No-one's telling me anything...

[overmonnow]

Hello

I live in 24, am pregnant with my first baby and due in September.  We have a French social security number by virtue of my husband's work and so far we have had two visits to the doctor, one ultrasound, one scare and have sent (we think) all the required forms to CPAM Dordogne.

1. We think that so far we have ticked every box that needs ticking...  But hey, this is France!  We aren't really being told anything by the doctor in terms of the process, preparation for the birth, etc. and are a little scared at our ignorance...  As I type, all we know is that I have to have a certain number of pre-natal exams and two more ultrasounds and that is where our knowledge ends.  I am reading postings about reserving hospital placings but wasn't aware this was necessary in the Dordogne (just to confuse things our nearest hospital is in the Charente and this is where the doctor said I will be taken to give birth) and also the doctor doesn't seem to be very keen to have discussions about pain relief (yes please, all drugs accepted) etc

If anyone can help allay my fears, particularly if you know how it works in the Dordogne, I would be very grateful!!

2. We have a letter from CPAM that seems to cntradict itself - one part says that medical fees for pregnancy are covered 100% after the 4th month and elsewhere in the letter it says after the 6th month - does anyone know which it is?

3. As we are paying into the French system are we entitled to the equivalent of Family Allowance, and is any of this payable during pregnancy (my hairdresser who is from somerset has implied that it is!!)

If you've read this far, thank you!!  I do hope someone can help as I feel totally clueless!  Many thanks in advance...

Emma-Jane x

[chegerty]

Hello

I gave birth to our first baby two and half weeks ago in Languedoc, so some of this may be of use to you.

Ask your GP to recommend a ob/gyn at the hospital or clinic where you will give birth. We had to make the initial appointment and then everything else (scans, ante-natal classes, 'reservation' at the clinic) flowed from there. Basically, our specialist guided us through the process and made sure we had appointments for scans and blood tests at the right time. I had routine monthly blood/urine tests as well as more comprehensive blood tests at the beginning of the pregnancy and in month 7.

There were loads of notices in the ob/gyn waiting room about when, where and how to make an appointment to register at the maternity unit and for preparation classes for the birth. Here in Languedoc, there wasn't any problem with reserving a place at the clinic for the birth - we did the initial registration in month 7, along with a tour of the facilities.

Pain relief options were very limited! In some limited circumstances, pethidine may be offered, but basically it was epidural or nothing at the clinic where I gave birth! I ended up being induced and opted for an epidural - highly recommended!

I think all related medical costs are reimbursed at 100% after month 4 until about 4 weeks after the birth.

There is a one-off payment in month 8 of about 700 euros (I think), but this is means tested and we didn't qualify. I believe that family allowance is only payable after the second child (but I maybe wrong on this!). You should automatically receive forms from the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF) asking for details of your income etc.

I hope some of this helps, even if it's not exactly the same as the Dordogne. Feel free to send me a message with any other questions etc.

Catherine x

 

 

 

 

[Me0wp00]

I gave birth just under 8 months ago in Limousin. There after my first visit with the gynae at about 13 weeks I was booked in for the birth, then all my further visits and scans we're made about 3 months in advance, this was quite necessary as I was due to give birth in August and it seems doctors take time off in July ready for the august onslaught and the only appointment I could have in the whole of July was a midwife at 8am in the morning, I was 38 weeks pregnant !!! great eh

I didn't have any other appointments made except the last two weeks when my BP rose one day and I had to go back for another check up.

Blood tests were taken every single time I had a visit.

I only received 100% remboursement for the ante natal checks and scans that are obligatory. The full remboursement kicked in in the april, I'd have been 5.5 months pregnant by then and even then not everything was covered, some of the drugs were only 35% (indigestion remedies etc)

As for pain relief I always opted for an epidural and my hospital encouraged them, I doubt if there had been much else, no evidence of it.

I didn't bother with birthing classes as it would've taken me 60 minutes to get there and the class was only 60 minutes long.

I get PAJE from the CAF which entitled me to a one off payment in my 8th month of about 800E which is supposed to cover buying the cot, clothes, etc etc and I get 150Eish a month until my son is 3 if we still qualify on the income.

HTH

Pippa

[Battypuss]

If you read French, this tells you most things

http://www.ameli.fr/82/DOC/47/fiche.html?page=1  

http://www.caf.fr/catalogue/

 

Good luck, my daughter is pregnant too!

[chicfille]

About labour & pain relief - generally here it seems to be epidural or nothing. For both of mine I ended up with nothing, because they came quickly and there was no time, but the staff were extremely pro-epidural. I was offered no gas/air, pethidine or anything else (in 2 different hospitals in 2 different towns - one public, one private clinic). They don't tend to go in for birth plans either. But this doesn't mean you can't prepare one of your own.

I know things have been changing for the better in some hospitals over recent years, and friends who've given birth recently have had a more comfortable personal experience than I did. My advice would be to arrange to visit the hospital and ask all your questions about pain relief, caesarian & episiotemy rates, how much they allow you to move about during labour - some make you lie on your back strapped to a monitor for the duration). And if you're not completely happy, visit another hospital or clinic to compare.

Best of luck!

[Clare ElizabethClare]

You might find it useful to meet with an assistant social - some are dreadful but most are good at explaining how the system works.  There might be one attached to the hospital, or perhaps a Centre de Protection Maternelle Infantile? 

This is a good site www.magicmamans.fr I found it really useful to get all the vocabulary, and there are some good forums

I found France a great place to give birth.. medicalised but they gave me champagne for new year's eve and the after care was great in Languedoc. They had to drag me screaming from the hospital.. I didn't want to leave