Having a baby is one of the most important moments in your life - and it can also be quite daunting, especially if you're in a foreign country.
France is no exception but knowing how the system works and being aware of some of the cultural differences can go a long way in reassuring future parents.
Let's start with some of the positives. France is one of Europe's most fertile countries, along with Ireland and Sweden (as of 2022) and statistically it is one of the safest places to give birth in in Europe.
Childcare for babies only a few months old and upwards is heavily subsidised, which takes a great load off working parents.
As you set off on your pregnancy journey in France perhaps one of the first things that will strike you is that having baby in France is a standardised process, which may come as a shock to some future parents.
There is much less discussion (often none for that matter) over what kind of birth a mother might want (home births for example aren't common and generally not recommended).
There's less support too: although antenatal classes are available, the French don't go in for mums' support groups or networks in a big way, which may make pregnancy in France feel a little lonely.
With that in mind, the key to a successful pregnancy in France is to know what to expect, British mother of two Helena Amourdedieu, told The Local in 2019. Amourdedieu lives in the Paris suburbs and gave birth to both her children in France.
"If you come to France looking for the UK system, you won't find it," said Amourdedieu, adding that she thought the French system was 'fantastic'.
"In the UK, it's more of a mother-centred experience, but I had great care here, it's just different and I had a very positive experience."
But Annabel Gray, an English mother of two who gave birth to both her children in Paris, was less taken by her experience.
"Medically, it's more reassuring in France," said Gray. "But in England it's much better on a human level, it's less of a production process.
"Here, you're quite rapidly bulldozed into the system and you don't feel you have much control. There's a balance to be struck."
These are the steps you need to take if you're having a baby in France.
Once you're pregnant
After your first antenatal examination, you will be given a déclaration de grossesse. This is a form you will need to fill out in order to claim social security and health insurance coverage. Once the baby is born, it must be registered within three days of giving birth at the local town hall.
If you do the forms on paper, then they are to be filled out and sent as follows: The pink documents are to be sent to your nearest Family Allowance Fund [Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF)] and the two remaining blue packets go to the Health insurance fund [Casse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM)].
During your pregnancy, you are required to have at least seven appointments with a doctor or midwife. This is a good time to discuss all your needs and make sure to talk to your doctor if you have any queries.
You may also want to attend antenatal classes in your hospital. In France, pregnant women are entitled to seven sessions for free. You may not make lifelong friends there, but the classes provide a good opportunity to meet other women and talk about your pregnancy in an informal setting.
Giving birth
Most people in France give birth in a hospital and it's important to book a spot in a maternity hospital as soon as possible which is something your gynecologist can help you with.
Your gynecologist can also help to find you a midwife who will help in the preparation for the birth, as well as birthing exercises.
If, like most, you are planning on your health insurance covering the hospital expenses, make sure you choose a public hospital as they may not be covered if you give birth in a private hospital.
But if you're wondering whether to go public or private, you may want to ask around before as the considerations may not be the same as they are in your home country.
In France private healthcare isn't necessarily better, as Helena Amourdedieu found out.
"When I came to France, as a Brit I automatically though that if I wanted good health care I'd have to go private,"said Amourdedieu.
"So for the birth of my first child, I went private. It was a big mistake as private hospitals are much more medicalised here. With my second, I went to the state hospital and it was great."
When it's time to give birth you may chose to have your own room which an increasing number of French hospitals offer.
You'll have to pay for it though - (up to around €100 a night in a state hospital). It may be worth it as in France, mothers stay on average between three and five days in hospital after giving birth and six days after a Caesarean birth.
Coming home
While mothers may have more time to get used to their newborn in hospital in France, they are pretty much left to their own devices once they get home. New mothers are entitled to two visits from the midwife in the first week home and two others during the first two months.
It can feel a little lonely and daunting once you get home and a good place to go if you want advice or is the drop-in centre (called the PMI) where you can bring your child up to six years old for medical advice and other queries.
At this stage, you probably already have a GP but you may also consider finding a good pediatrician near you. They may be harder to find in rural areas, but cities are usually well provided for. A consultation is more expensive (although this depends on your health insurance) than with a GP but it can be worth getting a specialist to follow and get to know your child over the next few years.
Maternity (and paternity) leave
At this stage, you may be thinking about when or if you'll be going back to work, and perhaps this is when one of the real differences between parenting in France and the UK for example becomes apparent.
France encourages women to go back to work and there are a host of childcare options to choose from when our baby is only a few months old.
It's also part of the culture.
"In France, there's a lot of pressure to be the perfect woman, and in England there's a lot of pressure to be the perfect mother," said Annabel Gray, who didn't go back to work right away but said she felt there was pressure to do so.
READ MORE: How does parental leave work in France and how does it compare?
French maternity leave is broken down by leave taken prior to birth (6 weeks usually) and after birth (10 weeks usually), though these amounts can be extended for those having twins or triplets. During this time you will receive social security compensation.
French fathers can currently take one month of paid paternity leave (after a child's birth).
After the statutory leave period, either parent can take extra leave, but at a severely reduced level of pay. Around 80 percent of mothers return to work after 16 weeks.
Birth and early childcare allowances
If you have a mutuelle (complementary health insurance plan), your plan might pay out a lump sum when your child is born. You'll need to contact them to find out the details.
Parents may also be entitled to an aid (usually means-tested) called the Prestation d'accueil du jeune enfant (PAJE), which is made up of the following allowances (some of which can be combined):
- The birth or adoption bonus (prime à la naissance or prime à l'adoption) - a one-time payment awarded during the 7th month of pregnancy. This is means-tested. For example, a couple with a combined income of €45,979 would be awarded €1,019.40.
- The basic allowance (allocation de base) - paid from the month following the birth or arrival of the child in the home until the month before the child's 3rd birthday. This is also means-tested, you can find the parameters here.
- The childcare supplement (le complément de libre choix du mode de garde, or CMG) - this is paid up to the child's 6th birthday if the child is looked after by a registered childminder, home childminder, a home childminding association or company or a micro-crèche.
There is also the 'shared child-rearing benefit' (prestation partagée d’éducation de l’enfant, also known as PREPARE, which went into effect in 2015 in an effort to boost gender equality.
Finally, parents can also benefit from the 50 percent tax credit, if your child was under six years old as of January of that tax year (so for your 2023 declaration, your child would have to have been born after 2017).
The child must be either under the care of a nanny or professional childminder, or they must attend a daycare or nursery (including: crèche, garderie, garderie scolaire, centre de loisirs).
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