Giving birth - tips on having a baby in Munich

Gideon - you're a wise man. A woman in distress could be very dangerous indeed.

I am sure my husband would greatly appreciate any advice he can lay his hands on. He is very squeamish indeed. I do not know how he managed to sit through a birthing video/presentation we were shown at one of the hospitals. He has mentioned that he will probably arrive in the delivery room looking like Stevie Wonder (very dark glasses and earphones/defenders). Restaurant information would be very handy indeed. He'll need somewhere to go to collect his thoughts/get some fresh air and get over the shock of it all I am sure.

Did your wife also have her antenatal classes at the same clinic? There seem to be a few on offer there. Any that were particularly good?

I delivered in Maistr. and there were no curtains.
For sure the English-speaking world is hung up on privacy, but I wasn't willing to work on my personal hangups at that point in time...

My advice for anyone having a baby (especially one with the same hangups I have) is to do all you can to get the private room. It would have saved me so much misery in the end. I'll give birth at home before I do the 3-bed-room thing again.

I've been in a womens hospital without curtains! Very hard to handle, as it was a room of 4, and we were all there for different reasons.

I have been to many german hospitals (visiting friends), and never seen curtains between the beds!

Hi Ladies (and Gentlemen if you have input),

I am considering a few different clinics as a place to give birth. No, I am not pregnant yet so please don't congratulate me...yet. I hope it works out this summer!

Could women who have given birth here in Munich give your opinions about the clinics? Especially the following, if you know them:

Dr. Krüssmann Frauenklinik
Krankenhaus Dritter Orden

I have been checking on all of the cliniks and possibilities here, so I have heard about almost all of the most popular ones. But there could be something I missed.

Basically, if you had a good experience and could advice me, I would appreciate it.

I am looking for a clinic where I will be treated like a person, not a number. I say this because I know that some clinics have so many births per year that they look like Willy Wonka's Baby Factory. When I had my son in the U.S 12 years ago, I had a horrible experience. I was a University student on Medicaid. To many Americans that will explain alot but to those of you who don't know, Medicaid is a health care program for people on low income. Considering that I was working as an Intern, I had no money and could not afford the health insurance.

The hospital that delivered my son was horrible. It is a long story but to make it short I will say that due to neglect in the hospital they almost had to perform an emergancy c-section in the end.

I was never given any proper pain medication and was told by my nurse that "It's not so bad". My labor was 24 hours.

So, 12 years and much experience later, I am looking forward to another child. This time around I am much more informed. But nervous nevertheless.

I read on another forum that sometime, in Germany, they make you wait and wait until it is too late to get an epidural. Has anyone experienced this?

When I spoke with my Frauenartzt he matter of fact told me that I would go to the Taxis Klinik and I matter of factly told him "no, I won't". Not that I think it is bad, but I will pick out my clinic myself.

Here are some of my other questions:

Did you go to the "Info Abend" at the clinic you chose? If so, what was it like?

Did you find information and medical staff that speak English?

Did they accept a personalized birth-plan that you created?

I don't want and episiotomy, what do I need to do to make sure they don't cut me without my permission?

Well, I have loads of questions..

Any input?

Thanks very, very much!

Topics merged by admin

This is an edit: I put this post in the life in Munich section and Bob moved it here. I had no idea this thread existed, Sorry, I didn't see it! So maybe some of my questions will already be answered. I am reading through this thread now.
Thanks

although im vaginaly challenged i give you what i can remember


yep, first child. they seem to believe here that a woman not being able to feel and communicate whats happening is not a good thing. she did get something though but it wasnt an epidural.


silly crap and stupid. full of gemans with lists of what they feel they'd need at birth. me and mrs g couldnt stop laughing.


dont know we both speak german


birth and plan two words which dont really go together eh? they will if they can, but if they feelthe baby and mother is at risk they will override your wishes.


no idea, but i guess you could ask them. they'll do what they think is right at the end of the day.

Hi Gideon,

Vaginally challenged? Hehehe…

Yes, the phrase birth-plan does seem a bit ‘oxymoronish’ (made that up)

But basically you can make them to help communicate your wishes to the staff. You can find them online at websites like www.babycenter.com or www.birthplan.com or http://www.childbirth.org/interactive/ibirthplan.html

It is legally the patients right to accept or decline an episiotomy. Of course, be declining you risk tearing and would then have to be sewn. There are pros and cons, like with most things, but in the end it is a matter of choice.

