With my scare the other day of my body being close to going into labor, I have done some serious thinking. Am I ready if she arrives sooner rather than later? What should I expect at the hospital and with the French administration? I know what to expect in the hospital for a normal delivery but have not paid attention to information regarding complications. I never thought … [Read more...]
Monthly Prenatal Visits at the Hospital is Best if Pregnant in France
If you are pregnant in France, I highly recommend seeing a midwife or doctor at the hospital that you will be delivering. I just had my first pregnancy complication and was very relieved to have everything straightened out within an hour. I go to the hospital that I will be delivering so I can get to know the midwives and doctor that will be taking care of me on the big day. … [Read more...]
What to Bring to the Hospital When Giving Birth in France
If you are planning on giving birth while in France, you will need to prepare a bag in advance of things you will need at the hospital. In the US it is commonly referred to as an overnight bag, however, most women in France tend to stay between 4 to 7 days - so here it is more of a “long-stay bag.” If you have complications, you may stay longer. I received this list of … [Read more...]
Choosing a Maternity Hospital for Giving Birth in France
We moved from Bordeaux to a small village in the north of France between Caen and Bayeux last week. This means I must now decide on a new maternity hospital for giving birth in France. There are three possible hospitals to select from: Centre Hospitalier de Bayeaux, CHR Georges Clemenceau and Polyclinique du Parc. Yesterday, we visited the Centre Hospitalier de Bayeaux and … [Read more...]
A Home Birth in France May Not Be an Option
Depending on where you live, having a home birth in France may not be an option. Insurance costs are too high for midwives to deliver babies from the homes, so few are available nationwide. In some cities, you may find a midwife (sage femme) who is uninsured that is willing to do this but I would not count on it. We are moving up north to Caen soon to be near family for the … [Read more...]