Having a baby in France

Plans to extend paternity leave

2011-06-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

FATHERS are encouraged to take a month off work to look after a new-born child under new measures put forward to the French government.
A report submitted to the minister for solidarity, Roselyne Bachelot, has called for both parents to have four weeks of paid leave immediately after birth. Men are currently eligible for just 11 days, capped at about €80 per day.

http://www.connexionfrance.com/paternity-leave-france-parental-time-off-report-extended-one-month-plan-12784-view-article.html

http://www.connexionfrance.com/paternity-leave-france-parental-time-off-report-extended-one-month-plan-12784-view-article.html

Breast pumps

2011-05-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

From my friend Carolina:

As I am breastfeeding Matilda, my midwife said there was a service to rent breast pumps that was reimbursed by the social security. You need a prescription from your GP, Gynéco, pediatrician or midwife. Mine says: "Location d'un tire lait éléctrique double pompage avec accessoires pendant 6 mois".

I called Grandir Nature (0800 622 833) and made an appointment for a conseiller to call me back. She did and she asked me a series of questions to see which breast pump suited my needs. I also bought a little set of accessories, which is also reimbursed by the social security and mutuelle. They deliver your breast pump 48 hrs later to your door OR 24 hrs later (if ordered before a certain time, I can't remember) to a Relais Colis.

They also sell organic cloth nappies, organic herbal teas to help breast feeding, creams, bras, cushions (all for breastfeeding, you understand), tops, bottles, cleaning products for baby clothes, bedding, and all sorts of different things, organic, equitable, etc. Really good.

www.grandir-nature.com . Visit their website, I'm sure it will be explained much better...

Thank you Carolina.

Babyroyale luxury baby blanket

2011-04-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to tell you about Eloise's new blanket, it's organic (made from bamboo and cotton). It's beautifully light and feels really nice quality and has a lovely old-fashioned look to it. Eloise, with the nicer weather, has kicked off her duvet and just has this on her in bed at the moment, with an undersheet. No doubt we'll be using it on holiday in the evenings over her knees in the pushchair. Delivery is also really quick and they post to France! They also have all the other baby necessaries.

I got it from the HelloBaby website & you can see it too on BabyRoyale.

Parental leave rules explained

2011-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

EUROPEAN MPs have backed a draft law that would extend maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay, but the French government is against the proposal because of its cost.

The plan was approved at first reading by MEPs in Strasbourg. Ministers from each member state will now debate it in the Council of Europe.

Fromer family minister Nadine Morano is against the increase, which she estimates would cost the French social security system an extra €1.3bn a year.

She says the EU should instead look at ways of allowing couples to share their leave time as they see fit, because “fathers today want to be a bit more involved”.

Modern Home Modern Baby blog

2011-01-21T03:39:00.000-08:00

When you see that heartbeat at your first ultrasound, the world stops for just a second and all of the fear and wonder of possibility rushes in. With my first child, the “I am having a baby!” thought filled me with such dreams – I could imagine us, as a family, walking in the park, going to the beach, teaching my child to be a citizen of the world. We could do it! Travel and children are not mutually exclusive, we told ourselves!

New contacts

2010-12-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

A friend sent these details over after good and friendly service

For scans:

Dr Françoise Deschamps-Boujol
Ecographie gynecologique et obstetricale - Doppler
131 Avenue de Lodève
34080 Montpellier
Tel: 04 67 75 72 55
email: cabinet.tonnelles@orange.fr

Didn't have to wait long for an appointment (for the following week, actually). Doctor printed all the photos there and then and the secretary typed all the info there and then so I only had to wait, literally, five minutes and I left with all the reports for my doctor.

Fab office, all very high tech. 4D scans, (for which you can bring a DVD R with you to record) massive flat screen on the wall for mummy and daddy to watch. Very friendly staff (sounds all very superficial, but it is very useful to know in situations like this).

There are a few signs on the walls, however, warning that coming with other children to do pregnancy scans is not recommended. I didn't read exactly what it said but they'd rather you didn't turn up with other kids.

There are massive roadworks around there so if you have a GPS you are ok but if not, bus number 15 goes from the Montpellier train station and you want the stop LES TONNELLES.

Didn't have an ordonnance either, as it was just for my piece of mind as I was being so anxious so I had to pay €50 and they asked for my carte vitale, although I don't know if I will be refunded or not. I was so pleased with it all that I will go back there with my 22 week scan ordonnance to do it.

Mosquito Gadget

2010-06-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

Just received my new baby mosquito repellant gadget - The Lovebug.

It's a chemical free ladybird shaped thing that you can attach to the cot or wherever to protect baby from mozzie bites - it emits a tiny noise like a dragonfly's wing beat which is the mosquito's natural predator.

I got it from Hello Baby. It's a good idea to click on the side of the buggy when out eating in the evening or in the bedroom at night. It works with a 9 volt battery.

Baby food discount for lowest earners

2010-06-17T04:45:00.001-07:00

LOW-income families are to be offered vouchers for discount baby food under a new initiative being tested out in three parts of France.

The project is being supported by food manufacturer Danone, the Chèque-Déjeuner lunch voucher scheme and the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales in Nancy, Nantes and the 13th arrondissement of Paris.

French health cover and Pregnancy explained

2010-05-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

For auto entrepreneurs....

Great video on Valerie's site here....

http://www.startbusinessinfrance.com/video/french-health-care-cover-explained-video

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

Well Eloise is now 15 months old. Mamma, Dadda and pointing at everything (dogs mostly in the street) are the popular things of the moment) and she's pretty good at holding her own with her 5 year old sister, Alicia.

Eloise preferring to play with dolls whilst Alicia is a Lego kind of girl... so surprising how different kids can be.

Creche is going well - and we've suddenly lost the need for the morning nap when we go there 2 mornings a week, instead having a good nap straight after lunch (or during lunch, or in the car on the way home...) depending on how hard we've been playing that morning.

Both Eloise and Alicia have received vouchers for their swine flu injection here in France. As they've both had sniffles for the last month, we just haven't been able to go and get them done yet.

She's growing up way too fast now!

Creche

2009-11-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

Well we've just completed our first week of adaptation at the halte garderie (part time creche that means). She did 15 mins on Monday, 30 mins Tuesday until today when they asked me to call after an hour to see if she was OK and them she stayed for nearly 2 hours in all today.

It costs 0.05pc of your salary - Euro0.95/hour for us (based on 2007 tax return... complicated huh?) and she can go for 8 hours a week... ie 2 mornings or 2 afternoons booked in advance plus another 8 hours if I call up on the off chance someone else has cancelled.

I have to take a bag with 2 nappies, a change of clothes, a piece of fruit / cup of fruit juice for the morning or something dairy for the afternoon.. no cakes / biscuits allowed... and her teddy or whatever.

They have a room full of cot bunkbeds, a room for nappy changes and hand washing and a room for playing with things like wet pasta (yes really..) as well as an outdoor area.

Children can go to this creche from 6 weeks old until they start maternelle school.

First Birthday

2009-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

A year has passed already - like lightening in fact.

Eloise is now a little more than 9 kilos, has 6 teeth and runs (not walks) - she loves her bike (her feet don't touch the floor or the peddles) and will be starting at the halte garderie (occasional creche) very soon.

We've just had another injection at the doctors (measles etc) - we've had very little in the way of illnesses, only a small gastro for which no medicine was prescribed - just no milk / eat carrots, quince and rice and wash your hands lots really... and we've just stopped breast feeding completely.
And we've just fitted locks on the kitchen cupboard doors... hmmm.

Helena Frith Powell on babies in UK and France...

