10 tips: find the right midwife

The “normal” hospital birth

If you don’t care which midwife takes care of you during the birth and there can be more than one, you can look forward to the birth calmly. When you arrive at the clinic, a midwife who is on duty at the maternity ward will simply take care of you. At an information evening at the clinic, you can get to know some of the midwives and get a first impression of the working atmosphere and the cooperation between doctors and midwives. These events are also great for finding a midwife.

The midwife

If it is important to you not to simply be assigned a midwife for a hospital birth, but you would rather already know the midwife, a registered midwife is the right choice for you. You get to know her beforehand, agree with her how and where you want the birth to take place, and you can then take care of the aftercare with her. This way you are spared “unpleasant surprises” in the delivery room. She is only there for you during the birth. Many midwives working in shifts have to look after up to four women at the same time. A midwife knows your story, is a familiar face and can fully concentrate on you. It’s also great that she can tell you a lot about the clinic and the processes. However, you should start your search in good time. The maternity clinics can help you with the search.

The freelance midwife

As the name suggests, freelance midwives are not employed by a clinic or a birth center. Or they work as a freelance midwife alongside their normal job. You can find them via midwife networks, the Yellow Pages, portals such as Jameda or in our local section and you can take advantage of preventive care, offers for childbirth preparation and, above all, postpartum care. But not every hospital or birthing center allows freelance midwives to accompany the birth. You should therefore inform yourself beforehand at the clinic or birth center of your choice. If you are planning a home birth , it is worth asking the midwife how many home births she performs a year.

The aftercare midwife

Regardless of whether you were cared for by a midwife before the birth, you are entitled to the support of an aftercare midwife after the birth. These midwife services are also paid for by the health insurance company. Midwives advise you on breastfeeding problems during the confinement and breastfeeding period, show you how to deal with the baby correctly, check your health and that of your baby and are at your side with lots of good advice and tips. You can contact any freelance midwife or registered midwife.

The midwife practice

The advantage of a midwifery practice is the selection of midwives and the possibility that a colleague can simply step in in the event of illness. In addition, a lively exchange takes place in such a group practice of many midwives.

Midwives at a birth center

If you want to give birth in a birth center, you can contact the relevant center directly. Many women appreciate the birth center because of its calm and cozy atmosphere. It usually has its “own” midwives who practice there. Then you can put the preventive care, care during the birth and aftercare in one hand again without any difficulties. However, many birthing centers also “lend” their midwives if you don’t want to give birth in the birthing center.

childbirth classes

If you already know a certain midwife through a childbirth class and you like her, you can talk to her or ask for her when you go into labour. In this situation, many hospitals and birthing centers are not so strict with their roster.

The home birth

If your pregnancy is uncomplicated and you and your baby are doing well, you can give birth at home. Of course, this should be discussed with the doctor and midwife in good time so that everything else can be prepared for it. It is best to inquire in good time about a freelance midwife with a lot of experience in home births. It is good if she is already looking after you during the check-up. Then she knows your history and can assess and support you during the birth.

midwife and mother

Some women would like their midwife to have children of her own so that she can better understand her feelings and fears during pregnancy and childbirth. If this point is important to you, you should consider this when making your choice and also ask about it in a conversation with the midwife.