Each maternity/labour ward is different.  If you are having your first baby in Norway I would suggest you arrange a tour. Because I live in a small city (Tromsø is actually the fifth biggest city in Norway but only has 70,000 people!) some pregnancy and birth services are not available.  One of these services is [...]

Whether you are seeing a doctor or midwife, regular ‘controls’ are generally the same in terms of check-ups: heartbeat, blood pressure, tummy measurements.  However, the experience of going to a midwife for controls in Norway can be very different than seeing a doctor. Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), Cappella Scrovegni a Padova – Depiction of Midwife [...]

An ultrasound examination has become a regular part of prenatal check-ups.  In Norway it is standard to have one around your 18th week of pregnancy.  During the examination the doctor will check the size of the baby’s head, legs, spine, etc, and also check organs such as the heart and stomach.  You will likely be [...]

Like every Christmas, we over-eat, over-spend and make a New Years resolution that next Christmas things will be different.  Last year, (Christmas 2008), I definitely had my fair share of pepperkaker, trimmings and marsipan pigs.  A week after Christmas I had to walk around with the top button on my pants undone! Then came the heaviness, the [...]