Moving to Munich (Feldkirchen) 33 weeks pregnant, urgent help needed to sort out hospital, doctor, etc etc etc

[ernest]

Ok, that's about it,

We move to east side of Munich to a place called Feldkirchen in about 4 weeks. I've never even been, and will be heavily pregnant. I am planning an elective caesarian, so not too bothered about birthing philosohpy per se, but obviously want somewhere 'nice'. Can anyone recommend a hospital?

i'll also need a Frauenarzt I guess.

I also have no idea of the health system in German. Do you see a frauenarzt or Hebamme or both?

Shite. What else do I need to get organised wrt the birth?

WHere do you get baby stuff - will need a lot but no point in getting it now before move. Is there a big baby shop in/near Munich? There must be. AM trying to just get stuff organised and not to panic.

Thanks

Hi Ernest,

I have just seen your message, but am unfortunately just on my way out and have no time to reply until this evening.

I actually live in Feldkirchen myself and, having had my daughter here two years ago, can provide you with lots of information as regards hospitals/midwives/doctors etc.

Don't worry about getting baby stuff: there are plenty of places to buy things from round and about, and if it all gets too much on top of the move, you are welcome to borrow mine.

Sorry, but I have to go. Will drop you a comprehensive note this evening! Do you know exactly where you will be living yet?

Welcome to Feldkirchen!

TRQ

Hi ernest, I´m in Hessen so can´t help with hospitals etc. I only met my Hebamme once before the birth and that was a get to know her meeting, rather than preparation for the birth/examination type meeting. I did get to choose my Hebamme, but in your situation I´d go with whoever the Frauenarzt recommends.

If no one comes along with more concrete recommendations it might be worth googling to get a list of Frauenarzte in the area and maybe phoning a couple.

As far a buying stuff, it might be worth using the internet because I can´t believe your going to feel up to shopping after moving and it being so close to the birth.
You could try here. I´ve used them and had no problems, but there are loads of other baby sites out there.
hth

thanks hupa. I have got a list of a few different frauenärtzte, just hoping for a direct recommendation. ALso wondering if the system is dramatically different as I'll be coming (well and truly) already pg. I moved to Switzerland when I was 6 months pg (remind me again why I let myself get talked into these things?) and it was very different having a 'pre existing condition' to if I was already in situ before getting pg. Ie I wasn't allowed to chose a frauenartzt but just use the ones at the hospital. I wasn't allowed to chose the hospital, just had to go to the main one etc etc. Not sure about these details?

TRQ, caonnot believe that you're in Feldkirchen! Wow, will I be bending your ear. I also need to find a Kindergarten place for ds3. I've learnt there are 3 in F. . Arche Noah (which I get impression is over subscribed and most popluar?), Bienenhaus (also popular and full), And St Jakobs (biggest and least popular?) are these assumptions correct do you know? I guess we'll probably have St Jakobs as we'll get the dregs, but it is also the closest. DO you know anything about it?

And what's Feldkirchen like? As I said, I've never been, so have 0 idea what to expect. Please tell me it's wonderful

We'll be in Wittelsbacherstrasse. Apparently. Near you? is F big?) Can't wait to hear from you. Thanks

I forgot to say if you´ve got more general queries or just want a chat you should pop over to the German corner.

Hi Ernest,

Right! If it?s OK with you, I will start with Feldkirchen, hospitals, Frauenärzte and Hebammen and come back to you on Kindergärten tomorrow!

The Place ?.

As you know, Feldkirchen is on the eastern outskirts of Munich. It?s about 15 minutes from Munich city centre on the S-Bahn, which runs every 20 minutes. I am not sure what the total population is, but I do know that about 15% comprises ?foreigners?, mainly Italians, although there are a few other Brits here. You can glean some general information about the place from the Gemeinde?s webpage at www.feldkirchen.de.

Feldkirchen?s ?centre? is a bit spread out, but has all the usual basic facilities: bank, post office, library, supermarkets, florists, fitness club, nurseries, pre-schools, primary school, Realschule, dentists, some doctors, chemist, butchers, sports club, Jugendtreff, swimming lake, beer garden, small selection of restaurants, garage etc. For more extensive shopping, there is a shopping complex called the Riem Arcaden about 2kms away stadteinwärts and another called the OEZ about 2kms away stadtauswärts.

