So you are pregnant! Congratulations! You live in Germany? Amazing, you have access to so many great benefits available to parents, mainly for free (yes, FREE). However, navigating all the paperwork and timelines can be tricky, especially as you physically and mentally prepare to give birth. That’s why I have prepared this timeline of how to have a baby in Germany. It includes key events, starting from the first months of pregnancy all the way up to your due date, even including the months after you give birth. This is all based on my personal experience of being pregnant and giving birth in Berlin at a hospital.
How to Have a Baby in Germany – Timeline During Months of Pregnancy
Month 1 – Find an OB-GYN
I found out I was pregnant quite late – 11 weeks late to be exact! After the positive pregnancy test, we needed to find an english speaking OB-GYN in Berlin to take care of me. There are many online resources to find an obstetrician – one is Doctena. On Doctena, you can search for doctors based on language, expertise and location. At my first OB-GYN appointment, my doctor took a sonogram of my baby and I was able to keep the photos. The sonogram photo above is my baby at 12 weeks! I also received my Mutterpass, which is a ‘Mother’s Passport’ to track your appointments, weight, blood work, test results, etc. as you progress in your pregnancy. Finding an OB-GYN as soon as possible is paramount to ensure that you have a healthy and safe pregnancy. And of course, in Germany, all OB-GYN visits are covered by insurance (i.e. FREE).
Month 2 – Start Looking for a Midwife (Hebamme)
Finding a hebamme or midwife is one of the most difficult tasks to complete when pregnant. A hebamme for both before and after birth is covered by insurance (i.e. FREE), but at least in Berlin, there seems to be much more demand than supply. I did not secure a hebamme until month 6 of my pregnancy. I found her on a Berlin Hebamme Facebook Group. My advice is do not despair if you do not find a hebamme immediately. But, do make it a priority to find one. Especially for a first-time mother, you will want a hebamme visiting your home the first week after you give birth. Go on Facebook every day and check for posts from hebamme with new availability. You will find one with a little luck and a lot of perseverance.
Month 3 – Schedule Ultrasound for Weeks 22-24
Around month 3 of your pregnancy you will want to schedule your ultrasound appointment. This should take place between weeks 22-24 of your pregnancy. During your ultrasound, you will be able to see your baby close-up and in more detail than in prior sonograms. The radiologist performing the ultrasound will be able to check baby’s organs and ensure everything is developing properly. This is very important, as if there are any concerns they are much better addressed well before birth. After your ultrasound, you will receive via text or email the photos taken of your baby, including 3-D photos. And, of course, in Germany, this appointment is covered by insurance (i.e. FREE).
Month 4 – Meet with a Counselor at the Familien Service Büro
One really helpful appointment we made was with a counselor at the Familien Service Büro in Berlin. We had so many questions regarding parental leave, healthcare coverage, when to apply to Kita, etc. Our counselor answered all of our questions, provided us with valuable resources, and put our worried minds at ease. I would highly recommend making an appointment. Oh, and did I mention? This appointment is also for free.
Month 4 – Make a List of Hospitals
Around month 4 of your pregnancy, it is a good idea to give proper thought to what type of birth you want to have (e.g. in a birthing center, at home or in a hospital). If you want to give birth in a hospital, it is a good idea to start doing your research. Make a list of the hospitals near your home and find out when their registration deadlines are. Also find out if you can attend an information session. Most of the hospitals ask for registration starting from the 30th week of pregnancy. But some are much earlier, so best to take a look ahead of time. Some things to consider when choosing a hospital are (1) driving distance from your home, (2) languages spoken at the hospital (we chose Vivantes Friedrichshain in Berlin because the doctors spoke english), (3) ratio of nurses/midwives to patients, (4) presence of neonatal unit, etc.
Month 4 – Make a List of Kitas
Kita refers to the German nursery or daycare for young children. Most Kitas admit infants starting at 1 year of age, although some start as young as 8 months. Because Kitas are mainly state funded, the cost is little to none. The only additional cost is food (23 EUR per month). Some Kitas charge extra for special activities, bilingual caregivers, etc. In Berlin, the best resource for finding Kitas is the Kita Navigator. It allows you to filter based on location, language preferences, age of children, etc. Many Kitas offer a waiting list. It is best to make your short list of preferred Kitas ahead of time. Contact them via email before giving birth. However, know that most will ask you to contact them again after the child is born.
Month 5 – Attend Hospital Information Sessions
After you make your shortlist of hospitals, it is a good idea to try and attend an information session. You should check online to find out when they are held. They are all held in German; however, there is opportunity at the end to ask the doctors questions directly. It is best to come to these events with questions prepared ahead of time. Some possible questions you may have include: are there family rooms available and what is the cost? Can I bring my midwife to the hospital or are only midwives employed by the hospital allowed? Can I request an English speaking midwife? etc.
Month 6 – Begin to Fill in Elterngeld & Kindergeld Forms
It is a good idea to begin filling out the Elterngeld (Parental Allowance for Parental Leave) and Kindergeld (Child Benefit Money) forms well in advance. While you will not be able to submit them until after your child is born, you can fill out the majority of the forms now. I highly recommend to do this in a timely manner so that you are not overwhelmed after you give birth (which is overwhelming enough!) and scrambling to get all your documents in order. You can read more about how to submit the Elterngeld & Kindergeld and what extra documents are necessary for the submission in my post here.
Related Post: Elterngeld & Kindergeld | What They Are and How to Apply
Month 7 – Pre-register for Hospital
After you have made your short list of hospitals and attended the information sessions, you should have made your final selection of the hospital in which you would like to give birth. You should then pre-register at that hospital. For most hospitals you can do this online, although for some you will need to call. They will then make an appointment with you for a consultation with a doctor in the hospital usually around your 36th week of pregnancy.
