Hi Colette and Scott, was it predictable? Yes. Was it avoidable? Yes.😧 All you have to remember is that Doctors in France are better trained and have a more thorough knowledge of medicine unlike their American counterparts. If you need data, one can have a look at the WHO and OECD websites: Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births in 2023: France 7.9 vs USA 21.1 (WHO, Global Health Observatory, 2023). Infant mortality rate per 1000 live births: France 3.6 vs USA 5.4 (OECD Health Statistics, 2023). American doctors complete a Bachelor's Degree (learning a second language if they can, courses in the humanities, writing, social sciences etc.) prior to completing a medical degree. In France, French doctors study medicine from Year 1 at the university after their High School Diploma (science branch of the Diploma in High School) and are more exposed to health sciences and medicine through extensive clinical placements and in depth knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry, neuroscience, andrology, ethology, immunology, pharmacology etc.). It takes 10 years of this training to be a French registered family Physician looking after people! I am not taking about research in Medicine there! Why would your questions be validated if the person in front of you knows 100 times better than you...the reasons why American doctors are so complacent in extra unnecessary tests and clients' unreasonable demands are: 1) they do not know as much as their French counterparts and they are NOT 100% sure because of their poorer training; 2) they are afraid of the patients because of rampant litigation and insurance costs; 3) they will do everything to keep you as a "client" not as a "patient" like lawyers do. To sum up, French doctors are NOT... lawyers. They are not here to sugarcoat their patients. They are here to save you and make you and your family as healthy as possible. If you had done your research, you should have NEVER come to France (by the way the Dutch health system and doctors are the same- I know from experience) to be looked after by the French health care system coming from the USA. I wish you good luck back in the USA with the new American regime coming in 2025 with Donald Trump and his acolytes. I can guarantee life will change for you in the USA over the next 4 years and not in a good way... For the sake of your kids, remember your experience and your complaints about France and Europe when you look back in a few years time...This is from someone who has lived and experienced health care first-hand in the USA, Canada, France, UK, Netherlands, Australia and Spain. Good luck. You need it. Sebastian🙂
Thanks for sharing the data.👍 We knew some of those birth rate facts before going and that was part of the reason why we chose France. It's interesting to hear the difference about how France educates their doctors vs the US. As for saying we should have never come to France, we try to remember that "A live without mistakes is a life without lessons" There's no way we could have known this wouldn't have worked without trying it. Just like visiting a restaurant, you can read all the reviews and talk to people who've been, but nothing replaces tasting the actual food. 😀
This is also not a personal attack on the French or their healthcare system. We respect a woman’s right to choose her own healthcare and in this case, Coco’s doctor in the USA was the best fit for our family. It was never our intention to be pregnant or give birth abroad but we tried. There is bravery in trying and bravery in knowing when to adapt. We may go back to Europe after the baby is born - after all, Coco is an Italian citizen so we always have the option. This just wasn’t the right time for our family and there’s no place or point in criticizing a woman’s personal medical decision as that’s not up for debate. Please keep in mind France was not our first foray into living abroad as we have lived in the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Argentina 😊
There is a lot of strength in saying Let us stop here. Well done to you both. Having a baby in another country is really hard and confusing. I went from Europa to the USA.
Sorry, I don't understand where you found that the agency opens at seven o'clock. On the AVIS rental site it is specified for each agency in Nice that it will open at 8 a.m. at the most, others open later. Even on Google Maps I couldn't find an opening time before eight o'clock at all the AVIS agencies in Nice. Maybe I looked wrong. Could you tell me which agency is where you read that the agency opens at seven in the morning, thank you.
I think it's just the winter hour change, which wasn't recorded. So, your complaint has pushed them to verify what happened and they fixed the mistake. 😉
My two cents. The doctor and his staff were treating you as they would any pregnant French woman, and you were acting like a pregnant American woman. I'm not saying one is better than the other, there's just a disconnect.
Too bad things didn't work out for your move to France. As you mentioned the Netherlands could have been a good idea because nearly everyone speaks english there so the language barrier is not nearly as much of an issue. Though I've heard the housing market is pretty tough there too atm. Anyway I wish your lovely family the best for the future !
Every now and then, TH-cam suggests your pdocast. I try to listen to it with an open mind but every time I hear you complaining about how things are not like in the US. I'll pass. But one advice: come with an open mind if you want to travel, live aborad. And yes you are right to ask for more information about your pregnancy (congrats by the way), but maybe you'll have to find another doctor being more fluent in English or to really take the time to explain your situation but don't expect the French doctors to be like American doctors. Have a nice one.
