Barcelona Mum

Nicola Vilapena

What is your name, age, where do you live and how long have you lived in Madrid?
My name is Nicola Vilapana, I’m 32, and I live in the Conde de Casal area of Madrid. I’ve been in Madrid for 4 years now.

Do you work, and if so what do you do?
I work as an orthodontist in a practice based in the Carabancel.

What nationality are you and your partner?
I’m British, from Scotland and my partner is Spanish.

How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
I have one little girl Alicia, and she is 5 months old

What was your experience of having a baby in Madrid?
Good I would say. We have private insurance and so I gave birth in Sanatorio Nuestra Senora del Rosario in the Diego de Leon area. I liked that I had a scan almost every month so I knew just what was going on. There were some things that I was disappointed with, for example after she was born I went to see a matron in the public sector for some advice, but found that she was a bit nasty, I don’t know if this was because I had my baby in a private hospital, or because I wasn’t speaking perfect Spanish or what, but she wasn’t very helpful.

At the hospital did you present a birth plan to your doctor?
No I didn’t because I was advised through friends that in the hospitals here they can be anti birth plans, as the doctor wants to be in control. In my pre-natal class I was told it is the better to say is it possible to do this, or can we do that, rather than presenting a plan.

How well integrated would you say you and your children are?
!00% integrated!

What language do you speak to your children?
I speak English, but break into Spanish when the Spanish nanny or my husbands family is around.

What has your impression been of childcare and education in Madrid so far?
I’ve heard that if you take you child to a guarderia when they can’t walk the child is left in their cot all day, but I don’t have experience of this and so we have employed a nanny to look after Alicia, she came highly recommended and we are very happy with her.

How do you rate the amenities available for parents and children in Madrid?
One of the things I really like is that here you can go directly to a pediatrician rather than, say the system back home where you need to see your GP and then be referred to a ped.

Where you live, how good are facilities for children (shops, restaurants, activities etc)?
Public transport is great here. I can take her in the pushchair on the bus or metro, and it’s cheap.

What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of being a parent from the International Community living in Madrid?
Main advantages is that it’s probably easier to find part-time work as an English teacher and so not have to work the awful Spanish timetable, Disadvantages: Difficult to know how to find out about things like enrolling you child in a nursery, school etc. there seems to be little information and a lot of bureaucra

Is there anything you think would improve children’s lives in Madrid?
More smoke free child friendly places to go with the kids.

What do you wish you had been told before you came to Madrid?
I didn’t really have any preconceived expectations

What advice would you give for anyone having a baby or thinking of relocating to Madrid with children?
I don’t really have any advice on that one!

Okay, so as a dentist what advice would you give to parents with young children?
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.
I am happy to answer anyone’s dental queries, via Mumabroad, if they want to email me.

What couldn’t you live without in Madrid?
Simple Soap. Heinz tomato soup.

What could you live without?!
Smoke filled places, and the work hours!