Preparing for Childbirth Abroad: A Practical Guide for Expecting Moms

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Having a baby is always a life-changing experience—but having one in a different country? That can bring a whole new mix of emotions.

I’ve been there. I know how exciting, confusing, and even a little scary it can feel to give birth abroad. I’ve had the joy (and the challenge!) of welcoming four babies into the world—two in Brazil and two in Thailand—and through those experiences, I’ve learned so much about what it really means to prepare for birth far from home.

Whether you’re on a short-term adventure or settling into a new life overseas, I hope these tips encourage your heart and help you feel a little more confident and at peace as you get ready to meet your baby.

This post is all about how to prepare for giving birth abroad; if you are an expecting mom, use this as your guide.

1. Get Informed About the Local Healthcare System

• Research how prenatal care and labor/delivery work in your country.
• Find out whether you’ll be using public healthcare, private healthcare, or a mix. (Talent Trust is a highly recommended healthcare program for missionaries on the field)!
• Ask questions like: Can I choose my doctor? What are hospital policies around birth? (These questions can be very different depending on your country)
• Personal note: In Brazil’s public health system, I learned early on that doctors didn’t have much time for explanations – I had to seek out information on my own

Tip: Talk to local moms, expat groups, or online forums specific to your country. Facebook is a great resource.

2. Understand Your Rights as a Patient

• Research what rights you have regarding your pregnancy and childbirth.
• Learn what’s standard practice and what’s optional (e.g., interventions, vaccines).
• Print out a list of your rights if possible to bring to appointments or the hospital.
• Personal note: Knowing my rights helped me avoid unnecessary interventions in both Brazil and Thailand.

Tip: Having a basic knowledge of your rights can make you feel much stronger when facing medical pressure

3. Plan for Advocacy

• If possible, have someone (your spouse, a doula, a friend) ready to advocate for you during labor.
• Talk through your birth wishes with your support person ahead of time.
• Practice phrases like “I would like to wait” or “Can you explain the risks and benefits?”
• Participate in a birthing class with your husband, especially if this is your first childbirth experience.
• Personal Note: During my third birth in Thailand, my husband’s support and my midwife friend’s advice made all the difference when doctors pressured me to schedule a C-section.

Tip: You don’t have to be rude – just firm and respectful.

4. Be Mentally Prepared for Cultural Differences

This is the most complicated part in my opinion. Everyone tends to want to follow their own cultural norm when it comes to medical care and traditions. Sometimes those norms and traditions are truly worth fighting for and sometimes accepting another way of doing things may actually be a better option for you and your baby. When giving birth abroad and on the mission field, be open to change but know your limits.

• Some countries have high rates of C-sections or routine interventions.
• Some hospitals may not allow birth companions or may separate mother and baby after birth.
• Understanding the cultural norms can help you prepare mentally and emotionally.
• Personal Note: In Thailand, I had to fight for a natural birth in a system that strongly favors scheduled C-sections.

Tip: Focus on what you can control and prepare your heart for the things you can’t.

5. Build a Local Support System

We often don’t realize how lonely we might feel living abroad until we are in a vulnerable situation. Pregnancy and childbirth (especially, but definitely not exclusively, the first time) is one of the most vulnerable times if a womans life. Having a local support system can really make you feel more confident and ready to go through pregnancy and give birth to your precious baby!

• Connect with local moms, expat groups, or international churches/missions organizations.
• Having people who understand what you’re going through makes a huge difference.
• Personal Note: Having a small circles of people praying for me and cheering me on kept me grounded. I’ll admit that this is something I am not good at. I will usually suffer alone before I try to reach out to someone else to help me or to get information. But I have learned while living abroad, especially when preparing for childbirth, that the more I seek out the advice and experience of others, the better chances I have to be able to find a good alternative option. Other people can share their experiences of childbirth and help you see it from a different perspective.

Tip: Even one supportive friend can change your whole birth experience.

