Pregnancy "rules" different in your country than home?

AmberinDenmark · December 2012

My favorite here is that you would never tell a pregnant woman not to eat deli meat. Seriously, that seems to be half of the Danish diet.

The first time I was preggers, I wrote something about eating a subway sandwich on FB, and I had 10 private messages from the most random people in the US telling me that I should not be eating deli meat.

Any rules where you are?

dulcemariamar1 · December 2012

I was told not to have any contact with cats. I am not quite sure what they expect people to do if they have a cat at home.

And they dont think stretch marks are genetic. I get nagged all the time for not using expensive lotion from the pharamacy. If there was some magic cream to prevent them, then I think nobody would have them.

tlew12778 · December 2012

Here in Italy it's:

No deli meats although some OB are ok with cooked meats like ham but my OB nixed them ALL due to listeria risk.

No contact with cats due to toxoplasmosis risk.

No raw vegetables including salads due to listeria and salmonella risk.

No soft cheeses due to listeria I think.

No raw eggs like in tiramisu due to salmonella risk.

And the new one for me this last pregnancy was no kissing my daughter or sharing her food due to CMV risk! I refused to obey that one so was tested for CMV regularly.

tlew12778 · December 2012

dulcemariamar1:
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And they dont think stretch marks are genetic. I get nagged all the time for not using expensive lotion from the pharamacy. If there was some magic cream to prevent them, then I think nobody would have them.

I thought stretch marks had to do with complexion?

ChrisLipstick · December 2012

A friend of mine recently gave birth in Sri Lanka. The hospital and dr were great, but they expected her to be in bed being monitored for the entire labour. She wasn't allowed to walk around or do anything even though she had no complications.

MouseInLux · December 2012

Here they are rather lax. I follow the ones that makes sense to me and that I can comply with from the UK and the US.

tlew12778 · December 2012

mrscjmb9410:
tlew12778:
Here in Italy it's:  And the new one for me this last pregnancy was no kissing my daughter or sharing her food due to CMV risk! I refused to obey that one so was tested for CMV regularly.
How is that even possible to avoid kissing your kid?
What do you say to your 2-3-4 year old? "I'm sorry, baby, Mommy's growing your little brother/sister, so, no, you can't have a kiss, you might make us sick." 

right? That's why I ignored it. I'm sure it was a "must warn patient regardless" type of deal. CMV is no joke and its consequences can be catastrophic so I get it. It's just not realistic. And it's not like kissing is the only way you pass on an illness. I'd basically would have had to live in isolation to avoid any potential germs. That said, I was pretty paranoid after he said that and avoided places with lots of kids and was tested for CMV exposure every month.

Continuous monitoring is standard for VBAC in the entire medical community I believe. At least in a hospital setting.

Rushmore · December 2012

Hi! Representing the Netherlands here.

I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop. Also, they don't sell prenatal vitamins here (not that I've seen, I'm sure they are somewhere?). I buy my PNV online from the States.

Other than that, I think the rules are comparable to the US.

tlew12778 · December 2012

Rushmore:
Hi! Representing the Netherlands here. I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop. Also, they don't sell prenatal vitamins here not that I've seen, I'm sure they are somewhere?. I buy my PNV online from the States.Other than that, I think the rules are comparable to the US.

i assume folic acid is recommended in all first world countries as a deficiency leads to neural tube defects.

I take elevit by bayer which I'm pretty sure is marketed across Europe. There's also multicentrum maternal but they're gel caps.

Oh I forgot one: here in Italy we take DHA in the third trimester as it stimulates development of synapse between neurons. We also take iron in the third tri to compensate for potential blood loss in labor. And after delivery they almost always give methergyn drops to take at home to promote uterine contraction.

Rushmore · December 2012

tlew12778:
Rushmore:
Hi! Representing the Netherlands here. I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop.
i assume folic acid is recommended in all first world countries as a deficiency leads to neural tube defects.

I agree. But in the States, the advice is to take folic acid throughout the entire pregnancy. Here in NL, they just advise taking it in the first trimester.

As for the PNV, I'm glad to hear there is some kind of PNV available. Since getting m/s I've become quite loyal to my US chewable brand, but it's always good to have information about other options.

kelly321 · December 2012

In Germany I've also never been told to take a PNV, and I haven't seen them sold - just folic acid for the first 3 months. I figure if I'm eating a balanced diet it'll be fine.

I don't know if this counts as a rule, but I think I read that only 30% of US hospitals even allow patients to attempt a VBAC. Here it's the norm unless there's a medical reason for a RCS. However, at least in the hospital I deliver at, they do not allow VBA2+Cs. If you've had 2 c/s, then that's it.

Otherwise the rules seem pretty much the same to me - avoid deli meat, too much caffeine, alcohol (although my MW said a sip of champagne on NYE is fine), etc.

Elinetrouwt · December 2012

Rushmore:
Hi! Representing the Netherlands here.
I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop. Also, they don't sell prenatal vitamins here (not that I've seen, I'm sure they are somewhere?). I buy my PNV online from the States.
Other than that, I think the rules are comparable to the US.

This seems a bit weird to me. I'm Dutch, living in Belgium, and it is very, very easy to find prenatals here. The most usual brand here is 'Omnibionta Pronatal'. Haven't you found any pharmacy that sells them? Or even asked at a 'Kruidvat' store?