2009-08-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

How long after giving birth should a woman wait to make love?

It’s an issue all parents face - but rarely talk about. Now, one mother dares to ask that important question…

After giving birth, a woman thinks of many things; chocolate, baby names, how soon she can go home, how soon she can sit down without the help of an inflatable rubber ring, and which breastfeeding bras are the most practical. Read more...

www.Enciente.com

2009-07-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

If you can read a bit of French - this is a very full site on everything to do with being pregnant in France... Click here to go to www.encient.com

9 months

2009-07-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since my last post...

Eloise is now 9 months and 3 weeks old - she's cruising the furniture - eating chunks of anything she can get her hands on (mostly off the floor) and has 2 teeth (the first one of which was rather painful..) and she loves the swimming pool.

This month we have to visit the doctor to have an obligatory 9 month check - there is a sheet in the back of your carnet de sante that has to be completed by the doctor and stamped otherwise you don't receive anymore money from the CAF.

Eloise was generally measured and weighed - questions on the form included "can she play peepo?" (yes) and does she point with her finger? (no) and does she know her name (yes).

We have to go back at 1 year old to have another vaccination.

Cost of visit to doctor Euro27.

Baby Walker

2009-04-21T01:10:00.000-07:00

Six months three weeks..

2009-04-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting up - albeit a little wobbly and have a cushion in waiting... and I'm eating anything I can get my hands on...

Baptism in France

2009-02-27T09:47:00.001-08:00

There is an interesting article about a Baptism in France on This French Life's site here.

Mum and Toddler Group, Montpellier

2009-02-20T03:07:00.000-08:00

Come over to the PIG - parent and infant group of Montpellier
- we have a new website here.
Meeting on Wednesdays in Castelnau le Lez , just outside Montpellier.

Bad back

2009-02-19T02:11:00.000-08:00

One of the bad sides of a c-section is the bad back afterwards.... (you've lost your stomach muscles to hold everything together...)

I've been trying hard to walk to school to get the big sister, at least twice a day (i.e. nearly 4.5kms a day) to drop a few post baby pounds. But, this has set off some aches in my lower back / pelvis.

The GP gives me a prescription (not needed I find actually) to go to the physiotherapist - you are allowed, free, 10 appointments at the kiné under your maternity cover - so off I go.

If I'm lucky I get a lovely massage and the tens machine, after I've had a hot bag of cherry stones to warm up the muscles placed on my back for 10 mins.
If I'm not so lucky: 10 mins on the bike, then on my back for stomach / leg / breathing movements and then on all fours for arms and legs out in front and behind.

Actually the day after I feel worse than before... so I hope it's doing some good! - the massage is great though! I've just go to remember to hold in my stomach when I walk (not easy!)

Look what I can do: 4.5 months

2009-02-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

4 month check up

2009-02-16T02:08:00.000-08:00

Off to the local GP again for the 4 month check up. Eloise now weighs 6.69kg, is 61cm tall and has a head circumferance of 41cm.

For the last few days she's had pretty dry and spotty skin on her tummy and chest - I've tried a few different creams but nothing seems to work... the doctor says it's ezcema from her having very dry skin - so we are prescribed Dexeryl cream and she suggests that we buy some savon surgras - which I find in the chemist in the form of a tube of gel /soap from Mustela

Within 48hrs all the spots / dry stuff is gone - really pleased... we still have quite a problem with cradle cap which is rather unsightly and now Eloise can manage to get her extra sharp little nails to the back of her head to scratch which is annoying.

During the doctor's visit we also have the third and last of the vaccinations - which I've just had to go and buy from the chemist - and due to the fact that our mutuelle still isn't up to date for Eloise (either blame the mutuelle or husband's company for not getting their act together) I have to pay the 'top up' and will claim it back later... So I know that the cost of the 2 vaccinations are actually Euro85 and I pay Euro29 for this.

I also get a prescription for the weekly vitamin K capsules she's been having since birth. We gave up on the daily clementine flavoured vit c after the first week as she kept 'sicking' them up! (mind you, so did Alicia when she had them 4 years ago!)

We don't have to return to the doctor monthly now, unless there is a problem with Eloise (with Alicia we went to the pediatrician, each month until she was over a year old - which now thinking back, was totally unnecessary and expensive at Euro40 - odd a go)

We do have to have a medical check during her 9th month to continue claiming child benefit money... a reminder is sent for this and a paper for this can be found in the back of the carnet de sante.

The doctor also said we could start feeding Eloise fruit puree now - but I want to hold off a little longer...

Euro27 for the visit to the doctor...

Packing List for the clinique

2009-02-11T00:45:00.000-08:00

I've just added that here.

Baby brain is a myth

2009-02-09T01:51:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure I agree with this:

As I've / still am suffered /ing from this and had it with both pregnancies...

Declaring the birth at the hospital

2009-02-04T02:49:00.000-08:00

If your little one is born ast l'hopital Arnaud de Villeneuve, daddy doesn't have to trail all the way to the mairie in Montpellier city centre.

Arnaud de Villeneuve now has their own guichet naissances-Etat.

Hopefully this will spread to the other cliniques.

Getting the passport

2009-02-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

The British Embassy in Paris' website is here.

Well, this is no mean feat...

Enclose also the British mother's or father's birth certificate and the child's French birth certificate.
Download and print off form C2 for a baby born outside of the UK
Then read the umpteen notes about how to take a good photo of your baby for your biometric passport (this is where the fun begins:)

Your baby must have a neutral expression with mouth closed:
no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows.. oh yes and no dummies.
Nobody else holding her and no toys.

OK, I can take the photos - lying her down on the
bed on a white sheet and taking the photo from above
- then I can print it on my Epsom picturemate printer.

Ah no, they say they prefer them to be professionally printed...hmm
and I can't trim my photo to the 45mm high and 35mm wide.

No wonder I've been putting this off for so long...
see you next year at this rate.

Bumbo

2009-01-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

Eloise is 4 months old - and here is her new Bumbo - nobody mention the weebles...

Registering the baby's birth in France

2009-01-28T06:11:00.001-08:00

The birth has to be registered within 3 days and by a person who was present at the birth.

It's done at the mairie in the commune in which you've given birth. i.e. Montpellier mairie for me.

Immediately after the birth - you are given a small piece of paper by the mid-wife, they also attach what you are required to provide paperwork-wise, but generally this is:

the full name of the baby at the time of birth
the date and place of birth
father's full name
mother's full name, including maiden name

You can also find this information on the Mairie website here.

Angloinfo has good information on this too.

CAF apology

2009-01-19T02:50:00.000-08:00

So we've just received an email from the CAF about the letter they sent to us in error... arrgggh.

CAF Cock up again...

2009-01-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

So having finally sorted out my child benefit (for having 2 or more kids) and PAJE (for looking after Eloise until she's three) - the CAF asked just before Christmas for my pay slip for November and daddy's pay slip too.

I photocopied them within 2 days of the letter arriving, attached a copy of their letter as requested and then walked around to their office and popped it into the letterbox.

We have just received a letter from them dated 3rd January saying that as we didn't send the papers they requested (they didn't say which papers?) our child benefit and PAJE would be cancelled.

I checked online on their site - on 29th December (funny it takes 7 days to make it from their post box to someone's desk, ok, ok I know it was Christmas) they said they received some papers from us and they were being studied and on 5th January our normal monies were paid to us.

I've twice tried to call them since - once their phone system was broken and once it was after 4pm and they close then... arggggh.

Thing is, do we have a problem now or not? - as we have received monies due, dated after their letter... soooo frustrating.

