A midwife accompanies you throughout your pregnancy, supports you during labor, and is also there for you during the postpartum period. She's by your side, and you can rely on her completely. But finding a midwife isn't easy. Therefore, you should allow yourself plenty of time to search. We hope this blog post helps you.

Every expectant mother is entitled to a midwife. Here we explain when you should start looking for one, what to do if you can't find one, and what criteria you should meet.

Table of contents:

1. Why do I need a midwife?
2. When should I start searching?
3. How do I find a midwife?
4. When the search for the midwife ends in a fight
5. Birth preparation courses
6. A good alternative to the midwife
7. Gifts for your midwife and how to say thank you

Why do I need a midwife?

A midwife offers you holistic and comprehensive care. She will be a companion for you and your loved ones and will accompany you until your baby's eighth week of life, and even occasionally, if you wish, until your child transitions to a different diet.

Midwives are the first point of contact for questions about child welfare, breastfeeding, and mental health issues, and can offer you useful advice based on their experience and expertise. Often, a very personal bond develops with your midwife, one that lasts long after the birth.

Midwifery care is regulated by law in Germany and the costs are therefore also covered by health insurance.

When should I start searching?

The second red line on the pregnancy test indicates it: You're pregnant and you're going to be parents! So start your search as early as possible, so you won't have any stress later on and can focus entirely on what's important—the birth of your child.

After the initial euphoria, you can slowly but surely start thinking about where you want to give birth. Would you prefer a hospital, a birthing center, or a home birth in the comfort of your own home?

Important: Depending on the desired birth location, different midwife responsibilities may apply.

Image source: Canva

How do I find a midwife?

• Midwife search portal
• Midwife list GKV umbrella association
• Through various doctor’s offices: There are usually brochures available
• Check with your health insurance provider and ask for a midwife in your area
• Midwife network page of your city
• About hospital midwife lists
• About your gynecologist
• In midwifery practices (often group practices)

When the search for the midwife ends in a fight

If the search is anything but easy, we've listed a few support centers and preventative courses below that you should contact. We believe this is even more important if you haven't found a midwife yet.

A good alternative to the midwife

Perhaps you've consciously decided against a midwife for certain reasons, or perhaps you haven't found one. Even if the search continues, stay calm for now. In addition to the specialists at the hospital who are available to you anyway, there's also a good alternative to a midwife: Contact a doula .
You may be wondering: What is a doula? We'll try to explain it briefly:

Doulas complete training courses that primarily provide practical experience. The training typically lasts one year, and a doula accompanies pregnancies, births, and the postpartum period. What's really interesting to know: They must have already given birth to at least one child themselves.

You can or should also take advantage of online consultations or attend courses for expectant mothers.

We can recommend these birth preparation courses:

• Online course from The Peaceful Birth
• Birth preparation course from Mamakompass
• Birth preparation course from Mami-First
• Birth preparation course by Ilka Krippendorf
• The film 'Safe Birth'
• Pregnancy yoga online course from Wunderfrau

Gifts for your midwife and how to say thank you:

You've made it, and your great happiness is finally in your arms. Without your midwife's help, it might not have been quite so easy and wonderful. Perhaps that's why you want to thank your midwife even more.

Image source: Canva

In our Instagram post, we listed a few suggestions from our community. Nevertheless, we've also collected 13 more ideas for you here.

Image source: Instagram story @annaundoskar

1. Fuel voucher
2. Fresh flowers from Bloom & Wild
3. Experience voucher from Jochen Schweizer
4. Essential oils by SUNDAY NATURAL
5. Voucher for a visit to a thermal spa ( Mediterana , Vabali Spa , VitaSol )
6. Voucher for a massage in her area
7. New midwife backpack
8. Mini Espresso Machine To Go
9. Personal card with a photo of you as a family
10. Your midwife's favorite chocolate
11. Cinema voucher
12. Food voucher for your favorite restaurant
13. Baskets full of things the midwife likes to eat or drink

Are you also having trouble finding a suitable midwife? You're definitely not alone. We hope the tips in this blog post help you find the right midwife for you. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Perhaps you've already given birth and luckily didn't have any particular problems finding one. If that's the case, please feel free to share your tips in the comments to make the search a little easier for others. That would be so great!

Wishing you all the best,
Your team from Anna and Oskar