Author Archives: mummyinprovence

Having a Baby Abroad – Global Differences Series: USA

Tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How old are your children and where did you have them?

My name is Danielle, I’m 34, and Canadian. I married Matthew, an American, while we were both studying in Canada, and that’s where I gave birth to our first daughter, Alyce. Matthew was offered a job in Delaware and we moved there when Alyce was 8 months old. We were still living there when I became pregnant with my second daughter, Shira. We have now all returned to Canada where we hope to make our home. Alyce is now 4 and Shira is almost 2.

Why did you have your children abroad? What do you feel were the benefits to having children abroad?

If I’m being honest, I don’t think I would have ever said that I wanted to give birth in the U.S.A. As a Canadian I grew up feeling very proud of our universal health care, and I just didn’t know what to expect with the American system (I had never even seen a medical bill before). Fortunately we had insurance and were required to pay for only a few small services during my pregnancy. We found an birth centre with outstanding midwives, where I was able to have a water birth. Shira was born an American in May 2010!

As an expectant mother abroad how did you feel?

I think things would have been different if had been my first pregnancy, but since it was my second, I was able to relax a bit more about the entire thing. Without this experience I think I would have worried a bit more about being so far away from my family. The one real concern for us was not having family close by to offer support around the time of Shira’s birth. It was difficult finding people who could look after Alyce during the birth, and this caused me a lot of stress. We tried to coordinate visits from Canada around when we thought I’d give birth, but of course those plans never work! I was eight days past my due date when I finally went into labour, the day after my mum had to fly home. And it was a bit lonely at first, after her birth, not having anyone around to celebrate her arrival. We had lots of visitors a couple of weeks later, but it was isolating at first.

Did you encounter any opinions that would have been different in your home country with regards to your pregnancy or parenting choices?

In Canada I had a midwife-assisted birth in a hospital with Alyce, but this time around we had wanted a home birth. It turns out that home birth was not available in Delaware, so we were completely out of luck. We found a great birth centre and things worked out in the end. I called the midwives when I was four weeks pregnant, hoping they’d take me on as a client, because in Canada women are used to being turned down because they are too busy. This was not the case in Delaware! My American midwives were also more hands-on than I was used to in Canada. I was given more tests and had more routine examinations than I ever did when I was pregnant with Alyce. And breastfeeding–that was different! When I first arrived in Delaware, still nursing my 8 month old baby, I didn’t see another nursing mother for miles. I would nurse everywhere and anywhere (including Target). Once Shira was born I was starting to see more nursing mothers.

What advice would you give other mothers in your situation?

Work hard at building a community, because it makes all the difference. I didn’t have family, but I did end up joining a mother’s group at my birth centre and it made all the difference. I met wonderful women who, among many other things, could help explain some of the details of the American health care system!

You can find out more about Danielle on her blog Most Days I Win and on Twitter

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Keep Your Kids Safe this Summer with These Safety Tips

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1205771_82308001 During the summer months, it’s important to be vigilant when it comes to staying safe in the summer sun, and this year in particular as it’s been a scorcher. Having small children, especially, should make you extra concerned as they are the most vulnerable to the summer heat and sun. Only a few serious sunburns in life can cause skin cancer. Whether playing poolside, frolicking on the beach, or romping outdoors on extremely sunny days, children are bound to get too much sun, so they require the most protection from its harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. When it comes to your children’s summertime fun, err on the side of caution and reinforce summer sun safety rules whenever your children are outdoors.

So how can you protect your little ones when they’re playing outdoors this summer sun? Here are a few tips for ensuring the safety of your children when they’re outside and exposed to the sun’s harmful rays.

Lather on the Sunscreen

634041_33364364 As parents, we must be attentive when it comes to arming ourselves with sunscreen when we are outdoors with our children, and not just on extremely sunny days. Remember to reapply often, especially if your children go for a swim or are actively playing, as sunscreen lotions often wear off in water or when you sweat, and although there are a number of waterproof sunscreen products available, waterproof and water-resistant sunscreen should still be applied as much as those that aren’t. Naturally, you should mind the SPF, UVA, and UVB protection levels –make sure the sunscreen you use has at least SPF 15 and UVA and UVB protection. New mums should pay special attention to the directions on the label of all sun care products you intend to use on babies six months and under because some ingredients in these products can cause a bad reaction on your child’s skin. If you are unsure about what sunscreen is chemically safe to use on your children, consult with their pediatrician.
The best way to guard against your baby being burned by the sun’s violent rays is to avoid going out on extremely sunny days or remaining covered and in the shade.

