Having a Baby in Norway – An Introduction
This post is a general introduction to pregnancy and birth in Norway. In future posts in this series “Having a Baby in Norway” I will go through procedures, information and experiences in detail. If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments section below so everyone can benefit from the answers.
Having a baby in Norway can be a little daunting, especially if you don’t speak the language and you are away from family. I have found that one of the most important thing to having a baby in Norway, especially if it is your first, is to learn as much as possible about pregnancy and birth. As a native English speaker, this cannot actually be done with just Norwegian resources alone (which are very minimal – even for Norwegians). With Lilu, who is my third child but first born in Norway, I was constantly going back to my English resources – books, magazines and websites to update myself on new ideas/practises and refresh on everything about pregnancy and birth. This made is so much easier when I got nurses or doctors who didn’t speak English as I knew what was supposed to happen at each appointment. It was also really important to have my Norwegian husband at appointments too as he could translate for me anything that I didn’t understand in Norwegian. This meant that I could ask questions right there and then rather than having to go home and study up on what the nurses where talking about.
I have found that the contact you have with nurses and doctors in Norway is quiet minimal than other countries like Australia and England (where I had my other two children). However, as I had placenta preivia with Lilu I was scheduled more appointments with doctors at the hospital for regluar scans – but my midwife appointments at the clinic remained the same. My point is, the Norwegian Medical System is very practical. If your pregnancy is going well then you will likely have less than eight scheduled appointments with either your doctor or midwife (your choice) during your pregnancy. However, if you have any complications, of course, they will take the necessary care to ensure a safe pregnancy and birth. Being my third pregnancy, I was actually quiet glad not to have to go to the clinic so regualry. I knew what was going on with my body and never looked forward to keeping an appointment at an awkward time during the day, parking, waiting in the reception, peeing in a flask, (usually all done with a toddler in tow) just for a 10 minute consultation. So win/win for me in Norway.
In pregnancy and birthing, Norwegians prefer natural methods of care and treatment such as, massage, physio, acupuncture, yoga etc, rather than just giving drugs. Maternity professionals work with the body to allow it to do its magic rather than intervene. Of course, it is always a mother’s choice. The Norwegian Medical System is numbered one of the best in the world so you are certainly in good hands. They have state of the art facilities and up-to-date practices. Health care here is public (private is very unheard of, but still an option if you want it) so all services are covered by the National Insurance Scheme when you are pregnant – sometimes including such treaments as physio. I also find that the midwives are very good at following birthing plans and even suggest new ideas and practices to help you have the birth you want.
After the baby is born you are scheduled a first appointment at the midwife clinic for the baby. The baby will continue on set appointmenbts called ‘controls’ which are to monitor the baby’s first year of growth and development as well as giving inoculations. The clinic is usually a hub for mother’s to have a nice place to feed and change baby when out and about. You can get information about how to dress and care for your baby for a Norwegian winter and other tips on living with children in an Nordic country. Sometimes they provide seminars about child and birthing (but usually not in regional areas) as well as mother’s group meetings.
I have had a great experience with pregnancy and birth in Norway, however, some of my non-Norwegian friends faced a lot of challenges. The main reason for this is because they couldn’t let go of their expectations that they brought from their home countries. They didn’t learn about the process, couldn’t ask questions because of lack of knowledge and the language barrier, and therefore were not able to prepare properly for the special event in their lives. Some of the women gave up wanting to know what was happening and didn’t have the wonderful experience they should of had. These women were often scared and insecure about their whole experience and it has left a negative impact on them.
So to recap: The most important things for a happy pregnancy and birth in Norway is to learn all you can about pregnancy and birth, to communicate with your medical professionals (don’t be scared of them because you don’t speak Norwegian) and be open to the Norwegian way of prenatal and maternity care. This will enable you to have the wonderful experience you should expect at this special time in your life.
Other posts in this series:
The First Appointment
Ultrasound Examinations
We have a new Birth and Pregnancy vocabulary page in our Learn Norwegian pages that will be added to regularly. It is really handy to learn some of the more common words and phrases to help you recognise information on pregnancy and birth as well as navigate yourself around the hospital. Feel free to ask us to add any other words or phrases that you would find useful too.
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I had two of my three children in Norway and found the service offered far superior to what’s offered here in England. I could speak the language fluently by the time my first daughter was born (23 years ago now!) and even back then they were very much into keeping things as natural as possible. What I really loved was the fact that breast feeding is seen as the most natural thing in the world to do whereas here you get told to go into a toilet or similar if you’re caught breast feeding in public.
Very informative and interesting. I love reading about the different cultures and how things are handled.
L-Jay, you are always open to learning. So many people think they know it all. So, I’m not surprised that you’ve done so well in a country with a new language and customs. You also seem to have a respect for new ways and don’t impose what you’re more familiar with on others. That’s admirable.
Hi L-Jay, nice post. I’m planning to study in a Norwegian university next year so hopefully my wife and I will move from Colombia South America to Oslo the next summer. My wife and I plan to get a part-time job while I study. We are going to stay there for 2 years and our plan is to have a baby, maybe the next year.
