After seeing two little lines on the pregnancy test you should know what you should expect, apart from the fact that you are already expecting 😉 We have prepared the to-do list of pregnancy in Paris – a monthly calendar and Tips & Tricks of what you should do and be aware of during your waiting time. We have made the best calendar but less specific for you.
Pregnant in Paris – tips & tricks helps and the to-do list you arrange what you need while you’re expecting.
Pregnant in Paris – tips – month by month
1 to 3 months pregnant
As soon as you have a positive result, you can schedule the first prenatal visit with your GP, Ob-gyn or midwife. You’ll go through topics such as:
- eating and drinking (kiss that Brie&Bordeaux goodbye),
- your health conditions,
- the follow-up,
- any difficulties you might be facing…
This visit is fully reimbursed and has to be completed before your 3rd month of pregnancy.
During this visit, your doctor fills in the pregnancy declaration, and you will have to send it to your social security and family care administrations in order to be covered for your maternity leave.
You will receive at home a nice leaflet with a calendar of the visits and exams, and some advice to get you through them at best!
In your first trimester you will also have the first of the compulsory ultra-sounds (1st and 2nd reimbursed at 70%, 3rd at 100%). Not all doctors can do it, as special equipment is required.
From the 4th month onward: you will have a monthly visit of follow-up, and the relevant exams, fully reimbursed by social security.
Don’t forget to schedule the visits ahead, Parisian docs can be very busy…
4 months pregnant
Pick your maternity and complete the subscription, as the spots in Paris are a Graal! Depending on your feelings and attitude you might want to choose a traditional hospital (there are excellent ones in Paris, and many have English speaking staff) or a clinic with a more holistic approach (birth in a pool, non-medicated options…).
5 months pregnant
Apply for a place in public and private day-care. You want to stay home with your baby? Apply anyway: do you remember what we said about the spot in a maternity being a Graal? Well, a spot in day-care is ultraGraal, a golden unicorn, a Celine bag discounted at -80%. You can as well start your researches for a full time or part time nanny.
If you are lost, let us take care of it.
6 months pregnant
Your monthly follow-up is now at the maternity. Instead of getting a reimbursement, the visits are now free of charge as well as the pharmacy and exams prescribed by your doctor.
7 months pregnant
You might want to start your classes of preparation to birth. Some of them involve also your partner, others can include holistic activities as hypnosis or yoga: a nice way to relax and get ready. Thanks to covid-19 classes are now mostly online, but they might come back soon in presence: ask your maternity about this.
8 months pregnant
In addition, you will have to see an anaesthetist to go through your medication options such as peridural (even if you are so brave to want a non-medicated birth).
9 months pregnant
Last monthly visit! If it’s not done yet, you will want to prepare your suitcase for the maternity and check the options for transport (spoiler alert: a busy metro is not the best choice, and, surprisingly, you might call the firemen instead of an ambulance if things go south).
Pregnant in Paris – tips & tricks
Whilst public healthcare and politicians love babies (and they will show their support with a nice package of social security), the average parisien might be as mindful as a drunken chimpanzee. Of course, virtuous exceptions are everywhere, but don’t expect people to leave you a seat on public transport or at the post office line.
The key here is: always ask. You might be surprised by the attention you get once you draw people’s eyes away from their smartphones.
Clinics, shops, and pharmacies have usually spare seats reserved for pregnant women – as well as public transport, once you spot them. Underground parkings in town and commercial centres keep the best spots (usually after the ones for reduced mobility drivers) for pregnant women.
You will also have a reserved lane at shops’ cashiers, very handy during the sales!
Finally, expect some out-of-line comments and unsolicited advice, basically, anything spanning from “oh, are they quadruplets?” to “you really should eat double, you’re starving the baby, you know”.
Looks like pregnancy is a matter of public order in Paris, and anyone feels entitled to have a say about your belly: just nod graciously and go on minding your business.
If you want a personal, first hand account of what it’s like to give birth in France, check out our other article here. We interview our founders, Justyna and David Simmons about their experience with becoming parents in France as expats.
Ok, France is cool, but I still want to give birth back home
We get it, you’d be happy to trade all these fancy funds with a proper baby shower with your loved ones.
The good news is that, if you want to travel to an EU country (or if your destination country signed a bilateral agreement with France), you will still be entitled to your maternity leave indemnities, and under conditions, the medical fees of the birth can be partially or totally reimbursed by French social security and/or mutual. Double check with your referent and always get a confirmation in writing.
Pregnant in Paris – tips – What’s next?
This is just the beginning of the most exciting of all adventures! To see that the best is yet to come, have a look at our posts about the administration and formalities after the baby is born (registrar, nationalities, birth certificates, passports, livret de famille, etc).
To guide you through all of this, and much more (think finding an English-speaking doctor, and book an appointment), we tailored the Family Concierge Services. Arelys, our superstar concierge, can take some weight off your shoulders.
We are happy to give you a free 20 minutes consultation to go through your personal situation and answer any further questions you might have.
Click here and book it now:
FAQs
How can I schedule prenatal visits with doctors in France?
We recommend using Doctolib! Doctolib is how most health care providers in France schedule and manage appointments. You can even check if they accept carte vitale and what languages they speak on their page!
Can I do a home birth in France?
Technically, yes, however this may be difficult. Finding a mid wife or sage femme in France can be very hard as they typically cannot be covered by insurance.
What you have read is our second post on Pregnancy. In case you haven’t read the first one, here it is: Pregnant in Paris – while you’re expecting.
Legal and Administrative Associate
Born in Genova, Italy, and adopted by la Ville Lumière, I’ve been a corporate lawyer in London and Dubai, a burn-out mum in Singapore, an event manager in the fanciest art galleries and boutiques of Paris: now I am here to avoid you the cortisol-infused nightmare that my previous 9 relocations have been.
The sunrise over Oman desert, the sunset on Bali ocean, a pint in Notting Hill or a Martini on a New York rooftop: I won’t trade a croissant in Latin Quarter for any of it, and more!
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