Eloise's First Rugby Match

2009-01-16T04:57:00.000-08:00

Montpellier played against Northampton last night - kick off 2045hrs - and with Eloise being breastfed and fed on demand - there was nothing for it, but for her to come along with me.

I carried her in my kangaroo carrier and under my poncho - she was lovely and warm - half the time with eyes wide open and the rest totally asleep. You have to get a ticket for her to be allowed entry to the match - under 3's are free.

The atmosphere is great and kiddy's are totally safe there.

www.montpellier-rugby.com

Baby Bliss

2009-01-15T02:50:00.000-08:00

We found this book on calming down an unsettled baby really good...

Another update

2009-01-14T00:49:00.000-08:00

I've been back and updated more from the day of the birth.

Sleeping Bear

2009-01-11T03:05:00.000-08:00

When Alicia was born, as a present I asked for one of these... she never really took to it, I used it in the hospital for that week, but after that we gave up... but Eloise adores it - it works just great, just like magic

It's a bear with a pack inside it, working with batteries, producing 'womb music' - the noise the baby hears inside you - or you can click it onto plinky plonky classical music... it comes on automatically when it is moved or hears the baby crying and plays for 5 minutes or more then switches itself off.... generally we end up just giving the bear a quick poke in the night if she's stirring and threatening to wake up - hence his name 'Poke' the Bear. You can buy them in places like Toys R Us. I have seen quite a few in Depot Ventes quite cheaply priced.

Breastfeeding

2009-01-10T03:47:00.000-08:00

I breastfed Alicia and now breastfeed Eloise - it's easy - no sterilising, no getting in the middle of the night to warm bottles - when you go out you don't have to think about anything... other than a spare nappy.

I'm not saying the first few days or weeks might be a bit uncomfortable - both you and your baby need to learn what to do here... but it's really worth it - Alicia has never had antibiotics and is quite a healthy kid.

This Tuesday we went along to the La Leche League meeting in nearby Gallargues-le-Montueux: it's monthly, starting at 0930hrs (dates of meetings are on their site above.) and it's a good chance to exchange tips on feeding and babies... you also get to make some friends. Juanita who helps runs the group is Canadian and speaks English. They also offer a SOS telephone service and you can also pick up tips and help in English on their site too.

After the Birth

2009-01-10T02:54:00.000-08:00

Have just gone back and posted Recovery Room after the Birth - 29th September.

Medical Charges in France

2009-01-10T02:07:00.000-08:00

If you go to the www.ameli.fr website - you can look up a doctor in a particular area (city or expertise) and then once you have found one you can click on their name and look if they accept the carte vitale, which level of conventionnee they are (i.e. some doctors charge more than others and only a certain amount is refunded by the CPAM / Mutuelle) - the system also will tell you how much of that charge will be refunded.

L'Occitane's Mum and Baby

2009-01-09T01:48:00.000-08:00

We got this cream for Christmas - it's gorgeous - very light and smells divine.

3 month checkup

2009-01-08T01:44:00.000-08:00

Back to the normal GP in the village - it's Eloise's three month check. She's measured,: she's 59cms (bang on average) and now weighs 6.1kgs (a little bigger than average) and the page in her carnet de sante is filled in. She's given a quick once over to check she's OK.

She has two lots of injections (one on each cheek of her bum poor thing.) and she screams the place down, yes again. Her big sister, Alicia seems to be in greater pain than Eloise watching this - I have the most rotten cold and think I'm going to die too.

This visit is 100pc paid for by the CPAM - the Euro27 I pay the doctor will be refunded via the carte vitale.

The C-Section

2009-01-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

I've just been back to the 29th September and written up about the c-section.

Teething

2009-01-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Eloise had an amber necklace as one of her christmas presents - they are meant to help with pain and are well known to help with teething troubles. Have a look at one here.

New Post - Rooms in the Clinique

2008-12-27T04:24:00.000-08:00

A new post about the clinique and it's rooms is here.

My First Christmas - and the doudou

2008-12-25T03:21:00.000-08:00

This is me with my French grandad - aged 12 and a half weeks (me that is, not grandad).

What you need to know about having a baby in France - especially for birth presents and Christmas presents, is about the doudou... or comforter... or lovey in English. They come in all shapes and sizes and in dozens.....

An example: from http://www.doudou-shop.com/

There are even sites if you lose yours..... http://www.misterdoudou.fr/ so you can buy the exact same one again.... anyway, just to say, we are not short of doudous!

Eloise Talking - 11 weeks

2008-12-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Cradle Cap

2008-12-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

We had to go to the doctor yesterday as my 4 yr old Alicia has an awful cough - while I was there I pointed out Eloise's cradle cap - which is croute de lait in French.

Although I had been rubbing in some special cream for the job bought from the chemist, the doctor advised just to use sweet almond oil and then to wash off normally....

Tens Machine

2008-12-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

I see on the previous post that they've translated Tens Machine (to Tens Machine in fact).

For my first pregnancy I went onto the internet and bought for something like GBP50 a LADY TENS from Babycare Tens - which I found to be really good for pain relief and it worked well. However, 4 years ago, not one of the doctors or midwives in the clinique knew what it was - I wasn't asked to take it off for monitoring or anything - but everybody asked about it.

After an injured shoulder I was prescribed a visit or 6 to the physiotherapist, and there she had a tens machine...

For my recent birth, in the clinique I saw they had birthing balls - big blow up balls you can buy in Decathlon or another sports shop they usually use for Yoga or Pilates etc.. they weren't there 4 years ago either.

French Medical Terms

2008-12-18T12:18:00.001-08:00

Will work on this more, but here are some to be going on with...

Reproductive System
penis - le pénis
testicles - le testicule
sperm - le spermatozoide
breasts - les seins
vagina - le vagin
uterus - l'utérus
menstruation - les règles
fallopian tube - la trompe de Fallope
pregnancy - la grossesse
egg - l'ovule
Signs and Symptoms
infertility - la stérilité
loss of erection - les problèmes d'érection
discharge - l'émission

Giving Birth
Induced labour - accouchement provoqué
waters broken - perte des eaux
placenta - placenta
episiotomy - épisiothomie
epidural - épidurale
Tens machine - Tens machine
cervix - col de l'utérus

The above are from this site

Also this site is a medical dictionary.

11 weeks Old with her Big Sister (4 yrs)

2008-12-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

9 weeks old

2008-12-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Still going back and updating the days I've missed - I promise.

Today though, we go to the normal GP in the village - for Eloise's two month check. She's measured,: she's 57cms and now weighs 5.5kgs and the page in her carnet de sante is filled in. Her hips are checked and she is put onto her tummy to see if she pushes up with her hands and holds her head up.

She has two lots of injections (one on each cheek of her bum poor thing.) and she screams the place down. This visit is 100pc paid for by the CPAM - the Euro27 I pay the doctor will be refunded via the carte vitale.

Poncho for Baby Wearing

2008-11-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

Can't for the life of me remember where I ordered this from now - another internet buy - but I've got this great polaire / fleece poncho which has a hole in the front / back for the baby's head when you have him / her in a carrying sling - have already used it loads...

Baby Wearing

2008-11-26T05:15:00.000-08:00

My old carrying sling had all the weight just on one shoulder - it just killed my back.. although I loved the ease of being able to go out (markets for example) without having to manoeuvre the pushchair...

So I bought this Tricotti Sling - it's easy to put on, no rings or knots and it's stretchy and looks smart - really pleased with it.

I bought it from Natiloo - really quick delivery...

That Nappy Mountain

2008-11-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

I finally made the decision - I've been out and bought 18 Bumgenius V3 washable nappies - one size from tiny to potty training.

