American moves to France, gets pregnant

Audrey Bruno fell in love with a Frenchman who wanted children.They moved to France in two thousand twenty-one with no plans to leave.

Midwives, not doctors, lead French pregnancies

In France, midwifery is regulated nationally.Midwives must attend six years of schooling and obtain a master's degree.They can prescribe medicine and lead childbirth.Most French people with low-risk pregnancies see midwives instead of OB-GYNs.

Bruno has three specialized midwives

One midwife performs sonograms and monthly checkups. Another will lead the delivery. A third provides classes to prepare for birth. All three will visit her at home after delivery to check her recovery.

France covers most pregnancy costs

France's national healthcare system subsidizes up to seventy percent of pregnancy costs until the fifth month, then covers all associated costs from six months onward.Most people have additional insurance called a mutuelle to cover gaps.

Bruno's uncovered costs are minimal

Although Bruno does not have a mutuelle, her uncovered appointments generally cost forty euros or less.The French government offers a birth bonus of over one thousand euros to parents earning below a certain income threshold.

She misses family and American food

Being away from her family in Southern California during pregnancy has been difficult. She craves American pickles and misses the customs around baby showers and celebrations that are common back home.

“No French cornichon can ever live up to the real-deal American pickles I've been dreaming of.”

Video calls cannot replace physical presence

Bruno says no number of video chats will measure up to sharing laughs, hugs and love in the same physical space.She would give up all the pickles and baby showers to have her family nearby.

“I'd give up all the pickles and baby showers in the world just to have that.”