Cover Your Wee Ones from Head to Toe

723019_26520282 Dressing your children properly for sunny days is key to ensuring your children’s protection from getting burned by the sun and keeping them safe from its UV rays. Along with sunscreen, outfit your children in tops, long shorts, or beach dresses, all available from a variety of children’s retailers, including M&S, when you intend to spend long periods of time outdoors. Although you may think that long-sleeved shirts and long trousers are the best options for your children on extra sunny days; however, these garments can cause your children to become overheated and uncomfortable, particularly when they are engaged in active play. Also, remember to cover your children’s heads, especially if they are babies, with hats that shade their heads, ears, and necks. Big, floppy hats work best because they provide the most sun protection for your energetic, on-the-go little one.

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Author Bio:
Caitlyn Duggen is a mum of 3 and avid writer. She contributes to numerous blogs, sharing her experiences and advice for parenting. She is an advocate for healthy lifestyle choices and enjoys spending time with her family outdoors.

All images provided by the author

Having a Baby Abroad – Global Differences Series: FRANCE

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Next up in the series of The Global Differences of Baby-Making I talk to Carrieanne who is American and had her daughter in France. Here is her story:

Tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How old is your daughter and where did you have her?

I am a 29-year-old American writer. I was born in Connecticut, but raised on the sunny beaches of Florida. I spent my days as the head of a multimillion-dollar corporation and nights dreaming of living overseas. I met my future husband while on vacation in France. He moved to the USA and followed me to Montreal. Eventually, I gave up life in the fast lane and followed him back to France. Our little French American girl was born in Bayeux, France last year.

Why did you have your daughter abroad?

We decided to start our family in France because we both preferred life here. I entertained the idea of going back to the USA, but there were many obstacles.

If we moved to the USA, it takes months to recieve a spouse Visa. My husband would have to wait in France while I prepare the application in the USA. I did not want to be separated from him for that long.

Also, we are self-employed so health insurance would be expensive. I do not think insurers cover pregnancies if the applicant is already pregnant. In France, our mutual (private health insurance) costs 70 euros per month and we are 100% covered. Last year I broke a finger and was pregnant – we paid nothing out-of-pocket. Healthcare in the USA is so expensive that it would not make financial sense for us to have a baby there.

What do you feel were the benefits to having children abroad?

I like that everyone in France gets standard care. It does not matter which doctor you see, you know when you will have your ultrasounds, which blood tests will be done, and when your next appointment will be. In the USA, each doctor handles pregnancies very differently. Even though care for pregnancies is standard in France, doctors are not limited. If they think additional tests or ultrasounds are needed, they can prescribe them.

Besides free healthcare, another incredible benefit was qualifying for maternity leave. I am self-employed, yet I received about 6,500 euros for taking time off work. We also received about 900 euros from social security when I was 7 months pregnant, and 150 euros from our mutual as a gift. Now, we receive money for her each month and will recieve 9 hours of in-home daycare for free each month. I could not imagine getting all this in the USA.

As an expectant mother abroad how did you feel?

I was scared and anxious at the beginning of my pregnancy. I had no idea what to expect. I could not find the information I needed online and did not have the vocabulary to communicate efficiently with doctors. I was frustrated because I felt out of control. As I gained more information and my French became better, I felt more at ease with the situation.

Blogging about my pregnancy in France helped me relax. It felt great to provide others with information that I could not find online. I received encouragement and support from my readers, which kept me going whenever I felt frustrated.

Did you encounter any opinions that would have been different in your home country with regards to your pregnancy or parenting choices?

When I was pregnant, it felt like my gynecologist was not taking me seriously when I requested a natural birth. I watched a story on the news a few nights ago and think that attitudes here are changing. Many French women are beginning to demand a less medicalized approach to giving birth.