The initial cash layout (Euro22 each) put me off to be honest - and the thought that I might decide I can't be bothered to wash them too... but they are great and quite easy to dry.

In fact when I went out to Montpellier for the day the other day, I thought that disposables might be easier - but they felt so sweaty and squeaky and uncomfortable, I really actually prefer the Bumgenius ones - I'm really glad I did it. The only drawback I've found is that they are enormous on Eloise's bum...

I bought them from Bebe au Naturel - really quick and efficient delivery...

8 weeks old

2008-11-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

Eloise is 8 weeks old today.

Having just about caught up with myself and some things that have been festering in my inbox - I'm going to be coming back and updating the few last weeks.

Friday - Going Home

2008-10-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

I wait for the gyne this morning - I want him to let me go home today - usually it's the 6th day - i.e. tomorrow - but really I think I'll be more comfortable at home now. And luckily he is happy for me to go.

Baby has gained record weight and I'm toddling around fine. I have to make a couple of calls to make sure the pediatrician comes to sign out Eloise too - she needs to have an obligatory form filled out for the 8th day medical test.

The pediatrician turns up at 1130hrs - I'm in the toilet and she knocks on the door saying 'come out now - you are the last on my list and if you want to go home today, she need to do this now' - she actually saying all this in humour and she's nice - just a very dry sense of humour.

I then miss daddy at work - otherwise we could have been out of here by 1pm. In the end with work and car & tram journeys (him not us) we leave the hospital with a huge prescription at 5.30pm - and go home via the pharmacy. It's so good to sit on the comfy sofa... and Eloise goes straight into her nid d'ange quilt.

I forgot to mention on previous posts, that I had an injection each each for phlebis in my thigh - deep vein thrombosis I suppose. They don't make you wear stockings here during the c-section.

Yes all out of order

2008-10-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

So, yes I've missed a day out somewhere here.

So the mummy with all the visitors and the energy moved out to her single room on Thursday afternoon (she must have actually arrived the day before I remember) - thank goodness.

I'm hoping to go home tomorrow (Friday 3rd) so hopefully I'll keep the room to myself (I can't cope with a 3rd crashing / banging cleaning in the afternoon again.)

So 3am another mummy to be arrives - her waters have broken and she's put into bed as she's not started her contractions - they come in very quietly, she takes off her clothes and gets into bed and daddy goes back home - really they were so quiet you wouldn't have known they were there...

Thursday Awful Day

2008-10-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

I wait until 7am to call Daddy to tell him all about the glare and the awful night I'd just had. He's so asleep that after I've spoken to him he puts down the phone badly so it remains engaged all morning and I can't ring him - I try something like 20 times over the morning - getting more and more frustrated and upset - I've been without the drugs in the drip for a few hours now and I remember this day from the last birth 4 years ago - it's a big plummet for me and I spent most of the morning in tears as I can't speak to my husband - and frightened from the night before - I eventually get my mother in law on her mobile when she's switched it on - I blubber away and then shout at my husband over the phone problem.

The girl in the bed next to me has also requested a single room - and her 12, yes 12 visitors this afternoon - all using their mobile phones at one time or another - all say how digusting it is that she has to share her room... I have to say I keep thinking that with the fact she's been up all night - and that the baby has slept all day, she's going to have problems tonight ... and she does.

Her baby wakes at midnight (I've put Eloise in the nursery as I need to sleep and I'm concerned if we have the glare incident again I won't hear her) her baby can't / won't feed (she's trying to breast feed) and there has been a record number of babies born in the clinique today and there aren't enough staff for someone to sit with her and help her - her baby screams blue murder and she's exhausted and in tears - don't get me wrong the staff are fabulous and very helpful but today is very busy... at 4am they are taken in to the nursery and the baby is given a supplement. Anyway, not too much sleep tonight... again. The moral of this story is, turn off your mobile phone and don't have so many visitors in the first couple of days... you need to rest.

Eloise is returned to me for boob at about 3am - I'm so pleased to have her back with me...

Anyway, this afternoon I've had a proper shower (after having my sticking plaster on my stomach taken off and it's sprayed with something) and this afternoon I feel much better.

Yes I know it's all a bit back to front - but my nerves were totally jangled today.

No Drip

2008-10-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

The morning rush hour starts again this morning - the same round as yesterday - but with me washing myself generally - with a flannel all over and then with my head under the shower and feel so much better for it.... and much freer now the drip is taken out.

The girl in the next bed has now got a new room and she's moved at lunchtime. Alicia is really tired so that she doesn't make the trip to see me today with granny - I understand why but it does bring tears to my eyes.

.. You'll also have to bear with me here too - the days/ drugs / lack of sleep have blurred my memory a little, so if any of this is out of order... well... in fact, this could have happened yesterday... just not sure now.

Anyway, after the moving out of the girl next door - the cleaners come in (actually they come in quietly each morning and give the whole place a clean out) but when someone moves out it's a good going over... the noise in the middle of my supposed afternoon nap, you wouldn't believe... I found it so stressful... crashing around... awful. I now start to wish I'd requested a single room.

All normal until 3am when a young couple arrive with their new baby which had been born at midnight. They come in together and spend the next two hours texting the world and it's mother... beep beep beep... and they are so excited.. the baby is just fast asleep... The mother was moving around like she hadn't just given birth.

Suddenly, just after a feed, Eloise is just full of mucus (glare they call it in French) and she can't breathe - luckily the midwife is in the room seeing to the newcomers... and shakes and rubs Eloise a bit and then wraps her in a blanket and runs off to the nursery with her to have all the glare sucked out with a machine - this is so frightening... I'm just stuck in bed for the next 25 minutes - in the middle of the night - she she's bought back to me.. and all is well. I was so shocked.. and seriously lacking sleep.

The Day After

2008-09-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

The night wasn't so bad - there is a light on at all times - if one baby isn't feeding the other is... but generally quite good sleepwise.

The mornings at the clinique are just non-stop. The rooms become just like Clapham Junction station with the number of people in and out.

Breakfast arrives around 8am - swiftly followed by a visit from the gyne who looks at my scar - and kneads my tummy (not comfortable at all.) - I'm starting to get awful pains in my uterus when I feed the baby - these are called tranche in French - it's generally the uterus going back to shape - but they are truly painful and I'm given pain killers, but still am wincing each time we feed just for the first 15 seconds or so. (Funny, I don't remember these pains the last time).

Then the physiotherapist arrives (kine in French) she was the same one as last time, and I truly dreaded her this time - she was horrid before - rather like a sargent major barking orders and making nasty comments about my lack of French (well, lady, you wouldn't speak much French after 31 hours in labour and a c- section either (last time that is.)). She does not catch a breath between instructions and if your French isn't up to scratch, you've had it mate. Thank goodness she seemed nicer this time and not all the staff are like her... so after exercises on my ankles and legs and being taught how to get out of bed... the ladies arrive to help wash me.

They wash your nether regions the first day for you ... then get you out of bed and put you in a chair to wash the rest of you - then bring you your wash bag to do your teeth and hair and you start to feel human - along with a change of nightie.

Eloise wasn't bathed yesterday - this was a change of plan since Alicia was born 4 years ago (she had a bath immediately she was born) Today the nurse comes and takes Eloise's temperature, takes a look at her chart and weighs her and washes her hair - they don't don't like to bath them now as they like to conserve the covering on the skin and also not to lower their body temperature when they are so little.

Still on the regime leger (they promise proper food for 4 o'clock gouter) for lunch... and then daddy comes to see us and Benoit my boss (who poor chap didn't get good conversation as we were all so zonked!) drops by. Then French granny and Alicia come to say hello for an hour.