1. Do we have any right of benefit from the national health system for pregnancy, controls and birth expenses?
2. Do my wife and I have any health coverage at all or we have to pay for our general medical services by ourselves?
3. What about the baby nationality?
4. Please give us an advice.
Thank you very much.
Gabriel
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from L-Jay:
All residents of Norway who have a social security number have free medical treatment for pregnancy and birth. You will likely get a social security number as part of your student residency as you are studying for more than three months. Dental is not covered in this.
Your baby will not become a Norwegian citizen as it would need to have a Norwegian parent. UDI says:
Your baby will be Colombian and you will likely need to register the birth with the Colombian registry.
Cheers
Hi
am Croatian pregnant with my Norwegian husband, and applied for family reunification. I am wondering if my family reunification is not on time(before baby comes on the world), and me not have ID number, should I have some other social security maybe privaet, or could I get some on my husband behalf?
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from L-Jay:
You might have to go to the emergency medical centre at your hospital to get appointments until you get your number.
informative… i found out i am expacting some time back…. went to the doctor, n found out that they dont do an ultrasound before week 16 n blood test before week 12… since its my first, am a lil nervous abt that… can i ask to get an early ultrasound?
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from L-Jay:
Normally ultrasounds are given about week 18. There is no use doing it earlier if you have a healthy pregnancy. Doctors wait until this week because the baby is big enough to do all the checks necessary. Earlier than this the baby is generally too small to make appropriate assessments. An earlier ultrasound is mainly to check the mother’s health not the babys. Having blood tests done after 12 weeks is normal. They will only check beforehand if the mother is unhealthy or has diabetes etc.
I live in Serbia, but my girlfriend lives in Norway, and she became pregnant butt I can not always be in Norway (because I can be only 6 month in 1 year, mine contry is not in EU or Shangen zone) what are my rights after the birth of a child do I have a right to be there beside them??? I dont know what to do :S Please help….
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from L-Jay:
It depends on the citizenship of your girlfriend or what status she has to be in Norway. Also, just being ‘girlfriend and boyfriend’ doesn’t qualify you for family immigration. You need to have a civilly recognised attachment such as engagement, marriage etc.
I’m suppose to go to Norway because my husband work there. But we both do not know Norwegian language. Is it a problem in a child birth? Same as if we need to go for a siserian (on our choice and not for medical reasons), do they have facilities there for that? Thank you very much.
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from L-Jay:
For the language, most doctors are ok with English, but you can ask for an English speaking doctor. Caesarians are not a choice people have in Norway, especially in the public system. Norwegians thoroughly believe in natural child birth as it is best for the baby and mother. If you want a C-section you will have to go to a private birthing ward which means you will have to live in a city that has private hospitals (which are only a handful – Oslo, Bergen etc) and you will have to pay big money because of it. Pregnancy and birth medical is free in Norway but only if you want to give birth the Norwegian way – naturally.
Hello,
I’m pregnant, my husband is working in Norway and after three weeks I will move to him. My question is Can I receive an ID number even I won’t have a job? and Can I go to the emergency medcial centre whenever I want?
thank you
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from L-Jay:
Yes to both
.
Hi there
I am from south africa and my partner is getting a job in norway! By the time we move I will be abou 6 1/2 months pregnant!
A little worried about finding doctor etc when it so late in pregnancy! Are they pretty efficient?
Also this is my 2nd pregnancy and I had to have an emergency caeserean with the first baby as she went into foetal distress 10 days before my due date. My placenta started calcifying and she wasn’t geting much food! I never even went into labour.
I am so worried that the same thing will happen again anf so would like extra monitoring at the end and another caeserean.
I understand that norway are pro natural birth which is great but would they still want me to go natural even though I have had a caeserean before? Not many doctors in south africa will let you!
Please let me know your thoughts on this.
Thanks
Bronwen
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from L-Jay:
Firstly, most airlines will not let you fly if you are over 6 months pregnant. They will not let you get on the plane because you are too much of a health risk. I was 4 months pregnant and Sweden tried to stop me going back to Norway because I looked too pregnant…lol.
I’d advise you take with you all your medical records to Norway. They will likely disregard them but it is best to be safe than sorry. The doctor will choose if you will need a c-section or not. You need to consider if you want more children or not, also. Most countries have a policy of only two c-sections per woman. More than that puts too much strain on the body because it is not a natural thing to do. I’m not sure if Norway follows these general medical rules, but I do know a lot of western countries do (like Australia). You should ask this at your first appointment in Norway just to make sure.
All the best.
thanks for your useful information. Living in Oslo and wanted to know that if first time pregrant women over 40 automatically offered planned c-section or not. thanks
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from L-Jay:
No – if you and the baby are healthy then they won’t. But if you or the baby are unhealthy they might. I had placenta praevia, needing a emergency delivery, and even then I wasn’t offered a c-section. Being over 40 they will monitor you more closely especially being a first timer. You might find a private hospital that will do a c-section for you on request but you will have to pay private fees. The general idea is that c-sections are not healthy for the baby – it is always best for the baby and mother to have a natural delivery. The woman’s body needs to go through labour to have the best healing. The baby needs to go through labour to develop its immune system. A c-section is tricking the body into thinking it has had a miscarriage – and that is not good. That is why it is done here in Norway only when completely necessary.