I have the impression that there's a lot more bloodwork and u/s done in Belgium than in the US. It is standard to have your bloodwork done immediately after a BFP, testing for hCG and immunity for rubella, toxoplamosis etc, standard u/s at 12, 20 and 30 weeks and usually one at 6 weeks as well, and more often in between if you're lucky. All of this not for high risk pregnancies, just for normal ones.

Rushmore · December 2012

Elinetrouwt:
Rushmore:
Hi! Representing the Netherlands here.
I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop. Also, they don't sell prenatal vitamins here (not that I've seen, I'm sure they are somewhere?). I buy my PNV online from the States.
Other than that, I think the rules are comparable to the US.
This seems a bit weird to me. I'm Dutch, living in Belgium, and it is very, very easy to find prenatals here. The most usual brand here is 'Omnibionta Pronatal'. Haven't you found any pharmacy that sells them? Or even asked at a 'Kruidvat' store?

I was at Kruidvat today. They sell three types: vsm, davitona, and some other kind. So, I stand corrected. I also found peppermint tea, which is a bonus because I wasn't able to find it at AH.

Elinetrouwt · December 2012

Glad you found them!

LadyMadrid08 · December 2012

kelly321:
In Germany I've also never been told to take a PNV, and I haven't seen them sold - just folic acid for the first 3 months.

How odd. My OB and midwife mentioned getting one and I've found a few brands sold in the typical drugstores like M?ller as well as in all pharmacies. I take femibion. They have one for early pregnancy which includes the extra folic acid and another for after 12 weeks that doesn't have the folic acid. Weird how things can vary just between doctors.

In Spain I was told stretch marks were genetic by my doctors, but from all the women in my H's family and women I took classes with (birthing classes, water aerobics) I was told I had to rub Nivea on my belly all the time and that of course it was preventable!

dulcemariamar1 · December 2012

LadyMadrid08:
kelly321:

In Germany I've also never been told to take a PNV, and I haven't seen them sold - just folic acid for the first 3 months.

How odd. My OB and midwife mentioned getting one and I've found a few brands sold in the typical drugstores like M?ller as well as in all pharmacies. I take femibion. They have one for early pregnancy which includes the extra folic acid and another for after 12 weeks that doesn't have the folic acid. Weird how things can vary just between doctors.

In Spain I was told stretch marks were genetic by my doctors, but from all the women in my H's family and women I took classes with (birthing classes, water aerobics) I was told I had to rub Nivea on my belly all the time and that of course it was preventable!

Well, I want my money back then Did it work for you?

Elinetrouwt · December 2012

In Belgium, you can't get a flu shot in first tri. I hear it's common to get them ASAP in the US. I want my flu shot.

LadyMadrid08 · December 2012

dulcemariamar1:
LadyMadrid08:
kelly321:

In Germany I've also never been told to take a PNV, and I haven't seen them sold - just folic acid for the first 3 months. 

How odd.  My OB and midwife mentioned getting one and I've found a few brands sold in the typical drugstores like Müller as well as in all pharmacies.  I take femibion.  They have one for early pregnancy which includes the extra folic acid and another for after 12 weeks that doesn't have the folic acid.  Weird how things can vary just between doctors.

 

In Spain I was told stretch marks were genetic by my doctors, but from all the women in my H's family and women I took classes with (birthing classes, water aerobics) I was told I had to rub Nivea on my belly all the time and that of course it was preventable! 

 

Well, I want my money back then Did it work for you?

Haha. I didn't do it. For one I am not as fan of the Nivea cream. Second, I'm pretty certain it's not really preventable. I didn't get any stretch marks until the last two weeks with DD though.

tlew12778 · December 2012

Elinetrouwt:
In Belgium, you can't get a flu shot in first tri. I hear it's common to get them ASAP in the US. I want my flu shot.

the one time I got the flu shot I got the friggin swine flu. Never again!

Re: stretch marks with dd I used some expensive stretch mark cream and didn't get any during pregnancy but got some around my CS scar after she was born. With DS I used aloe and didn't get any, period.

adunkin · December 2012

Here in Brussels they are pretty lax it seems (perhaps more French influence than Dutch). Many of the French speakers drink up to a glass of wine a day without concern. Another expat friend here is pregnant and when she asked her doc about restrictions, he said "no specific changes need to be made - just everything in moderation". Totally different than my Aussie friend who got an entire booklet of what not to do! It's also really difficult to get the whooping cough vaccine/booster here where as in the US it's becoming very common.

Brooke81 · January 2013

Rushmore:
Hi! Representing the Netherlands here.
I was instructed by my doctor to take folic acid in the first trimester. Then she said I could stop. Also, they don't sell prenatal vitamins here (not that I've seen, I'm sure they are somewhere?). I buy my PNV online from the States.
Other than that, I think the rules are comparable to the US.

So I know that this message is old but we DO have serveral brands of prenatal viatmines available at any drug store! Did you ask your midwife or the drugstore? Here are some from VSM https://www.vsm.nl/puur-mama-zwangerschapsvitamines Davitamon and Centrum have them too for sure! Save your shipping money for things we really don't have here in the Netherlands.

You are correct though they say folic acid for the first 3 months because that is when the sytems are developing that are affected by a defficeny.