I believe that people make decisions first and then find all kinds of reasons to justify those decisions. The health care in France is indeed more rigit because it’s all paid by tax payers. So doctors try not to prescribe unnecessary tests (in their opinion). Though you can go 100% private and do all the tests you want but it’s out of pocket. Angelina Jolie gave birth to her twins (with Brad Pitt) in Nice in a private clinic (probably at a walking distance from where you lived). In restrospect, Nice is kinda rough for a landing with no prior experience/language and with a toddler. But ultimately, it makes sense you guys just want to be back home with family and friends. No place like it.
It was a very tough decision and not the one we wanted. We made the decision to move abroad for a year, but since pregnancy abroad wasn’t the plan, we had to adapt. We’ve lived abroad before in countries where we were learning the language. I actually do speak some French so we thought this move might be a bit smoother. However, being pregnant and delivering abroad is way different. There’s nothing wrong with French healthcare - it’s fine and we experienced the private system exactly where Angelina Jolie delivered. Feeling safe with a provider is paramount - no matter what language or country you’re in and ultimately, I didn’t feel safe in my surroundings. There is strength in acknowledging needs and honoring them, even if they’re not what you planned or wanted.
Your kids NEED the grandparents! I am assuming you get along with them. The fun time for grandparents is when the kids are little. And as parents, you will get a much better date/break if the grandparents are babysitting for the weekend then hired help. A move outside country is before kids or when the kids become teenagers. You move to Singapore when the kids become teenagers.hihi much harder to pick up dangerous habit in Singapore/ russian roulette in the USA. Extended family quiets the nervous system of children 0-12. It gives the kids a much stronger emotional base then learning to survive in a different culture age 0-12. Parents are not enough. Moving outside the USA with young teenagers is better.
I understand your deception for the slow results of the tests and your disapproval that you were not recalled. They should have taken into account the fact that you are not used to the French system. In France, if a problem is detected, your test will be communicated first. If no problems are detected, then the test follows a second less urgent route. it is necessary to know that the system of gratuity for all including for the foreigner (even in condition of irregular immigration) clutters the medicine, it is for this that the communications are made in priority over the emergencies or when there are problems. The same goes for calls. When there are no calls, everything is fine. You can find exactly what you want in terms of examinations (as in the USA), but for that you have to go through the private health system (specialized clinic). However, it is more expensive and you do not necessarily have all the supplementary examinations reimbursed by social security. It is so sad to see you go. I wish you the best for the rest of your life ❤
@@antibash691 thank you for sharing 😀 this is a very interesting breakdown of differences between healthcare systems. We loved France and their healthcare system. But during this time of life it just didn’t work for us. That doesn’t mean it can’t work for others. Who knows, maybe we’ll come back with 2 kiddos next time. ❤️❤️
@@Roamaroo But if so, it's better with older (teenage) children! I'm sure that the problems with smaller children would be much greater for you (care, school, lifestyle...). There is a huge difference between living abroad as a couple alone or with (small) children You have to be very flexible and relaxed and for American helicopter parents this is certainly an even bigger challenge than pregnancy/birth. All the best for you and the baby!!!
I guess the think here is having trust. You should trust your French doctor. They serve so many women to get theire baby. And all will be good in the end.
Absolutely. Trust in your provider is paramount for a safe delivery. And it’s also trusting your gut and advocating for your needs when you feel that perhaps a different doctor or healthcare system is more well suited.
😅🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🙃 you answer reply kind vlog have been processed through an AI, the AI just immitated your style, voices changed, and processed to treat on another topic, just check out common sens sceptic last video ;)
I absolutely get you guys about the French medical system. I don’t think it’s a cultural thing but rather a dysfunctional aspect of it all. It’s political not cultural I guess. I am here too. Such a pity… Actually not even! You just offered me such a great lesson of freedom. Beautiful! Thank you. Lots of love ❤
Hi Colette and Scott, was it predictable? Yes. Was it avoidable? Yes.😧 All you have to remember is that Doctors in France are better trained and have a more thorough knowledge of medicine unlike their American counterparts. If you need data, one can have a look at the WHO and OECD websites: Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births in 2023: France 7.9 vs USA 21.1 (WHO, Global Health Observatory, 2023). Infant mortality rate per 1000 live births: France 3.6 vs USA 5.4 (OECD Health Statistics, 2023). American doctors complete a Bachelor's Degree (learning a second language if they can, courses in the humanities, writing, social sciences etc.) prior to completing a medical degree. In France, French doctors study medicine from Year 1 at the university after their High School Diploma (science branch of the Diploma in High School) and are more exposed to health sciences and medicine through extensive clinical placements and in depth knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry, neuroscience, andrology, ethology, immunology, pharmacology etc.). It takes 10 years of this training to be a French registered family Physician looking after people! I am not taking about research in Medicine there!
