This makes my head explode

anna7602

I'm living in France at the moment. I was just chatting with a pg friend about Ob/gyns, etc. here as we're planning on TTC soon. She just informed me that there are only a handful of hospitals in this city that will allow you to birth in any position you want (v. just lying on your back) and that the wait list for them is approximately 10-12 months. So, people get on the wait list before they've even gotten pregnant!

Furthermore, you are only allowed ONE "companion" in the room when you give birth. So, if you have a doula, you can't have your spouse or SO in the room if you want the doula to be at the hospital with you while you labor. I was told this before by a friend who was looking into doula certification here, but I am not sure why what she was saying at the time didn't fully register.

TKtravels

My head would be exploding too. 

DH & I are living in Poland right now, and upon learning that we're expecting, we've decided to move back to the US in a few months (right before my 3rd trimester) for a number of reasons, one of which includes the restrictions on how L&D goes here.

I'm actually a bit surprised to hear that's the case in France too.. sorry you're in a tough spot there.  Have you listed yourself at the more liberal hospitals?

I'm contacting care providers in our city back in the US, and am learning that I should have gotten on the waiting list too prior to conceiving.  Live and learn, I suppose! 

ncjulia12

Have you read "Bringing up Bebe" that just came out about parenting as an American in France?  It's mostly about parenting and not pregnancy/birth, but she does bring up her births in France.  She wasn't trying for a NB so I don't think she had as many issues, but she did highlight some of the differences in her experience.  

I don't think the book would be much help to your situation but she does mention that she found support with other American parents there who could recommend resources/doctors/hospitals.   

amber323

That sucks, laboring women are treated so weirdly like they are fragile or something. Is a home birth an option? If not then laboring at home for as long as you can would probably be your best bet for success!

pinksweetpea2

What are they going to do if you decide to give birth in a different position?  Kick you out?   Force you into the supine position?  

As in the US, I highly doubt they can force you onto your back.  All this means is that you are going to have to fight for what you want...and you are going to have to have a VERY good support person who can also fight for you.

Or you could have a homebirth.  I have had two terrific ones.  I am sure there are MWs in France.

GL 

robyn2201

I can't imagine a place being less natural birth friendly than the US but I have heard that this is true about France. Is a homebirth an option?

nosoup4u

ugh, that does suck. Do they have any sort of home birth system there? Maybe it'd be worth a jaunt to the Netherlands when it came time to give birth, heh heh.

KateLouise

I'm in New Zealand, and this kind of restriction just blows my mind.

Here we can do pretty much anything, and bring along a whole roomful of people if we want. They don't let us have oil burners or burn incense because they have piped oxygen, so they suggest massage oil instead. 

Would it be possible to have doula and husband switch in and out of the room, so both are around but only one in the room at a time? 

anna7602

Thanks for commiserating, all. I'm at a real crossroads. We could wait a little longer to TTC until we're absolutely sure of our return date to the U.S., but I hate the idea of that. We are definitely supposed to go back at some point since DH is on a fixed-term contract, but the contract could be renewed at any point.

I will look into the homebirth situation here and start calling the "good" hospitals that let you birth in whatever position you want, just in case.