My husband and I are headed to Paris and Reims for our annual Thanksgiving trip. This time - I am happily pregnant - but will be 7.5 months along by then and clearly showing! Three questions:<BR>1. I want to find some fabulous French baby clothes and could use some suggestions.<BR>2. I have found most Americans to be very helpful to pregnant women -- offering seats, etc. Can I expect the French to be as accomodating?<BR>3. Just on the off chance -- has anyone delivered a baby in France? My doctor says I am fine and ok to travel -- and not to worry but I always worry...

Karen:<BR><BR>1) I'd recommend rue Vavin before it hits the Luxembourg gardens, as well as the surrounding streets. It's one baby/children's clothing/shoe/toy store after another.<BR><BR>2) I think so... but then I've never been pregnant (see below)<BR><BR>As a guy, I can't answer question 3) either <BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre

I have not given birth in Paris but many women have. You aren't worried that they have substandard care, are you? If something happens, you can just go to the American Hospital on bd Victor Hugo in Neuilly-sur-Seine (it's just on the western edges of Paris, not a long cab ride). This is a hospital that has staff from the US, and I believe even some BCBS plans now have an arrangement with them to accept their insurance or be in their network, if a PPO (the federal employees' BCBS plan does, for one).<BR><BR>Here is a list of English-speaking doctors, hospitals, dentists and emergency services in France by specialty from the American Embassy in Paris:

whoops, I forgot the URL:<BR><BR>http://www.amb-usa.fr/consul/oas_doc.htm

Double-check that your insurance plan covers you overseas. Not all do, and some won't cover any travel in the last tri-mester.

Thanks for both replys - I will definitely visit rue Vavin... <BR><BR>Christina - thanks for the list! I am certainly not worried about substandard care - I frankly imagine it would be better than many places in the US -- I was more worried about the language barrier - my limited French doesn't cover medical terms! Thanks, Karen <BR>

My pregnant daughter and I were shopping for same in May, and there is a whole thread on here about lovely places to shop for baby clothes. Try running a search. She and her husband don't want to know the sex of the baby, so it was rather difficult to find "unisex" clothes. We ended up with a beautiful little white outfit from Tartine et Chocolat; it will probably be bebe's going home from hospital outfit, early Nov.!<BR>I said the only thing that saved my bank account was not knowing the sex; the outfits over there are truly lovely and expensive. Fabulous, as you said!<BR><BR>Have a wonderful time! <BR><BR>Sue<BR><BR>

There is a great chapter in Paris to the Moon about the author's wife's pregnancy in Paris and the differences in U.S. and French birth practices. I know people were giving seats to the elderly, and I would assume you too. Just don't come to DC; people will look right through you on the metro; pregnancy has been declared by some (in letters to the editor) as a "choosen" condition and why should you be given any consideration. My daughter bought some great baby stuff on Blvd St. Germaine, going west from Rue de Bac. I have asked her for the name; it's a brand that sells at Nordstroms here in the U.S., but I am having a senior moment. If you want to splurge on a baby quilt, or just want to drool over beautiful linens, visit Le Rideau de Paris at 32 rue de Bac. The Gallerie Lafayette also had a wonderful baby department.

These suggestions sound lovely! Thank you - I will certainly take a look. I also pulled up the previous thread that was mentioned - thanks for that suggestion as well.

My daughter's response: The baby store was Jacadi. Remember the baby section at Galleries Lafayette was lovely, too.<BR><BR>Jacadi Paris -A French children's store, with clothing for girls and boys, from newborns (0-6 months), toddlers (6-18 months), and children 2-12 years old...Nursery Collection has everything from equipping and decorating a nursery to bed linens, towels, and toiletries, to organizing meals and playtimes and getting the baby on the road with a range of strollers and prams with the quality, exclusivity, and refinement that have made Jacadi a successful brand. <BR>Time Out's children's clothing page:<BR>http://www.timeout.com/paris/shop.xml?ar=4&cg=1

Beth, your reply and my looking up thread ( I was actually "grandmere" in the May post) reminded me of exactly where we shopped. We headed west on rue Jacob and stopped at Petit Faune, then somehow wended our way over to Bonpoint, then Tartine et Choc., and returned by way of Blvd. St. Germain, where we stopped by Jacadi. All were beautiful. We also went to Gal.Laf. another day and oohed and aahed some more!<BR><BR>What a wonderful trip for you and your husband, Karen!

I don't mean to be an alarmist and am not a doctor, but I understand that long haul flights (I am presuming this in your case) can cause complications late in pregnancy. It is something that you might want to ask your ob-gyn about if you have not done do already (I feel compelled to write because a friend did have serious complications that her doctor blamed on a transatlantic flight).

I have always found the French to be polite and mannerly in ways such as giving seats on trains, buses, stopping to let me cross the street. I would think they would be even more kind to a pregnant woman.<BR>The American Hospital is great!

I had both my children here. People on the metro/bus will let you sit down about half the time (mostly it's young women who give up their seats). Medical care is good. I have a shopping file of kids clothing stores that I can send you if you are interested (in which case please send your mail address (it's too long to post). You should probably avoid uncooked meat and unpasteurized cheese while you're here -they could be a risk for toxoplasmosis or listeria. Good luck!

Most of the cheeses at the restaurants are unpasteurized; at our splurge lunch at Grand Vefour we asked, and all were unpasteurized. If you're longing for some brie,however, the President brand, found in grocery stores (we bought ours in Monoprix) is pasteurized.

My experience in Europe has been that people are very courteous to pregnant women -- in some public garages in Germany you will find special parking places for pregnant women and mothers with young kids! Also, if you are interested in shopping for you in addition to the baby, Formes is a chain of maternity boutiques that carry very chic maternity wear -- there are shops around Paris (and France), the website with addresses is www.formes.com.

Not all people would give their seat to a pregnant woman in Paris. Far from that.

I am getting more excited all the time! I hadn't even thought about chic French maternity clothes -- just in time for Christmas too! I will definitely look into that. <BR><BR>I appreciate the word of caution about long transatlantic flights -- my doctor will make the call before I actually get on the plane -- but we live on the East Coast so the flight is not as bad as it could be. In addition, we splurged and purchased business class tickets so I will have a little more room.... but I agree - it is wise to be cautious...<BR><BR>The suggestions are wonderful -- this is going to be one smartly dressed little bebe.<BR><BR>

Be very sure about your medical insurance. Ours requires that we pay personally for care overseas and then we are reimbursed when we return home. That could require a small fortune and in the case of a partner recently who suffered a terrible fracture in Hong Kong, required that the firm lend her the money to pay. Very complicated.Good luck and lots of water on plane, no alcohol and try to walk as much as they will let you. Some airlines require a certificate from the European doctor stating it's OK to return home, not just for the flight over. Nobody wants to deliver on an Airbus!!!

we were on a trip in the North Pole with a 7 month pregnant woman. She was hoping to get as much traveling under her belt before having her first child.<BR><BR>I'm sure the French will be more than accomodating, but I'd get some phone numbers of English speaking doctors before traveling. (unless you speak French) and also I'd probably talk to my insurer.