epidural cost

As a single mother, you face a set of unique challenges and questions. You also have unique blessings and joys. But, if you’re like most single mothers, you’re also not always sure where to turn for expert advice.

Some of life’s finest delights include babies and young children. However, if you’re not ready, having a baby can quickly put a strain on your finances. The challenge of raising children is not one that should be taken lightly; you must be emotionally and financially prepared to support your child through all of life’s ups and downs. You can find a sample newborn checklist outlining the steps to take before giving birth in the Philippines in this article.

Minutes to Read: 10 minutes

Age Bracket: 25 -45 years old

 

●      Cost during pregnant

As you get ready for the arrival of your bundle of joy, you’ll spend a lot of money. To maintain the health of both you and your unborn child, you must undergo numerous checkups, ultrasounds, and supplements.

 

You also need to get  maternity clothes and baby necessities including clothing, a crib, bottles, toys, a stroller, a carrier, and so on. The cost of a pregnancy checkup can vary based on the medical facility. If you visit a private clinic, prices can start at  ₱500 and increase from there. The frequency of your visits must also be taken into consideration; this will depend on your doctor.

 

What is the cost of an ultrasound there? Standard ultrasounds start at ₱500 and go up from there, while 3D and 4D ultrasounds cost between ₱1,500 and ₱4,000. Be careful to look into any upcoming free ultrasound screenings offered by local governments and organizations.

 

In the Philippines, maternity packages for 2022 can cost anywhere between ₱45,000 to ₱300,000 pesos in private hospitals and governmental hospitals. Supplements and vitamins start at ₱5,000, and maternity wear starts at ₱1,000 .

 

 

●      Cost of Giving Birth

It’s time to meet your baby after nine long months!

 

The price of a typical delivery in the Philippines in 2022 will vary depending on your healthcare provider, insurance, and HMO. Public hospitals and clinics that accept walk-in patients may provide lower prices, but they may have fewer services available if issues arise during labor or delivery.

 

Naturally, it costs more to give birth at a private hospital, so budget at least ₱25,000 for the delivery alone! Doctor’s expenses, prescription costs, maternity accommodations, and other extras are not yet included in that. In the Philippines, epidurals can cost anywhere between ₱25,000 and ₱40,000.

 

In some circumstances, your doctor could advise having a cesarean section.

This is advised in situations like breech presentation, labor obstruction, fetal distress, and others. Unsurprisingly, a c-section costs more than a regular birth. Prices start at  ₱80,000 and can reach as high as  ₱300,000 if you want to use a high-end hospital’s c-section package.

 

If you want to spread out the cost of giving birth, you might take advantage of maternity packages. Hospitals in both public and private sectors provide these packages. Professional expenses, drugs, delivery room costs, and a private room are typically included.

 

The projected cost of maternity packages from a few hospitals in Metro Manila is shown in the following table.

 

 

The estimated price of maternity

 

 

●      Post-natal costs

Your newborn will need to go through a newborn screening test after you give birth. This is to make sure that your child has no health issues that could get worse if left untreated. 24 hours after the birth of your child, this is done.

 

The three components of a newborn screening are a blood test, a hearing test, and a pulse oximetry test.

 

Basic screening tests in hospitals typically cost around ₱550, while enhanced screening tests cost about ₱1,500. The newborn screening cost is paid by Philhealth members up to ₱2,950. This covers the price of professional services, eye ointment, hepatitis B and C vaccinations, enhanced newborn screening tests, and newborn hearing screening tests.

 

 

A Medical Emergency Fund

In most cases, having cash on hand is preferable to having health insurance that would cover your unborn child, but as they say, cash is king. Babies’ immune systems are still developing, so they require medication anytime they exhibit even the smallest hint of disease. It’s crucial to have an emergency medical fund to pay for any immediate checkups, medications, or other medical requirements the baby may have that your insurance might not be able to cover right away.

 

Insurance can without a doubt save you money when you require medical care, but sometimes the claims procedure takes a while. Therefore, having cash on hand might be very useful.

 

To cover the immediate expenditures of any medical crisis you may experience, you should save up at least ₱50,000 to ₱100,000 as an emergency medical fund. Naturally, the more money saved, the better.

 

Here are some suggestions on how to minimize spending because having a kid may be very expensive and financial preparation for one requires careful planning.

 

 

Create a budget.

You can accurately see where your money is going and how much you earn by using a budget. It’s crucial to review your budget and take child care expenses into account because your spending habits are likely to alter significantly after having a baby.

 

Learning to live on one income will provide you the chance to increase your savings. Having more income or finding ways to save money is also a smart idea. If you have debt, now is a perfect opportunity to manage it or, if you can, pay it off completely before the kid is born.

 

 

Build a baby fund.

Create a sinking fund for baby expenses as soon as you learn you are expecting. Determine how many pay periods you can divide your maternity and childbirth expenses into. You might set aside P5,000 per payday or P10,000 per month, for instance, if you want to save P50,000 and you have five more months before your anticipated due date.

 

You can increase your savings by allocating a portion of your monthly income to savings. If you want to maximize your savings, think about putting this extra cash in a high-yield savings account like one offered by online banks.

 

 

Prepare an emergency fund.

Unexpected surprises are the last thing you need when you’re expecting a baby. Therefore, remember to budget money for unplanned expenses. To be better prepared to absorb the hit if anything unexpected occurs, set aside at least three to six months’ worth of your monthly income.

