How to find a midwife if you’re expecting a baby in Germany

Our first tip is to start early! It’s a good idea to start contacting midwives as soon as you have a positive pregnancy test in hand - do not wait, as that will make it harder to find a midwife with availability for your due date.

Our second tip is to be persistent. Even if you can’t find a midwife straight away, keep trying - most expecting parents end up finding a midwife even if it’s a bit later on in their pregnancy.

Types of midwives in German

To help you narrow down what kind of midwife support you need, let’s look at the different types of midwives available in Germany: 

Freelance midwives

Freelance midwives offer prenatal and postnatal care either in their practice or at your house. Typically, the same midwife will handle both your prenatal and postnatal appointments. Contact them as soon as possible. 

Hospital midwives

Hospital midwives are employed by the hospital to assist with births. When you go into labour, you’ll be supported by the midwife on duty at that time. There is no need to arrange anything in advance.

Attending midwives (Beleghebammen)

Self-employed attending midwives (Beleghebammen) are affiliated with specific hospitals and will be on call for you during the last few weeks of pregnancy. They provide one-to-one care during your birth. Usually, they will also be your midwife during your pregnancy and the postnatal period. You should contact an attending midwife as soon as possible to arrange your care. 

Home birth and birth centre midwives

Home birth and birth centre midwives specialise in supporting births at your house or in a birthing centre. Often, they also provide care during your pregnancy and in the postnatal period. Contact them as soon as possible. 

Reasons to work with a midwife

While it's not required to have a midwife, many families find their care very valuable for a number of different reasons. 

During pregnancy, midwives can provide the same tests and examinations as gynaecologists (except for the ultrasounds). Additionally, their care can also address topics such as aches and pains, worries and desires and more.

After your baby is born, your midwife will visit you at home regularly to check on both you and your baby, offering guidance and reassurance as you adjust to your new life as a family. They will weigh your baby, answer questions about newborn care, perhaps assist with the baby's first bath and more. They will also check on the recovery process of the new mother and answer questions about feeding, sleep and other concerns.

Typically, midwives provide care for up to three months after your baby is born - first daily, then less often as the new family settles in. Beyond that, they can still assist with topics like planning your first family trip or introducing solids.

In addition to prenatal and postnatal care, some midwives also offer classes for new and expectant parents (like birth preparation, postnatal recovery or newborn care). 

Insurance coverage of midwife services

In Germany, your public health insurance covers prenatal and postnatal midwife appointments, as well as a certified birth preparation course (although you usually need to pay a fee for your partner).

If you opt for one-to-one midwife care during labour and birth, there’s usually an additional on-call fee, part of which may be refunded to you by your insurance provider. 

Resources for your midwife search in Germany

There are a few platforms that you can use for your midwife search in Germany. Some of them even offer filter options for different languages, which will come in handy for internationals expecting a baby.

A few recommended platforms are: 

• Hebammensuche.de: This site provides an overview of available midwives in your area, with filters for the type of services you need and the languages spoken.
• Ammely: This platform is available in both English and German and offers options for continuous care or one-off appointments, including video consultations and courses. 
• Midiaid: Midiaid is available in both German and English. You can send one message for free or pay for more features. Your details can also be entered into a search list so midwives can contact you if they’re available. 
• GKV Spitzenverband: Hebammenliste: This is a searchable list of midwives by postal code, though it doesn’t show availability. It’s available in German only.

You can also try searching the internet for midwives or midwifery practices in your neighbourhood or ask your chosen hospital for a list of postpartum midwives.

Some cities also have additional platforms or social media groups that you can use. Kietzee has put together a list of local resources to help you find a midwife in several major German cities.

If you’re still struggling to find a midwife or don’t have German health insurance, you can check out Call a Midwife. This service offers online support from qualified midwives in different languages, covered by German health insurance or payable privately. 

Additionally, some midwife practices, family centres, hospitals and gynaecologists offer drop-in clinics for families who don’t have a personal midwife. 

We hope this is helpful and wish you all the best on this special journey - good luck finding the right midwife for your needs!