The General Environment

Anyone who has ever had a baby in Cayman will tell you it is a nice place to be pregnant. People are generally very considerate. You will seldom pump your own gas, carry your own groceries or open a shop door. You can float in the sea and feel weightless; the midwives are fabulous and the Caribbean men are protective and thoughtful. There are also lots of young families so even if you are far away from home, the community in Cayman is very supportive and there are many opportunities for play-groups, help from nannies or helpers and support from many other sources. 

 Cayman is a very child-friendly place. Children are welcome almost everywhere and highchairs are available at restaurants and coffee shops. Helpers are readily available part-time through local agencies, or you have the option of applying for a work permit for a full-time helper or nanny. This is very economical compared to other countries. Residential and work districts are within easy driving distances so that dads or mums can conveniently pop home for lunch with the kids.

 Prenatal medical care is excellent on Cayman. Parents-to-be have the enviable opportunity of first class ultrasound scans at each and every private obstetrician appointment, right there in the doctor’s office. Dr Rommel El-Madany, Dr. Barry Richter and the Chrissie Tomlinson Hospital have 3D scanning equipment for use when the foetus reaches an appropriate level of development. Dr. El Madany also has a 4D scanner which gives ‘real time’ movements of the foetus.

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Upon discovering you are pregnant the first thing people usually do is choose either a private doctor (OB/GYN) or register at the Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital for antenatal care. The following is a list of all the OB/GYN’s on the Island:

Dr. Edward Caudeiron

33 Pasadora Place, Smith Road

Tel: (345) 949 9090 Fax: (345) 946 7917

Cayman Islands Hospital

Dr. Gilbertha Alexander and Dr. Gillian Evans-Belfonte

1 Hospital Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 949 8600 Fax: (345) 949 2998

Dr. Sarath de Alwis

F.R.C.S., F.R.C.O.G., M.R.C.P., M.F.F.P., (U.K) M.R.C.S., L.R.C.R. (U.K)

Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital

Walkers Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 945 6066 Fax: (345) 945 0161

Consultant/Specialist OB/GYN; General OB/GYN; Infertility; Cancer Screening; Ultrasound; Colposcopy; H.R.T; Amniocentesis Laparoscopic and Hysteroscopic Surgery; Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Howard Deosaran

Bsc., M.D., D.M., FACOG; Fellow of The American College of OB/GYNs; The American Association of Gynaecologist Laparoscopies; The Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons.

TrinCay Medical Services

Alexander Place, Suite 9

Dorcy Drive, Industrial Park

Tel: (345) 943 4633 Fax: (345) 943 4634

Email: trincayms@candw.ky

OB/GYN including Antenatal; Intrapartum; Post Partum and Pre-pregnancy Counselling; Early Foetal Testing (Amniocentesis, Quad Test); Ultrasound; Infertility Management; Minimal Access Surgery; Regular Gynaecology; Colposcopy; Hysteroscopy.

Dr. Rommel El Madany

M.B., B.Ch., F.R.C.S. (GYN) Edinburgh, H.D.G.O. Dublin, D.M. M.D. R.C.S.I./I.P.A. Dublin. Diploma of Advanced Obstetrics Ultrasound RCOG/RCR London

Island Medical (OB/GYN) Office

9 Smith Road Plaza, Smith Road

Tel: 94O BGYN ((345) 946 2496) Fax: (345) 946 4329

Email: islandobgyn@candw.ky

Consultant/Specialist OB/GYN including Infertility; Traditional and Advanced Surgery including: Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and Minimal Invasive Surgery for Fibroids, Endometriosis, Urinary Incontinence, Sterilisation and Prolapse; Advanced Equipment including: 4D, 3D and Coloured Ultrasound; Electronic Urodynamics; Digital colposcopy and LEEP procedures; One Stop Cancer Screen; Foetal Anomaly Scan; NT and Amniocentesis; Packages for Pregnancy Care and Delivery.

Dr. George Meggs

69 Smith Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 949 8969

Dr. Gregory Richmond-Peck

M.B., B.S., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., L.M.C.C., F.R.C.S. (C)

Cayman Clinic

439 Crewe Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 945 7044, 525 8177 Fax: (345) 945 5828

Obstetrician and Gynaecologist including Reproductive Endocrinology; Infertility; Diagnostic Ultrasound and Foetal Medicine; Colposcopy and LEEP procedures; Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery; Hysteroscopic Surgery and Endometrial Ablation; Incontinence Procedures; Skin Cancer Screening.