After my daughter was born, I was almost forced to bottlefeed while in the hospital. The puericultrice and midwives took my husband aside and convinced him that I was endangering our daughter by breastfeeding. It was very emotional and difficult for me to stand my ground, especially without the full support of my husband. We later figured out that my daughter was not latching properly, and then she gained weight quickly. If I was in the USA, I could have left the hospital after she was born, met with a lactation consultant, and avoided all this stress.

What advice would you give other mothers in your situation?

Relax and learn French. It is important for you to be able to communicate efficiently with the doctors and midwives. If you usually count on your husband or significant other for translations, understand that there will be times when he will not be there. My husband is an English to French translator, but there were pregnancy-related terminologies that even he could not translate.

If you find yourself pregnant in France, I wrote a book specifically for you – French Mamma’s: Pregnant in France. I provide details of what to expect, including the standard medical schedule, emergency contact information, and sample ultrasound results. All chapters are in English and French, with important pregnancy-related vocabulary words that you should know. At the end of each chapter are practice sentences to help you learn the vocabulary words, as well as an answer key. You can download the first two chapters for free on my website.

You can read more about being pregnant in France on my French Mamma blog, or follow me onTwitter or Facebook.

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Paleo French Cooking: Paleo Pancakes

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Paleo Pancakes don’t sound very French but pancakes are very popular here!

These little pancakes are yummy, nutritious and 100% Paleo.

Don’t be fooled by their size, these little pancakes are SUPER filling!

They can also be used as Blini’s for Smoked Salmon!

Paleo French Cooking Presents:

Paleo Pancakes

Preparation time: 2 mins Cooking time: 3 mins per pancake (you can make 3 at a time).

Ingredients (makes 10 small pancakes – serves 4)

3 level tablespoons of desiccated/shredded coconut
3 level tablespoons of ground almonds
2 bio free range eggs
200 ml unsweetened coconut milk
Dash of cinnamon or vanilla straight from the pod(optional)
1 spoonful of coconut oil

Method:

Put desiccated/shredded coconut and ground almonds in a bowl.
Add cinnamon/vanilla if desired.
Add eggs
Pour half the coconut milk in
MIX with a spoon until you get the desired consistency (should be like thick pancake mix)
Add more coconut milk if needed
Heat the coconut oil in the frying pan.
Take a spoon and put mixture in one spoon at a time (one spoonful makes 1 pancake)
Cook on a medium to low heat for a couple of minutes and then turn carefully (they are quite fragile)!
Serve with fresh berries and a drizzle of coconut milk!
Or you can serve with smoked salmon!

Bon Appétit!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

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BiP just celebrated her 2nd birthday.

I can’t believe it’s been 2 years since she arrived and changed our lives forever.

To celebrate I’ve decided to write her a letter, daddy did it last year!

In a few years she’ll be able to read it for herself.

To my darling BiP!

Happy 2nd birthday darling!

I had no idea you’d change my life so much. You are my shining light. You are truly my proudest achievement!

You are a little girl now. No longer a baby.

And what a character you have! You are really cheeky monkey. You are fearless and agile, you clearly get that from your Daddy.

You speak more now, mostly in French which means I have to get up to speed with my own French. You understand both English and French perfectly which is astounding how you are bilingual already!

Your smile is infectious – your chipped front tooth horrified me at first, but now it suits you. In a few years it will fall out and I hope you take better care of your new tooth 🙂

You still have barely any hair – it looks like it will be really curly. I blame myself because I saw a 2 year old with the same amount of hair when I was pregnant with you and commented that it was a bit odd. LOL!

Over the last few months you decided you no longer wanted to wear diapers – I guess all the Elimination Communication paid off as you made the decision to only wear “pantpies”.

You are a serious foodie like your parents – perhaps it’s thanks to Baby-Led Weaning. The more spiced up the better for you even if you demand “burger’ and ‘baby-pasta” all the time.

To the horror of a few you are still breastfeeding. You decided on your 2nd birthday that you prefered a book over a cuddle and feed with Mummy. That’s ok, you are growing up. I am delighted that a year on that we can still say that we will wean when WE want to. Although I think you will probably decide before I’m ready. When that day comes I am ready.