Feldkirchen is a mix of residential and industrial, but the authorities are fairly good at ensuring the two are kept to their own separate areas. Wittelsbacherstr. is nice (it?s where the Allgemeinarzt is located) and about four minutes? walk away our house in Westendstr., so we are going to be neighbours!

I personally like Feldkirchen and find everyone very friendly. We live here permanently, having built a house here in 2003. It?s a very young Gemeinde, with lots of young families. Many of these have moved here recently, so there are always other mums and dads around keen to strike up a conversation. The park?s an excellent place to get talking, and there are at least three within five minutes? walking distance of Wittelsbacherstr.!

As regards the impending arrival of Baby Ernest ?..

Hospitals

Generally speaking, registration with a hospital is from about week 30 onwards. The exact week depends on the hospital. I am publicly insured and required an Überweisung from my Frauenarzt. I am not sure of the situation if you are privately insured (but can inquire for you with my neighbour if need be).

The two hospitals closest to Feldkirchen that I considered when having DD are:

• Klinikum Rechts der Isar (www.med.tu-muenchen.de) (part of Munich?s Technical University); and
• Klinikum Neuperlach (www.kh-neuperlach.de)

The former is officially 12 minutes from Feldkirchen and the latter about 18 minutes, but it can take significantly longer to reach the former at busy times as it is towards the city centre over the main ring road. There is also Klinkum Bogenhausen (www.kh-bogenhausen.de) (also part of Munich?s Technical University), but I know nothing about it.

I had my daughter at Neuperlach and was more than happy, as were many of my friends, but reports vary greatly, as they do for anywhere. Neuperlach?s main disadvantage is that is does not have is its own Kinderklinik. This means that, should the baby need special attention post-birth, they transfer you and the baby to its partner clinic, Klinikum Harlaching (www.khmh.de) (part of Munich?s other university, the LMU). Harlaching is about 25 minutes from Feldkirchen (assuming good traffic). It?s possible to register there directly too, and my next-door-neighbour-but-one had both her girls there. I?ll have a word with her tomorrow to get the low-down for you.

I am not so familiar with Klinikum Rechts der Isar. We looked at it as a possibility when I was pregnant but my husband was unhappy with the traffic situation. I was also concerned about the high intervention rate, but that?s obviously not an issue for you (and, to be fair, as a university hospital with a specialist Kinderklinik, it perhaps tends to see the more complicated cases.)

The hospital which for many is ?the place to go? is Klinikum Dritter Orden (www.dritter-orden.de). It?s on the other side of the city, officially about 25 minutes drive away, but can take very much longer depending on the traffic. I?ve heard mixed reports. Two of my neighbours had their children there, one of whom had a very good experience both times, the other less so. The rooms are supposedly very nice, but I have not actually seen them myself, in part because if you are publicly insured it is virtually impossible to get into later than about the sixth week of pregnancy! It?s supposedly easier with private insurance, but I am not sure about with an elective.

You might find the chat forums on www.babynews.de and www.toytowngermany.com useful for information.

Frauenärzte

Generally speaking, your Frauenarzt deals with you up to the birth (including dealing with lots of administrative stuff like issuing your Mutterpass and Überweising for the hospital) and a midwife for at least 10 days afterwards until she refers you back to your Frauenarzt. You also have a six-week post-partum check up with your Frauenarzt.

I?ll have to come back to you on Frauenärzte tomorrow. Mine is miles away and due to retire and I am not sure what the local options are.

Hebammen

I used the Feldkirchner Hebamme Petra Weber (Kreuzstr. 3, 85622 Feldkirchen, tel: 089-9035730). She?s in her 50s, works mornings doing something with elderly people and then does her midwifery rounds in the afternoon. I met her briefly before the birth. I didn?t immediately take to her, but she turned out fine, and will pretty much help as little or as much as you like. I found her quite calming and supportive. I had quite a number of problems with breastfeeding and she was extremely good at turning up with various bits of paraphernalia to help (heat lamps, etc.). I don?t think she speaks English, but I presume you speak some German. Note that she only does Wochenbettbetreuung and not Rückbildung.

