Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding resources needed in French

I'm looking for French-language resources on the topics of pregnancy, labor & birth, adjusting to the postpartum period, and breastfeeding. Can be blogs, articles, research studies, websites, books, videos, etc. Especially things that would be helpful for a woman pregnant with her first baby and due to give birth in about 6 weeks.

Thanks!

13 comments:

  1. I just found this one:
    http://www.bien-naitre-et-grandir.fr/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I follow this blog...

    http://nicozbalboa.blogspot.com/

    Hope this is useful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anything by Michel Odent (Not sure on the spelling there).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Rixa,
    first comment from a long-time reader

    some websites...if your friend is into what is called "naissance alternative".


    http://larbreabebes.free.fr/
    the forum has plenty of resources

    http://maternage.free.fr/index.html
    for the birth stories

    http://www.projetdenaissance.com/
    for the online "répertoire des sages-femmes" where you find the very few homebirth midwifes who are still practising in France, among many other helpful studies, analyses of the legal situation, etc

    http://10lunes.canalblog.com/
    a midwife's blog

    http://boob.over-blog.fr/
    http://dechainees.easy-hebergement.info/index.php?page=1
    two political/satirical sites

    and last but not least, the only two books I would recomment: the "Brabant", the french-canadian reference among homebirthers. Very well written, beautiful images, very practical details(questions you should ask your care provider, interventions and how to evit them), very dense, difficult to find in Fnacs/bookstores
    http://www.amazon.fr/Comprendre-personnes-Isabelle-Brabant/dp/2850085103
    This one, for being more mainstream and focusing not only on pregancy and birth, is also a favorite; it should be available in any Fnac or Virgin librairie, go and have a look at it!
    http://www.grandir-nature.com/product_info.php?products_id=5

    that's all I can think of right now. I hope it helps your friend, just as many websites(including yours!) inspired me.

    Stellaspotlight

    ReplyDelete
  5. books from Bernadette de Gasquet, especially Bien-être et maternité

    the Quebec La Leche league : http://allaitement.ca/informations_allaitement.php?g_menu=6

    ReplyDelete
  6. "Attendre un enfant autrement" is a good book (very recent too) and "elever son enfant autrement" as well.
    for lot's of great links: http://desjoursdeslunes.blogspot.com
    all resources on that blog are in French, a lot of them about birth options, breastfeeding and babywearing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Mieux vivre avec notre enfant de la grossesse à deux ans" is a book given to pregnant women living in Quebec.

    You can either buy it, or download it online here: http://www.inspq.qc.ca/MieuxVivre/PDF.asp

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Rixa,

    Have a look on the Doulas de France website, there are a few pages of resources, including articles, books, links, studies and fathers groups.

    http://www.doulas.info/

    In the link section, there are some links dedicated to pregnancy and birth

    http://www.doulas.info/lien.php?p_vue=grossesse

    Cheers,
    Emilie

    ReplyDelete
  9. These resources are all worth keeping. Thanks for asking the question, Rixa. Midwifery Today has my article "Pushing for First Time Moms" translated into French as well as articles by Michel Odent, Jill Cohen, Holly Richardson and more at:
    http://www.midwiferytoday.com/international/french.asp

    Gloria Lemay, Vancouver BC
    http://www.glorialemay.com/blog

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rixa,

    Is your friend looking for local resources or online ones? If local, what part of France is she located in?
    You have a most wonderful blog - thank you and please keep writing! I discovered it via the mamanana blog (I think she linked to your daughter's weaning party). I have been in France for the past year and had my first baby here six months ago - a fascinating glimpse into another culture's attitudes towards breastfeeding and birth...

    ReplyDelete
  11. French language resources

    Wonderful blog - many thanks for it. I discovered it through mamanana's link to your daughter's weaning party. Please keep writing!

