National Health Service

It's been very interesting comparing the healthcare/social experience of being a pregnant mum in the UK, so far with that of the USA.

The quality has been the same, but we've been taken aback by the quantity of 'free stuff' coming our way.

- About 10 free mother-and-baby activity groups occur in our area every day of the week e.g. swimming, 'tumble tot' gymnastics, library groups, music classes, mums'-keep-fit classes with creches, toddler arts and crafts, breastfeeding support, special groups for ethnic minorities, support for toddlers with special needs - absolutely loads, and all of it government-funded. It's very impressive.

- Child Benefit. We will receive about $140 a month from the government just to help pay for A's upkeep.

- Child Trust Fund. A also gets $500 from the government, to be put into a special savings account for her future. (If the next baby was due slightly later, S would also receive a one-off grant of $400 to pay for her extra food!!! - read, cakes.)

- Free prescription drugs, eye-tests and dental care for both S and A.

- Free antenatal and baby-care classes at our proposed hospital

- Free home support for S from health visitors after the next baby comes

- Not forgetting free antenal checks and delivery in hospital!

This might all sound unsurprising to British people, but after paying many thousands of dollars for our healthcare in the States - including prescription drugs, antenatal classes, and all S's mum-and-baby groups bar church ones - we can't quite get over it.

Obviously, we are not naive. We know we paid taxes for years to support this sort of thing.

However it is subjectively a very nice experience to be on the receiving end of it.