Interviews with local mums
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Tanya Thompson
"As citizens of the wider European Community, we are all part of the same community here. For me it´s about getting involved with activities and events at local level. That way we all feel more integrated and part of the community. Of course there are cultural differences but we have to respect those" (TT)
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Rowena Stevens
"Before arriving in Madrid I researched what childbirth in Madrid was likely to be like and was really disappointed and frightened to discover that it was highly medicalised (e.g. Inductions, operating theatres). It was with trepidation that I first met a gynaecologist and asked him about what my experience was likely to be like. He confirmed that what I had found out was true and in the end my birthing experience pretty much followed the same pattern" (RS)
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Alison Gallagher
"(I) really missed Mums & Tots groups, etc. when babies. As grandparents are 90% childcare here, society’s not prepared for those of us who need to socialize and don’t have parents on hand" (AG)
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Lucy Hales
"To be honest like everything in Spain, once you work out the system the care is very good, its just getting your head round the differences. And the care for older children is excellent with annual check ups meaning that there is far more access to preventative medicine " (LH)
Click here for a full interview with Lucy about her experiences of giving birth in Madrid
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Angeles de Cara
"There are fewer playgroups (here). In London we were spoiled for choice. Even the local libraries would hold singing and nursery rhyme sessions for very young children, whereas here the majority of libraries only open in the afternoons and the storytelling is aimed at older children" (AC)
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Katrina Hendry
"I am impressed with the quality of hospitals here… but the patient care is very different to home i.e. stirrups, patient disempowerment, father not present for c-section, and limited input allowed by mothers into decisions impacting your baby. In Madrid, a private hospital is more affordable than in Australia…no gap fee. Testing during pregnancy was very thorough, it would appear more so than Australia. Fortunately as this was my third child I felt more in control of making my own decisions regarding breastfeeding etc…I didn’t need a lot of support for this" (KH)
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Marikay Mc Cabe
"Before having a child most of my friends were Spanish after having a child they were mostly English speaking foreigners because I was looking for a community who shared similar views on childrearing" (MM)
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'L'
"I remember thinking that all I wanted to do was go to sleep & start again in the morning but new that in a hospital this was not an option. So I was moved to a white 'box' room & this is when everything started to get out of hand...I prefer not to go into detail but can say that I was treated like a body rather than a person & the priority for the team was to get the baby out with no regard for the fact that I was a woman giving birth to a baby. I have never been treated with such disrespect in my life! " (L)
Click here for a full interview with 'L' about her 'natural' birthing experience in Madrid
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Nicola Vilapena
"Bring your child to see a dentist before he or she needs any work done so that it is not a scary or painful experience, rather they get to see the cool chair, tools etc. And unless there is a problem they only need to see a dentist about once a year" (NV)