Why would your questions be validated if the person in front of you knows 100 times better than you...the reasons why American doctors are so complacent in extra unnecessary tests and clients' unreasonable demands are: 1) they do not know as much as their French counterparts and they are NOT 100% sure because of their poorer training; 2) they are afraid of the patients because of rampant litigation and insurance costs; 3) they will do everything to keep you as a "client" not as a "patient" like lawyers do. To sum up, French doctors are NOT... lawyers. They are not here to sugarcoat their patients. They are here to save you and make you and your family as healthy as possible.
If you had done your research, you should have NEVER come to France (by the way the Dutch health system and doctors are the same- I know from experience) to be looked after by the French health care system coming from the USA. I wish you good luck back in the USA with the new American regime coming in 2025 with Donald Trump and his acolytes. I can guarantee life will change for you in the USA over the next 4 years and not in a good way... For the sake of your kids, remember your experience and your complaints about France and Europe when you look back in a few years time...This is from someone who has lived and experienced health care first-hand in the USA, Canada, France, UK, Netherlands, Australia and Spain. Good luck. You need it. Sebastian🙂
Thanks for sharing the data.👍 We knew some of those birth rate facts before going and that was part of the reason why we chose France.
It's interesting to hear the difference about how France educates their doctors vs the US.
As for saying we should have never come to France, we try to remember that
"A live without mistakes is a life without lessons"
There's no way we could have known this wouldn't have worked without trying it. Just like visiting a restaurant, you can read all the reviews and talk to people who've been, but nothing replaces tasting the actual food. 😀
This is also not a personal attack on the French or their healthcare system. We respect a woman’s right to choose her own healthcare and in this case, Coco’s doctor in the USA was the best fit for our family. It was never our intention to be pregnant or give birth abroad but we tried. There is bravery in trying and bravery in knowing when to adapt.
We may go back to Europe after the baby is born - after all, Coco is an Italian citizen so we always have the option. This just wasn’t the right time for our family and there’s no place or point in criticizing a woman’s personal medical decision as that’s not up for debate.
Please keep in mind France was not our first foray into living abroad as we have lived in the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Argentina 😊
So true, I agree 100%!
There is a lot of strength in saying Let us stop here. Well done to you both. Having a baby in another country is really hard and confusing. I went from Europa to the USA.
Thank you for your support. It was a really hard decision, but we know that it was the right decision for this season of life ❤
From the weeks leading up, your emotions were very present and it makes sense you won’t be staying. ❤
Sorry, I don't understand where you found that the agency opens at seven o'clock. On the AVIS rental site it is specified for each agency in Nice that it will open at 8 a.m. at the most, others open later. Even on Google Maps I couldn't find an opening time before eight o'clock at all the AVIS agencies in Nice. Maybe I looked wrong. Could you tell me which agency is where you read that the agency opens at seven in the morning, thank you.
@@antibash691 that’s a great question. When I look now it says 8 am on google maps. Maybe it was updated?
@@antibash691 it was the Avis at the Nice airport. Even though I had to wait the staff was incredibly nice and helpful.
@@Roamaroo I think it's thanks to you that they changed this error. They must not have known that it was written 7 a.m. on Google maps. ;-)
I think it's just the winter hour change, which wasn't recorded. So, your complaint has pushed them to verify what happened and they fixed the mistake. 😉
@@LetsChillPage Yes, it is very possible 👍
My two cents. The doctor and his staff were treating you as they would any pregnant French woman, and you were acting like a pregnant American woman. I'm not saying one is better than the other, there's just a disconnect.
Too bad things didn't work out for your move to France. As you mentioned the Netherlands could have been a good idea because nearly everyone speaks english there so the language barrier is not nearly as much of an issue. Though I've heard the housing market is pretty tough there too atm. Anyway I wish your lovely family the best for the future !
TS 1:45 so the worker who probably has young kids too should waking up earlier and have a rushed morning to accomodate you. eeesh
Every now and then, TH-cam suggests your pdocast. I try to listen to it with an open mind but every time I hear you complaining about how things are not like in the US. I'll pass. But one advice: come with an open mind if you want to travel, live aborad.