The lady in the next bed to me had asked for a single room on entry but they were all full - she asks again today... but still nothing. EVERYBODY who visits her asks about this single room situation (yes I can hear every word - no choice really) and says how disgusting and disagreeable it is having to share a room... (what am I? chopped meat, I'm thinking to myself...) It does make me feel rather uncomfortable.

And my catheter is driving me crackers... and eventually it's taken out and walks to the toilet are rather painful and annoying having to take the drip on it's wobbly wheely holder. They do accompany you the first time and you are on your own after that. There is an emergency button in the bathroom if you need someone...

Rooms in the Clinique

2008-09-30T03:47:00.000-07:00

Just to explain a little about the clinique. You have a choice of rooms (Room charges are here.) - either you share with one other mum or you have a single room with a camping bed, or a room with two beds - either single room daddy can stop over with you. You can also book meals for daddy at an additional charge.

Visiting times at the Clinique St Roch are from mid-day until 9pm. Only 2 visitors at a time allowed (they are very lax about this though). TV and private phone lines can also be rented at reasonable prices (phone line Euro4 a day, plus calls) - the TV in our room hadn't been switched off after the previous occupant. Nobody seems to turn off their mobile phones either... patients or visitors (although signs are everywhere requesting this.)

At the door there is a cleaning solution for people to wash their hands. There is a double door to ensure privacy and quiet.

View from my room

I had a shared room (the last time I had a lovely mum in with me who gave birth the day before me and I learned a lot from watching her and knowing what to expect to happen to me the next day.) If I were to do all this again I would think about this again - more later....

The room has a private bathroom with toilet, small shower with curtain and a sink. At the window side of the room, there was a changing table, cupboards and drawers and a deep baby bath for each mummy / baby - the windows have a sun blind and shutters and we were full on south facing - so it was beautifully sunny and hot - the rooms have also got heating and air conditioning and an additional heater over the baby bath area. There is also a large wardrobe for storeage.

The bedside tables have the phone and switches for the blinds / sunshades / two lots of lights and a call button for the midwife / assistant.

Each day an assistant comes to help you bath the baby and give general advice - they often leave you with the products you need to wash and care for baby, vitamins, bum cream etc.

You need to take your own bottled drinking water with you as well as towels. The gyne will give you a booklet all about the clinique and my midwife gave me a 'virtual tour' before the birth too.

The parking is very difficult - there is a small car park with a gate - which, when it's pretty full is closed and there is a security guard who will only let you in if you are to give birth (or have surgery or something..) The tram is much the best way to get there for visitors - Stade Phillipides for those in Montpellier going to the Clinique St Roch.

The clinique also has a cafeteria - the plat du jour is only Euro5. The reception area has a machine for drinks (hot and cold) and sweets and sandwiches etc.

More coming on the days after the birth...

First Visits

2008-09-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Lifting up Eloise from the cradle with a drip in your arm - not great feeling in your legs and stitches in your belly just isn't funny. And I have to learn to do it, as there won't always be a nurse, midwife or husband at my side for the next 5 days in the clinique. Actually the lifting isn't as bad as the putting down, which seems to put a lot more strain on my poor stomach.

The electric beds are great, takes all the strain out of getting comfortable...

That afternoon French granny brings along the big sister to meet her new baby - Alicia seems more phased at the tubes in my arms and the fact I can't get out of the bed and won't come near me - she is charmed immediately by her little sister though. Presents are exchanged (Alicia gets Lego from her sister and Eloise gets a home-made Doudou.).

Gouter - or 4 o'clock tea time arrives - a cup of tea and 2 biscuits - I'm not allowed any dairy produce - even after I protest I'm English - I need milk in my tea... arrggh... and by the way, I'm starving, when am I coming off this regime leger??

Eloise feeds really well - you fill in a chart at the end of her bed - how many feeds & when her nappy is changed (and what's in it).

During the afternoon the midwife visits me again to massage my stomach to make sure everything is going back into shape - the assistants also come along to wash you 'down there.' I still have the catheter in and drip so no getting out of bed until tomorrow. The catheter is beginning to bother me - I feel like I'm getting cystitis, but the gyne says it's too early to take it out as I can't get to the loo on my own. Oh yes, and the gyne pops back late this evening to make sure all is OK and to check my scar.

I get soup for dinner and some fruit... The clinique also give you a gift of a prettily wrapped basket of fruit too.

Recovery Room after the Birth

2008-09-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I take my book with me to the recovery room - I remember the last time I just couldn't manage to sleep and it was awfully boring there all that time - this time I was just happy to watch people come and go.

On arrival they put blankets over you, stick a heater with a pipe under the blanket and heat you up - quite pleasant really...

A nurse checks me every fifteen minutes asking if I can feel my legs or if I have pain... the time passes quite quickly - I don't know for sure, but I feel I had different drugs this time, I'm much calmer and don't feel in such a rush to get out. The head nurse is very good in reassuring you that you will soon be with your baby.

You get a couple of visits from the mid-wife who comes to feel your stomach and make sure that the uterus is going back to it's normal state - they also check the blood flow. Also, I forgot to mention that you also now have a catheter fitted.

And before you know it you are being wheeled back to the bedroom... where your husband has been sitting with a coffee and a puzzle book for some time... and off he runs to the nursery to fetch the baby back.....and she is delivered along with her carnet de sante and the paper to register her birth at the mairie.

Finally....

2008-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Baby Eloise Niamh arrived today by c-section at 0835hrs. She weighed 3.57kg and is 51cm long. More anon.

D- Day for the C-Section

2008-09-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm woken before 7.30am by a mid-wife bringing in a drip bag stand and the baby monitor - I have to get up straight away and have a shower with the awful yellow stuff again. I change into my dark blue paper nightie with nothing on underneath it and a paper bag for my head. I forgot to mention that last night I was also partially shaved 'down there'.

I have a needle put into my wrist for the drip to be inserted into later and taped into place - this is one of the worst things about the c-section - the drip catches on everything, pulls and is just a pain, well a pain in the wrist for the next few days. Then my husband arrives....

I'm put on the baby monitor for a short while to check baby is well and before I know it, the mid-wife comes to get me - wraps me in a sheet and I walk the few metres to the operating block - where they take off my slippers and put paper slippers on each foot... and we leave my husband there.

I enter the surgery room and am sat on the stainless steel operating table with just a nurse there opening up big paper parcels of surgical instruments. The anaesthetist arrives is very jokey - exactly the same as I remember him 4 years ago. Then there are 2 mid-wives there (I think one was a student) and a young male doctor - By this time I am totally frozen - I've been taken from a sub-tropical bedroom (at least 25C) to what feels like 17C or below... wearing virtually nothing...

They sit me on the edge of the table and I lean against the doctor whilst the epidural is injected into my back (this time it's one injection) - last time as I was in labour and didn't know that a c-section was going to happen the epidural was drip-format that they could top it up. This is uncomfortable but bearable. Before I have chance to put my legs on the table I can't feel below my left knee and I'm helped to lie down. I'm then given a relaxant and a painkiller into my wrist drip. Within minutes I'm numb from the chest down.

The gyne / obstetrician that has followed me throughout this (and the last) pregnancy and birth (also c-section) arrives. My stomach is covered in red stuff and a curtain is pulled up so I can't see what's going on. Then they get to work - within a few minutes my blood pressure drops somewhat and I feel like I'm going to be sick (difficult as I haven't eaten anything..)... I managed to mutter 'vomit' and the anaesthetist makes a witty comment about me hanging onto my haricots and gives me a cardboard bowl - he sees my blood pressure has dropped and gives me some more drugs of somekind.

