Useful Resources During Pregnancy in Luxembourg

 I’d often heard that starting a family in Luxembourg had plenty of perks, but I didn’t realise exactly how great it was until I became pregnant. Coming from the UK, the system here really takes care of parents and families so know that you are going to be in really safe (and caring) hands when you have your baby here! You can find a list of all the useful links at the bottom of this post article.LuxMama ClubOne of the most useful resources we have in Luxembourg is the LuxMama Club. It is a non-profit organisation which arranges social and informative events to support you before, during and after your pregnancy. There are also events which involve the baby,  so you can meet other parents and there are some workshops for couples which you might find helpful before the baby joins you. They also organise the Positive Birth Movement coffee mornings which I really enjoyed throughout the pregnancy and highly recommend. They are free but you’re welcome to make a donation to support the organisation. Hospital Prenatal ClassesWhether you plan to give birth at the CHL or Bohler clinic you will be offered free prenatal classes. I was personally at the CHL hospital and we were offered 12 classes spread over a couple of weeks and taught by a midwife. They are offered in English, French and Luxembourgish. Even if this is not your first child, I highly recommend the classes, at the very least you will get a chance to take a tour of the delivery room and they run you through where to leave the car when you are rushing into labour! More than that though, it reassures you as you sit with a group of other women in the same position as yourself as the midwife talks through what to expect, how you can make the most of your experience and answers any burning questions you might have!First Aid ClassesFor those of you looking to educate yourselves and family members on first aid, you can find classes here.HypnobirthingThere's a couple of options for hypnobirthing if you are interested. Lynsey Baxtor from All About You teaches a group class and so does Cindy Holden.Pregnancy YogaI’ve also really enjoyed pregnancy yoga, and that surprised me as I have always preferred pilates but pregnancy yoga, at least for me, has felt very different to other yoga classes. It's a chance to learn about breathing which will really help during the different stages of labour but it also encourages you to take a moment to appreciate how amazing your body is and what it can do to accommodate for new life. My go-to yoga studio is House of Yoga, the classes there gave me a really good workout whilst being gentle on the bump. I also tried YogaLoft for a chance of scenery and really enjoyed it too, I felt it was less of a workout but in a good way, it was really about taking it easy and exploring which exercises could ease sore backs and joints.  My advice would be to download the MindBody app or use the website where you can see the schedule for all the prenatal classes in Luxembourg and buy discounted passes to see which suits you best!Pregnancy Dance ClassFancy some dancing and meeting other mums-to-be? Marise runs a Dancing for Birth class to celebrate motherhood and womanhood, intended to help you get your groove on. Don't feel intimidated, "if you can walk you can dance!" and everyone is welcome.Pregnancy MassageIf you are not someone who would regularly treat yourself to a massage, this is probably the best time to indulge in a nice pregnancy massage. Your body will be so thankful and trust me, even after just a session, you will feel all the difference. I was really happy to discover that at LuxChiro the massage bed has a hole for your bump! My baby loved it and wriggled around a lot as I was enjoying a full body massage. Gigja was my therapist and it's not a spa experience but it's a serious massage which gets the job done! It's definitely on the pricey side but I would say that you really deserve it!Pregnancy Spa TreatmentsSpeaking of treating yourself, Yaoke have a great range of pregnancy-friendly treatments called Maternity Time which include facials and massages not only for your pregnancy but also post-pregnancy. This is an all-round spa experience, think deliciously scented oils and fluffy robes. If you're not sure what to get for a pregnant friend, a gift voucher from Yaoke will be present she will be extremely thankful for!Pregnancy PhotographyEven if you have been camera shy in the past, this is a really good time to consider having some photos of your bump. Just remember, you don't have to show anyone if you don't to and you don't even have to have any of them printed but just to even have a souvenir to look back on is such a lovely memory. It can be quite pricey to book a photographer and pregnancy is an expensive time so it's understandable if this is not something you would like to spend money on. So don't forget that you can always ask a friend to take a few shots of you! Use Pinterest for inspiration and embrace your new accessory! If you prefer to have professional ones done, I would recommend Gretel from F&G Photography.Herbs & TeasClinical herbalist Ana has a company called Ana's Healing Herbs which sells organic and natural products that can support your pregnancy. I bought my raspberry leaf tea for her which has been said to encourage labour and she also has an organic baby balm for dry skin as well as various other herbal remedies. Not sure what to get? Just reach out to Ana, she's very friendly and will guide you in the right direction.PilatesFor those who prefer pilates to yoga, you might want to try this pre or post pregnancy pilates class. I didn't get round to trying them but they came highly recommended from other prego friends! Lux Mama Club: https://www.luxmamaclub.com/CHL Prenatal Classes: https://www.chl.lu/nos-cours-prenataux-1First Aid Classes: https://www.midwife.lu/baby-and-child-first-aidHypnobirthing: https://mammafit.lu/en/labour-made-easier/Pregnancy Dance Class: https://www.luxmamaclub.com/dancingforbirthHouse of Yoga: https://houseofyoga.lu/YogaLoft: https://www.yogaloft.lu/Mindbody: https://www.mindbodyonline.com/online-bookingPregnancy Massage: https://luxchiro.lu/Pregnancy Spa Treatments: https://www.yoake.lu/treatments/maternity-time/Pregnancy Photography: https://www.photographyfg.com/Herbs & Teas: https://anahealingherbs.com/Pilates: https://www.claremariepilates.com/pre--post-pregnancy-