My husband and I (both US citizens) will be visiting Norway for four-six weeks next spring. I just found out I am pregnant. I will be due during our planned trip. I would like to give birth in Norway. Is there any way we can do this? What would it cost since we would be private pay there? My husband’s family is originally from Norway and we will be visiting cousins and other relatives there. I hope that there is a chance for us to do this. Please let give us some advice!
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from L-Jay:
Most airlines have a rule not to allow pregnant women who are over six months on the plane. They are too much of a health risk. You should check with your airlines first and your travel insurance company (it would be extremely hard for a pregnant woman to get insurance to travel.) You must be a resident in Norway to get the free medical services for pregnancy and birth. I would say that Norwegian health staff would think that traveling at your due-date just for pleasure (rather than to escape war or persecution) is irresponsible. You might even get stopped at the border (entering a country under such condition gives suspicion of baby trading or illegal entry) and get sent straight back to the US again. You can pay private but expect the fees to be three times higher than private in the US.
Thanks for this, I’m British and am living in Australia but am 20 weeks pregnant and about to move to Norway (we think). We have lived there before, for 3 years 2 years ago, and have complete trust in the Norwegian way of doing things, but your blog is still reassuring. The health service there has more in common with the UK NHS, I find the public -private mix in Australia and prevalence of elective C-section uncomfortable here. The only saviour for us has been that our midwife also has open contempt for the private sector despite working part time in it and part time in the State hospital – thus we can relate as we have contempt for private health care but have been pushed into it by the Australian system.
I just wanted to say that you can fly up to 36 weeks with BA and Qantas but after 28 weeks you need confirmation from your medical professionals that you do not have any complications. My obstetrician has advised that I will be more comfortable on long haul before the 3rd trimester (28 weeks) but in any case will need to take precautions. These include wearing support socks, possibly taking aspirin before the flight (they will advise on this nearer the departure) and I will need to keep mobile and complete exercises during the flight. I don’t think it is a case that you need to be escaping war to fly late if your pregnancy is healthy and you take these precautions. Here in Western Australia they tell me that they have to routinely fly people from the remote north to Perth while in labour (3000 kms plus). They use ventolin to inhibit contractions during the flight to prevent in flight birth. My midwife told me I can do this (I’m asthmatic and so carry ventolin) to delay the birth if I’m in mid air and need to buy time! If you do this (obviously a last resort!) the dose of ventolin required will give you heart palpitations but will not hurt the baby and you can resume normal labour when you land. However, some countries will hate you flying into them late in pregnancy they can turn you back at the border so it is worth checking.
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from L-Jay:
Thanks for the info.
I had a lot to say about this, but I let it go. However, this is what I choose to leave…
Personally, I think women are taking greater and greater risks with themselves and their babies during this special time of motherhood. Having a baby is supposed to be a time of care, relaxation, peace and joy. Some women achieve spiritual enlightenment. You need your emotional strength for the labour. Draining yourself beforehand can make the labour much harder to bare, not just emotionally but physically. Even if you say ‘drugs all the way’ your body still needs to heal, and the more stressed and tired it is before the labour, the harder and longer it will take for your body to recover. You also need to prepare for what might come after the baby is born – postnatal depression doesn’t discriminate. Being in a new place without friends or family will alienate even the strongest women. Don’t make life harder for you and your baby with choices that will cause great stress to your mind and body. The birth into this world is already difficult, but it is the women who make it a miracle.
Congratulations and I wish the best for your family.
Thank a lot for your sharing! It’s so helpful for me and i thought for many others too. I hope you can help me with me question:
1. My husband is working in Norway, until now about 3 months. I just move to him 2 months ago and now i’m in pregnant 7 months. I’m not working in Norway at all.
In this situation, can i get pregnancy benefit ? ( I read somewhere they said, if i’m not working, my baby and i can get about 34,000 kr ). Is that benefit can work with my situation?
3. Can my husband get some day-off when i deliver my baby?
Thank you a lot for your reply! I tried to contact NAV but the phone is automatically.
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from L-Jay:
All resident un-working mothers can get the kr.30,000+ benefit but you need to apply for it. If your husband hasn’t been working at least 9 months in a 50%-fulltime position he will not qualify for any paternity leave. But I’m sure his boss would understand that you need him when you are giving birth – it is usually easy to get time off from work – you can almost say it is the culture…lol. Plus parents have an extra 6 days work-leave a year for when their children get sick or injured.
Finding your blog was like finding a lifeline in a stormy sea! I really hope you can help. My questions are more about the actual birth than all the other stuff.
I am 35, from the UK and have lived in Norway with my lovely Norwegian samboer for 2 years now. I am working and we own our house.