By this time I feel like I've had 10 gin & tonics and feel very happy indeed. The doctor and my gyne then both push down on my stomach with their full weight, the reason for the c-section is that my baby hasn't descended (no one knows why...) and some strength is needed to push her out... then Eloise arrives - and cries... I get to see her for a quick kiss and she's taken away.

45 minutes of being sewn up (7 layers of disolvable stitches) and idle chatter with the doctors (yes it's a totally bizarre feeling) and listening to Eloise screaming her head off in the room next door (I later find out that she had a lot of mucus in her that they had to suck out). I also ask to see the placenta, which looks just like a large piece of liver....

I'm wheeled out of the surgery and find my husband holding Eloise - they wheel me into a side room (which looks like it's normallyused for storeage) for me to be with Eloise for 10 mins and breast feed her.

As the delivery rooms are all busy, I can't stay with her now - I have to go to the recovery room for 3 hours for monitoring which is really sad but unavoidable.
Eloise goes to the nursery and husband goes back to my bedroom to wait for me. It's not even 0930hrs...

Checking into the Clinique

2008-09-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

We have to check in at the Clinique St Roch by 1730hrs today. We're taken into the office in the reception area where we hand over a copy of my ID, an attestation from the CPAM and a copy of my mutuelle. We requested a few months ago a shared room (I like to chat to another mum when I'm in hospital) and a telephone line - I'm not bothered about having a TV rental. I'm allocated my room number. The lady declared us very easy, as 99pc of people want single rooms and there aren't enough to go around.... The phone line rental is Euro4 a day... plus cost of calls.

Then we are taken to the birthing room, where I have a urine test, a blood test, a visit from the anesthetist and at least 5 forms filled out by the mid-wife.The baby is monitored during all of this.

I'm given a bottle of antiseptic soap and some gauze strips (to wash myself all over tonight and then again tomorrow morning. I have to be up and showered tomorrow by 7.30am. (at this point I become rather confused as she tells me to use the gauze strips to wash myself as my own flannel will become yellow if I use it... at this point I'm worried I'm going to turn yellow all over and does she really mean I have to wash my hair in this stuff?)

Into the room and unpacked by 9pm - and they let me have some dinner.. which I didn't check until too late and then I realise they've given me fish - yuck - so I just eat the veg and pud and then feel absolutely famished all night - especially as I'm very pregnant and feel like I could eat a horse at any moment.

I'm sharing a room with a lady who had her baby boy by c-section that morning.. she's having problems with breast feeding and she's getting lots of help. All for tonight.

Packing List for the clinique

2008-09-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

Taken from the clinique's little book:

For the birthing room:

For you:

A short cotton t-shirt or a pyjama top with short sleeves
Sanitary towels (night time ones)
Paper pants (large size)
Water spray (like Evian or something like that)

For the baby:

A towel and a flannel
A cotton body / vest
A wool cardigan (even in Summer)
Pyjamas
Socks
Nappy
A blanket to wrap him / her in (I added this after they wrapped Alicia in a towel to meet me for the first time...)

For your stay:

Your wash bag with gynecological soap
Towels and a flannel
Slippers
Nightie or Pyjamas
Dressing gown
Sanitary towels
Paper pants
Hairdryer
Bottled water (I added this, as they do sell it in the vending machines, but it's very expensive.)

For breastfeeding mums:

Clothes that open at the front
Cream for your nipples (order some Lansinoh from the chemist - expensive but worth it)
Breastfeeding bra
Breast Pads to go into your bra in case of leaks

For the baby:

A towel for each day
A cotton body/ vest for each day
A wood Cardi for each day
Pyjamas for each day
Socks for each day
Nappies
A sleeping bag (they supply sheets and blankets which I preferred to use, as if baby throws up during your stay on your one (or two sleeping bags) you can't wash it - they do replace their sheets anytime you ask them though.

False Alarm?

2008-09-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

OK, last night was another night of contractions... I slept for 4 hours in total I think.

We wait until Alicia's gone to school and drive off to the clinique - I'm having a c-section so what's the point of contractions we think....

45 mins of more monitoring - 5 contractions after 8 contractions in the car enroute to the hospital (half an hour's drive) and they tell me that the contractions aren't strong enough and to go home.... and here's a suppository to calm things down a bit (this is specifically emphasised as I'm English and they are not sure that I would know what to do with a suppository....) It's nice to see that the mid-wife and receptionist yesterday and the mid-wife (male and called Lionel) today are the same ones that were there 4 years ago with Alicia...

Tonight no contractions at all in bed - just a few on the sofa after dinner.

Monitoring...

2008-09-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

So the in-laws arrived last night - I had 4 or 5 contractions between dinner time and bed time... and then woke to have contractions every 5 minutes from 2am to 3am and then a very achy belly this morning.

My appointment with the mid-wife is at 2.30pm - we arrive late as we've been buying clothes for Alicia and got delayed... then baby decides (whilst the monitor is on my stomach) to jump around loads and I have 5 contractions in half an hour's monitoring.... the mid-wife decides to send me downstairs 2 floors to talk to the gyne... then calls first. He is very busy and tells her to do an internal exam. By this time we've sent grandad home to collect Alicia from school....

Nothing has moved and baby is still high - if the pains get worse or I get more contractions I'm straight into the clinique.... any-which-way, apparantly I won't be waiting until next Monday for the c-section.... arrgggh.

Last Visit to Gyne?

2008-09-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

My final visit to the gyne today - we think.

He does an internal examination, checks my blood pressure which is normally 11 and today is 13.5! and measures my stomach - pronouncing that it's going to be a beau baby!

He ponders about a 'radio' / x-ray on my pelvis while he is considering whether to do a c-section (like last time as the baby is 'too high') .... but then we go and have another scan. The baby already weighs 3.5kgs (7lbs 7) and he reckons that at the birth she will weigh 3.8kgs (8lbs 4 oz - 'eck it's an elephant not a baby...) at this point he says it's not worth even doing the radio as she is so big - and then comments that a big stomach means a big baby... you saying I'm fat???

So we are booked in for a c-section at 8am on 29th September - going into the clinique at 1730hrs on 28th September and the grandparents have been booked to come down... that is, unless I got pop beforehand.

I've also been booked in for a 'monitoring' on 22nd September at the sage femme in the Polygone.

Euro45 for the visit.

Final Lab Visit

2008-09-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

Today is our final visit (we hope) to the lab for 6 (yes 6!) vials of blood to be taken out of my arm ... a kind of smear test for Strep B and a urine test.

Test results take a little longer - I have to go back Saturday to get them.

The smear test is to avoid the infection that babies can get when in the birth canal during birth.

Next appointment is Monday to find out if we need a c-section or not now.

Epidural checkup

2008-08-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

Off to the Clinique St Roch today in the middle of Montpellier for my appointment to see the anaesthetist about the epidural.

I got off the tram at the Stade Phillipides - got totally lost with only 5 mins before my appointment was due... I'm waddling and Alicia says she's tired.

After going to the wrong department (and even taking a ticket - it was here last time I was here 4 years ago...) I was redirected and then got signed in very quickly - waited only 5 minutes and was called in before anybody else in the waiting room. The doctor was extremely tanned - wearing scrubs and had a St Christopher around his neck... he asked Alicia her name and introduced himself as Christian. After reading my notes, he took my blood pressure and asked my weight before pregnancy and today and asked if I smoked. He didn't even look at my back. I was out in 5 minutes.

Euro28 thank you very much. They didn't accept carte vitales ... so another brown form.
... and a form to fill in for my husband in case I need someone to switch off the life support machine.

And the big news - I finished packing the hospital bag - after a visit to Kiabi to buy nighties and nursing bras.

