Mission

Bellies Abroad understands the challenges of becoming a family away from your own.

Our goal is to provide you with the best support and information possible so that you can make the best decisions for your family and feel “at home”. We do this through our three pillared approach of offering contact with carefully selected providers, informational resources and a welcoming community. These are the ingredients we have found, and science has shown, produce happy and healthy families no matter where they are.

For those of you who will be giving birth, we believe that the only “right” kind of birth is a well informed and supported one. We are all different; as are our birth experiences! We are here to help you make the best decisions for your family and insure your choices are informed and respected. Birth practices and expectations are very culturally influenced. Our providers follow the World Health Organization guidelines which are as “a-cultural” as possible and put the wellbeing of mother and child above all else. These 16 guidelines are based on the principle that each woman has a fundamental right to receive proper prenatal care: that the woman has a central role in all aspects of this care, including participation in the planning, carrying out, and evaluation of the care: and that social, emotional and psychological factors are decisive in the understanding and implementation of proper prenatal care.

WHO states that medical professionals should carefully give information and answer questions so that the mother can make her own decisions regarding her care. The medical team is there to pass on information, not judgement, and guide the mother in making decisions based wholly on what is best for the mother and child without commercial or other external influences. They need to be aware of cultural differences, treat them with respect and give advice accordingly.