HypnoBirthing Blog

Giving birth in Spain as an expat? Know your legal rights — consent, refusing interventions, privacy, choice & home birth — explained in plain English.

When I was pregnant with my third baby, I visited a few hospitals to get a feel for them. At one of them, on the tour, I started asking the "difficult" questions — the ones about choices and consent. The maternity nurse showing me around told me, quite simply, that the doctor decides, not the patient.

I gently pushed back. I explained that I'm the patient, that I have human rights, that nothing happens without my consent — and that hospital protocol, however useful, isn't law. Her reply has stayed with me ever since: "Well… here, you should see it as law. It's the law, and the doctor decides."

I was blown away. And I knew immediately I wouldn't be having my baby there — not because of that one nurse, but because of what her answer quietly revealed about the culture of the whole place. Because the culture of a hospital is exactly what surrounds you on the day you give birth.

Are you preparing for birth and wondering what to do with your body when the moment arrives? Most women picture lying on their back in a hospital bed — but that's actually one of the least effective positions for birth. Moving freely and choosing positions that work with your body and your baby can make a huge difference to how your labour progresses.

Here are six birth positions worth knowing before your birth day:

Sitting on a birth stool 

Acupuncture During Pregnancy, Birth Preparation & Postpartum

My personal experience with acupuncture during pregnancy began with my first pregnancy. My HypnoBirthing instructor had mentioned that acupuncture in the final weeks could help with the thinning and softening of the cervix. Since I was already seeing an acupuncturist I trusted, I wanted to give it a try.

I was 37 weeks when we started the treatment, which was fine, but it just didn't seem to set anything in motion. I was 42 weeks when my midwife wanted to check me — and she was very surprised to find that my cervix was already softening and I had dilated 1 cm without noticing a thing! In the end I was going every day, as everyone was starting to get a little nervous. And then it happened — right there on the table, I had my first contraction! I was over the moon!

This was back in the Netherlands. Here in Spain, in Málaga, I got to know Julie. She is an amazing lady with a wealth of knowledge and experience working with pregnant women. I went to her during my last pregnancy in 2024, and I would — and do — recommend her to all pregnant women for the wide variety of things she can help with.

In this blog, Julie tells you a bit about acupuncture and how she can help you. Enjoy!

How chiropractic care relieved my pregnancy back pain

You know that moment when you're shuffling across your living room like you've aged forty years overnight, one hand pressed against your lower back, moving at the pace of a sloth on sedatives? Yeah. That was me during my third pregnancy. And here's the kicker— as a hypnobirthing practitioner, I literally teach pregnant women about preparation, self-care, and listening to their bodies.

Talk about not practicing what you preach.

Let me back up and tell you how I went from walking like I needed a zimmer frame to standing straight again—and why chiropractic care during pregnancy might just be the missing piece in your birth preparation toolkit.

During my pregnancies I have always suffered from morning sickness in the first 18 to 20 weeks, morning, day and night. So you can imagine I tried about everything to make it better.

Wanna know what was the magic trick? 👇🏻

Patience. That´s it. Nothing fully helped and made it disappear as I had hoped. 🪄

I could have taken a medicine that a doctor can prescribe, but I didn´t want to take any medication, so I decided to just take it as it is. Some things made it more bearable. Read on to see what helped me get through this time without medication.

As we conclude our exploration of maternity care in Andalusia, this article covers the prenatal visits and healthcare procedures during the final trimester of pregnancy. For the first and second trimester check the links.

Consistent with my previous articles, remember that these are guidelines, and you always have the freedom to make informed choices about your healthcare.

Important preliminary consideration: Each medical procedure and recommendation during this trimester is voluntary. Healthcare recommendations are not immutable laws, but suggestions to be carefully considered. Always take time to research, ask questions, and make decisions that align with your personal health philosophy and individual circumstances. If you need help to gather information don't hesitate to contact me. I will be more than willing to get you to some good sources of information. 

As a continuation of our exploration of maternity care in Andalusia, this article focuses on the prenatal visits and healthcare procedures during the second trimester of pregnancy. Consistent with the previous article, it's important to remember that while these are standard recommendations, you always have the freedom to make informed choices about your healthcare.

Informed Choice and Medical Procedures

As an expat preparing to give birth in Spain, one of the most daunting challenges you might face is the language barrier. Communication is crucial during pregnancy and childbirth, and not being fluent in Spanish can add an extra layer of stress to an already intense experience. But don't worry! With the right preparation and tools, you can overcome these language barriers and have a positive, empowering birth experience. Here are five effective ways to bridge the communication gap:

1. Learn Key Pregnancy & Birth Terms and Phrases 

In Spain, just like in most developed countries, a woman is offered an ever-increasing variety of tests. These tests and scans available throughout your pregnancy vary from early ultrasounds to blood tests for gestational diabetes. Each serves a specific purpose, whether it's confirming your due date, screening for potential chromosomal conditions, or monitoring your baby's growth and development.

During pregnancy, you will be making lots of decisions, many concerning tests and scans. These are tools designed to provide information and support, not to cause unnecessary stress or anxiety.

Even in a healthy pregnancy, it is considered normal to have lots of check-ups. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, and although offered to everyone, not all tests and scans are valid or useful for everyone. So be critical and ask yourself if you really feel all the tests are fitting for you and your partner, your situation and your life values. Also, I speak of them being offered to you, but sometimes it can feel like you have no choice in the matter. That is a misunderstanding. You can always say no and/or ask for more information.

As a resident in Spain, whether you're working for a company or are self-employed, you have access to the public healthcare system throughout your pregnancy. Public healthcare in Spain is organized regionally, by autonomous community, which means it can vary somewhat in the different regions of Spain. For this article,  I use the information provided by the Andalusian Health Service ¨Servicio Andaluz de Salud (SAS)¨, which offers the medical care for all pregnant women residing in the region, so this includes Malaga and Costa del Sol, where I am based. If you've elsewhere in Spain it might differ slightly, but in general it will look more or less the same. 

How maternity care is arranged in Spain in short

Being pregnant is an exciting time and especially if it is your first, time you will probably be searching what suits best and what is advised but doesn't necessarily feel good for you. Once pregnant, you-ll receive loads of well meaning advice from everyone; your mom, siblings, mother-in-law, friends, and even neighbours or total strangers. Remember that advice is just that: advice. It´s up to you weather to take it or leave it. Some advice will probably be outdated, some will be not suitable for you, and some may fit just right.

Here are five essential tips to guide you through this remarkable time:

Everyone by now knows drinking water and eating healthy is good for your overall health, but why is this important during pregnancy? Let´s have a look.

"That sounds so freaking scary! Do I have to?

That would have been the first thing I thought a few years ago when reading the title. And yes, if you desire an empowered, beautiful pregnancy, birth, and motherhood experience, this would be the way to go. According to me, that is…" 

My own journey