Another good local Hebamme (actually my first choice) is Kirsten Pöttrich. However, I am not sure if she is still practising, having had twins in 2006. I will inquire about her and others with the neighbours tomorrow (all four of us who moved in here in 2004 have had babies in the past two years and all used different hospitals and midwives so there is lots of information to be had!)

Sorry, but must log off now as I have stuff to do for work. Will write more tomorrow. Feel free to ask any questions you like.

TRQ

trq wow, so much info, thanks so much. Since living in Switzerland I have only lived in 2 little villages, so having all these facilities/amenities will be strange and a luxury., tho a bit uncertain suddenly moving to such a big-sounding place, tho I've got no choice so won't think too much about that! I looked at the map,

I cannot believe you're just 2 streets away. How weird is that?!

Thanks for all the hospital info. I have looked up 4 and will trot along to the info abed, tho it's pushing it a bit! One (which is dh's 1st choice all the infoabends are fully booked to the end of May!! I phoned and said I'd be 37 weeks then and couldn't they squeeze me in) Actuallly, that's one hospital you didn't mention - do you know anything about it? It's the Frauenklinik by the Englische Garten? It's only 10 minutes from dh's office. I guess the journey too the hospital isn't too important a factor as I'm having a planned c-section, so not like I'll be rushing across town in labour ( I hope!)

Is the Hebamme private - do you have to pay separately, independantly? I don't know the 1st thing about how the German system works - took me long enough to work out the swiss system, but then it really was feeling my way in the dark as no one ever explained how it works, so months of trial and error before I worked out what the hell was going on.

You've really got me looking forward to moving. I was really worried about meeting and getting to know people but you saying it's a friendly place and a park round the corner has put my mind at rest. Thanks

Good morning,

Worry not about the size of Feldkirchen. While it?s no longer a village, it certainly can?t be termed ?big?.

I think the clinic you mean in the Geisenhofer (www.geisenhoferklinik.de). It?s a private hospital, has an intensive station for newborns, and works in cooperation with the Kinderklinik of the Dritter Orden. I?ve heard varying reports ? some very good, some so-so. As far as I know, the Geisenhofer mainly runs a Belegbetten system. This means that the beds are booked by doctors (known as Belegärzte) who are not employed by the hospital itself, but who use the facilities to treat their patients there. The Belegarzt simply pays the hospital in question a fee for such use and then issues his or her bill to the patient or the patient?s insurer. If the Geisenhofer only has Belegbetten, then, to get a slot there, you will likely need to register with a Frauenarzt who holds beds there. There is a list of Belegärzte on the ?Team? page on the clinic?s webpage. A number of them, e.g. Dr. Drechsel, Dr. Gartner, Dr. Hecken, Dr. Mahr, are located in Haar, which is only about 5km (by car) from Feldkirchen. It might be worth trying to get onto their books so that you don?t end up having to go into central Munich for check-ups when you are heavily pregnant. Note that it can take some time to get an appointment at certain times, so you might like to ring and see if you can make one now in advance.

An important question is how you will be insured. Do you already know what sort of medical insurance you will have? International forms of insurance apart (e.g. BUPA International), of which I know very little, there are basically two types:

The majority of people have public insurance. Under this system, you pay contributions to your chosen public health insurer known as a Krankenkasse. Contributions are based on a certain percentage of your income (subject to a cap), with a non-working wife and children being automatically ensured under the husband/father?s contribution. The forms of treatment covered by the system are pretty much set by statute, and the doctor deals directly with your insurer as regards payment, i.e. little paper work.

The alternative is private health insurance, which is available to (but not compulsory for) those earning in excess of ca. EUR 50,000 p.a. Under this system, each family member has to be separately insured and a separate contribution is payable for each. Contributions depend on the level of service offered by the contract you choose and not on your income. Your entitlements (which can be very luxurious!) are regulated by your specific contract with your insurer, and you often have to get more involved treatment agreed with your health insurer beforehand. You are responsible for paying all bills and then claiming the money back from your insurer.