I am 6 months pregnant and quite terrified about giving birth. I think this is a natural fear that I would have any where but compounded by the foreign-ness of it all.
So, when I go into labour, after a while we will go to the hospital. Once we are there will someone stay with us or will be be left in a room until I have dilated enough to start the pushing bit? Neither of us have done this before and I am scared that we are too inexperienced. I am a total wimp when it comes to pain but I really want this to be a natural healthy birth. Two of my closest friends (in the UK) recently went through long labours and ended up with emergency C sections which I really dont want.
Do they just leave you to get on with the labour or is the jordmor involved?
What about pain management? Will they help coach me through it or will we be left to our own devises here?
We live in Oslo. Do you know of any antenatal classes in English here?
Thanks so much!
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from L-Jay:
First pregnancies always take longer as your body needs more time to get into labor mode. But when you are in labour and when you get to the hospital, in a pre-labour room they will check your blood pressure and urine and then put you on the monitor to track the babies heart beat. They will likely do an internal to see how far you are dilated. If you have a way to go then you will likely to stay in this room, especially if they have other births going on. If everything is normal and you are far enough dilated (about 4cm) they will transfer you to a labour room. Then the midwife will get you set up. what happens from there is up to you and it is best to decide this a good time before you are due. You should write a birthing plan listing all the things you want and don’t want and alternative actions for example if you need stronger pain relief what/when will it be etc. There are many decisions to be made – what type of drugs, what natural pain relief, how much the midwife should help, whether they should cut you or let you naturally tear (it sound scary but natural tears heal quicker and you don’t feel them as the nerves are cut off but the babies head coming through). Some hospitals have specialty services – at Tromsø we could have acupuncture to relieve pain. I have a post of my birthing plan you can look at and it is best to have a tour with your labour ward with your partner so you can ask all the questions you want (your partner can translate to make sure everything is understood between you and the staff. Then write everything you want/decided down, get it translated by your partner, put it in you hospital bag and give it to the staff when you arrive at the hospital in labour. They midwife will try to fulfill you wants but she will also advice you according to your labour. Labour can be a little embarrassing for first timers – your body does all sorts of weird and wonderful things so it is best to talk about such stuff in the open with the maternity staff. Read all you can – even import some English pregnancy and labour books from Amazon.com.uk or Play.com (no postage). Also as your hospital staff if they know of any English birthing classes – they know best.
All the best.
many thanks for your post! very informative and clear. I want to know what ‘free’ support or assistance are provided to non-citizens who give birth in Norway
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from L-Jay:
You need to be a resident to get any financial support. You have to be working to get maternity/paternity leave. If you are not then you’d get about NOK30,000 as a lump sum for ‘birth’ money. You get about NOK3000 a month for the first two years if you are not working and stay at home looking after the baby. It drops to NOK1000 when the child turns three because then you are expected to return back to work.
I noticed that you wrote: “If you want a C-section you will have to go to a private birthing ward which means you will have to live in a city that has private hospitals (which are only a handful – Oslo, Bergen etc) and you will have to pay big money because of it. Pregnancy and birth medical is free in Norway but only if you want to give birth the Norwegian way – naturally. ”
I just want to correct you on that one. C-sections are available at ALL Norwegian hospitals, free of charge. I was born by C-section and so are my two children. The reason I was born by C-section is that I my head was facing up (and my feet down) so being born the natural way would be dangerous. The reason my son was born with C-section is that I was afraid of natural birth and asked for it. They explained the benefits of both natural and C-section, yet aknowledged my fear, and let me have the C-section. Then when I had my daugther I got C-section because if you have already done it once it is advisable to have it again.
They try to encourage those who are able to have natural births to have natural births. But if you have a small pelvis, or the baby is in a wrong position or is very big etc., you get a C-section. If you have a phobia against giving birth naturally you also get a C-section. If anything goes wrong during a natural birth there will be an emeregency C-section. A lot of women want to have C-sections with no reason, it’s a “hype”. http://www.klikk.no/foreldre/article476093.ece
They say that’s unfortunate, because there are greater risks, especially with general anasthesia, and children who are born by C-section have a greater risk at becoming allergic or having asthma later in life because being born the natural way is better for the immune system.
Anyways, don’t worry, pregnant women: having a C-section here is perfectly possible although not encouraged! And it is free. No reason to go to a private place, as all major hospitals offer it.
I live in Oslo and here you can have C-sections at Ullevål, Aker sykehus, Rikshospitalet and A-hus. That is.. all the hospitals!
