Lurking HB Hopeful

[Terrilein]

Hi ladies! I just wanted to pop in and mention that I'm planning a homebirth, too, and have been checking in on this forum irregularly since the first trimester. I'm now in the 28th week and will be checking in more often, but probably still more lurking. I think there are some major differences with HB in Germany than in the US - as in I think it's only half as complicated here - so I don't feel like I can participate in many threads. It *IS* wonderful, though, to pop in and read someone's success story. I hope that I'll be able to add mine, too, when the time comes.

[dannic]

Welcome to the club!

[Beltane]

Welcome! I'm currently planning a HB for our first child.

[Paige, CPM]

Ooo cool, you have to tell us about what the differences are between homebirth in the US and Germany, I would love to hear about that!

I currently have a German client who says that hb is not done too frequently in Germany.

[CookAMH]

Awesome! Can't wait to hear, do post your birth story after you give birth and rest up some .

[Terrilein]

Originally Posted by Paige, CPM

Ooo cool, you have to tell us about what the differences are between homebirth in the US and Germany, I would love to hear about that!

I currently have a German client who says that hb is not done too frequently in Germany.

No, homebirth is NOT done frequently, but it's not unheard of either. It's also completely legal and all health insurance companies have to cover the mw's costs just as if you gave birth in the hospital. All you pay for out of your pocket is the fee for the mw to be on stand-by when you near your time, and that's only 200-300 €.
By law every woman has the right to choose between an OB/GYN and a mw (or a combination of both) for pre-natal care. Oh, and all health insurance companies MUST cover pre-natal care. Oh, and everyone is insured over here . . . Anyhow, it's very possible to never step foot in an OB/GYN office during your pregnancy. I get my main care from my mw and see an ob/gyn for ultrasounds. But I had to switch ob/gyns because my first one was against homebirths.
However, the premium for liability insurance for homebirth midwives went up by 340 % in the last few years without the midwives earning accordingly. If something doesn't happen soon, Germany will be turn into a hospital-only birthing country since most homebith mw's and freestanding clincs will go out of business.
In general, doctors are seldom present at births unless there's a complication. Even in clinics/hospitals midwives run the birthing show: all doctors must by law defer to (or rather consult with) the midwife on duty and her superior knowledge and not the other way around.

Guess that's enough for now.

[IAMommy]

Are the midwives required to have liability insurance? Here they can practice without insurance ("go bare").
That is awesome that Germany recognizes that midwives are the experts in normal birth. Midwives are treated like crazy witches at many hospitals here.

[wbg]

Wishing you a wonderful birthing journey at home. Can't wait to read your story. The 1st person I met irl that had a HB was my neighbour at the time who had moved from Germany!

[Terrilein]

Thank you, ladies! And yes, midwives are required to insure themselves "just in case".