A birth plan covers issues that may come up, like “if I have to have an emergency c-section, I would like to stay awake and have local anesthesia.�

I am going to check out the clinic in Gräfelfing…do they have a website?

oh, just found it:

http://www.wolfartklinik.de/

www.wolfartklinik.de

im sure they'll do all you want. they had a bed next to the delivery room which proved great for me to sleep on ;-)

why not try a home birth if there aren't any complications?

I worry, due to the complications with the first, that I may have them again. So I would feel safer (and emotionally this is important during childbirth), in a clinic.

I had the same problem that my mother had during birth. I didn't dialate correctly and they had to give me something to make me dialate. It was horrendous. This time I want to try accupuncture if this happens. Any ideas?

I recently had a miscarriage and D & C at Dritter Orden. While I obviously don't know about all of the labor and delivery questions, I will tell you that the doctors and staff were extremely helpful and supportive, and I had no trouble communicating in English.

If you are worried about complications, you may want to consider which places have a newborn ICU (I know Dritter Orden does), that way if there is a problem, you will not have to be separated from your baby.

Good luck!

Well, I really enjoyed my stay at the Wolfart hotel (sorry, clinic). I requested a private room and they were able to guarantee one with "rooming in" if you wish to pay the additional for the two. The food was good, as was the care. All but two of the maternity nurses spoke English but we were still able to communicate some how. I have a great American Gyne (She doesn't do deliveries though) and a great delivery team. I can give you the details if you wish. I have no complaints about the Wolfart Clinic whatsoever. If we are in Germany when I am ready for baby number two I will not hesitate to register there again. The trouble is once you've had the pleasure of such a place it is difficult to go back to the norm.

Two days after having my son my gym instructor came to my room while I was having breakfast in order to make sure I was up for it (the work out - nothing else...). Naturally I had thought the doctor was joking when he had mentioned it the previous evening but clearly not. It was gentle post birth exercises which I was grateful for afterwards.

All the best with your research

Anna

Hi Edna,

So sorry to hear of your miscarriage. Pleased you were fortunate enough to be a patient at a clinic with compassionate staff. All the very best.

Anna

Hi Anna,

thanks, yes I am interested. I have already contacted the Wolfart Klinik and someone responded with the dates for the "InfoAbend" etc. She was very helpful.

I wrote back to her to ask how much of a "zuschlag" (additional cost) one must pay to be guaranteed a private room. I am considering getting a Zusatzversicherung before becoming pregnant, but it may be better financially just to pay the extra fee because the clinic's website says that you do not require a private insurance or additional ins. to be guaranteed the room, you just have to pay extra. So can you tell me how much extra?

Any other details about the clinic would be great..

Thanks

What kind of insurance do you have? My experience was that private insurance is helpful.

yes, in Germany private is always good! Unless you have a child, which I do, so I stay on public with TKK. But TKK has a Zusatztversicherung thru Envias and I am considering getting it. To have a private room in the clinic and Chefarzt Behandelung, I would have to pay 40€ per month extra.

I am not really interested in the Chefartzt and TKK is really good about paying acupucture etc.. so basically I just have to decide if I pay for the private room myself or get the extra insurance.

Thanks, Anna. I just found out that I am pregnant again, and so I will need to figure things out with locations, doctors, etc. I would love to hear more details about your experience at Wolfhart.

Edna,

Congratulations! That's great. At what stage of pregnancy are you? Please let me know what details you need and I will help out where I can.

Anna

Hi guys,

CONGRATULATION to all new mamas and fathers! I am new in Toytown and will be new very soon in Munich. Since I am pregnant and will get my child in Munich you can imagine, that I was very curious reading the great information and hints you introduced in this chat! Especially because I am moving from Geneva and do not have really a clue where to go.