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from L-Jay:
As said, a c-section is given only when necessary but in Norway they do not give it out willy-nilly – it has to be a decision or an approval made by a doctor. If you don’t need it you won’t get it. But if you want to get it willy-nilly then you pay private.
my first pregnancy ended in miss-carriage & at that time i was in england and around 5 months pregnant. i live in norway now and pregnant again. i feel kind of lost because i feel like they leave you to it.. for example in england you get a midwife at week 7 & they talk you through the dos and donts especially if its your 1st time. they give you a health form to keep track of everything which you must keep with you at all times. & a big package of books & leaflets information about pregnancy. the midwife starts tracking your weight in the 1st trimester ..also all medications are free for a year when you become pregnant in england.etc etc..
what i found here was that when i went to my 1st antenatal appointment i had to tell the docter what to do… excuse me will you please check my blood do a blood test and will you give me a urine test.. i was so glad that i had read what to expect on your 1st antenatal appointment also i had the experience from before. the doctor did not ask me about my history i basically had to tell her and she didn’t seem bothered. i am 13 weeks pregnant now & found out they dont give you a midwife till week 24!!! i have my ultrasound in 5 weeks.& 2 days ago i was sent some leaflets with very minimum information about pregnancy.& i saw my docter yesterday & she said she will probably see me after the ultrasound. i am really trying to be positive about this but i feel i have to dig out all the information myself.
i want to know why they give you a midwife so late in the pregnancy?? & why they dont track your weight ?? so far i have not been asked about my medical history ,is this normal.? & they do not give you any advice or information unless you ask them specific questions. even though this is my second time i am pregnant i feel its my 1st time.
also here you have to pay for all medications. ?
my husband has norweigen citizenship.. & i got mine a few months ago.
my mother will visit me soon so i will tell her to bring my package of books on pregnancy which i had left in england.. & i guess for now i will just have to get my information from those and the internet..
ps i find your blog very informative & i want to say a big thanks for that !! x
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from L-Jay:
You do have to pay for the first cap of medications – I think it is up to kr.2000 before the ‘free’ kicks in – but you will have to check with the health service. A lot of what you are going through with the Norwegian system is largely to do with social custom. Norwegians don’t give you information unless you ask for it and a lot of Norwegians expect that you know what to do in pregnancy because you have done it before and they expect you to rely on family and friends.
You are the one that has to get all the information – you need to ask. In English speaking countries it is common for doctors to talk with you as friends, developing a relationship, sharing more information. In Norway the doctor-patient relationship is like a service at a drive-thru – you order what you want and pick it up at the next window – no chit chat.
In regards to history and medical records – it is always messy transferring that sort of stuff between countries – Norwegians certainly would find it hard to read a doctors handwriting in English…lol. It is normal for them to disregard your previous history – if youve had any problems relating to pregnancy just tell them.
The point is, in Norway you are also responsible for your doctor appointments. If you just sit there and expect the doctor to do everything then you wont get much. You have to participate and encourage a lot more than you’d be expected to in say the US or UK – there the doctors take charge. And who says it is best for doctors to take charge anyway?…lol.
Best of luck
hey there,
im 25 and have lived in norway for 8 months now. I am hoping to have a child in the next few years but feel really put off by how everyone over emphasizes, ‘ well..lets just say they do things very natural here’. A natural birth sounds good but that does mean i want to feel stranded before that time.I am from the U.k and have many friends recount how helpful the midwifes were before hand with explaining things, and what to look out for and what is normal etc. I am afraid that here they will ultrasound me now and then to look for obvious problems with my baby and that is all. How can one have a happy pregnancy if they do not feel that they are in control and have all the information necessary to take care whilst carrying there child? I guess i must sound a panic but my mother suffered from many miscarriages and i am terrified of doing something wrong or missing a sign that something is wrong during a future pregnancy. Do you have any pearls of wisdom?
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from L-Jay:
You need to get a midwife that talks English – not just speaks but ‘talks’ – meaning can have a long conversation without difficulty. A lot of the reasons you don’t get information is because practitioners can’t ‘English’ very well or they are not confident in English.
hi there,
I am from Philippines, i work now in norway as an aupair, my visa will expired by 15,11,2012, I have a boyfriend who is norwagian, I am pregnant for 1 month now,
My question are, Can i gave birth my baby in norway? or the government will send me back home its beacouse i don’t have visa anymore by next year?
what are those other things that i need to do for my baby?can she/ he and me can stay in norway? or not?please answer my mail, sothat i will know what are those things that i can do,for the best of my baby and me.
thank you and have a nice day
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from L-Jay:
You cannot stay in Norway – you will have to return back to the Philippines. If your boyfriend wants to pay for you and acknowledges the baby is his then you can apply for family reunification but you can only do this from the Philippines.
Hi,
I’m an Egyptian married to a Norwegian, and right now I am 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant with my first. The problem is they just found out that I had gestational diabetes which made me mad because considering where I come from (we have high risk of developing gestational diabetes) this test should’ve been done at 28 weeks of pregnancy so it can be controlled, especially because I had all the signs and symptoms. Now we’ve done a private ultra sound and the baby is 18 percent bigger than average and they say according to the medical protocols she has to be over 20 percent so they can consider c section.
I’m extremely scared and I’m not enjoying the last bit anymore fearing of the risks for my baby. The gyn. Advised that I shouldn’t go overdue so they are onsideing inducing me which is something I don’t want coz of the risks on the baby that are even worse than having a c section. The problem is no one is listening to me and I feel I have no control over anything.