 

 

Know your health insurance or HMO benefits.

The costs of having a baby will probably be partially covered by your health insurance. In the Philippines, the majority of HMOs and insurance companies pay for OB examinations and some laboratory tests, but not labor and delivery.

 

Before having your baby, it’s crucial to confirm with your insurance provider what is and is not covered. This will assist you in creating a budget for any costs that your insurance does not cover.

 

Consider whether paying the premium is worthwhile if you are considering becoming pregnant and considering having an HMO that covers pregnancy-related services rather than paying for the services you require out of pocket and without a health card.

 

 

Think of a midwife

If you have a normal, low-risk pregnancy, choosing a midwife can be a major cost saver. Instead of giving birth in a hospital, you might choose to do so at a birthing center or walk-in clinic.

 

Everyone may not benefit from this strategy, particularly those with higher-risk pregnancies who may require an OB-GYN and hospital delivery. For some families, particularly those in the provinces, it is unquestionably something to think about.

 

 

Verify that you are receiving your benefits.

Many government programs here in the Philippines provide free or heavily discounted medical treatment that might assist defray the cost of pregnancy. Philippine Health Insurance Corp., or PhilHealth, provides universal health care to Filipinos. The state-sponsored company provides plans that cover home births, hospital deliveries, and midwifery clinics.

 

You may also be eligible to receive the SSS Maternity Benefit if you are a Social Security System participant and your contributions have been updated. Today, the highest benefit you may receive is P70,000. If you have a job, make sure to ask your HR representative about any maternity benefits or extra pay.

 

You may qualify for the Malasakit Program through the Malasakit Centers in the Health Department and other government hospitals if you have a low income or are regarded as an underprivileged patient. Low – income patients can readily get financial medical aid at The Malasakit Center from organizations including PhilHealth, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

 

 

 

5 Smart Ways to Save Money for Working Moms

Moms don’t just have to take care of their families by remaining at home and taking care of the house these days. Many of them decide to contribute to the family’s financial assistance. Many working mothers choose to work a 9–6 job, take on freelance work, or run a side business to support their families.

We suggest these money-saving tips to you and other working moms to assist you avoid suffering from budgeting.

 

1. For you and your kids, prepare Baon.

Even though it can be challenging to manage chores as a working parent, you must make time to prepare meals or snacks for your children’s school as well as your own baon for the workplace. In addition to being more cost-effective than giving them money to eat at the cafeteria, feeding them home-cooked meals keeps them healthier and fresher. Plan a day during the week and use it to make in advance your family’s favorite dishes. In fact, you can use the leftover food from the day before to create a brand-new dish. Simply said, you need to exercise extra creativity and resourcefulness in this area.

 

2. Use public transportation, but set an early departure time.

It’s understandable to want to travel efficiently when heading to work or dropping off your children at school, but you should try to stay away from ride-hailing services and taxi calls as much as possible.

Though less convenient, public transit is still usable if you avoid utilizing it during rush hour. Additionally, if you decided to take a jeepney, bus, or MRT ride with your kids every day, you’d be astonished at how much money you could save at the end of the month.

 

3. Make use of discount websites and reward programs.

The cost of food and other daily requirements makes up a significant portion of household spending. Making ends meet will be difficult for you if you don’t exercise caution when spending money on your household. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your costs by earning reward points from your purchases. The following time you purchase their goods or services, you can use those points to get a discount. Some businesses also let you apply your accumulated points toward other purchases. So make sure to keep an eye out for money-saving websites or apps to get lower pricing and save aside some cash to start your family’s savings.

 

4. If you go grocery shopping, bring your own bag.

You might be missing out on some significant advantages if you haven’t been carrying an eco-bag with you when you shop for groceries. Eco bags are not only cost-effective but also kind to the earth. Although plastic bags are only a few pesos each, wouldn’t it be better to save that cash and your spare change at home and convert them at the bank later? By bringing your own bag, you also avoid the hassle of having to carry your groceries in a box or a paper bag until you decide it would be easier to just take a cab home, but only after saying good-bye to your money.

 

5. Use energy-saving techniques as much as you can.

Even if it’s impossible to avoid paying for electricity used around the house, you can at least manage how much power your equipment consumes by being aware of how to use them. Make it a practice to unplug appliances whenever you’re not using them, not just at night. Unplugged gadgets continue to run on power and use electricity. Make sure all of the lights are off while no one is in the room, and the same goes for the lights around the house.

 

6. Buy food at the neighborhood market.

No offense intended to grocery stores or supermarkets, but the food they sell is not inexpensive.  In contrast, your neighborhood store will provide you with the exact quantity of the meat, produce, fruit, and other goods that you requested. If you frequent a particular stall frequently, the proprietors may even be open to letting you add a couple of their produce items to your shopping bag without charging you an additional fee. If you believe your local market vendors are charging you more than necessary, you can even bargain with them. Then, you can use the money you saved to purchase either fruit.

 

7. Say “No” more frequently and “Yes” less frequently.

Even while it pains you to refuse your spouse’s or your children’s please, you must remember that answering “Yes” when you should be saying “No” implies cutting your family’s spending.

 

Remind them that they will have to make do with something less expensive but just as useful instead of buying them the more well-known brands of clothing, technology, and other personal items.

 

The same Yes/no distinction applies to you as well. You may need to break the habit of making insignificant purchases at your preferred retail or thrift store.

 

 

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