6. Get informed about Documentation

• Research about what you need to do to register your child’s birth in your country. Some countries will automatically give the child citizenship upon birth (like Brazil) and some will not (like Thailand). Many times you will need to leave the hospital with certain documents in hand so it is good to know beforehand and be prepared to deal with documentation even in those first few hours of postpartum.
• Get in touch with your local embassy as well so you will know the process of getting your child’s citizenship documents in order (birth certificate, passport, etc)…while some countries may give you local citizenship upon birth, they may ask you to renounce your other nationalities. It is better to know the whole process beforehand rather than running after it afterwards.
• Make a list of documents you need and in what order you need to do them. Make sure you include document translation in the list as many times this is something you will need.
• Personal Note: Having this information helped my husband and I to be able to follow the system in a timely manner so that we were able to get my daughter’s birth certificate in time for us to travel to the states for Christmas only two months after she was born.

Tip: Having a local person go with you to the proper government agencies can often be very helpful.

7. Consider What to Buy (or Bring) from Your Home Country

Not every country carries the same baby and postpartum items you’re used to — and when they do, they can be expensive or hard to find. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and bring or ship some essentials before baby arrives.

💡 Things to Consider Bringing:

• Prenatal vitamins (especially if you want a trusted brand with DHA or iron)
• Postpartum care products (witch hazel pads, perineal spray, adult diapers, nipple cream, etc.)
• Breastfeeding supplies (a quality pump, reusable nursing pads, lanolin, etc.)
• Newborn clothes in appropriate sizing/season
• Natural or specific baby products (fragrance-free wipes, baby soap, diaper cream, medicines, etc.)
• Comfort items for mom (nursing bras, cozy robe, snacks you love, or herbal teas)

Personal tip: I always tried to bring my own infant medicines (translating and researching medicine labels when your baby is running a fever at 3am is not an easy/ideal thing) and a few postpartum recovery things I knew I wouldn’t find easily overseas (granola bars for example). These little comforts made a big difference!

✈️ If Someone’s Coming to Visit…

Make a list early and send it to friends or family who might be traveling your way. Even a few key items can save you stress — and help you feel more prepared. For one of my babies, I was able to make a baby shower list through Amazon and it was SUCH a helpful thing. Friends & family members were able to buy things from my list and have them shipped to my mom who packed them in her suitcase and brought them to me! It is super easy to set up and use. Try it for free here!!

8. Trust Your Body – and Trust God

• Remember that God designed your body for childbirth. His blood (on the cross) has brought redemption from the curse of pain in childbirth. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we will not feel pain, but it does mean that we have access to experiencing natural labor with ease and in a peaceful way. Even if things don’t go exactly as planned, God is faithful.
• Carry Scripture, prayers, or calming affirmations with you into your labor.
• Prepare a Labor playlist full of your favorite worship songs.
• Personal Note: Every time fear crept in, I clung to God’s promises. They carried me through even the hardest moments. My third birth did not go at all the way that I planned, but I am grateful for the revelation and access to the heart of God that I experienced through my labor and delivery. Leading up to labor, I spent hours praying over my baby and over labor/delivery. These moments were crucial to hold me together when things were not going as I had planned.

Tip: Labor isn’t just physical – it’s deeply spiritual, too. Prepare yourself spiritually and don’t forget to pray over your baby.

Conclusion

Giving birth abroad might look different than you imagined – but it can still be beautiful. Prepare yourself with knowledge, surround yourself with support, and hold tightly to your faith. Some day soon I will share my 4 birth stories here, I truly believe that my experiences in childbirth abroad will be inspiring and helpful for many women who may find themselves in similar situations. So stay tuned for those stories.

You are stronger than you think. And you’re never walking alone.

💬 Have questions about giving birth abroad?
I’d love to hear from you! Drop your questions in the comments below — whether it’s about navigating the health system, birth plans, or emotional prep. I try to reply to every message personally. ❤️

🌍 I’m working on more posts about pregnancy, motherhood, and life overseas.
Let me know in the comments if there’s a topic you’d love to see!

You can also check out my social media channels where I share more of my experiences of giving birth abroad and living life as an expat, homeschooling mom of 4!!

This post was all about preparing to give birth abroad.