Your Rights & Birth Settings in Germany
According to the german law,( SGB V § 24), in Berlin, you can give birth in different settings: outside the hospital: at home with a midwife, in a midwifery-led care centre, or in a hospital.
German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) particularly Art. 2 (1) says that a woman has the autonomy to decide when and where to give birth, as part of her right to self-determination.
Choosing where to give birth is a very personal choice. I created here a selection of questions and data to help you make an informed decision.
Out-of-Hospital Birth
Your Options
Home Birth (Hausgeburt)
Birth at home with a midwife. Register early. Your homebirth midwife may also accompany you in prenatal and postnatal depending on availability. Select "Hausgeburt".
Find a midwifeBirth Center (Geburtshaus)
Healthcare facility led by midwives. Register early. Your geburtshaus midwife may also accompany you in prenatal and postnatal depending on availability. Select "Geburtshausgeburt".
Find a centerHospital Birth
Your Options
Standard Hospital Birth
Birth in an hospital. You may give birth in a standard hospital ward or in a special midwife-led unit called "Hebammenkreißsaal"
Choosing the right hospital
Making an informed decision about where you give birth
Browse my interactive mapMy doula advice on selecting a hospitalWhat Birth Setting is Best for Me?
Personal questions to guide your decision-making journey
How to choose between the different options? Weight your pros and cons, this is a very personal choice. Following are some questions that I wrote to support your personal reflections. Aside from that, here is a great resource from the NHS but the content is also 100% relevant for Berliners
What does 'safety' mean to me?
What level of care do I need?
Any pregnancy complications or health concerns? Low-risk vs high-risk pregnancy ?
What kind of pain management options do I envisage ? Do I want access to pain relief like an epidural ?
Typically, it is not possible to have an epidural outside an hospital. The range of options vary based on the setting (bath, accupuncture, laughing gas, opioids etc.)
How would I feel/what would I do in case my plan changes (transfer to the hospital etc.) ?
How flexible am I with my birth plan ?
What kind of birth experience do I want?
What are my concerns and hopes about each option ?
What's my gut feeling saying ?
What practical considerations matter ?
Distance, transport, etc.
Having a Doula at Your Birth
As a doula, I can help you prepare for your birth to come in feeling informed and ready. If you wish, I also accompany you during birth, offering continuous emotional, physical, and practical support for you and your partner, from start to finish.
Book a free callRemember, this is your birth experience. Trust your instincts and don't hesitate to ask the questions that matter most to you.