Giving birth in France was an experience that I will never forget. Nothing went as planned and I was constantly arguing with midwifes and doctors. I then felt stress, pressure and frustration throughout my week-long stay there afterwards. The best part was when they had me reach down and pull her up onto my chest. Yes, she was a yucky but I did not see that. All I saw was her … [Read more...]
Giving Birth in France – My Birth Story
On October 6, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl in the small city of Bayeux in France. Juliana was born on her French due date and not a moment sooner than she was ready. We had an eventful, long and difficult labor – of which, I have mixed feelings about my experience at this French hospital. Early afternoon on October 6, my husband’s mother was visiting us to help clean … [Read more...]
Our First Cours de Préparation Pour Naissance with a Sage-Femme
This past Thursday was our first cours de préparation pour naissance (birth preparation course) with a sage femme (midwife). It was actually the second class out of four, but we missed the first class due to confusion of its location. We thought it would be at the hospital in the same room as the cours de préparation with the puéricultrice, but apparently, it was at a location … [Read more...]
Our First Cours de Preparation Pour Naissance with the Puéricultrice
Today we went to our first cours de preparation pour naissance (birth preparation course) with one of our hospital's puéricultrices (children's doctor). This is an optional class that is covered by social security and I definitely recommend you taking advantage of it! We ended up being a group of about 8 women and 2 men - nice that my husband was not the only man in … [Read more...]
Preparing for Your First French Cours de Préparation à la Naissance
Yesterday I went to my complimentary cours de préparation à la naissance (birth preparation class). It was a one-on-one hour session with a midwife to discuss any concerns that I may have and provide her with my birth plan. This session and the remaining 6 courses are completely free - they are covered by the French Social Security. Of the remaining 6 courses, 2 of those are … [Read more...]