Is anyone pregnant in Germany?

[peachyfox]

I know you're an international lot, so I wondered if perhaps someone had any knowledge about having babies in Germany. We arrived at the weekend and I'm 18 weeks. I'd love some general advice on how it works...

here's hoping...

Try this thread not sure if anyone still in Germany but maybe?

Welcome and congratulations.

It's brilliant! I had DS2 here. The health system is private and as I had to have a C section the service was amazing.

First you need to find a frauenartzin (lady doctor). She's a gynaecologist who also does your checks on your baby. Be warned that they like internal examinations at every visit (or that may have been just mine!)

DS2 has just woken screaming so will have to go for now, but keep posting. I'll put a watch on this thread and get back to you again.

Also, please do join and watch the Living Overseas chat thread with all the mums in Germany. We're all on it!!

PS. I am in Munich, Where are you?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/living_overseas/718874-German-Chat-Alle-sind-willkommen-Fr-uuml-hling-l-auml

is the link you want (hope it worked)

Thanks Abroad that's great to know you did it here and were impressed, makes me feel much better.

What do you mean it is all private though ? I have a form (E106) from the UK and am expecting it to be free...

I'm seeing a Frauenartzin tomorrow, although he's a man.

Thanks for the link, I'm going to check it out and post back on here shortly.

We're in Berlin.

Thanks!

I'm in Switzerland, but think it's quite similar. You have to pay for all healthcare as standard (like private in the UK) the docs will tell you.

Standard of care and facilities here is amazing, checkup and scans every month, and if you feel a bit worried you just pop in an see them same day usually, in fact straight away the one time I called with a blood pressure question. 5 days in hospital for birth and beyond is normal.

Only points to mention (as well as the many internals "no doctor, there is in fact no baby up my bum, not sure what you need to do up there.....") you get weighed in shoes on old fashioned scales and told off if you put on well pretty much any weight as far as I can see, and they're militant about breastfeeding.

i would take this over the UK any day...

HI Mewb! I am from Switzerland (never gave birth there but Dsis has)but live in te Uk Where about are you?

Hi my sis in law had dn2 there and said it was best treatment she ever had.Actually desperate to go back as was so comfortable with it all.
Good luck.

Hi Newb and Sakladdie, great the care is so good - love the sound of monthly scans - hope i get that.

Bit confused about the paying thing - there is a health service here in Germany and as a UK citizen they said I'm entitled to whatever they get over here (think Switzerland might be different because it's not in the EU?) Going to go in tomorrow waving my form and hope that does the trick, they're supposed to bill the NHS.

Bit worried that all the women I've spoken to here say they went to a birth centre for a lovely natural birth. I was kind of hoping for an epidural.

Will find our more tomorrow.

You can have an epidural if you want to, just go to a hospital not a birthing center. Don't know about the paying thing, but I'd definitely rather have my babe in G than US. They actually take you serious there.
BTW a male doctor is a Frauenarzt. :-)

(and yes, they are thorough, so they will do a rectal exam with your pap to make sure you don't have cancer there either)