Find Hebamme (Midwife) in Germany [2024] - Navigate Germany

Hebamme are very important if you are pregnant as you need emotional support, and comfort to birth a child. Learn about midwives and their roles in the life of a pregnant woman. 

Role of Midwives in Germany

Midwives are fully trained professionals to help you go through your pregnancy journey and take care of you and your newborn’s health. A midwife is available whether you have trouble sleeping at night or you are confused about breastfeeding your child. Midwives can help you in all ways by guiding and performing the post-birth physical examinations. Have a midwife with you throughout your birth process in Germany as you are legally entitled. You can hire them pre-birth to help you go through your pregnancy and labor, especially when giving birth for the first time or at hospital to support you after the birth of your child. OB-GYN are also becoming a popular option for women, but the importance of midwives can not be denied.

Why Should You Hire a Midwife?

Pregnancy is a long tiring journey and you cannot visit your doctor or gynecologists all the time, so you need a midwife to assist you whenever you are in need. They offer services like:

• Prenatal care
• Preconception care
• Support during labor and delivery
• Newborn care
• Menopausal management
• Nutrition and pregnancy health care

If you are pregnant for the first time, your midwife is your personal guide and works with the mother and child after birth. They make frequent visits and calls to monitor your health and help with post birth issues.

Pros of A Midwife

Emotional and Social Support

Midwives support women in multiple ways emotionally, practically, physically, and socially by teaching new parents about birthing plans, labor, delivery, and post birth so your experience becomes less painful. 

A midwife is well trained to make your pregnancy journey less stressful for you. They communicate and provide all necessary education and guidance related to motherhood.

C-Section Prevention

According to the Research, midwives help to avoid C-sections. According to another research, midwives offer great support and women after having communication with midwives become more satisfied. 

Assistance in Nutritious Diet

Diet is very important for the health of both mother and the newborn. A midwife supports you to decide nutritious diet and shares the best exercise plan for you. They help you to quit bad habits that impact the pregnancy journey badly. In addition to the diet, they also guide about choosing a birthing plan.

In-Person Support During Childbirth

Giving birth to a new life is an exciting experience, but frightening at the same time due to the labor and delivery. You can get in-person support from a midwife at this time to control pain by providing pain relief like an epidural.

Postpartum Care

Postpartum is the one month duration after childbirth in Which a midwife is very helpful for care and breastfeeding. You must ensure good health which is only possible with the support of a midwife. A midwife will monitor through various checkups and offer medications when needed.

Find a Midwife in Germany

It is very difficult to find a midwife in Germany, so you must start your search when you know about your pregnancy. Start your search at hebammensuche, Anmely, and Spitzenverband to find a hebamme or you can visit a national site to narrow down your list according to area, language, or service. Another way is to ask your friends and neighbors as they might refer you to a midwife according to their experience. These days, there are a lot of pages and groups on social media where you can find the right fit for you. As soon as you decide, you will get good pre-birth care from an expert. In other cases, you can find a hammer at the time of childbirth at the hospital. A few institutes where you can get help are;

• The maternity hospital (Geburtskliniken or Entbindungskliniken)
• Midwife clinics and birth centers (Hebammenpraxen und Geburtshäuser)
• Gynecologists (Frauenärzte und Frauenärztinnen)
• Family education centres (Familienbildungsstätte)

The cost of a midwife is around €40 per hour, but depends on the experience and type of contract. Do not forget to check your insurance if the midwife’s expenses are included or not and then hire an expert accordingly. Many health insurance companies such as Krankenkasse provide a list of midwives and the expenses for those midwives are covered. It is always good to call your insurance provider so you can  make an informed decision.

Choose the Right Midwife for You

Finding the right fit for you is very crucial as you cannot take any risks at this important stage of your life. Here are five things you must consider before hiring a midwife.

Feel Yourself Around

Hire someone with whom you are comfortable to pass your pregnancy journey easily. If you feel you are judged and cannot communicate, you cannot have a good time. Choose someone you can share your feelings with and can ask your questions openly.

Culturally Sensitive Person

Cultural differences are very  important during childbirth as you can anticipate it or may be unaware of the beliefs. A midwife must be open to support families with different norms. Discuss it with your chosen midwife to avoid any conflict. Choose an expert who has experience dealing with international families.

Emotional Support

This is the time when you need a lot of emotional support to decrease postpartum mood disorder issues. Choose a midwife who can provide emotional support, ask questions about your health, listen to you, and help you relax when you are stressed. Choose an expert who can guide you about postpartum mood disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Support Your Decision

Midwives are knowledgeable and experienced, but the values of the family might be different than the values of midwives. Your midwife should respect the feedback of the family while considering your values and decisions.

Language Barrier

Being an expat, you might face a language barrier in Germany, so it is good to find a midwife who speaks your mother tongue or English. This will be very helpful to minimize the communication gap and lower the stress. If you cannot find a midwife who knows your mother tongue, find a translator who can address the communication issue.

Conclusion

Pregnancy journey can be stressful both for the mother and family, so hiring a midwife to get physical and emotional support is crucial. A midwife can assist and cater to your concerns, so find one when it is the start of your journey. Have a great pregnancy journey and bring new life to the world with full support of your midwife.