looking for info abt giving birth in Germany/Munich-Erding area

[bebemoohatessnot]

Hi, sorry to barge in, I hope you and your loved ones are well I'm just wondering if anyone has any stories abt giving birth in Germany compared to the UK. My husband and I are thinking of relocating for a new job (not forces related) but we're also due our second dc in Aug I'm feeling quite nervous abt the possibilities/differences I might encounter.

Hi,

hospitals here are fantastic. I gave birth in Paderborn and thought I had ended up in a hotel. It was so clean, could have eaten off the floor. The staff - patient ratio was brilliant, but in all fairness, this was more due to the fact that the hospital had a midwifery school attached.

The only thing you cannot get here is gas and air, everyhing else is available though. In my hospital they even offered acupuncture. Birthing pool of course.

I'd say not to worry and be rather excited in fact. Most people here speak some English, so that shouldn't be a problem. I think they tend to keep you a bit longer in as well but of course you don't have to stay if you don't want to.

If there is anything else you would like to know, let me know.

I had DS2 in Bielefeld last March and also had a good experience except for the sad lack of gas and air. I had loads of prenatal scans and checks and the birth itself was lovely. The hospital I was in even had a funny rope contraption above the bed incase you wanted to hang onto it to bear down! Theres a great emphasis on alternative/natural remedies, combined with plenty of modern stuff - epidurals etc - as a backup.
I'm not sure how much of our care was provided through a deal between the forces and the local health services though. It might be worth popping onto the German thread to ask the people there what the system would be for you.

The only things I found strange were the wrapping up of the babies - vest, long sleeved vest, wooly babygrow, sleeping bag and duvet while still in hospital and the no baths for six weeks after giving birth rule!

Well, either you will receive health care via your husband or you will have to arrange it yourself. There are various Krankenkassen available - the concept it difficult to explain. In the UK, NHS care is not provided for free, some money is taken from your salary to pay for it. The difference in Germany is that money for the 'NHS' is not taken from your salary per se, you have to chose a Krankenkasse (like BUPA only its not private, although you can of course go private). You need to look at the different Krankenkassen to see what they offer (all roughly the same), chose a tariff and then this will be taken off your salary. Some Krankenkassen offer to insure the wife as well if she is not working, hence I said you might be covered via your husbands.

Essentially, the care they provide is mostly the same. Perhaps if you pay a bit more, you might get a private room for the delivery, although I think most hospitals don't have more than 2 women to a room anyway. I think you get three scans across the whole pregnancy, if you go private you may chose to have an early scan at 8 weeks or so.

Where do you think of moving to? I can have a quick look at the hospitals if you want me to.

I've been feeling rather ill with this pregnancy so I've not been on, but I've been doing some reading.
Thanks for all the additional information ladies. It's very reassuring for the most part, though the no gas and air makes me a little nervous. I only had gas and air last time... though this time I was hoping to get a 'shot' at the birthing pool this time. So if I had that as an option again it might end up being ok. :)
However, what we've just learned that the initial stay/contract will only be 6m with additional stays/contracts possibly to follow; so there's a good chance that we could be back before the baby is born which would solve the baby issue.
Now it's the accommodation issues. Tho when we talked to the contact he seemed to think we would be likely to find a place without the use of agents because the 'international contractor turnover' is high.

We're in a tizzy here trying to find out for certain abt insurance, what to do with our cat and house...might be packing by Friday! xxx Excitement abounds :)

Haven't rented a flat in Germany so not quite sure. If you use an agents, then you have to pay them a finders fee (Makler Gebuehr). If you look in newspapers etc, then you should be able to do without. You MUST read the rental agreement very carefully, Germany rental laws are very controlled but you need to check your obligations for when you move out. Ie in past you had to repaint the whole flat, to make it as new when you move out. I think it is outlawed now but really couldn't be sure. There is a Mieterverein, a charity that looks into rental agreements, so they would be able to help with this.

I too was worried about the lack of Gas & Air as I used it for my first. No time for the second though, was going to have reflexology and use the pool but second one decided to be a real fast one. Dont know how I managed without any pain control.......