Dr. Barry Richter

M.B.Ch.,B., L.M.C.C., M.Med (O&G), F.R.C.S., (C)

Cayman Clinic

439 Crewe Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 946 3424 Fax: (345) 946 3426

In-office 3D Ultrasound and Foetal Monitoring; Colposcopy; LEEP-Procedures; AccuDexa Bone Density; Infertility; Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery of Endometriosis, Adhesions, Incontinence, Laparoscopic Hysterectomy; Advanced Hysteroscopic Surgery including Endometrial Ablation and Resection of Fibroids; E-Sure Office Sterilisation (female sterilisation without incision).

Midwives

If you have a baby at the George Town Hospital or Chrissie Tomlinson you will be assigned a midwife when you check into the hospital. They will monitor your progress throughout your labour and delivery, and will arrange the hand over of your case to another midwife, if the shift changes.

Doula Services

A doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who may be hired privately to provide physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and after childbirth. A doula is especially popular as a birth coach during labour. Jacqui Smith (Tel: 949 6024) currently offers doula services on the Island.

Hospitals

There are two hospitals on Grand Cayman: the Cayman Islands Hospital (also known as the George Town Hospital) and the Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital, both located in George Town. Most private OB/GYN’s will offer to deliver your baby at either hospital, although some have their own preference. You can leave the decision about the hospital right up until the end of your pregnancy if you are using a private doctor. If you decide on midwife care, you should register at the Women’s Health Centre in the George Town Hospital as soon as possible.

 We suggest you visit both facilities so that you can ask questions and decide where you will feel most comfortable delivering your baby. A brief overview of both hospitals’ maternity units follows:

George Town Hospital (GTH)

Maternity Unit Tel:  (345) 244 2842/2841

The Maternity Unit is located on the ground floor of building 3. It is well signed from the main entrance. The new facility has five double rooms and three single rooms providing a total of 13 beds, plus three labour/delivery rooms. All rooms have en-suite toilet and shower facilities. This hospital caters to both low-risk and high-risk mothers and babies, offering services in antenatal care, labour and delivery, postnatal care; including normal births, twin births, breech, vacuum, forceps and caesarean section deliveries.

 The maternity ward staff consist of well-qualified and fully trained professionals including 17 midwives, obstetricians, paediatricians, neo-natal nurses, nursing assistants and ancillary support staff. If you are a private patient, a midwife or your OB/GYN will monitor you throughout your labour, and your OB/GYN will be present for the birth of your baby. If you are a patient of the Women’s Health Centre, a midwife will deliver your baby and a doctor will only be called if there is reason for them to intervene. Epidural services are available for both private and midwives’ patients.

  GTH also has a Special Care Nursery where babies from both hospitals are referred if there are complications. The Special Care Nursery has a six bed capacity but babies are transferred to Miami for tertiary level special care. Thankfully this is not done very often during the course of a year. The specialised care for premature babies born with special needs is becoming more and more advanced on Island.

  The Maternity Ward at this hospital caters to about 550 births per year.

  Woman and babies discharged from GTH will also be visited by community health nurses for a couple of weeks after their discharge. This visit is usually once a week or more regularly if needed. It is a great resource for new mothers who may be far away from home and may need a little reassurance once home alone with a newborn baby.

The Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital (CTMH)

Tel:  (345) 949 6066

The CTMH has four en-suite birthing rooms equipped for labour, delivery and recovery. There are three midwives on staff and they are recruiting a paediatrician with a neonatology interest. They also have an obstetrician on staff. The birthing centre is fully equipped with neonatal ventilators, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), incubator and phototherapy equipment but if your baby is premature or has complications they recommend you be transferred to the George Town Hospital.

 Other services include Lamaze childbirth preparation (which run on an on-going 8-week cycle), infant and child CPR, antenatal and postnatal doula services, lactation consultant services and postnatal mother to mother support group.

 Visiting hours at CTMH are very flexible and fathers are allowed to overnight alongside their wives/partners.

 The CTMH caters to about 50 births per year.

Costs of Having a Baby On-Island

Once you have considered a doctor and hospital, be sure to call your insurance provider and discuss the fees in relation to your insurance coverage.

 You will want to ask about your prenatal care, the cost of the delivery and, the immediate care of your new born baby. The amount of coverage will depend on your insurance plan; it may be anything from 100% to none at all. It is standard policy for insurance companies to require a 10-month waiting period before they will cover your pregnancy, and some have a limit on prenatal care e.g. CI$1,000 at 100%. Some do not cover premature births. It would also be advisable to find out how you go about adding your new baby to your insurance policy from the moment of their birth.

 Having a baby in Cayman is expensive and there is no free health care. Expect the total cost of a normal delivery with your own OB/GYN to cost approximately CI$5,000. This price includes the cost of the use of the facilities and a three night stay. The cost of a normal midwife delivery with a three night stay in hospital and use of the facilities is about CI$2,500.

