French pregnancy and baby words, in English
The 16 French words you meet while having a baby in France, each explained in plain English and linked to what you actually have to do about it. Déclaration de grossesse, reconnaissance, congé maternité, prime à la naissance and the rest. Checked 22 September 2026.
- déclaration de grossesse — pregnancy declaration
- The step that tells the Assurance Maladie and the CAF you are pregnant, normally done online by your doctor or midwife. It opens your maternity cover and your CAF entitlements. What to do about it
- sage-femme — midwife
- A midwife. In France a sage-femme can lead a normal pregnancy, run the compulsory consultations and deliver the baby, and you do not need a referral to see one. What to do about it
- entretien prénatal précoce — early prenatal interview
- A compulsory appointment that is a conversation rather than an examination, usually with a midwife in the fourth month, about how the pregnancy is going for you. What to do about it
- échographie — ultrasound scan
- An ultrasound. Three are offered across a French pregnancy, and they are covered at 100% once the pregnancy is declared. What to do about it
- reconnaissance — acknowledgement of a child
- The declaration that makes an unmarried parent the baby's legal parent. It can be made at any mairie, before the birth, with photo ID and proof of address. What to do about it
- mairie — town hall
- The town hall. Births are declared there, and a reconnaissance can be made at any of them, not only your own. What to do about it
- déclaration de naissance — birth declaration
- Registering the birth at the mairie of the place the baby was born, within five days. Many maternity units have a registrar on site and will do it for you. What to do about it
- prime à la naissance — birth grant
- A one-off CAF payment made during the seventh month of pregnancy, means-tested on your household income from two years earlier. What to do about it
- congé maternité — maternity leave
- Maternity leave. For a first baby it is 16 weeks: 6 before the due date and 10 after. What to do about it
- congé paternité — partner's leave
- The partner's leave: three days of birth leave plus 25 calendar days, 28 in all for a single birth. What to do about it
- mode de garde — childcare arrangement
- How your child is looked after — a crèche, an assistante maternelle or care at home. Places go early, so the search starts during the pregnancy. What to do about it
- assistante maternelle — registered childminder
- A registered childminder, caring for a small number of children in their own home. Often the realistic route when a crèche place does not come. What to do about it
- CAF — family allowance fund
- The Caisse d'Allocations Familiales, which pays family benefits including the birth grant and the childcare supplement. What to do about it
- CMG — childcare cost supplement
- The complément de libre choix du mode de garde: the CAF's contribution to what childcare costs you, claimed once care has started. What to do about it
- carte Vitale — health insurance card
- The green card that makes reimbursement automatic. A baby is attached to the declaring parent's card automatically, and to the other parent's only if you ask. What to do about it
- congé supplémentaire de naissance — supplementary birth leave
- A right that opened on 1 July 2026: one or two extra months per parent, paid at 70% then 60% of net salary, capped at the social security ceiling. What to do about it