First of all, lets just start off with this pic, shall we? Classy I know.
That's the pregnancy glow for ya (it brings out your inner coolness).
Ok now I should probably throw in a disclaimer: I have been pregnant all of three weeks in the states. I also wasn't showing yet since it was my first trimester. So everything I've gleaned about preggo ladies in the states has been taken from friends/family and American pregnancy websites. I apologize in advance if I misrepresent you fellow rotund future mommies.
I present to you, the battle of the pregos:
The Frenchy vs. the American pregos, that is...
US of A:
|
France:
|
|
Length of pregnancy :
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40 weeks
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41 weeks
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Who delivers your baby :
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An OBGYN
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A midwife
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Pregnancy mantra :
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Eating for two, yeeahh!
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9 months of dieting. Boo.
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Recommended weight gain :
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11.3-15.8 kilos/25-35
lbs (for the average woman)
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12 kilos/26.4 lbs (no
range, period.)
|
Maternity
wear:
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Dress up that bump!
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Ditto.
|
Biggest
Prego fears:
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Doing something to harm
baby.
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Gaining too much weight.
(ok, probably it’s the same as for Americans but this is def a close second!)
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What
not to do:
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Drink alcohol, caffeinated
beverages, herbal tea, eat spicy food, deli meat cuts, seafood, under cooked meat, dye your hair, paint the nursery, go in hot tubs/saunas, smoke, do drugs,
lie flat on your back, change the litter box.
|
Drink alcohol
(officially, although quite a few French women will have a bit), eat seafood,
sushi/uncooked salmon, unpasteurized cheese, any kind of meat from Spain or
Alsace(ie. charcuterie), bleeding meat, junk food, smoke (although too many
women still do this while prego), do drugs, gain extra pregnancy weight, so
much as even look at the cat.
|
Average
Cost:
|
·
2,800-4,740 $ with
insurance
·
11,000-17,800 $ without
insurance
|
·
Zilch with basic
insurance
·
Between 0-30% of medical
costs months 1-6, 0% months 6-9 without insurance (just Soc. Sec.)
|
Supplements:
|
Bottle of Prenatal
Vitamins
|
Folic acid, iron
|
Pregnancy
bible:
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What to expect when you’re
expecting
|
J’attends un enfant
|
Controversial
topics:
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Stay at home or work,
breastfeed or bottle, attachment parenting or cry it out, epidural or natural
birth
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Kind of breastfeeding…although the debate isn't as intense.
|
Maternity
leave:
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4-12 weeks (varies)
|
6 weeks before baby is
born, 10 weeks after (all paid)
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Biggest
pre-baby perk:
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No one yells at you for
eating that slice of cake and a lot more people are nice to you
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Government financial
assistance for low to mid income earning families (900 euros up front and
then a monthly stipend after birth)
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1 comment:
Thanks for sharing... I like it..
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