Expat Advice: Having a Baby in Rome
What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?
Rome
How recently did you give birth in the country that you are reporting on?
1 year ago
Describe your experience giving birth there. What type of facility did you go to? What (if any) type of pain management did you use? How long did you stay in the hospital? Was it a positive experience? Etc...
It was really positive experience. I gave birth to my daughter to one of the largest public hospitals of Rome - Gemelli and I definitely recommend it to everybody. It is free, delivery room is private and huge with a toilet and shower etc. There was 5 members of the staff with me, including 2 students on practice. Everyone was really nice, caring and professional. As I had a spontaneous birth-giving, I couldn't use any anesthesia, so no experience there. But a couple of weeks before, I had a meeting with anesthesiologist in the same hospital, signed all the papers, and had all things explained, really useful. Almost all doctors there are English-speaking, such a relief! The maternity rooms are semi-private, with a toilet and the shower, and the nursery is next-door. They taking the babies away only for the tests and for the night, from 12 till 6, but if you'll ask, the nurses will leave the baby with you the whole night. The nurses are professional and helpful, you can always ask for the help in changing, brest-feeding etc.
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How did you choose your doctor, midwife or other type of medical professional?
Word of mouth is a key in Italy. Ask me if you need a good English-speaking gynecologist or pediatrician.
If you were to have another child in this country, would you do anything differently in terms of preparation and/or the delivery?
Absolutely the same. In fact, I'm already doing it.
If a friend of yours living in the same country were expecting, what advice would you give her?
Don't waste your time and money on private clinics. Maybe they will have nicer looking reception and not so many people waiting, but the best professionals are working in large state hospitals, best equipment end supplies are there either. One of my friends had a horrible experience in one of the most popular private clinics - Artemisia.
More Expat Advice about Having a Baby in Italy
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guestDear Linades, I'm in the early stages of pregnancy and going to be meeting with an OB next week who delivers at Gemelli. It'll be our first child (they're actually twins, yay) and I have lots of questions. If you (or anyone else reading this comment) would be so kind as to drop me a personal note, I'd be grateful to ask you a few things that are on my mind. My name is Kim, I can be reached at lombardy.villa@gmail.com Thank you so much!