Each system has its pros and cons. We were strongly advised to start off in the public system and only to move to the private system once we were really in a position to assess what we were getting and be sure we really wanted to commit ourselves. You can?t move back if you make a mistake, and, if money is a consideration, it is generally acknowledged that the public system is less expensive for larger families as the non-working wife and children are co-insured under the husband?s contribution, whereas a separate payment is due for all under the private system.

As regards the Hebamme, I am publicly insured and all but a tiny amount (ca. EUR 5) of her costs were covered by my insurance. I was entitled to have her come every day for 10 days following the birth, and to further visits for up to eight weeks in case of, e.g., breastfeeding difficulties. I was also entitled to Rückbildung course, which starts six weeks after the birth and teaches to exercises to help you regain control of your pelvic floor. I think such costs are generally covered under private contracts too. I have no idea how things stand with international insurance coverage like BUPA etc.

As regards bit ?n? bobs for the baby, you can get hardware (prams, cots, car seats etc.) either at Baby Walz and/or Segmüller, both specialist stores located about 7kms from Feldkirchen. They also do clothes, etc., as do H&M and C&A in the Riem Arcaden, which I mentioned yesterday. Take the train into the centre of Munich, and there you have the baby/chidren?s store Schlichting plus a number of other department stores. If you want a mega-store, then BabyWelt in Gersthofen, near Augsburg, is about the closest, at about 45 minutes drive. IKEA, of which there are two near here, also does some baby stuff.

Sorry, got to go get my DD. Will write more on Kindergärten later.

TRQ

Right! Quickly on the subject of Kindergärten:

You are right in saying there are three Kindergärten in Feldkirchen, Arche Noah, Bienenhaus and St. Jakob.

Arche Noah is the smallest of the three, with three Kindergarten groups of ca. 25 children each (there is no allied Krippe). It?s of an Evangelical persuasion (although that is not really relevant) and, as you say, it enjoys much popularity. One of its key attractions in recent years has been low staff turnover and an long-established ?Konzept?. I?ve been there a number of times and everyone is friendly. It?s in a small-ish wooden building but has a large garden, although one downside of the garden is that it gets full sun virtually the whole day long in summer and has very little tree coverage. It being a small Kindergarten, it is sort of expected that the parents play a role, whether it be coming in for a morning to bake Christmas biscuits with the kids or organizing a ski-ing trip or swimming lessons. I have recently made enquiries here for my daughter, who turns three in September, and there are only 4 to 6 places available this year and over 60(!) applications, so we hold out little hope. Another factor limiting places this year is that they are due to take two handicapped children, who each fill 3 places each.

Feldkirchen is sort of ?divided? by the railway line, and Bienenhaus, located on Dornacher Feld (a housing development), is on the other side of the line to where you will be living. It is also a popular Kindergarten, and naturally especially so among the parents who in any case live over that side of the village. It?s in a large, airy building and is slightly larger in terms of numbers than Arche Noah. As from this year, it operates an ?offenes Konzept?. This means that rather than have two separate groups each of ca. 12 Krippenkinder (ages 0 to 3) plus three separate groups each of ca. 25 Kindergärtenkinder (ages 3 to 6), they have five fully mixed-age (0 to 6) groups each of ca. 18 children. The new Konzept also allows the children to have access to pretty much the whole building rather than just their own allocated ?rooms?. There are mixed views on this development. Other reasons why Bienenhaus is popular is that all food is provided (i.e. not only lunch but all snacks ? no packing to make!), and it is the only KG open until 5pm. The others shut at around 4pm.

St. Jakob is (nominally) the Catholic Kindergarten with currently four groups of 25 children. It has an associated Krippe for two groups of 12 children, of which my daughter is one. I don?t think you really need feel that St. Jakob is ?the dregs? - lots of people send their children there by choice! Circumstances have rather conspired against it this year, however. At the start of the year, there was a (planned) change of Trägerschaft to Caritas and the decision was taken to change from an open concept (like Bienenhaus now has) back to a closed (class-room based) one. Unfortunately, right in the middle of this process, one of the key Erzieherinnen died very suddenly (aged 31!), leaving a gap, and, then, understandably, her twin also decided to leave. New staff then had to be found before the Konzept could be worked on, and it has taken a while to sort that lot out and get the new team eingespielt. Things are most certainly improving though, and I won?t be unhappy if my daughter gets a place there. St. Jakob is also in a large building, and has a fantastic garden, both of which are due to be renovated in full over the summer vacation.