Since I have to start from the scratch looking for gynecologist, clinics... I have tried to make a summary to recommendation and would be great if you could give me an update or maybe another address I could look for:
• Wohlfahrt Klinik in Gräfelfing: good attention, single rooms, good landscape. Just out of Munich (Gideon)
• Frauenklinik Passing: good just out of Munich (Riksha)
• Frauenklinik from Roten Kreuz http://www.frauenklinik-kruesmann.de/frame/intro_eng.htm
• Krankenhaus Dritten Order: a newborn ICU (Edna)

To the “Mutter Pass� -> do you have an idea how it works to get one? When I find a doctor in Munich do I need to bring to him/her any information from my current doctor in Geneva?

Do you have maybe also recommendation for the gynecologist in Munich; the best would be around Schwabing or downtown since I hope to live in this corner.

THANKS FOR your suggestions and ideas!

Best regards,

Sandra

Normally your first presentation of pregnancy to a German Gyno will cause him/her to issue a new Mutterpass. It's basically a VERY detailed history of your pregnancy and birth consequences which you should carry with you at all times in case of any "incidents". If you are coming from Switzerland you should bring any details from your exisiting doctor that he will allow you access to, or suggest that the Munich and Swiss doctors talk to each other during the handover, especially if you have any contra-indications of note. Some German insurance companies offer bonus schemes for a completed Mutterpass following birth.

YL6

Hello Sandra,

All this and more has been covered in numerous threads on Toytown. You will find plenty of advice and recommendations by using the search function (top right-hand corner of the screen). Make yourself comfortable, there's a lot of reading to do!

Regards,
K.

Thanks for the information! And I will have look indeed!!! Is very helpfull!

Best regards,

Sandra

Hello everybody!!
I'm a spanish girl wh ohave moved to Munich a few months ago. I would like to have a baby here (still not pregnant)
I would like to take a private insurance.
Can anybody please explain me how it works here in Germany?
What do you think is the best one? And what it cover?

Thanks a lot

A frightened new 'Toytowner'

I am sure that if you come to any of the Tuesday drinks nights there will be people who will help you

Just a few quick questions to those of you who have had a baby in Munich:

I'm due to give birth at the Klinik Maistr. in just under two weeks, however their website is not very informative, to say the least.
I'm thinking that maybe there's a general way that they do things here in Germany though, so that some of you might be able to help me?

First of all, do you need to call the clinic before you show up on the big day? In Denmark where I had my last baby, they ALWAYS want to talk to you first to be able to plan the day better, and also very often to tell you that you sound way too well for it to be serious yet, and so will often ask you to stay at home for a few extra hours! However here no one's mentioned this, but I wouldn't want to start the experience of badly by turned up unannounced if that's not how it's done, as I think we all know that Germans like you to stick to the procedures!

Also: what can I expect to find at the maternity ward? Last time in Denmark every thing was there: clothes for me and the baby, nappies (for both!) etc, in fact as soon as I came in they put me in some of the hospital's clothing, and I was just using their stuff till it was time to go home (very nice with a laundry service!)

Also as I understand it a Hebamme will come to our house every day for the first 10 days after the delivery,-this sounds a bit mad to me though- what on earth will she be doing??? A visit or two in the first few weeks I can understand, but every day? I really can't imagine that it will be anything but a nuisance, however I've gone with the arrangement as I'm just trying to go with the flow of how things are done here.

Any other advise you might like to pass on would be most appreciated,

Friendly regards from a soon to be mum of two!

Topics merged by admin

Our two were born in München. Just go to the hospital where to are registered when the contractions are so and so few minutes apart, and the mutermund (sp.?) is wide enough open that there is no going back. No need to call. The midwife is required by law to visit afterwards to check you and the child. See other postings that might be of help.
Good luck!

Haven't you been to one of their "open house" nights? Most hosptials have tours once a week. They should be able to answer all questions. If language is a problem just hang around and ask in English, they will be glad to help. (The tour dates and times should be on the web site).

Thanks for your replies.

I have been to an information evening, but that's quite a while back now, and at the time I didn't think to ask those questions as the due date still seemed ages away. Not anymore though!

I guess I'll just show up and hope for the best then Luckily we live only 10 mins away, so my husband can easily get things for me that might be needed, just thought it would be nice to know how they genereally do things here.

Ditte, I am pretty sure you can just show up but it is really advisable for you to go there and introduce yourself. They will look at your Mutterpass, and take care of any other paperwork necessary, for example if you're planning on getting a PDA. It helps to have all that filled out in advance because when you're in the throes of labor, the last thing you want is to be filling out paperwork.