Prenatal Education Classes

GTH offers an 8-week educational series called ‘Parent Craft’. It is held on Monday evenings 5.30pm to 7.30pm in the Women’s Health Centre. There is no charge and no need to register in advance. Call the Antenatal Services Department on 244 2649 or drop in to the Women’s Health Centre to pick up a schedule of class dates. If you miss classes you may make them up during a subsequent 8-week course cycle. You may find it more comfortable to bring a cushion for your back, particularly if you have already been sitting all day at work or have lower backache.

 Jacqui Smith runs a 6-week Childbirth Education (Lamaze) class at the CTMH on Tuesday nights at 6pm. You have to pre-register and the cost is CI$125 per couple. Call 949 6024 for registration information.

 These classes are a great way to meet other pregnant women and establish a support network which you will appreciate long after your baby is delivered.

Yoga & Pilates

Various classes are offered at different times of the year. Current classes for pregnant mothers are:

Body Works

Queens Court Plaza, Seven Mile Beach

Tel: (345) 945 6485

Better Bodies Before Babies

Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital (CTMH)

Tel: (345) 949 6024

Colleen Brummer/Energy Pilates

Tel: (345) 925 5631 or (345) 946 6006

Specialises in personal training and pilates

Prenatal Massage

Prenatal massage can be a wonderful relief for those expectant mothers suffering with lower back pain, muscle pain or fluid retention. The following companies currently offer staff trained in prenatal massage:

Body Works

Queens Court Plaza

West Bay Road

Tel: (345) 945 6485

Kathleen Noailles

Cayman Clinic

439 Crewe Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 947 7400

Rachael Vander Bol-Costa/

Under the Palms

Tel:  (345) 947 8724 or (345) 526 8724

Mobile massage in your home

Maternity Clothes

The selection of maternity wear on the Island is getting better however, it is still limited. Maternity bras have always been difficult to obtain here, but that too is improving. If you are already pregnant or planning to get pregnant then it would be advisable to do some shopping ahead of time and bring clothing with you. Options on the Island include: Expectations (Bodden Place, Shedden Road Tel: (345) 946 6667) and Momz n Babez (Dolphin Centre, Eastern Ave. Tel: (345) 949 6669).

Maternity Leave

You will need to ask your employer what their policy is on maternity and paternity leave as some can be more flexible than others. However, the Cayman Islands law on the matter is as follows:

 Every female employee shall be entitled to twelve calendar week’s maternity leave in any twelve month period. If she has not completed twelve months of employment then her maternity leave shall be calculated on a pro-rata basis for the time that she has worked. Her employer is legally required to pay her 20 days leave on full pay, 20 days leave on half pay and 20 days leave on no pay. Leave may be taken in whatever proportions before and after actual childbirth that the employee wishes.

  A female employee who adopts a child under three years of age is entitled to nine calendar weeks leave, of which 15 working days are on full pay. Adoption leave may be granted once in any thirty-six month period.

 At present, there is no provision in the law for paternity leave, however, some companies are flexible and will allow a new father to take a few days off. There have been proposals to amend the law but as yet nothing has been legislated.

After Having a Baby

Paediatricians

Dr. Cecily Abraham

Alexander Place, Unit 7

Dorcy Drive, Industrial Park

Tel: (345) 945 7050 Fax: (345) 949 9823

Dr. Shirley Cridland

247 Smith Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 949 5225 Fax: (345) 945 7040

Dr. Gordon Smith

Windward Centre

93 Smith Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 949 2970 Fax: (345) 946 2768

Cayman Islands Hospital

Dr. Marilyn McIntyre and Dr. Earl Robinson

1 Hospital Road, George Town

Tel: (345) 949 8600

Immunisations

Immunisations are carried out by, and schedules are available from, paediatricians or the Public Health Centre. If you choose to use the Public Health Centre you should make your appointment well in advance. Although there may be a wait for an appointment, the Public Health Centre is efficient and considerably cheaper than using a paediatrician. You may find that the schedule and specific shots vary slightly from your home country. This is because regions of the world immunise against diseases most prevalent in that area, or may be influenced by a particular health authority. There are some shots that are more difficult to obtain in Cayman. One that is fairly controversial is the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), as it is only available as a combined shot in the Cayman Islands (as it is in most of the US) whereas, in the UK, it is still available as a separate shot. Of course, consult with your paediatrician if you have any particular concerns. Please note that schools will request to see your child’s immunisation record and require a Health Screening Report be filled out by a Cayman doctor before children can be enrolled in school.

