Pregnant in France - any advice?

[googietheegg]

Hi all, just found out I'm pregnant with DC1 (yay!!) and I live in France, in 11. Has anyone got any advice as to what I do next?! I think I'm about 3/4 weeks, so how soon do I go to my doctor? Will he think I'm a wally if I go this week or should I wait a bit longer?

Huge thanks in advance - it's all a bit daunting and I can't ask anyone.

Hi googie,

Don't worry about the CAF declaration, the gynae will put the appropriate date on the form, which is the presumed date of conception. If you see her in four weeks, you still won't be at 14 weeks. What due date has she given you?

I got my lab results back - good news is I don't have gestational diabetes, so I can continue overeating chocolate

Great news bunny!

Thanks for your thoughts on the CAF thing. She's put the date of conception as 12th March, which matches up with the MN pregnancy calendar for 9+5, so does the French 14 weeks mean 14 weeks after conception?

Did you have to take the forms to the CAF yourself or does the gyne send them? I hope it's all pretty straightforward. I've only just got over the hoohaa of getting our carte vitales and AE status sorted. I've never seen so much paperwork!!

Yes, they'll take 14 weeks from 12th March, as that'll be the only date they'll have to go on. So you're due in December, right?

You have to post the forms to the CAF yourself, no need to take them there. If you've succeeded in jumping the hurdles to get a carte vitale, I'm sure you'll find the CAF form a doddle!

Googie, how's the pregnancy going? Any news from the CAF?

Ahh, thanks for asking. Not so good actually, I had a mmc and have to go into hospital on Friday as the medical management didn't work. This is the opposite of what I wanted to happen with my first pregnancy, but hopefully better luck next time.

How are you bunny?

Oh no, so sorry to hear that, googie. I hope they're looking after you properly and sensitively. I'll be thinking of you.

I'm ok, am 29 weeks now, three more weeks before I go on maternity leave, can't wait, although it's not easy looking after a toddler at the same time!

Keeping fingers crossed you get pregnant again when you're ready!!

So sorry to hear that googie. I also miscarried my first baby (also in France). Went on to have two more so really keeping everything crossed for you. I remember being told there was no need to wait before ttc again. I was a bit shell-shocked at the time - couldn't believe I was pregnant in the first place, then couldn't believe I'd lost it just as I was getting used to the idea. Thinking of you - hope you have someone to give you lots of hugs. What really helped me was being told how very common it is (one in three pregnancies) - so I realised it wasn't anything to do with me just jolly bad luck iyswim. I didn't really talk about it at the time, but since then have met loads of people who had the same experience. One of those things noone really talks about.

Thanks for that bunny and lillian - lillian, did you mean you went on to have two more mmc or two children? I do hope it's the latter. What type of treatment did you get in France? I'm a bit nervous about the erpc on Friday tbh.

bunny congratulations! At least you can enjoy your maternity leave in the sunshine, although I'm sure you'll be exhausted.

Sorry googie - I meant two dcs! I ended up having no treatment for miscarriage in the end as when they did the scan they found everything was clear. I would like to reassure you though that I have nothing but good things to say about French hospitals both from my own and friends' experiences. Indeed I would much rather require treatment in France than in Britain and that goes double for the births of both my dc. Good luck. Will be thinking of you on Friday.