And yes you are right to ask for more information about your pregnancy (congrats by the way), but maybe you'll have to find another doctor being more fluent in English or to really take the time to explain your situation but don't expect the French doctors to be like American doctors. Have a nice one.
You tried ! No regret. Good luck 👍
I believe that people make decisions first and then find all kinds of reasons to justify those decisions.
The health care in France is indeed more rigit because it’s all paid by tax payers. So doctors try not to prescribe unnecessary tests (in their opinion). Though you can go 100% private and do all the tests you want but it’s out of pocket. Angelina Jolie gave birth to her twins (with Brad Pitt) in Nice in a private clinic (probably at a walking distance from where you lived).
In restrospect, Nice is kinda rough for a landing with no prior experience/language and with a toddler.
But ultimately, it makes sense you guys just want to be back home with family and friends. No place like it.
It was a very tough decision and not the one we wanted. We made the decision to move abroad for a year, but since pregnancy abroad wasn’t the plan, we had to adapt. We’ve lived abroad before in countries where we were learning the language. I actually do speak some French so we thought this move might be a bit smoother. However, being pregnant and delivering abroad is way different. There’s nothing wrong with French healthcare - it’s fine and we experienced the private system exactly where Angelina Jolie delivered.
Feeling safe with a provider is paramount - no matter what language or country you’re in and ultimately, I didn’t feel safe in my surroundings. There is strength in acknowledging needs and honoring them, even if they’re not what you planned or wanted.
did you Try to apply for a long-stay visa?
Coco is an Italian citizen so she has EU citizenship. If we stayed, Scott would have applied for a spouse of an EU citizen visa.
@@Roamaroo Oh I see.
Your kids NEED the grandparents! I am assuming you get along with them. The fun time for grandparents is when the kids are little. And as parents, you will get a much better date/break if the grandparents are babysitting for the weekend then hired help. A move outside country is before kids or when the kids become teenagers. You move to Singapore when the kids become teenagers.hihi much harder to pick up dangerous habit in Singapore/ russian roulette in the USA. Extended family quiets the nervous system of children 0-12. It gives the kids a much stronger emotional base then learning to survive in a different culture age 0-12. Parents are not enough. Moving outside the USA with young teenagers is better.
It's only been a few days back but this rings true. Our daughter seems much happier being close to family.
Great Britain
I understand your deception for the slow results of the tests and your disapproval that you were not recalled. They should have taken into account the fact that you are not used to the French system. In France, if a problem is detected, your test will be communicated first. If no problems are detected, then the test follows a second less urgent route. it is necessary to know that the system of gratuity for all including for the foreigner (even in condition of irregular immigration) clutters the medicine, it is for this that the communications are made in priority over the emergencies or when there are problems. The same goes for calls. When there are no calls, everything is fine. You can find exactly what you want in terms of examinations (as in the USA), but for that you have to go through the private health system (specialized clinic). However, it is more expensive and you do not necessarily have all the supplementary examinations reimbursed by social security.
It is so sad to see you go. I wish you the best for the rest of your life ❤
@@antibash691 thank you for sharing 😀 this is a very interesting breakdown of differences between healthcare systems. We loved France and their healthcare system. But during this time of life it just didn’t work for us. That doesn’t mean it can’t work for others.
Who knows, maybe we’ll come back with 2 kiddos next time.
❤️❤️
@@Roamaroo But if so, it's better with older (teenage) children! I'm sure that the problems with smaller children would be much greater for you (care, school, lifestyle...). There is a huge difference between living abroad as a couple alone or with (small) children You have to be very flexible and relaxed and for American helicopter parents this is certainly an even bigger challenge than pregnancy/birth. All the best for you and the baby!!!
socialized medicine.
Yes. But you can go 100% private in France but it’s out of pocket. Of course you still have to pay taxes for the socialized health care system.
@@gabelov head to Italy or the UK next time.
I guess the think here is having trust. You should trust your French doctor. They serve so many women to get theire baby. And all will be good in the end.
Absolutely. Trust in your provider is paramount for a safe delivery. And it’s also trusting your gut and advocating for your needs when you feel that perhaps a different doctor or healthcare system is more well suited.
😅🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🙃 you answer reply kind vlog have been processed through an AI, the AI just immitated your style, voices changed, and processed to treat on another topic, just check out common sens sceptic last video ;)
I absolutely get you guys about the French medical system. I don’t think it’s a cultural thing but rather a dysfunctional aspect of it all. It’s political not cultural I guess. I am here too. Such a pity… Actually not even! You just offered me such a great lesson of freedom. Beautiful! Thank you. Lots of love ❤