I have a friend with the State Dept who had twins there and had a fine experience. She was AMA too so not a problem free pregnancy.

Call the embassy

Hi, OP. We were facing the same issue a year ago (although we ultimately decided to give birth here.) One of our friends who used to live in Paris tells us that the Message chat board is the best place to get advice about this type of thing. The only catch is that you have to pay to get access.

It was described to me as a kind of members-only DCUM.

http://www.messageparis.org/public_website/

I was born there, back in the 60s, but don't remember much. Turned out okay, I suppose.

I know someone who had a baby there and she was alarmed at how little English anyone spoke. She had just moved to France for her husband's job so was still learning. Luckily it was her 3rd kid so she knew what to expect. I guess she was just thinking the name meant they spoke English or something.

Thanks, everyone. (OP here) Great suggestions to contact embassy families and to read the books recommended, and great tips about how things generally work there. Couldn't stop laughing (and peeing) while reading about the perineal reeducation program.

This will undoubtedly be an adventure...

I have a friend in France (not in Paris so can't help with a hospital recommendation) and I got the sense, from talking to her, that the French are far MORE friendly towards natural birth, breastfeeding etc. They are certainly far friendlier towards VBACs, at least based on what she told me. My friend also told me that they spend 4 nights in the hospital post regular vaginal delivery and up to 7 with a c/s (she was really surprised to hear that I "only" spent 4 nights after my c/s here in the US).

check out "bringing up bebe" - the new parenting book by an american woman living in paris - she gives birth at 2 different hospitals and talks about each in detail.

I don't have info on the AHP but you might find these leads helpful:
There is an account of delivering a baby in a Paris hospital in Adam Gopnik's From Paris to the Moon. There's also this book, which I came across looking for guidebooks:
http://www.amazon.com/Paris-With-Kids-Alison-Ryan/dp/1439268991/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331777077&sr=1-7

One of the books I used to help me decide whether I wanted to have kids had a chapter by an American couple who came back home to deliver because they found the French system too cold.
http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Baby-Infertility-Childlessness-Ambivalence/dp/B002ECEG2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331777240&sr=1-1

I can tell you that in the French system there is no such thing as modesty. They do away completely with the paper gown. The first time I ever went to the gynecologist I was shocked to see that I had to strip down completely naked and stay that way for the various parts of the exam, no sheet either.

Guess you'll get this since you're in France: http://mobile.slate.com/articles/life/family/2012/02/postnatal_care_in_france_vagina_exercises_and_video_games.html

+1 on finding out where the diplomat familes give birth. Embassy Paris, I'd expect, should have an enormous doctors' list.

PP here - forgot to say France is not as advanced in terms of natural childbirth, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, (attachment parenting in general) as the US. Make your philosophy known beforehand, and repeat it freely. Everyone will speak their minds, so don't be the only one to hold back!

Good luck.