I’m extremely worried for my baby as I lost a baby last year at an early stage, in addition we’ve been trying to get pregnant before our little miracle happened and even had IVF with no success.
Please advise I’m really terrified don’t know what to do and I’m not ready to e induced for labor knowing all the risks.
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from L-Jay:
On my last pregnancy in Norway they found out I had gestational diabetes too (they only picked it up on my last visit). I was nearly term and that day too they found out I had pre-eclampsia and they induced me that day. Induction means that you can have a natural birth. They just use a pill or some gel and incert it into your virginia to make your body go into labour early. It is similar to having your waters break prematurely because of a fall or a bump etc.
One thing that is really hard with Norwegians is that they don’t like people worrying or freaking out. It makes them treat you like you’re an idiot. The best thing to do is be logical with them and ‘sane’. They are more likely to treat you better then and listen to you. Doctors have a responsibility to save you and your baby’s life so a lot of the time doctors want everything their own way. If you need time to process everything tell them but most often you will need to do what the doctors want because they won’t do what you want. This is what happens when there is no private system. May you be comforted at this time.
Hi,
I am British living in Norway with citizenship pending. My girlfriend is Russian living here with a student visa. We are expecting a baby soon and are wondering what options we have for a passport for the baby and to secure our future together in Norway with regards to visas, passports etc.
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from L-Jay:
You have the choice of the baby being Russia or English. It will not be a Norwegian citizen unless you are. Your girlfriend will likely have to return to Russia after studies and she will have to reply for family reunification to return.
My wife is norwegian and im african. we are expecting a baby in october..i have spent here only one year. Shall i apply for permenant residence after my baby is given birth?
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from L-Jay:
It depends on your visa requirements – if you want to change your status your current visa will be cancelled. But if you have a residency already you’ll have to wait at least 3 years for a settlement/permanent residency.
Hi,
I have a question regarding pregnancy in Norway. Under what circumstances is it possible to get the financial support for pregnancy (f.ex.how many months of work should I have and so on). I am living in Norway, have a vikariat job for 10 months, and my samboer is working just part-time. None of us is Norwegian. he is from en Eu country, I am not from EU.
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from L-Jay:
You need to be working fulltime in an above baseline wage job for up to 12 months. It is your work that pays maternity and will only do so if you return to work – since your contract will finish in 10 months it will be very unlikely for you to get maternity leave. As your work.
Hi there ,
I have been reading all the comments posted here and have found all these questions and comments very useful. I am currently under a very stressful situation. I am a 22 year female with a 2 1/2 year old daughter from my first marriage. I met my wonderful fiancee last year and he has accepted my daughters as his own and he is the only father that she knows as we came to live with him last year. I am now 5 months pregnant with his first child and we are both very excited. The only thing is that his family and himself have signed for their voluntary leave as they are not residents here in canada so they will be leaving october 11th , literally in 4 weeks. I have decided that my daughter and myself will leave with him back to mexico. We plan on staying there for a couple of weeks and then leave to norway. I admit that I cam very emotional about all this as I pretty much have my whole family here and we are a close knit family. They know that I have taken the decision to leave with my fiance as he is now my new family and they are vey upset and sad about it. Especially for my daughter who they are all attached to and vice versa, especially with her two 4 year old cousins, the 3 of them get along so well and are always happy to be together. What i mostly worry about is her adapting to a new life in norway and giving birth in norway even if i have not yet become a resident, would they attend me and allow me to give birth there? My finace says that our daughter is too young to tell a difference but i say otherwise, she is very smart. we live an hour away from her grandparents (on my side) and when we are close to their home she starts to say “mama” whom she calls for her grandma and starts to say her cousins name and her aunts name, she is also familiar with where we live and when we arrive back from being out she says home , so i know that she will see a big difference as she will not see her family around her for a very long period of time. Although she is also very close with my fiance’s parents who they have accpeted as their granddaughter and she called them grandma and grandpa as well i still feel like she might feel like shes missing something. so what id like to know is what are the benefits of me raising her in norway away from all family and friends (even if she does have a little brother on the way and wont feel so lonley then) and would they attend to me in norway and allow me to give birth not being a resident?
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from L-Jay:
Your daughter will likely not be allowed to immigrate to Norway unless her father can give consent or that you have a document that states the father has given up all rights he has to his daughter. Also, depending on your citizenship, you will likely have to apply for a family reunification permit in your home country before you leave for Norway. You will not be able to travel anywhere until it is approved otherwise run the risk of cancellation. You cannot just arrive in Norway thinking that you have the right to live there. You have to go through the immigration process first and because of how long it will take you will likely have to have your baby in Canada and then prove by consent that the baby is your fiances.
I think you need to research about the immigration process first – it can take years to get to Norway. Go to http://www.uni.no
My friend’s daughter is helping a norwegian health care professional come to the USA> This manis qualified to deliver? C-section babies in Norway. He is not a doctor, so what is he, a nurse, more than a regular mid-wife and how will he be able to contiue in the health field in USA??? I don’t understand where he will fit in., as doctors are the only professionals who do C-sections in USA>
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from L-Jay:
Sounds a little funky to me. Only doctors in Norway can perform surgery.
hi there…we are couple from Philippines, Me and my husband are holding student visa here in norway and we are planning to have a baby so we can stay here for good. Will it help if we would do so? or we really need to go back home eventhough i give birth here?