Happy 2nd Birthday BiP!

We love you more than words can ever describe.

Mummy xxx

Having a Baby Abroad – Global Differences Series: CANADA

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Next up in the series of The Global Differences of Baby-Making I talk to Deb who is French and had her daughter in Canada. Here is her story:

Deb and Sixtine Charlotte

Tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How old is your daughter and where did you have her?

I am a 27 year-old Parisian French mother of one and I was born and raised in France. I met my husband (Canadian English) in Iceland, Europe in September 2008 and I moved to Prince Edward Island, Canada in July 2010. I got pregnant in February 2011 and gave birth on October 17th, 2011 to a beautiful baby girl named Sixtine Charlotte. She is now three months, 2 weeks and 6 days.

Why did you have your children abroad? What do you feel were the benefits to having children abroad?

I had my daughter in Canada because this is where we live. We are very close to his family and they were very helpful during my entire pregnancy. It would have been nice to share this with my family as well but it wasn’t possible. Fortunately, my mother was able to come visit us both at the beginning and at the end – and was even able to assist to the birth of our daughter.

To be honest, I can’t really say how different it would have been had we lived in France. She was our first baby and I don’t know how it works in France. However, I received excellent care from both my OB-GYN and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital of PEI’s nurses who took care of me during labor and delivery. I feel very thankful for that. According to my mother, there were many different aspects of labor and delivery that surprised her but again, I couldn’t tell.

As an expectant mother abroad how did you feel?

As an expectant mother in Canada,I felt lost and overwhelmed at first. I had preconceived ideas about what would pregnancy be and prenatal care was a lot different than it is in France. I was very stressed during the first few months – I was expecting to be checked and reassured as soon as I got pregnant: Instead I was given a first appointment at the twelve weeks mark. I was also surprised and upset to learn that I wouldn’t be able to know the sex of my baby. We actually had to pay a private clinic for this service. And wait until I was six months pregnant ! In France, it is much earlier than that and it is free of charge. Also I found I didn’t have as much privacy during L&D as I thought I would have.

Did you encounter any opinions that would have been different in your home country with regards to your pregnancy or parenting choices?

don’t like to compare both countries as it makes it sound like I am criticizing and not appreciating my country of residence but this isn’t at all what I am trying to do.

On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, despite of those “oddities”, I had a great Doctor which made up for it all. At the end of the day, my daughter was born healthy and that is all that really matters to us.

I felt guilty for not breastfeeding long enough. I don’t recall breastfeeding being as massively advertised in France as it is here.
Co-sleeping, and cloth diapering are things that I had never heard of before moving to Canada. In my opinion, it is less popular in France which explain the puzzled reactions in my French entourage. Most mums go back to work after three months in France so co-sleeping isn’t as practical.

What advice would you give other mothers in your situation?

This is your pregnancy, and this is your baby. Listen to your heart and don’t feel that you have to explain yourself on everything. Do what feels right for you. Try not to compare between what things could have been and what things are. Just take the best ! And forget the rest ! I would also recommend the movie “Le Premier Cri” (“The First Cry”) which is a beautiful movie about pregnancy and birth around the world (http://www.disney.fr/FilmsDisney/lepremiercri/) .

Connect with Deb here:

Facebook Sixtine and the little things
Blog Sixtine and the little things
Email Contact me

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Want to share your story? Get in touch: ameena@mummyinprovence.com

SOCS: Yes! I made something I saw on Pinterest!

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Months and months of pinning. Oooh, cool, oooh, pretty, oooh, shiny … yes! I decided to make something I saw on Pinterest! (are you following my pins BTW??)

So, first thing I decided to make was PLAYDOUGH!

Recipe looked so easy …

3 cups of flour
3 cups of boiling water
1 1/2 cups of salt
1TBS Oil
1 TBS cream of tartar
Food colouring as needed.

Easy! Except I read “cream of tartar” as “tartare sauce” and added 3 good tablespoons to my playdough.

My caper-filled Playdough

It worked, smelled funny, and instead of cool sparkles it had a few capers … I guess we can call that a fail!

But I did not give up! I went on to make rainbow rice!

