Beijing
Guides
Step-by-step articles for having a baby in Beijing. Read them in order if you are planning a pregnancy. Start with paperwork if your baby has already arrived.
Before
9 min
Pregnancy timeline
What to do before conception and through the third trimester, month by month.
6 min
Opening a pregnancy file (建卡)
How a Beijing hospital creates your official record and reserves a delivery bed.
10 min
建卡 at Peking University Third Hospital
When to start, which desk to use, what to bring, and what happens on the day at 北医三院.
6 min
Hiring a medical translator
How to get a Mandarin speaker for public-hospital visits, and what it usually costs.
5 min
Finding an English-speaking obstetrician
How to get a current doctor list without relying on a named roster that goes stale.
8 min
Prenatal checks, week by week
What a Beijing hospital checks at each visit, from the first scan to weekly monitoring at the end.
Birth
Paperwork
8 min
After the birth: certificates and registration
The documents you need in the first weeks: the medical certificate, police registration, a passport, and a Chinese visa.
8 min
Visas, permits, and your child’s status
Most foreign parents hold a temporary work permit. Your child will not receive a hukou. Plan the paperwork around those facts.
9 min
Unmarried, mixed nationality, or one parent away
How the hospital file, the birth certificate, and your child’s status change when your family is not two married foreign parents.
10 min
Your embassy: birth registration by nationality
First steps for common passports after a birth in Beijing. Always confirm on your embassy’s current page.
7 min
Pregnancy and your work contract
Maternity leave, housing, and what happens if the contract is not renewed.
Money
After
8 min
Choosing a neighborhood with an infant
What the common areas of Beijing are like with a baby, and how far each is from the hospitals you might use.
6 min
Postpartum care at home
Yuesao and ayi: the people who may work in your home after the birth, and typical costs.
5 min
If you might leave Beijing later
This site is a Beijing guide. If a new contract might take you elsewhere, finish the Beijing paperwork first.
9 min
First-year medical care
The vaccine booklet, the community health station, a pediatrician, and what to do when your baby is sick at night.
7 min
A two-bedroom that works with a stroller
What to look for in a Beijing rental before your baby arrives.