I also delivered in Maistrasse. They will have clothes for the baby but not for you... only hospital gowns, but you'll want some of your own stuff to walk around in, t-shirts, comfortable pants and a robe at least. They mostly have 2-person rooms although I was in a 3-person room which was horrible for me. No privacy whatsoever. If you have private insurance, you probably won't have to deal with that. The building is old and there are only 2 bathrooms on either end of the hallway and the place is a bit antiquated, but some find that charming (myself not included). In your room there is a sink so you can brush your teeth and wash your facebut you will have to pee and shower down the hall.

The doctors are all very competent and they have midwife students there with you at all times. For me, the delivery was fine, but I couldn't wait to get out of the place afterwards because the rooming situation was rough. I also had the impression that they try to get all the foreigners together in one room to minimize intercultural problems, but being the only person in my room to speak either German or English during the entier 6 days I was there was very trying.

The Hebamme doesn't come every day, either. If she thinks you're doing OK, you'll see her maybe 4-5 times before the baby's bellybutton stump falls off and you can give the baby a bath together. That's usually the last visit.

And you can just show up at the clinic. You might want to phone ahead and tell them you're coming, though.

I also had a friend who delivered at Maistrasse and had the same experience as Red, above. Bring your own clothes and toiletries to any clinic; the baby's clothes and diapers will be provided for and you will also be given throwaway pants/sanitary napkins.

Best wishes!

Thanks for your replies
We are privately insured, and I have already been to show them my mutterpass and inform them that I want a private room if possible.

However I really hope to be out of there pretty much as soon as the baby is born, provided we're both ok of course.

It will be rather different to having a baby in Denmark I think, as it's normal there to get a private room for both mummy and daddy to stay in together, which I think is pretty cool (especially the first time!),

Either way I'm sure the delivery itself will be ok in Maistr., hopefully we won't have to wait much longer to find out now

Ditte *39+2

Just wanted to back up what Anna wrote about the Wolfart Klinik, having experience already of giving birth in France, this was a lot more pleasurable.
The staff were very friendly, helpful and patient with my limited german... so much so I'd consider having a third...

The only downside was that if there had been complications with the baby, she would have been taken to another hospital that had facilities for such emergencies.

Ditte has probably already had her baby by now, but just in case... my hospital offered the option of a
"Vorstellung zur Geburt" -- basically you go in and talk to one of the doctors and they write down your preferences about things like epidurals, having an enema, etc. You don't have to do this but I found it reassuring...

Hi,
I just wanted to add my experience with delivery of my baby - which was just 2 weeks ago on May 28th at the Maistrasse Klinik. Now, given that I am privately insured I think this made a HUGE difference in the entire experience - which I must say - was AMAZING! But again, I'm sure it's because of the private insurance which means you get a completely different treatment - e.g., I got a private room with a balcony and view on the courtyard. I had the head Gyno attend the birth and the head Hebamme also. They were VERY attentive and VERY kind throughout the entire labor which was 24 hours long - and afterwards I was there for 5 days because my little boy had an infection and everyone was just super.

I know alot of folks have had terrible experiences at the maistrasse but I just wanted to give another experience. Private insurance has some obvious drawback e.g., cost, and if your income changes the payments stay the same unlike social insurance, but I'm so happy to make other sacrifices financially to keep the private insurance because it has always made such a big difference in the care - e.g., the experience at Maistrasse.

If you have private insurance then I would definately recommend Maistrasse - they have both an child ICU and mother ICU in house, and are topnotch as far as "knowledge".

If anyone would like more information about my experience there and the doctors etc. just PM me.

Best wishes to all Mom's to be and new Moms.

Sabine

Congratulations on your dream baby boy, Sabine! I know you'll be VERY happy.

Thanks Sun-by! Dharma is being really sweet with him too - her new cuddle toy ;-)

Had my baby in maistr. 2 months ago, and got top treatment!
Left on the same day though, so can't say for the maternity ward, but the delivery itself I was very happy with.
Total costs: 1500 euros

I was perusing the How To Germany website for basic info on giving birth here and stumbled upon this suggestion of what to bring along to the hospital:


Is this true? I spent a night in Dritter Orden with my daughter and I used my mobile phone constantly without anyone raising an eyebrow. However, on my two hospital stays in the U.S. I did need to use a phone card. Should I prepare some sort of calling card or whatever to bring along with me when I give birth?