This time it worked and it’s the ONLY things BiP wants to play with now! Yay me!

Rainbow rice

2 cups of rice
Mix in food colour until you have the colour you want
Spread out to dry overnight!
Voila!

(The recipe usually calls for rubbing alcohol to make the colours more vibrant but I was scared BiP would put it in her mouth)

So, what have you made from Pinterest? Did it work?

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This is my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post at all.things.fadra.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Having a Baby Abroad – Global Differences Series: UAE

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Next up in the series of The Global Differences of Baby-Making I talk to Zoe who is British and had her first son in Dubai, UAE and her second in the UK. Here is her story:

having baby abroad dubai united arab emirates UAE

Zoe with Oscar and Jasper

Tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How old are your children and where did you have them?

I moved to Dubai from a previous expat location, The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. However my husband and I are both originally from Kent, UK. We lived in Dubai for approximately 3 years before we had our son there. I now have two sons, Oscar aged 3.3 who was born in Dubai and Jaspar 1.3 who was born in UK. I had Oscar when I was 32 and Jaspar when I was 34 years old.

Why did you have your children abroad? What do you feel were the benefits to having children abroad?

I had Oscar abroad as we were living in that country and flying to the UK would have been very inconvenient due to the fact you would have to fly before 7 months and then you are advised not to fly when the baby is still very tiny which would have meant being away from my husband for quite a few months. Also you do have to pay in Dubai which my husbands employer covered in their medical insurance. If they had not it may have been a different story and would have gone back to UK as there it is free!! The hospitals in the UK all look directly from the 70’s and although they have the medical equipment, because the service is free you cannot have scans etc more than twice throughout your pregnancy. So when we went to our hospital in Dubai it seemed like a 5 star hotel and as you pay for every service, they are all readily available!

As an expectant mother abroad how did you feel?

I felt totally at ease. All I felt was that as long as I had my husband there I would be ok!! Also, it didnt matter where we were, I was going to be in lots of pain either way!!!

Did you encounter any opinions that would have been different in your home country with regards to your pregnancy or parenting choices?

I found in general everything was more on the medical side than the natural side but didnt bother me too much as I like ansewrs!! I like 2 and 2 to equal 4, where with pregnancy and birth there is no exact calculation but they made you feel as though there were?!?

One thing that was different was you were weighed constantly and I was told I was gaining too much weight and kept being told the bigger I got the bigger the baby will get and I have to get that baby out somehow so better to try and keep him small. I was put on a diet of no potato, pasta, rice or bread from around 4 months. At the time it was very difficult but after I hardly gained any weight and went straight back to previous body.

With my second son in the UK I was not weighed and was told it doesnt really matter and I ended up putting on loads of weight and having a huge 4.4kg baby!! So were they right????

Also, in Dubai I was induced at 8 days over due as, again she had estimated he was a big baby, the induction was not really successful and I ended up having a c section – in hindsight I would have said no lets wait the full 14 days over to see if I go naturally – Oscar ended up 3.8kg which is still not small? I felt there was more interferring in Dubai than in the UK!

What advice would you give other mothers in your situation?

Take the docs advice but still listen to yourself and stick to your guns if you feel strongly about something.

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Want to share your story? Get in touch: ameena@mummyinprovence.com

Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Searching for Supermum

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Let’s see if I can get this out coherently.

I’ve always told my friends that there is no point trying to be supermum, because we are all super. Damn, we made babies inside our bodies – if that’s not a super power, well what the hell is? Really?

The thing is right now is that I’m beating myself up because I can’t do it all.

Yes, I have given up having sparkling floors, and well, the dishes can wait. I’ve even discovered a laundry mountain for the first time in my life. Even letting these things go so I can do more with BiP I still feel out of control.

I want to work, I have to work, I want to be there for BiP, I want to be an amazing wife, an awesome friend, I want to be me.

Guess that’s the issue. After running round trying to please everyone (and not always succeeding) I stop and think, umm, what do I want to do?

When I do grab a few hours to myself I run around doing errands, or working, I’ve forgotten how to have ME time. What did I used to do before I had BiP? It sounds so ridiculous.

