Blythe Bassart (Cadiz)
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Blythe Bassart (Cadiz)
What is your name and how long have you lived in Andalucia?
My name is Blythe Bassart. I've been in Andalucia (Cadiz) 1.5 years.
What nationality are you and your partner?
We are American.
How many children do you have and when were they born?
We have one child - 3 month old Leon. He was born at US Naval Hospital Rota.
You had a Hypno-birthing anti-natal weekend with your baby – why? And how would you describe the experience?
My sister recommended Hypnobirthing to me. She had a natural birth with her first baby and it went very well, so I was eager to take her advice. I read the book and loved the idea, so I thought I'd try it. I'd say it definitely helped me to remain calm during birthing. It taught me a lot about what to expect and what was happening with my body. Our class with Julie helped a lot too. It finally got my husband involved and really on board. We also learned what to ask for and be aware of at the hospital, which was very important.
Home births are still very rare in Spain, would you recommend others to try the experience?
I haven't had one but I would love to for the next baby. I wish they weren't so rare in Spain - I would have definitely tried to have our insurance authorize one if it were more common here.
How did you rate the information available to you about the choice of birth?
Not really sure . . . we did visit a Spanish hospital and have a tour of the birthing rooms. From what I saw, there didn't seem to be much choice. There was the chair you sat in during labor, and the table you sat on during birth. That was it.
Did you attend ante-natal classes?
Just the Hypnobirthing weekend.
Was there a language barrier during the birth process?
n/a
How did you rate the ante and post natal care?
Excellent!
Where you live, what are the facilities and amenities for babies/children like?
We live on a military base with excellent childcare options. In the local area the amenities seem to be pretty good.
What advice would you give to anyone having a baby in Andalucia?
I would say, be sure to check out lots of different hospitals and if you're interested in natural birth or home birth, be sure to do your research. If I were having a baby at a Spanish hospital, I think I'd hire a bilingual doula like Julie.
Would you do anything differently next time round?
I would probably try harder for a homebirth and/or water birth.
What could you not live without in Andalucia?
Sunscreen and the internet.
What could you live without?!
Our very sad stray animal problem.
(July 09)