Sorry, must go. Swimming calls!

TRQ

Well, I'm convinced then plus dh popped round today to get registration forms, so will put St Jakobs as 1st choice. Will be a miracle if he (ds not dh) can start in May, but if not, he'll have to wait till September. That will be fun. Any idea roughly how much to expect the charge to be - is it a token amount or a large sum? Kindergarten is free in Switzerland.

The hospital I meant was that one. Not familiar with this belegtearzt system, and not something that's paticularly important to me as I don't have a relationship with a doctor that I particularly want with me. Will maybe put dh on the case.

Dh phoned for help with application form and I told him to put it down as 1t choice, hopefully start in May.

Thanks again for all the tips - feel a bit more under control. Had a removal firm come today for a quote, so hopefully will start to get ball rollong. Still can't believe you're just 2 streets away!

Ah! Didn't realise you wanted him to start in May! In that case, I would guess that St Jakob is your only option as I hear the other two are pretty much at capacity until the new school year starts.

As regards costs, these are nominal and fixed by the Gemeinde for all three Kindergärten. The actual charge depends on how many hours the child is there for each day based on an average taken across a five-day week:

4-5 hours = EUR 70 (minimum booking time)
5-6 hours = EUR 77
6-7 hours = EUR 84
7-8 hours = EUR 91
8-9 hours = EUR 98
9++ hours = EUR 105

These above costs are tax-deductible in part.

There are also some additional monthly charges, which vary slightly from institution to institution, but are as follows at St Jakob:

Spieleld EUR 6
Getränkegeld EUR 2,50
Festegeld EUR 1,50
Mittagessen EUR 45

plus, usually, a one-off Anmeldegebühr of EUR 10.

I forgot to mention earlier, but, unlike at Arche Noah and Bienenhaus where prepared food is delivered in, St Jakob has its own cook who prepares food freshly on-site each day. The quality is good - my daughter has it and I see the leftovers when I pick her up!

Is your husband already based here then? Where does he work (if you don't mind me asking)?

No, I can't believe the coincidence either! It's a small world.

Forgot to say a few things!

• If you really want him to start in May, it might be worth your DH mentioning your situation (moving from Switzerland, he's used to being at Kindergarten, new baby due immediately, etc.) when lodging the application. We have generally found the "powers that be" here very receptive and understanding of special circumstances. Integration issues such as the need to support German language skills for children who may not speak German at home (like our DD for example!) also hold sway.

• I know for a fact that St Jakob is closed for a odd few days in May due to public holidays etc. If your DH doesn't already have the information, I'll drop you a line tomorrow with the details so you can plan for it.

• Sorry, but have not yet seen the neighbours re. midwives etc. Will get onto it tomorrow!

Finally, if you would like to send me an email to sillymillysmummy at yahoo dot co dot uk, I will forward you my personal contact details. I don't (usually!) come on mumsnet each day, so it was fortunate our paths crossed!

Have mailed

1 more VERY important Q - can you get sky? in Munich/Feldkirchen (please say yes, somebody)

Hi,

Thanks for the mail. Will reply ASAP.

As regards THE VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION:

We get Sky News free-to-air via our normal satellite dish.

To get BSkyB, BBC channels, etc. you are best talking to Bavaria Satellite (www.bavaria-satellite.tv/) based in Kirchheim, just one village along from Feldkirchen. We haven't used them but friends have and found them very helpful. As far as I remember, it's possible, but you need a separate satellite dish pointing in a different direction to if you are accessing the "normal" German satellite. I also seem to remember hearing from someone that reception can sometimes be a bit dicey in poor weather because we are on the edge of the footprint of the relevant satellite.

Hope that helps.