Thank you so much!
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from L-Jay:
Your baby will have citizenship from the Philippines – being born in Norway doesn’t make a baby Norwegian. The baby has to have Norwegian parents for it to be Norwegian at birth.
Dear L-Jay,
What a fantastic resource you are! I feel like I’ve stumbled upon a hidden treasure. My husband and I are Americans, and we’ve been living in Norway for 15 months. I have been employed full time for the past year and, from why I’ve researched, am entitled to maternity leave. My husband moved with his job, and he is still paid out of the states. He receives Norwegian benefits like flex time and longer holidays than at home, but I am wondering if he will qualify for parental leave. Also, regarding the midwives, how much choice will we have in selecting the bet fit?
Thanks for your help!
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from L-Jay:
Your husband will only get paternity leave if he pays tax/employed in Norway. Do his US employer provide it? But ironically, his parental leave money in Norway would depend on how much money you earnt the previous year…lol.
You don’t really get a choice of midwives unless you ask for someone who is competent in English or choose one midwife clinic over another. The choices are limited like everything in Norway. (We can only get one brand of peanut butter in Alta so guess which peanut butter I ‘choose’…lol.)
My husband is taking a job that will move us to Alesund, Norway temporarily – 6 to 12 months. I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and hope to be in Norway before I am 6 months – not sure if we’ll make it though…
I am concerned about having our baby there. My first pregnancy I lost… My second pregnancy resulted in a beautiful baby boy after 48 hours of labor and an emergency C-section. I think I would like to try natural but this pregnancy is also complicated – I have gestational diabetes. Here in the US, I am closely monitored and receive plenty of extra care. What will it be like in Norway? And if I need a C-section after trying natural will I be able to ask for it or will I have to wait for a doctor to decide?
Also, Insurance in the US is very different and I’m not sure how it works in Norway… The company he works for is dutch and I assume we will have dutch insurance through his work… any idea if it will cover our birth in Norway? And do I have go to a special hospital?
Also any recommendations for finding a good OB/Gyn in Alesund?
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from L-Jay:
If you are a resident for those 6-12 months then you get free health insurance from Norway. If not, work will have to cover it. You will likely have to go to a GP at the emergency clinic at the hospital until you get a security number. If not, you will likely have to keep going to the emergency clinic for your appointments, unless they can make other arrangements – (you can’t even get a GP in Norway without a security number). You don’t get to choose your doctors or midwives unless you ask for an ‘English’ speaker – which usually means they passed English in high school and have never spoken it since.
Norway is not really a good place for ‘special care’. I had gestational diabetes with my second and they didn’t pick it up until 5 days before I was due and then it progressed to preeclampsia and I had to have an emergency induction. I would really suggest to continue your care in the US. Traveling to Norway will give you a lot of stress which will not be good for you or the baby – have you checked that your airlines will let you travel with such medical conditions? I know Norwegian airlines wouldn’t.
I get a lot of pregnant women asking me about moving to Norway when they are 6 months. I try to tell them of the difficulties they will face but I don’t think they listen. But here goes:
If you do come to Norway you will be on your own, have to face everything on your own, even the birth. Sure people might be able to speak a little English to you but they won’t understand your emotional needs for comfort and care – it just doesn’t exist in Norway. It is a trying time for anyone moving to Norway especially if you don’t have family in Norway but it can be devastating for someone in your condition.
But a lot of women just want to be with there husbands and don’t care what the consequences are or what danger they will put themselves in. I hope you choose the best thing for your body and the safe birth of your baby rather than the best thing for your heart. It is hard to choose sense over emotion but I think all the women in this situation (and there have been many) choose emotion. Afterwards they never get back to me and tell me if they had a good experience of pregnancy and birth in Norway – maybe they don’t want to hear ‘I told you so’.
Maybe you could write back and tell us of your journey. I’m sure others would love to hear about it.
All the best
Firtst of all, thanks for such an interesting blog, it is a great resource!
We have recently moved to Oslo, Norway with my husband (both Russian citizens). He works for a Russian organization, I am currently not working at all. We got our residence permits and personal 11 digit numbers upon arrival (when registering with the Police and Folkeregister).
I am 35 weeks pregnant and before we moved here I read a lot about how it is free to give birth in Norway for those considered residents.
I went to the local helsestasjion and the midwife referred me to Baerum hospital to give birth (which was not my choice, it was the only available option, other hospitals were busy – fully booked or so she told me). During my last checkup with the midwife she booked me an appointment for an ultrasound scan n Baerum (because some of the measurements of my belly were not right).