Latest “me” time was spent getting waxed … so I could take BiP swimming, hardly relaxing or enjoyable – and off topic, but WHY is there still no permanent solution to hair removal? They can transplant hearts but they can’t remove hair forever?

It’s not the first time I have felt like this, and I know it’s not the last.

I know Supermum doesn’t exist because we are all super.

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This is my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post at all.things.fadra.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Having a Baby Abroad – Global Differences Series: USA

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Next up in the series of The Global Differences of Baby-Making I talk to Shadi who is Iranian but grew up in Dubai and had her daughter in the United States (she’s also expecting her second baby). Here is her story:

Tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How old is your daughter and where did you have her?

My name is Shadi. I am from Iran. I grew up in Dubai and moved to the States at the age of 19 to peruse my studies. I have been here in the States, South Carolina for 14 years minus a break from living here where I completed my masters in the UK. Ironically, I met my “English” husband in the States so we have all kinds of cultures going on in our household! We have a 3 year old daughter and I had her here in South Carolina, US where we live today.

Why did you have your daughter abroad? What do you feel were the benefits to having children abroad?

Growing up so internationally I didn’t have a specific preference of where I would like to have children. It was going to be where I was living at the time. My daughter is lucky to now have both American and British citizenships. I grew up with an Iranian passport and I know all too well how hard traveling was so I am very happy that my daughter will never experience that. I’m sure there are support groups for moms and women everywhere, there are immensely supportive groups you can find here like the MOMS Club, which I am a part of, I don’t know what I would have done without them being so far away from my family. Women need women, no matter how supportive our husbands are! 🙂

As an expectant mother abroad how did you feel?

I was very lucky to have a smooth pregnancy, I really enjoyed being pregnant. I was also working throughout my pregnancy so that kept me busy. There are so many classes you can choose to take here and if you are looking for support, it is at your doorstep. I was especially surprised at how much emphasis there was on breastfeeding. That was one of the best classes I took, it helped me so much. I ended up breastfeeding for 16 months.

Of course I had the anxieties that any person would have while pregnant, especially being away from my mom, and reading, reading, reading helped a lot, as well as talking to friends and family who have had kids!

Did you encounter any opinions that would have been different in your home country with regards to your pregnancy or parenting choices?

Not necessary with my pregnancy and of course with parenting, everyone has an opinion! While pregnant, I got great care from the doctors, I went for checkups regularly and towards the end, the visits became more and more frequent because that is what is asked of you.

My biggest issue about having a baby here was the clinical feel of it, there is a protocol and it is what it is. Most doctors treat having a baby like it’s a medical process, get it out, job done. I didn’t feel that connection with my doctors. Yes “doctors,” I was part of a medical group so I had many and whoever was available that day was going to deliver my child although at the end I found out it’s the nurses that do everything anyway!

Also, while I was pregnant, I found out that the typical process that takes place here, is they don’t let you go overdue by much, you will get induced, which is a very painful and rushed labor and therefore, you end up getting an epidural, which ends up in a c-section because you and the baby are absolutely exhausted, guess what? It is exactly what happened to me! However, thanks to my husband, we have good insurance, therefore, I had a large private room to myself, great care and at the women’s hospital I delivered at, there was a nurse that visited me daily to help me with breastfeeding, even bra fitting! I also did get to hold my baby pretty much right away even though I had a c-section, my husband held her next to my head until they were done stitching me up so I had my constant contact until I was able to breastfeed her rolling into our private room.

To be honest, in my opinion, the whole attachment to your birth plan is a 1st time mother thing, once it actually happens, however it happens, all that matters is that you are both healthy.

I would like to add here that I am now pregnant with my second and have chosen a different doctor. This doctor will be the only doctor I will see throughout my pregnancy and he will be the only one delivering my child. I also have the chance to have a natural birth even though I had a c-section 1st time around. The choices are there, you just have to look for them.

What advice would you give other mothers in your situation?

My advice would be, embrace your pregnancy, follow your instinct, listen to your body, do your research, and most importantly, find a support group. Women have been having babies for centuries, where you have your child doesn’t matter, the end result is you and your baby, that is all that matters.

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Want to share your story? Get in touch: ameena@mummyinprovence.com