I'm an American who gave birth in Italy. My C-section was free, and my daughter gets money until age 18.

• My first child was born in Italy and I am an American.

• I didn't have to pay for my C-section because it went well.

• The government pays for my daughter's needs.

I'm an American who was born in New York City and is currently living in Italy. I didn't know what to expect when I gave birth in a different country. I was worried that I wouldn't be understood and that I would be taken care of as an outsider.

The hospital where I gave birth was clean, the staff was great, and my C-section went smoothly. It was the best birthing experience I've ever had.

Birth in Italy is free. You're free to stay in the hospital for at least four days after you deliver. I had a vaginal birth and a C-section.

The Italian culture is unique because people are not in a hurry. During the birth process, that was clear.

I felt taken care of throughout the whole process

I was seen and heard. Everyone made sure to help when I had a hard time talking. The doctors, nurses, and even the cleaning staff were aware of the significance of this moment for me. I wasn't just another woman giving birth to a baby.

The anesthesiologist was very nice. The head of the maternity wing was very nice. He crouched down in front of me to keep me distracted while I was in the hospital. One of the nurses put a wet cloth on my forehead while I was in the operating room.

The gynecologist who was with me for the whole journey performed my C-section. He made me comfortable and relaxed after the surgery.

I was in the hospital for four days and felt well taken care of. The nurses were very kind on my check-ins. The nurse helped me and comforted me after I broke down crying because I couldn't sit up straight to feed my baby.

I get money every month from the government to help me cover my daughter's expenses

It is free to give birth in Italy. The country wants to make sure your child is taken care of. The universal child benefit gives parents 80 to 160 euro a month for their child. You can get more money if you have more than one child. A child can get the benefit until they turn 18. Parents can receive money for life if their child has a disability. The principle of the child benefit is the same as always.

Family is first in Italy. In this country, pregnant women are treated differently than other women.

Italy does a good job of giving respect to the birthing process. One of the best days of a woman's life is giving birth, and anything that can be done to make that experience better needs to be done.

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