Baby Has Hiccups

2008-08-27T02:56:00.001-07:00

I'd forgotten all about this - baby's been having hiccups for about a week now... Alicia had them all the time... even after she was born... so it seems awfully late for new baby to get them now...

That dratted carte vitale

2008-08-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

So yesterday, new card in hand, we went to the doctor's for Alicia's yearly school medical certificate - to find that she isn't registered on my card - arrggghhh! So, do we just use daddy's card each time or try and get her added on mine? I'm losing the will to live here...

Anyway, the medical consisted of weight / height / listening to her heart / checking her spine and looking in her ears - Euro25 thank you very much (refunded by the CPAM and mutuelle of course, but even so....) You also need a medical certificate if she has swimming lessons or ballet or anything like that too... so make sure you think about that before you leave the doctor's office.

I'm really fat now

2008-08-24T13:25:00.001-07:00

Just so's you know...

Carte Vitale

2008-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

My new carte vitale (complete with photo) arrives in the post - youpi!

Regular Gyne appointment

2008-08-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Into Montpellier today for my gyne appointment - 34 weeks..

The baby is a good weight - I've only gained 1 kilo since the last RDV. The baby is apparently very high and he doesn't think it's going to come out on it's own!

We have another appointment on 15th September to make a decision about whether to let nature take it's course or book a c-section in... depending on the weight and position of the baby. The c-section would be booked for the last week in September - i.e. a week before the normal due date of 5th October, so the baby doesn't get too big.

29th August I'm off to the clinique for the epidural appointment and have a prescription to go to the lab (after 5th September) for more toxoplasmosis tests and a vaginal swab to test for Strep B for the birth.

I asked why the baby wasn't decending as normal (same thing happened with baby no 1) - he said during the last c-section he noticed no malformation of my uterus and it's just one of those things.

Euro45 for the appointment.

Yet More from the CPAM

2008-08-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

So we've got a letter from the CPAM to do with my conge maternite payments... they now want my attestation de salaire as at 25th August (my last day of work) and the last year's worth of salary slips...

The bit of paper they've sent me actually says attestation de salaire on it... is it that they want back? and it's signed by my boss already...

There are spaces on it for my signature and that of the daddy for the conge paternite... it's all as clear as mud really... just waiting for my boss to get back to me and hopefully he can explain it all...

Have just started to pack my bag for the hospital!

Third Scan at the Gyne

2008-08-08T02:24:00.000-07:00

We have an appointment today with the stand-in gyne (it's August - EVERYBODY IS ON HOLIDAY) at 0930hrs - we turn up early at 0915hrs - 2 minutes in the waiting room and we're straight in.

A 15 minutes scan and baby is well and is a good weight etc for 33/34 weeks - he asks if we are definitely booked in for another c-section - I said my normal gyne said he didn't know if it would be a normal birth or not. It looks like we are going to have an x-ray of my pelvis done next time.

Then I'm weighed and given a quick internal examination - Euro90 later and we're out of the office before 0945hrs!

Next appointment 22 August, with the appointment at the hospital to check for the epidural on 29th August.

A baby-moon

2008-08-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Pregnant and want a getaway- look what I've just found:

http://www.baby-moon.eu/villagallici.html

Prime de Naissance

2008-08-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

So yesterday we receive Euro813.00 in our account and checked on the CAF site with our allocation number and password - they have deducted Euro50 off of us as we have been overpaid aide logement (in fact they haven't caught up with the paperwork yet and they reckon they have overpaid us Euro213 as we moved house) and that we have Euro2.81 to repay still - so the figures just don't add up. I'm just going to say nothing for the moment and sit by the letterbox.

At least they have acknowledged that they have all the paperwork received and the dossier was 'treated' yesterday.

Bought a pushchair from www.ebay.fr with carrycot and car seat second hand at the weekend - I reckon new it would have been worth Euro600 and I got it for Euro123 - so quite a bargain! We do have to drive 1.5 hours to Marseilles to get it this week though.

Prime de Naissance

2008-07-31T23:56:00.000-07:00

A letter arrives from the Caisse Allocations Familiales today - saying that our prime de naissance of Euro864.79 will be in our bank account at the beginning of August. (time to buy that pram?)

This is a set amount for people who earn less than something like Euro44,000 a year as a couple.

Packing that bag

2008-07-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, it may seem early (I'm 31 weeks now) but I've dug out all those babyclothes and washed them... and bought a packet of nappies and bum wipes...

Daddy has installed shelves in the wardrobe for those little clothes to go in now...

CPAM yet again...

2008-07-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

So today it's a letter from the Caisse Maladie asking for a photo for my new carte vitale (this is a new thing and the chemist in the village already warned me this would happen...) and they also want a copy of my ID to compare it with...

I dig around and find an old-ish photo that would do - can't face a trek out in this heat (29c) to spend €4 in a photo booth...

More from CPAM

2008-07-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Today we receive an attestation to say that again, I am actually covered 100pc by the Caisse Maladie until 12 days after the birth.... youpi, French paperwork, we are getting there... nothing about my new carte vitale though.

CPAM

2008-07-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

So today we receive a huge envelope from the Caisse Maladie - with my new married name, new social security number and new address - aha - we're getting somewhere then.

It was actually a letter saying thank you for the declaration de grossesse that I sent back when I was something like 12 weeks pregnant - along with 2 booklets on how to stop smoking, one on how to avoid domestic accidents with my new baby and a larger one of 'everything to do with having a child up to 3 years old'.

Village House 15 mins from Beach

2008-07-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

A small amount of advertising: My house for sale near Montpellier only Euro85,000.

http://marsillargues-maison.blogspot.com/

Moving house paperwork nightmares

2008-07-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

After letting the www.caf.fr and the Caisse Maladie know that we have moved house - we get the surprises in the post.

The Caisse Allocations Familiale give you child benefit money / money towards your rent or mortgage if you are on a low income and a prime de naissance 2 months before you are due to give birth - so it's good to keep in with them. On discovering we'd moved house they decided we obviously didn't need more money so we got a letter saying please send back the last Euro213 we sent you - no explanation no nothing... so down to the CAF I traipse and come back with 5 sheets of paper to fill in with our present family situation and 2 bits of paper for the mortgage bank to fill in about our house - so it does look like we can have a little money still - watch this space.

The CPAM Maladie people just sent us an attestation saying that hubby and kiddy number 1 are still valid for their medical insurance, but I am 'a justifier' - bizarre as we've done nothing but move house (oh yes and I married him too). I also find out that the chip in my green carte vitale has died too and needs looking at (probably overwork).

To date I've been covered under my husband to be's (now husband's) social security number just because I live with him - I have been salaried since January 2007 but never changed over my medical insurance to my own - I just never thought it would make a difference... UNTIL you need to claim conge maternite money ... (maternity benefit).

So I need now to get the following papers together:

My Carte vitale
My attestation de droit (from the green borne in the CPAM office?)
Livret de famille (marriage certificate with kids born on it)
Carte de sejour (or passport)
Demande de rattachement a la CPAM (a form they've given me to fill in)
A medicine traitant form to register with a doctor (I've done this before but seems I have to do it again...)
First and last wage slips
The obligatory EDF electric bill (proof of address - I swear you could travel the world on one of these...)
A RIB (direct debit form from the bank)
.. And a partridge in a pear tree!

Gyne at 28 weeks

2008-07-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

Just a routine appointment at the gyne in Montpellier today... especially as usual on check in they tell me that the doctor is running behind and 3 people are in front of me... ho hum.