    I am at the end of a year in Aix-en-Provence, France (I'm American), during which I also had my first baby. This was a very interesting glimpse of cultural attitudes towards birth and breastfeeding (natural birth is rare - it is highly medicalized as in the States, and breastfeeding rates are even lower than the States). I just sorted through a bunch of bookmarks for various resources. Here are some leads for your friend:

    Breastfeeding (allaitement)

    1. Jack Newman's website, with resources in French.

    Here is the info I received from an email to his clinic awhile back, when I had some questions of my own:

    Notre site www.nbci.ca a maintenant quelques feuillets et quelques-uns des textes des vidéos traduits en français. Nous sommes en train d'en traduire les autres.

    Mon livre (Dr Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding) est maintenant disponible en français (le titre français : L'allaitement : Comprendre et Réussir avec le Dr. Jack Newman). Pour commander des copies:

    Jack Newman Communications
    Casier postal 4621
    Rawdon (QC) J0K 1S0
    jacknewmancommunications@yahoo.ca

    (it is also available on amazon.fr, I just checked)

    En Europe, on peut obtenir le livre de La Leche League France. Allez au site : http://lllfrance.org/allaitement/boutique/livre-Newman.htm

    Nous avons aussi un DVD pour apprendre les essentiels de l’allaitement. Il est en français et en anglais (sur le même DVD, on peut choisir) et aussi il a des sous-titres en espagnol, portugais et italien. Pour plus de renseignement, voyez le site www.nbci.ca.

    2. LLL France : www.lllfrance.org
    My experience was that the LLL was emotionally supportive but meetings were only once a month and advice over the phone was limited, so if you need immediate help with a newborn (as I did), you need a lactation consultant. The group I attended seemed more aimed at issues that arose with older babies.

    3. Lactation consultants
    Find an LC:
    http://www.consultantenlactation.com/
    http://www.consultants-lactation.org/

    4. Other resources
    - Nice blog by an LC based in Aix-en-Provence: http://desirslactes.blogspot.com/ - Laurence was tremendously helpful to us in person, so I imagine her blog has good info on it

    -Aix-based breastfeeding association: http://coala-asso.fr/

    - Coordination Française pour l’Allaitement Maternel; http://coordination-allaitement.org

    4. Breastpump rental: www.grandir-nature.com – to rent call them at 0 800 622 833
    excellent customer service, fabulously supportive of breastfeeding, overnight shipping. In France, breast pump rental can be reimbursed by La Sécurité Sociale.

    ReplyDelete
  12. French language resources

    Wonderful blog - many thanks for it. I discovered it through mamanana's link to your daughter's weaning party. Please keep writing!

    I am at the end of a year in Aix-en-Provence, France (I'm American), during which I also had my first baby. This was a very interesting glimpse of cultural attitudes towards birth and breastfeeding (natural birth is rare - it is highly medicalized as in the States, and breastfeeding rates are even lower than the States). I just sorted through a bunch of bookmarks for various resources. Here are some leads for your friend:

    Breastfeeding (allaitement)

    1. Jack Newman's website, with resources in French.

    Here is the info I received from an email to his clinic awhile back, when I had some questions of my own:

    Notre site www.nbci.ca a maintenant quelques feuillets et quelques-uns des textes des vidéos traduits en français. Nous sommes en train d'en traduire les autres.

    Mon livre (Dr Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding) est maintenant disponible en français (le titre français : L'allaitement : Comprendre et Réussir avec le Dr. Jack Newman). Pour commander des copies:

    Jack Newman Communications
    Casier postal 4621
    Rawdon (QC) J0K 1S0
    jacknewmancommunications@yahoo.ca

    (it is also available on amazon.fr, I just checked)

    En Europe, on peut obtenir le livre de La Leche League France. Allez au site : http://lllfrance.org/allaitement/boutique/livre-Newman.htm

    Nous avons aussi un DVD pour apprendre les essentiels de l’allaitement. Il est en français et en anglais (sur le même DVD, on peut choisir) et aussi il a des sous-titres en espagnol, portugais et italien. Pour plus de renseignement, voyez le site www.nbci.ca.

    2. LLL France : www.lllfrance.org
    My experience was that the LLL was emotionally supportive but meetings were only once a month and advice over the phone was limited, so if you need immediate help with a newborn (as I did), you need a lactation consultant. The group I attended seemed more aimed at issues that arose with older babies.