Postnatal Support Groups

The Mother-to-Mother Support Group is held in the Women’s Health Clinic (WHC) of the GTH on the first Tuesday of every month. Refreshments are served and there is no charge.

 There is a Breast Feeding Clinic every Tuesday between 12.30pm and 2pm at the WHC for breast-feeding mothers who have concerns or problems. There is no charge and no appointments are necessary.

 There are a number of ‘home grown’ playgroups for mothers and babies which meet on a weekly basis. Once you get talking to people, you will soon find out the relevant names and contact details. 

Postnatal Exercise

Fitness Connection (South Church Street) has started a ‘Mom’s & Tot’s’ exercise class where you can take your child along and still get a workout. Kings Sports Centre has an employee available to meet you at the gym and watch your child while you workout – contact Miss Milly on (345) 927 4511 or, when your child is old enough, Smyles offers a service where you can leave your child in the supervision of a caregiver and, since the World Gym is directly upstairs, you are still close enough to feel comfortable leaving them.

Baby Clothes

Brand new baby clothes can be bought from Atlantic Kids at Paddington Place (Tel: (345) 949 2296), Noah’s Ark in Pasadora Place on Smith Road (Tel: (345) 946 8733), Little Darlings on Shedden Road (Tel: (345) 949 2580) and Momz and Babez’ in the Dolphin Centre on Eastern Avenue. All have a good selection and you will be pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality. Another option where you may be surprised to find some adorable outfits, especially beach wear, is the hotel boutiques. Second hand baby clothes can be bought at any of the garage/yard sales that take place every Saturday morning. These garage sales are advertised in Friday’s newspapers.

Baby Equipment

New baby equipment including cribs, car seats, bottles etc can be bought at Little Darlings and Noah’s Ark. Noah's Ark tends to carry the European brands and Little Darlings the American brands. Prices are usually the same in Cayman dollars as they are in US dollars and there is quite a lot of choice. Keep an eye out for adverts in the local newspapers for second hand baby equipment. As a side note, it is a requirement of the law that all children are seated in a car seat while being driven in a car, so bring a car seat with you or purchase one once you get here.

Baby Food

Passport & Immigration

Registering the Birth of Your Child

When you give birth to your child the hospital will issue a Live Birth Notification certificate. The parents will be given a copy of this and the original is sent by the hospital to the Registrar of Births. The next step is for one of the parents (it must be both parents if you are not married) to go to the Registrar of Births (Ground Floor, Citrus Grove, Goring Avenue, Tel: (345) 244 3404/3408, Email: bdm@gov.ky) with the Certificate of Live Birth, your marriage certificate (if you are married) and your passports. Residents of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman can register their children through the District Commissioner’s Office on Cayman Brac. By law, you must register your child within three months of birth, regardless of your nationality. The Registrar of Births will then issue a Birth Certificate.

Getting a Passport for your Child

You must first obtain a birth certificate for your child prior to being able to make an application for a passport.

American Passports:

You need to contact the American Citizen Services directly on Tel: (876) 935 6044

British Passports:

Passport Office Tel: (345) 949 8344

Canadian Passports:

The Consulate is open Mon–Thurs 10am–1pm

Tel: (345) 949 9400 or the CI Passport Office

Other Nationalities:   

Contact the Cayman Passport Office

Tel: (345) 949 8344

It is highly advisable that you obtain a passport for your baby as soon as possible. You do not want the added complication of trying to arrange this document in a hurry should you need to leave for a medical emergency or, during hurricane season, due to the threat of a storm. In addition, it is advisable to apply for a US Visitors visa if your child’s citizenship requires this for entry into the United States. Contact the US Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica for further details: (876) 929 4850.

Dependant Permit

Children born on the Island to expats are not automatically entitled to citizenship unless one or both of their parents are either Caymanian or have been granted status. If you are on a work permit your baby must be added as a dependant on your work permit.

 You are required to submit the following documents to the Immigration Board, to make this application:

Cover letter from work permit holder requesting addition of dependant

Child’s Birth Certificate

Parent’s Marriage Certificate

Letter from either/both parents’ employers verifying income and authorizing the addition of a dependant to the work permit

CI$50 application fee

Whether you are planning to have children once you are in Cayman, or will be bringing them with you, in order to be eligible to have a dependant, your monthly base salary for a family of three must be in the region of CI$3,500. Add CI$500–1000 for each additional dependant. This is a guideline only. However, the general understanding is that Cayman is an expensive place to bring up children especially considering the cost of schooling, after-school child care and health care. Some work permits will simply not be renewed or considered if you have a dependant and it is deemed that you cannot adequately maintain them on the Island with you. Call an immigration consultant, your future employer or the Immigration Department on (345) 949 8344 for more information on your individual case.