State Side or KSA?

For some reason one of the hardest decisions I have had to make while being pregnant is whether to have the baby in the US or in Saudi Arabia. There are both pros and cons, but the more I think about it, it seems more logical and less stressful for me to stay in Saudi Arabia. Don't get me wrong, I would love more than anything to have the baby in the States. There are days I say to myself, "I am changing my mind". Maybe it's  because there are many people giving their opinion on what they would do, which then makes me doubt my original decision. Plus, it would be nice to take a 3 month break from Riyadh and be in beautiful San Diego, Ca. But once I am in California, I know I will miss Billy's presence, especially during the last month of my first pregnancy. Of course, he would fly to San Diego a couple weeks before the birth and stay 4 weeks after, but if I stay here we're together during the entire experience and not 10,000 miles away apart.

If we were at a post where medical care was not up to standard I would go back to the US, no questions asked. Health care in Riyadh is actually very good, and I believe I will be well taken care of here. My doctor is Western trained and has been in practice for a little over 15 years. The hospital I will be delivering at is comparable to the US, plus there's a NICU on the same floor should any medical emergency with the baby occur.

Like I stated before it's a hard decision to not have the baby in the US, but staying here is what makes me more comfortable. It may even make for an interesting story for Lucas Mateo to tell his friends, he was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After all, he will be entering into a life in the Foreign Service, which I think is exciting.