Pregnant and Saudi bound
Mar 20th 2009, 4:30 am
#31
ex-expat
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: in front of my computer - in sunny Sussex!
Posts: 2,162
Re: Pregnant and Saudi bound
Thanks! That's made me feel a lot better! Sometimes when telling people what your plans are their sharp intakes of breath start to get on your nerves and make you worry your'e crazy!
That said, I will be going for a civilised birth so should be ok there, and my parents did live in Riyadh for 4 years when i was a teenager so it's not totally unfamiliar but obviously a bit different with a little one on the way! I have heard aswell that a lot of midwifes can be british/american in the hospitals ?
Do you tend to shop around with hospitals?
Good luck with yours too! How's the heartburn??!!
That said, I will be going for a civilised birth so should be ok there, and my parents did live in Riyadh for 4 years when i was a teenager so it's not totally unfamiliar but obviously a bit different with a little one on the way! I have heard aswell that a lot of midwifes can be british/american in the hospitals ?
Do you tend to shop around with hospitals?
Good luck with yours too! How's the heartburn??!!
Really not sure about midwives in Saudi - my aunt was there, but back in the 70's! All the obstetricians and midwives at the hospital I was going to are Indian, Iranian or Phillipina, but all speak decent english. I guess it'd be different if you went to an American or British hospital.
Be aware though that, and I think it's because they don't mind medicalising it, they don't have quite such a progressive attitude to natural childbirth as in the UK. There's still very much the attitude that it'll be painful and difficult - especially as they seem to think that a normal 8-9lb baby is huge (or even overweight... grr!). They also seem to like suggesting an elective c-section if the baby's going to be "big" (they do lots of scans, so "can tell" weeks in advance - don't believe the hype!) I have also heard of people being induced at 2 days overdue - I was asked if I was induced with my 1st at 40+3. Again, this is all stuff you can refuse if you're not happy with it.
Talk with your midwives in the UK to see what they have to say on the matter... being properly informed goes a long way towards a happy birth experience.
Shopping around for hospitals? I got a few pointers for good ones (mainly through stopping young mums randomly on the street and asking them directly) and then had a look where they were on the map - the closest (20 mins away) won! I did go and visit it tho, and it's very nice - very modern, well kitted out, clean. Yeah. Still, we've since decided to go back to the UK to give birth - hopefully at home this time around!
Heartburn's virtually non-existant thankfully, although I thik my hips and back will give up before long - but that's probably got more to do with lugging 11kg of needy toddler around... love the "no heavy lifting" and "take it easy" advice!
Good luck! I hope it goes smoothly and swiftly with a healthy mum and bubs at the end of it!