    3. Lactation consultants
    Find an LC:
    http://www.consultantenlactation.com/
    http://www.consultants-lactation.org/

    4. Other resources
    - Nice blog by an LC based in Aix-en-Provence: http://desirslactes.blogspot.com/ - Laurence was tremendously helpful to us in person, so I imagine her blog has good info on it

    -Aix-based breastfeeding association: http://coala-asso.fr/

    - Coordination Française pour l’Allaitement Maternel; http://coordination-allaitement.org

    4. Breastpump rental: www.grandir-nature.com – to rent call them at 0 800 622 833
    excellent customer service, fabulously supportive of breastfeeding, overnight shipping. In France, breast pump rental can be reimbursed by La Sécurité Sociale.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pregnancy and birth (grossesse et accouchement / naissance)
    1. Ratings of maternités (birthing hospitals):
    http://www.maman.fr/top_des_maternites-1-1.html

    2. Doulas
    http://www.doulas.info/ - Doulas are, unfortunately, virtually unheard of in France (for example, they were not allowed at all in the hospital where I delivered).

    3. Birth plans
    Resources for writing one at: http://www.mamancherie.ca/fr/info/Preparerplannaissance.htm

    Incidentally, my very kind but quite conventional OB-GYN was quite enthusiastic for me to bring a birth plan to the hospital (it was really a list of my wishes in case I was suddenly unable to express myself in French). I do not know if this attitude is a general cultural norm or not.

    I was personally unable to locate any other options than a hospital birth. The Swiss model of birth centers (natural birth oriented) does not appear to exist in France, and home births are pretty much unheard of. Some maternités are more progressive than others (Baby Friendly initiative hospitals are called “Hôpital Ami des Bébés). I was surprised how “old school” the maternité where I delivered was—it was considered the very best of the region, but it had separate labor and delivery rooms, father not allowed in the surgery block for cesareans, etc. They were very eager to use Pitocin and most of their clientele appear to choose it very early on in the labor process (my attempt to avoid it altogether was met with some bemusement). They did however, emphasize skin-to-skin (peau à peau) in the first hour after birth. They had a great reputation for helping with breastfeeding, and you could always call in someone to help with the latch, and you stay in the hospital 5-6 days. Unfortunately the staff were often misinformed; they frequently unintentionally sabotage breastfeeding relationships by pushing putting the baby in night nursery, pushing artificial complement early on, suggesting use of pacifier in first few days, and actually teaching incorrect latching.

    Postpartum
    In French hospitals, midwives are roughly our equivalent of American labor and delivery nurses, but they can also come to your home to do aftercare (reimbursable by La Sécurité Sociale) Although many believe they are educated in breastfeeding, my experience—and that of many other women—is that like others the medical establishment, they are often sadly misinformed. It is better to get hands on help – and information – from a lactation consultant (see Breastfeeding above)
    To find a midwife: http://www.ordre-sages-femmes.fr/bases/annuaire/lib/annuairelib.htm


    General online resources:

    www.perinat-france.org – I have not used this site so I do not know how accurate it may be

    http://www.enceinte.com/ - again, I have not used this site so I do not know how accurate the information is.

    http://www.mamancherie.ca/fr/index.htm - focus on natural birth, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Based in Canada.

    http://www.aufeminin.com/world/communaute/forum/forum0.asp - message boards for everything - pregnancy, birth, newborns, etc.

    http://forum.doctissimo.fr/grossesse-bebe/liste_categorie.htm - message board

    http://asso.saame.free.fr/index.html - group based in the south of France (portage/babywearing, massage, allaitement/breastfeeding, etc)

    http://www.pacamomes.com/ - tab for “Les touts petits” has listings and reviews of pre and postnatal classes, creches, doulas, etc.

    http://www.bebenaturel.info/- branches of this group around France (portage/babywearing, massage, allaitement/breastfeeding, etc)

    ReplyDelete

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