HOW TO FREE YOURSELF FROM FINANCIAL STRESS DURING PREGNANCY

At this time of financial crisis, the cost of pregnancy is one thing couples should be prepared of. I recommend you do the following tips to help you lessen your pregnancy expenses:

🔎Visit your barangay health centers to avail of free prenatal check-ups/consultations, prenatal vitamins, and vaccinations.

🔎Visit hospitals and canvass maternity packages.

🔎Visit public hospitals and inquire their requirements on how you can avail free or discounted hospital bill.

🔎You may also consider Birthing Centers and ask for their packages. Some birthing centers offer discounted prices for ultrasound scan and laboratories.

🔎Look for healthcare professionals who offer the best services yet affordable. Look for OBGYNE clinics that offer ultrasound scan - these clinics will charge you, for example, 900 pesos for check-up/consultation including ultrasound scan.

Whereas, if your OB do not offer ultrasound scan, you will pay separately for the check-up and ultrasound scan. In my experience, professional fee ranges from 400 pesos and up, while ultrasound scan ranges from 800 pesos and up.

📝Make sure your Philhealth contributions are updated. Philhealth requires you have contribution up to the month of your expected delivery. Philhealth will discount your hospital bill, as well as your baby's bill.

Click the link provided to check your contributions https://memberinquiry.philhealth.gov.ph/member/

📝Make sure your SSS contributions are updated. In order to avail of SSS maternity benefit, member should pay at least three months contribution within the 12-month period immediately before the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage.

Click the link for more information https://www.sss.gov.ph/

Qualifying Period for Maternity Benefit 2023:

⚠️Hospitals nowadays because of COVID require negative RT-PCR test result before admission and this too entails considerable amount from your pockets. I recommend you ask your barangay if they offer free RT-PCR test. Also check for testing centers that offer free RT-PCR test for pregnant women. One testing center I know that offer free RT-PCR test for pregnant women here in Davao City is Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Davao.

Visit their fb page and message them for more information https://www.facebook.com/SDDIDavao

✅Make sure that all the establishments you need to visit (the entire pregnancy) are in one area. This will save you time, transportation expense, or gas if you have your own vehicle. Making your appointments close to each other will allow you to walk from one establishment to the other. Walking is a good exercise for pregnant women. I had an easy and fast labor because of walking.

🛒I tell you, most of your expenditures during pregnancy will be for food. I had food aversion until the third trimester, but it did not cut my expenses for food - the opposite! I suggest you create a meal plan. You can also save by visiting public markets. Do the grocery yourself: a great exercise for you. Believe me!

Remember to eat healthy!

🛒You can save money from clothing if you buy maternity clothes with breastfeeding function (if you plan to breastfeed your baby).

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Financial matters can be a source of stress especially to pregnant women. I hope the above tips will help you have a stress-free pregnancy. Enjoy the journey!

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The app "FAST BUDGET" helped me monitor my expenses especially during my pregnancy (currently I'm still using the free version of the app). My partner and I allocated money for our pregnancy, and I made sure all pregnancy related expenses are accounted for. OC-ness to the highest level. 😄

I downloaded the fast budget app from my Huawei App Gallery.

#firstpregnancy

#firsttimemom