Having a baby in France
As I write this blog, baby Emilie is now 6 months old. People told me the time goes so quickly and they were so right!
It’s a good time for me to reflect on that experience again of giving birth here in France and what that was like as a British person, a first time mum and self-employed person too. I had wanted a natural birth without intervention if possible, just like my alpaca mums had done in the fields last May. What an inspiration they were to me having witnessed their births.
To fully prepare myself for birth, me and my husband Will went to the 7 one-to-one sessions with my Sage-femme libéral (community midwife equivalent) to prepare for birth and parenthood. Whilst these were great, I knew I wanted something a little more and had been intrigued about hypnobirthing, so I sought out a course to learn about this and I also felt more comfortable doing this in my native english language, knowing I was doing it alongside my birth prep in french with the midwife.
After searching a little I found a great Doula and Hypnobirth practitioner, Poppy Child, who had an online course that I purchased. I chose this course as Poppy’s practices focused on what I would call realistic hypnobirthing - she didn’t promise that I could breath my baby out without pain and just with meditation. She set up the expectation for pain, but also endurance and belief and understanding of the birthing process through education. I shared my whole birthing experience on Poppy’s podcast “Pop That Mumma”, if you wanted to hear the whole birth story.
Here are links to listen my birth story on the podcast, wherever you choose to listen:
For Apple, click here
For Spotify, click here
For Amazon, click here
Walk the alpacas
Would you like to walk the alpacas around a 13th century chateau?
Walk the alpacas around the chateau
It’s a wonderful experience with the calming affects of spending time with the animals and the beautiful Chateau de Sanzay
3 days before labour
I believe France to be a little more in tune with worldwide birthing statistics and practices, than what I perceive the UK is. For example, the UK’s “due date” is calculated to 40 weeks, with around 85% of babies being born after this date, however some practices are offering inductions for 60% of births and these are being offered at 40 weeks, without women going “overdue”. In France, they use a 41 week gestation period, and when discussing “what ifs” with my midwife, induction wasn’t mentioned until 42 weeks had been reached. Knowing I wanted an intervention-free birth, this was quite a relief to me to know.
The hospital midwives were happy for me to have a long tour of the labour and delivery ward, including birthing rooms and the rest of the maternity ward in order to help me visualise the birth leading up to the date. They were also keen on encouraging movement during labour, and taught breathing techniques in the one-to-one sessions we had. All of this was perfectly in line with the course I’d purchased too. I was so happy with the care that was given.
I feel quite privileged to say that I was able to have spontaneous labour, no induction needed. I should have known it was coming as my nesting had been tying up all loose ends for my business and making sure the alpaca farm and accommodation was in the best position, ticking over. That night my waters broke and we made our way to the hospital.
I was admitted as soon as their tests confirmed my waters had broken, a contrast to the UK, where a certain level of dilation is needed before admission into the ward. I was then left to labour alone and in peace in a private room for a lot of the day, with some monitoring periodically. I had planned on having pain relief when needed, but this wasn’t necessary in the end. A wonderful midwife suggested a bath when I first thought I would need some help and this did a lot for me.
“Perhaps this was the most French moment of my life”
Those familiar with France will know that meal-time is sacred and true to form, the nurses made sure I didn’t miss a meal during the day, directing me to help myself to breakfast in the kitchen and then bringing me lunch, which was andouillette… If you’ve not heard of this dish, I’ll mention it has a particular smell, and we lovingly call it “poo sausage”. Perhaps this was the most French moment of my life. I hate it, and Will loves it. He did what any loving husband would and took the offal based sausage into the ensuite and ate it so I didn’t have to have it in the room for a moment longer whilst I laboured. That certainly brought some humour to our day.
The best part of it all was after the delivery of the baby, the three of us; Will, Emilie and I were left in the birthing room for skin-to-skin bonding before any checks on the baby were done. We didn’t know her birth weight for quite some time. And after this, it is usual practice to stay in the hospital for 4 days. When I was first told this, me and my modern British culture thought this would be absolute torture and I thought I would be climbing the walls. Actually, as other mums who’d had their babies in France told me, taking those few days in the newborn bubble where help was a button away was bliss and much-needed. It was helpful for a very quick recovery and the nurses couldn’t have been kinder.
I feel happy that my experience was here in France and lucky that things went to plan. If you want to hear a little more about this, I would point you in the direction of the podcast I mentioned, and I’d also be happy to hear from you and answer any questions you may have about my experience of having a baby here in France.
Secluded, peaceful, private, revitalising, and wholesome
These are just some of the words that describe the unforgettable experience that Donna and Nick had at La petite Ferme d’Alpagas Sanzay during their stay.
From witnessing ‘Buddy’ the baby alpaca being born to exploring the surrounding areas, their 6-night stay was filled with many precious moments.
We are thrilled that they had such an amazing time and we can't wait to welcome more guests to our farm!
A gift for them that lasts all year, giving a teddy and adoption certificate on the day of celebration with the visit to the farm to meet their adopted alpaca and seasonal newsletters to look forward to!
The year-long adoption let’s you be a part of our journey and included in key milestones. As a supporter of the farm you help us keep the high standards of welfare the alpacas receive; great nurishment, enrichment activities, treats and plenty of interaction time.
Your adoption includes:
A personalised adoption certificate
A personal factsheet about your alpaca
Seasonal email updates from your alpaca
An alpaca shaped wooden keepsake which includes a piece your alpaca’s fleece
A voucher to visit the farm to meet the alpacas (can be exchanged for 10 minute personal video call, or, a branded keychain)
*This is an administration package named “adoption”, there is no ownership of the animals with purchase
The package comes flat-packed, with instructions for assembly. Colour of teddy variable to photos; brown, caramel, white, cream.
If you adopt an alpaca with us, you’re not only getting yourself, or someone for a gift, a year long subscription to newsletters all about your alpaca and the farm, you’re supporting this small business and becoming a part of our journey. As well as this, some of the possibilities your adoption fee pays for and gives your alpaca are:
Feeds her special nutirents alpacas need for 1 year
Her annual injection and any necessary parasite treatments
3 fence repairs to keep her safe
2 cans of petrol to help us maintain healthy pasture for her
10 bales of hay, which will feed her for the duration of the adoption
7 bags of carrots… which is too much for one alpaca to eat in a year, but given the chance, they would!
A paddling pool and hours of splash and cooling-down fun
1 hour of 1-1 training to help her with trust and confidence to ensure safe and necessary health checks