Month 8 – Take Birthing Class
Especially for first-time parents, attending a birthing class can help ease your mind and feel better prepared for the big event. During Corona, most classes are taking place online. We attended an online birthing course over the weekend (approx. 8 hours) in english with Katrin O’Malley, who is based in Berlin. The class was more informational (i.e. when to go to the hospital after contractions start, how much should cervix be dilated, etc) than breathing exercises, but still important so that first-time parents have an idea of what to expect. The course is covered by German insurance for mothers. Fathers must pay for the course out of pocket, but can then send their certificate of completion of their course to their insurance for reimbursement (please note, insurance will only reimburse 80% of the cost for fathers, so 80 EUR of 100 EUR paid).
Month 9 – Attend Pre-registration Appointment at Hospital
Around week 36 of pregnancy, you will have your pre-registration consultation at the hospital you plan to give birth. At this appointment the doctor will perform an ultrasound and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions as well as review your birthing plan. You will also receive informational booklets (most likely in German) about epidurals and other pain relief options, localized anesthesia in case of a C-section, etc. It is best to have any questions you may have prepared ahead of time, such as: can my partner be in the delivery room with me? When will the U2 exam be performed? If I go past my due date, when will I be induced? What documents should I bring to the hospital with me? etc.
How to Have a Baby in Germany – After Birth
At the Hospital – Register Birth & Request Birth Certificates
Generally speaking, you should bring your passport, your partner’s passport, yours and your partner’s original birth certificates translated (if not in german) and apostilized, and your marriage certificate (if you are married) or ‘Vaterschaftsanerkennung‘ (acknowledgment of paternity) if you are not married but want your partner’s name on the child’s birth certificate. You will bring these documents to the registry office in the hospital, who will then send photocopies of the passports and originals of the other documents to the Standesamt in the district in which you gave birth. Please note that if you are not married and do not have the completed Vaterschaftsanerkennung, the child will only have the mother’s name on his/her birth certificate and can only have the mother’s last name.
Once Home from the Hospital – Contact your Hebamme
You should let your hebamme know when you go into labor and when you are coming home from the hospital. This is with the assumption that your hebamme will not be accompanying you to the hospital (although some hospitals allow you to bring an outside hebamme). Your hebamme will come to your home every day for the first eight days after birth. She will weigh your baby, observe her development and assuage your fears and doubts. Her visits will become less frequent after the first eight days, and she will stop visiting your home after eight weeks unless there is a need. All her visits are free and covered by your insurance.
Once Home from the Hospital – Submit Elterngeld & Kindergeld
I would strongly suggest submitting the Elterngeld and Kindergeld immediately after you give birth. While your application will not be complete until you have the birth certificates from the Standesamt, in order to ensure that your application is processed on time you should send as much as you have. You can submit any missing documents later, after you have them. You can read more about how to submit the Elterngeld and Kindergeld in my post here.
Related Post: Elterngeld & Kindergeld | What They Are and How to Apply
Once Home from the Hospital – Apply to Kitas
Now that your baby is born, you can contact and apply to all the Kitas. Best to apply immediately to be put on the waiting list. You should then follow-up with the ones you are seriously interested in every 6-8 weeks by email to let them know you are still interested.
2 Weeks After Birth – Email Standesamt for Birth Certificates
Approximately 12 days or 2 weeks after giving birth and sending the appropriate documents to the Standesamt, you should email the Standesamt to follow-up. It is advisable to email both in German and in English. They will notify you via email whether you are missing any documents, which you can send via email. Once they have everything they need they will email you with an appointment to come and pick-up the birth certificates. They will give you three birth certificates: one for the Elterngeld, one for the Kindergeld and one for insurance. Any additional birth certificates need to be requested online. For instance, we were able to request international birth certificates here from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Standesamt.
1-3 Months After Birth – Apply for Baby’s Passport & Visa
Depending on when you plan to travel out of the country, you will want to apply for baby’s passport. Yes, baby needs a passport to fly. We applied for Isabella’s American Citizenship and Passport at the same time. You can find details on the process and documents required here (for USA Citizens only). Give yourself plenty of time to submit the documents and get the passport, as the process could take several weeks simply to get an appointment, and then another several weeks to receive the passport. However, the US Embassy will issue passports immediately in case of a travel emergency. But you still need to have submitted all the required documents. Once you have the child’s passport, if neither parent is an EU Citizen, your child will also need a visa. This can be easily obtained by emailing the Bürgeramt in your district of residence IF both parents have a valid residence title at the time of the child’s birth. You can read details on requirements for obtaining the child’s visa here.
Related Post: How to Travel With a Baby | Tips & Tricks
2-9 Months Before Desired Start of Childcare – Apply for Kita Voucher
If you plan to send your child to Kita, you must fill out the application for the Kita voucher. This voucher can then be used at any Kita (in the city you live). You can fill out the application online (this link is for Berlin – be sure to apply to the correct district in which you live) indicating the hours per day you need childcare. You will need a certificate from your employer confirming the number of hours per week you work and when (if) you took parental leave. Take a look here under the FAQs to download a copy of the certificate.
I hope this timeline gives you a better idea of how to have a baby in Germany. Do not despair if this to-do list seems overwhelming! You will get through it! Take it month-by-month, one task at a time. The important thing is to enjoy your pregnancy and birth by staying organized and on track with the German Bureaucracy. If you have any questions or comments, please write them below!
