View this email in your browser

Hi there,

We had our second baby about five months ago in Bogotá.

Not because we happened to be here — but because we chose to be.

Having a baby in Portugal didn’t feel doable for us. And, we weren’t going back to the States.

So, Colombia it was.

We moved to Bogotá in August 2024, more or less on a whim. But once we decided to stay, a few things made having another baby feel possible right away:

Being in a new language is fun without kids, like when we lived in South Korea. But, with little kids, it’s a different story. Understanding what’s happening — medically, emotionally, logistically — mattered a lot to us.

Cost was a big factor, too.

When we arrived, we weren’t residents, and none of the nomad insurance plans we found covered pregnancy. Once we got residency, we were able to apply for insurance with a maternity annex — essentially back-paying to qualify.

Cost: about $3,000 USD upfront, then ~$400/month.

It felt like a lot. But having a baby here can cost $5,000+ out of pocket — and more importantly, the baby wouldn’t be covered if something went wrong.

Good thing we took it out. Our baby ended up with a 12-day NICU stay.

This was the hardest part.

Hana saw four doctors before finding “the one”:

She spoke English, was experienced, took things seriously (but not too seriously), and was affiliated with Fundación Santa Fe — one of the best hospitals in the country.

This pregnancy was rough. Contractions started at 35 weeks, labor stalled, inductions were scheduled and rescheduled — until my water broke the night before.

After that, it was smooth sailing. (Minus my doctor yelling at me for eating a hamburger after giving birth. Classic American move.)

Since we don’t have family here, friends from our daughter’s school stepped up, and our babysitter stayed overnight those first two days in the hospital.

Cost: about $150 for our babysitter.
Birth + doctor visits: ~$10 copays.

But, the biggest reason we’d do this again didn’t really show up until after we came home…

We’re probably not going to have another baby.

But if we wanted to? We probably could.

To start, two days after coming home, Sam was admitted to the NICU. This normally would feel like a nightmare anywhere but your home country, but it was all good.

And, being in Bogotá also helped logistically — closer flights, similar time zones, and easier visits than when we lived in Europe, meant that our family was able to come down.

Once he was discharged, the NICU cost us $10. After day three, it’s capped at the regular copay. Again, good move for getting the insurance.

After the NICU, Sam needed therapies and long night feedings. (And, did we mention that Hana had to go back to work after one month?!)

So, we hired a night nurse.

Cost: $475 every two weeks for 12-hour shifts, Monday–Friday.

Life-changing. Truly. She was like a fairy godmother, who also magically made sure we had clean and sterilized bottles every morning.

We also hired part-time help at home — very common here — to cook, clean, do laundry, and run errands.

Cost: $20/day.

Sleep deprivation nearly broke us the first time around. This time, we had support and it changed everything. Even in Portugal, I don’t think we would have been able to get this kind of help.

We’ve since said goodbye to the night nurse and will soon bring on a part-time nanny. But, meanwhile, our babysitter is taking over before she goes back to school.

Cost: ~$435/month.

Having our baby in Bogotá was an incredible experience.

It showed us how empowering it can be to choose where you give birth, particularly if you’re already living abroad.

We afforded help we never could have had back home. Help that many of our well-paid friends in the U.S. still don’t have access to.

And if the real cost was protecting our marriage and our sanity during the newborn phase?

Priceless.

Did you have your baby abroad? What was the experience like before, during, and after?

Send us an email at [email protected]. We’d love to feature your story!