Should I have a baby in Colombia or return to my home country?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you are considering giving birth in Colombia, do your research (the same research you would probably do in your home country when choosing a doctor and hospital). Look at hospitals, meet with doctors, understand health insurance coverage and consider the what if's:

• What if my baby is born very premature? Am I comfortable with the medical care available locally? Is there a NICU in my city?
• What if my baby has a serious medical issue and needs highly specialized care or surgery?
• What if I have a complicated birth? Am I comfortable with the care I would receive?
• Am I or my baby more at risk of medical emergency or life-long issues if I stay in Colombia to have my baby?

The list goes on, but it's important to answer these questions and make the decision that is right for you and your family.

"Our son was in the NICU for a month. The staff was great, but it's not like a NICU in the States - there are no armchairs, and you can't just hold the baby whenever you want. I didn't get to hold my son until he was 8-days-old. They don't allow wheelchairs in, so if you can't walk, you can't go see the baby (I couldn't walk until day three). Everyone has to leave when they are checking in a new baby or if they are doing procedures, so it's really unpredictable whether you'll actually get to spend time with the baby. Some days we were there for four or five hours but only got to see the baby for 30 minutes or so. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, I would recomment returning to the States. The NICU staff at FSF are great, but if our son had been born much earlier, he would have needed to medevac to the States, where the equipment and medical technology are better. They were fine for his condition, but the NICU chief told us that if the babies are smaller than two pounds, it's more difficult for them, whereas in the States one-pound babies often do just fine," advised the mom who had a baby in Bogota, Colombia