Weight / blood pressure/ internal examination etc all fine - I also got an attestation medicale to give to my work's accountant to prove I'm pregnant - all it says is my name, address and estimated date of conception (ooh err) and birth.

I got an appointment for my third big and final scan for 8th August and another routine gyne appointment for 22nd August.

Euro45 thank you very much....

Epidural and Clinique

2008-06-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Today I finally get around to filling in the form to book my space at the clinic. Details they want include:

My name, and contact details, date of birth and so on. As well as my profession and employer.
My social security number.
My Mutuelle details.
Name of my GP
Name of my gyne / Obst.
Next of kin details
and finally whether I want a standard double room to share with bathroom - or a single room with a put-you-up bed for Euro57/ day extra - or a double comfort room with 2 beds (daddy can sleep over) for Euro65 / day extra.

I also call and make an appointment for the end of August for my epidural check up - generally they ask questions on your health and look at your spine....

Routine Gyne appointment

2008-06-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just a normal appointment today for a once over. All is well - he checks the cervix, measures my belly, weighs me (I've gained 5 kilos and he doesn't complain...) and checks my boobs. No problems at all.

I come away with a prescription for another toxoplasmosis test and some iron supplements for my feeble blood count.

Back there in a month - Euro45 for today.

The BIG Scan

2008-06-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

OK, We're at 23 weeks and 6 days now and it's the day of the big scan - it's usually today you find out what sex the baby is... but because of the amnio we know that already - a girl.

After more than an hours wait - we get into see the doctor - the same chap that did the scan when I had the amnio. The huge screen on the wall just brought to mind a cinema... the technology was amazing. The first 5 minutes the usual skeleton and hazy cloudy patches and then he pressed a button and we got a 4D image - I gasped - it was amazing to see a real live proper looking baby on the screen and the doctor thought I thought I thought it was horrible and felt ill.

I asked what a piece of body was... and he told me to only look at the pretty bits (apparantly it was the uterus wall I was looking at - I didn't feel squeamish at all in fact... it was just so fascinating.)

We even saw the baby eye lens... checked all the mouth / fingers / toes / brain / heart / lungs / stomach / thorax... absolutely everything. We'd brought along a CDRom and got photos and video of everything.

Absolutely amazing - not to be missed and a snip at Euro130 compared to UK prices!

Test Results

2008-05-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

I finally get myself around to the lab to pick up the diabetes results - all is well - my blood count is a little low (normal, heck I'm pregnant - but otherwise very well.

Diabetes test

2008-05-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

Off to the laboratory in my village for my tests today - no food allowed before the tests.

I take along my little bottle of urine - and then do a blood test straight away... I'm then given a drink that looks somewhere between Lucozade and Red Bull - and doesn't taste that great either... I'm then told to rest in the lab waiting room for 2 hours and I'm given another blood test. All I can say is bleuh....

Results to come in the post.

My next gyne appointment - 19 weeks

2008-05-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just a normal check up. All is well - he says I've only gained 2 kilos - I think his scales are broke!

I come away with a prescription to go to the lab. for a diabetes test (more on that later) and a toxoplasmosis test.

I also get a prescription for my 2nd and big scan to be taken at the end May / Beg June, I have to go to an expert scanning chappy (the same guy that did the scan when I had my amnio) ..... a bit of paper for me to book an appointment to have a check up for an epidural for the end of August.... and a bit of paper to book me into the clinique... phew!

Euro45 and I'm back home smartish as we are moving home today - I wouldn't have booked a gyne appointment for today normally, but the doctor was off sick on Monday and I got my appointment changed...

Finally... amnio

2008-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

So I call the gyne for the third time - the receptionist tells me that all is fine... no worries.

Still no result

2008-04-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

Still no call from the gyne with my amnio results... so we called him this afternoon to check... but nothing back from the lab yet. I just want to put my mind at rest.

The Amnio...

2008-04-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Up at 6am to leave home at 7am (the clinique is awful to get to at rush hour and we can't very well go on the tram today) - the journey finally only takes 35 mins and thankfully we are allowed to park in the clinique's car park.

We are told to be there at 8am for our 8.15am appointment - 15 minutes to queue and do the paperwork. The ask for an attestation from the CPAM (no one told us to take one...) then she saw my carte vitale and said it would be OK... but then the carte vitale wasn't up to date. My husband runs downstairs to the 'borne' to update it - he then runs 4 flights upstairs again (he didn't want to wait for the lift) and we find the bloomin' machine didn't update it.. she promises to hold the papers as long as we bring in an attestation within the week.... She takes a signed authorisation form to saw we agree to the procedure - then Euro50 from us and another CPAM brown form for the actual lab. work required (no idea how much that is) and the carte vitale is to pay for our day room for after the procedure.

We then go back down 4 flights in the lift to the radiology department and are called within a couple of minutes. My husband isn't allowed into the room (apparently too many husbands faint) - my gyne is there and and the radiologist who will scan my tummy at all times.

To cut a long story short - it is over in minutes - it sounds an awful procedure but even without any pain relief - I can actually say it was more painful to have an injection in your arm... it really wasn't that bad.

Then I find that my legs have turned to jelly and I can hardly waddle to the waiting room again. 2 minutes later we are taken in the lift to the day rooms on the 4th floor for our 2 hours of lying down and a cup of tea and a baguette and jam breakfast.

Enroute in the lift with my husband, a nurse and a porter - I burst into tears and then continued to cry for another hour... all the stress of waiting for it I suppose.. but really in the end it wasn't so bad.

Somebody comes into the bed next to me... and then she bursts into tears... obviously it's catching...

We're told by the gyne that I'm meant to do absolutely nothing for 48 hrs... sounds bliss. The gyne will call me in 10 days with the results.

Back to the gyne on 5th May for a routine check up

Preparing for my Amnio - 16 weeks

2008-04-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

As I'm the grand old age of 40 (41 when number 2 arrives) I am automatically put forward for an amnio (I can say no if I want to...)... it's the same for anyone over 38yrs in France.

So today we have an appointment at the gyne for a scan to see if there is enough water around the baby for the amnio.

All is well - we even find out that baby will be a girl! So we're on for tomorrow's amnio at the clinique in the middle of Montpellier.

Euro45.00 for the gyne visit.

Homeopathy

2008-03-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thoroughly fed up of indigestion, and generally wishing I could have Gaviscon on drip - I visited a local pharmacy who specialise in homeopathy.

I came away with Ipeca 7ch (for nausea) and Nux Vomica 9ch (for indigestion) - those along with the obligatory 24 sachets of Gaviscon came to Euro6.70.

I have also overdosed on bifidus actif yogurts and those tiny little yogurt drinks.. and think something actually might be working... finally.

First Proper Scan

2008-03-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Back to the gyne this afternoon for our first proper scan at 12.5 weeks.
All is well - apart from an hour's wait to see the doctor, as he's running behind, after which he complains that my bladder is full and he can't see properly. (well, huh, you kept me waiting.)

Baby is jumping around so much he struggles to measure the nucal fold!!

We make an appointment for mid April for my amnio - optional but anybody over 38yrs in France is advised to have one. I have to go to the gyne's office the day before to check with a scan how much amniotic fluid there is before they will do the proceedure at 8am the next day at the delivery hospital in the middle of Montpellier. I come away with a green box with test tubes in it and another mountain of paperwork to complete.

Euro70 for today's visit.

CPAM Form - nearly 12 weeks

2008-03-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Got a green form back from the Caisse Maladie today - one that we have to fill in and return once the baby is born along with the birth certificate.

It came with a small booklet on everything about babies from now to 3 yrs... a few leaflets on how to stop smoking too... and a few coupons to fill in to get free goodies.