And so I went to Baerum sykehus. After the ultrasound (which went very well and it was nothing to worry about) the doctor told me that I should probably pay for the delivery, and the cost is pretty big. I was all confused and the other day went to the local NAV office to find out more. They just told me to contact HELFO, which I did and was told that if I have my personal number, I should not pay for delivery. But I still was not reassured. And I tried to reach NAV again, this time by phone and email. Finally I got a reply telling me that I am not considered as a person residing in Norway because my residence permit expires in August of 2013 which is less than a year. This was really strange, because I received my permit for 1 year starting from August of this year, but we arrived in Norway a little bit later, in late September, but still I was pretty sure that I could qualify as a resident here. I wrote back to NAV explaining my reasons, and also wrote an email to HELFO explaining all the situation and confusion with NAV. Still waiting for their answer.
The problem is, I can give birth any day literally ’cause according to what the sonograoher told me, the baby is so deep down it is almost ready to be born. And those guys at NAV did not bother at all, it takes them a week to reply to an email and when I call and try to reach someone in charge of this, they put me on hold and then tell me they need some time to deal with this problem and they will call me back, which they never do. I am worried I will end up with a huge bill which I was not expecting.
How can I find out whether I need to pay for giving birth in Norway or not? Maybe I have to contact a different authirity?
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
Laissie
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from L-Jay:
I’m really sorry for the problems you are facing. The problem likely lies with your husband’s work permit. If it is only a temporary work permit then you and he both are not eligible for the National Insurance Scheme. It is likely your residency permit, which is based off your husband’s, is considered only temporary as well. Nav says:
I suggest you try and join the National Insurance Scheme as a voluntary member (meaning your husband because he is working). Here is information on payments for voluntary members – your husband will have to pay from his wage so you can receive benefits:
Check if your husband’s work pays National Insurance to Norway and then get documentation of it to show nav. If not your husband should register as a voluntary member as soon as possible. Unfortunately registration might take some time to come into effect but if you call nav and ask about putting a rush on your case because of your condition then they might accommodate. Usually it is a lot better to make the trip down to nav and see someone in person rather than phone conversations. It means that you will get a more personalized service and they are likely to do more for you because you become a person to them rather than being just a voice over the phone.
I hope this helps. All the best.
Hi L-Jay,
Very kind of you to continue reading and responding to these questions so long after the original post!
I’m 28 from the UK with permanent residency in Norway and married to a Norwegian. I’m also pregnant with my first baby. I have a first doctor’s appointment set up for week 14 because my week 12 falls on christmas day and I am getting quite anxious about what will actually come in the appointment!
I’m aware that I will not get an ultrasound until week 18 – which is totally fine, I have great trust in the Norwegian system. But my question should be an easy one. Does the doctor listen for the heart beat in that first appointment?
I really appreciate the help you’re giving here!
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from L-Jay:
The first appointment is very uneventful. If you tell them you are pregnant they will usually believe you without any urine tests etc. The first appointment is really all about you – your health, blood pressure etc. They might give you an appointment to get some blood samples. You can’t really listen to the babies heartbeat externally at this early stage. If they were to give you one, they would need to do an internal ultra sound which is usually done at a hospital appointment and mostly likely if there is a suspected problem.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for a person who is competent in English and even bring a friend along (or your partner) to help you with any difficult questions or information.
All the best.
hello, i am married to a norwegian man and for the moment waiting for the result of family reunification application. I am 6 weeks pregnant now. Will my baby become norwegian citizen even if i don’t have a visa yet? or can give birth here in norway? thank you so much,,,
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from L-Jay:
If the father has Norwegian citizenship then the child will also – that is if the child lives in a country that allows duel citizenship. Also, child ‘citizenship’ does not necessarily grate the child natural residency as they child should live with its parents where ever they are permitted to be.
Thank you very much for all the information. I am very appreciated if you can help me.. I am a Chinese and my boyfriend is a Norwegian. We are expecting our daughter in March 13 and also waiting for the family reunion VISA. I have a few questions I am not sure even after reading UDI website.
1. Our baby will be Norwegian citizen if I agree?
2. Will she enjoy the same welfare as other Norwegian kids do after she is born?
3. At present, what is the welfare system for new born?
4. Is that possible I will aslo get government subsidy while I am delivering even without a personal number yet?>
5. Will hospital take various checks like blood test for baby when she is born?
Thank you very much for your time and I am looking forward for your reply
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from L-Jay:
1. Yes, but if it is born in China, Chinese law might over rule it. You need to check Chinese law about it.
2. If you are still in China and the father in Norway then he will have to pay child maintenance. The child will only receive Norwegian welfare if it lives in Norway.
3. All children only get NOK3000 on average a month – extremely small amount compared to the living costs in Norway. It is expected the mother returns back to work when the child is one and so the welfare can reduce.
4. You do not get any benefits, even medical, unless you have a national number and you are a resident. You will have to pay for medical expenses if you are only on a visitors visa.
5. The hospital will do all routine checks which you will have to pay for if you are only on a visitors visa.
The rules are different if you are waiting for a permanent residency permit. But since you are not already in Norway they likely won’t allow you in the country until your permit is granted. That takes about 6-9 months so it is likely that you will have your child in China.