Expat Experience: Having a Baby in Munich, Germany

How recently did you give birth in the country that you are reporting on?

3 months

Describe your experience giving birth there. What type of facility did you go to? What (if any) type of pain management did you use? How long did you stay in the hospital? Was it a positive experience? Etc...

I gave birth at the Geisenhofer Clinic in Munich. I asked for (ahead of time) and received an epideral, with no dose limit. It was left in me throughout the delivery. As it turned out, I had an emergency cesarean and was in the hospital for 7 days. 7 days, even for a cesarean, is not at all common in the U.S. It was great to be there as long as I was and I could have stayed longer had I not felt as well as I did. Overall it was a great experience. I was treated extremely well by the entire staff, and felt very safe and well taken care of.

How did you choose your doctor, midwife or other type of medical professional?

I chose all Doctors based on referals, and based on English-speaking skills.

If you were to have another child in this country, would you do anything differently in terms of preparation and/or the delivery?

No, I would do everything the same. I plan on returning to the same clinic for my next child.

If a friend of yours living in the same country were expecting, what advice would you give her?

Ask a lot of questions. Doctors are not forthcoming, especially if there is a language barrier. Educate yourself about the healthcare system, pregnancy and giving birth, and ask A LOT of questions.