Mobile phones are usually prohibited in hospitals. The reason given is that they interfere with sensitive equipment. Sometimes it's possible to sneak a call from the balcony or bathroom but if you are an inpatient most hospitals will provide a bedside phone and a number so you can make calls and receive them. Check with the hospital in advance what phone facilities they have.

How can you be 39 years old and not know about this? Tis mind boggling.

Didn't mean to cause any boggling, KD. Simply stated, my one experience in a Munich hospital had no problems with using a mobile phone. In the U.S. I've used both landlines and mobile phones; in Asia, the entire hospital minus the ICU center seemed to be using mobile phones. We actually called family on mobile phones from the delivery room while the doc was still sewing me up after the birth of my first. Granted, I have seen wings or floors of hospitals with specific no phone signs posted, but typically those were ICU or extreme care units and the rule did not apply to the entire hospital. Obviously, the senstitive equipment isn't in every room. Just my experiences, hence the question. Sorry to have boggled.

You've unboggled my boggle

When my sister-in-law had her baby in Austria we tried calling the hospital to find out her roomt elephone number, and all they said was 'doesn't she have a handy?' so I guess some hospitals are just more strict with this rule than others.

Apparently the Frauenklinik in Maistrasse has free Wi-Fi, so if you have a laptop and webcam you can let friends and family see you and the new baby via Skype etc. I guess you could maybe even broadcast the whole event live if you wanted to!

Just one comment on the private room issue. My twins were born 8 weeks early and ended up in the intensive care unit for 5 weeks. The two (German) women that I shared a room with for the 8 nights that I was in hospital were a great support to me and I will be eternally grateful to them for that support. I don't know how I would have managed without them, particularly the one woman whose son was also born prematurely. We went through so much together and are still great friends two years on.

Has anyone given birth in the Geburtshaus? As long as everything is looking good with my pregnancy by then, I really hope to be able to go there, but it would be nice to hear anyone else's experiences...

Has anyone got recent experience with Dritte Ordnen or Taxis strasse?

pretty sure this was mentioned before, but I just want to emphasize how long the waiting times are with day care centers for small children. Please consider registering the child even before birth to krippe if you want to have a place within reasonable time. State-owned are completelly booked, you might get a chance if you try private/eltern-initiative ones. Register in at least 3 places to hope for a place when the child is 1,5/2 years old. I disregarded this advice and now regret it.

Best wishes anyway

We were actually warned off this place. They have no in-house doctors and in an emergency have to transport you to a hospital.

From the link:


We had complications with our first child and an emergency caesarean had to be performed. We were at Starnberg hospital and they were brilliant; the head doctor did the operation at one in the morning himself and the after care was fantastic. The rooms lovely; a balcony overlooking gardens and the ante(pre)natal rooms have king sized baths where we bathed together in candlelight with fragrance lamps supplying an olfactory delectation

If you speak the lingo and have half a brain, then private insurance is completely unnecessary in Germany. "Zusaztversicherungen" (supplementary insurance) is the way to go if you want solitary confinement and won't leave you bankrupted in your dotage. One of the main disadvantages of private insurance is the spiralling cost as you get older. Of course if you're only on a short stay then it's different. The bit about private insurance guaranteeing "Chefartzt" and so on is a bit of a trick; if you ask as a "normal" insured Joe, you will (usually) get.

Of course if you're act an arrogant, impolite boor, then you will be treated accordingly. I had just this experience last week when I took my son in to have his foot plastered. Some chap was creating an unholy fuss and I eavesdropped on a few words of conversation between the doctor and nurse outside the room he was being treated in:

Dr: "He's one of these privately insured idiots, let him wait."

If you can read German, here's a place you can look to get an idea of some women's experiences: Babynews - Erfahrungsberichte.

Although I would of course keep in mind that you can have a fantastic birth experience in a mediocre hospital, or a horrible birth experience in a fantastic hospital. I'd also recommend stopping by any hospital / Geburtshaus you're interested in to get a feel for the place. Then go ahead and attend one of the Infoabends, or arrange for a Kreissaal tour.

Hope that helps - good luck and best wishes for a wonderful birth, Ladies!