I've had 2 babies in France. As an American, the biggest shock was never getting a hospital bill.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kristen Seitz. It has been edited for length and clarity.

At 25, I was working in Texas at an oil and gas company, feeling like this wasn't the life I wanted. I decided I'd quit my job and teach English in Europe for a few years, planning to return once I'd had my fill.

My first Christmas in Europe, I was teaching at a school in Poland and was invited to spend the holiday with a colleague's family. It was there that I met a French man who would become my husband.

Since the meeting, we've moved around, living in Poland and Canada, and since 2019, in France. We wanted to settle near my husband's family, and it was easier to get married in France than anywhere else we had lived.

Both of us knew we wanted children, and I found out I was expecting our firstborn in 2023.

The whole process of having a baby scared me because of what I had heard from family and friends in the US. I'd heard horror stories about affording pregnancy and birth, being pushed by doctors to have C-sections, and taking Pitocin. I was nervous it might be the same in France.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant at six weeks, I used an app to find a midwife (sage femme in French) and contacted her. She would be my midwife throughout the pregnancy.

I'd visit her once a month at the office to talk about anything and everything: how I was feeling, what I was worried about, and any questions or concerns I had. She was so warm and reassuring each time we met, putting all of my worries to rest.

Not having my family or much of a support system at the time, it was a huge relief to have someone other than my husband to speak to about how the baby and I were doing.

Anytime I needed her in between these meetings, she was available over text.

I loved having midwifery support throughout my pregnancy. Midwives here are focused on the mother and the baby, and that comes across loud and clear through their care.

In addition, there were workshops I could attend. I went to seven, covering birthing positions, preparing the home for a baby, breathing techniques, and how to write a birth plan. There were also one or two sessions for partners to attend, where they could learn how to support a woman through pregnancy, birth, and the early days of parenthood.