Germany Delivery

I will be delivering in Germany, and have some questions for any mamas that have done so before! I've heard Germany isn't as big on pain management as the US is... And that it's really hard to get an epidural. I won't be in country til the end of the month, so won't be able to discuss my options with an OB until probably mid Novemeber.

I am sooo nervous about delivery, and the pain associated with it, so i had planned to get an epidural. My aunts tailbone broke delivering my cousin, and I'm just worried about the pain that can be associated with birth. Im a wimp! I'm not interested in any pain narcotics that can pass through the placenta, and I hear they often don't do anything to manage the pain as it is.

Any insight is appreciated!

Quoting xJazx:" I will be delivering in Germany, and have some questions for any mamas that have done so before! I've ... [snip!] ... pass through the placenta, and I hear they often don't do anything to manage the pain as it is. Any insight is appreciated!"

Don't let one person's experience freak you out. Most deliveries go well. After all, there are billions of humans all over the world right? You should probably look into a doula or midwife for coping methods just in case. I delivered my second natural and it really was no big deal. I have a great tolerance for pain, though. Just be sure to move around during labor as this will help you progress faster and easier! I learned my lesson. Germany should be better than the US. The US is all about business. Other countries take birthing more seriously and less about making dough off pain meds

I had my son in Schwetzingen Germany. Best experience ever. Its not that they aren't big on pain management, they just aren't big on unnecessary medications.

The way things worked with me was, I had an OB take care of my pregnancy and a midwife and her student helped me deliver my son. They are very pro mother and pro child. They won't rush you and they want you to push on your own, not when they tell you to. I didn't have an epidural and I'm glad. I recovered much faster than I did with my first epidural birth.

The day after I gave birth, they had a physical therapist come in and walk with me around the hospital. They had me do kegals also. They took very good care of me.

I don't know if its all German hospitals but the ones I know of will not give baby their first bath. They want the mother to have that experience. Besides, vernix is good for their skin.

Quoting Jas ♥:" I had my son in Schwetzingen Germany. Best experience ever. Its not that they aren't big on pain management, ... [snip!] ... of will not give baby their first bath. They want the mother to have that experience. Besides, vernix is good for their skin."

Iwas just about to link her to you and tell her to ask you  

Quoting Mrs. Potato Dick:" Iwas just about to link her to you and tell her to ask you  "

 
I figured multiple people were going to point her in my direction so might as well respond!

My friend, a fellow military wife, just delivered her daughter in schweinfurt... very likely the same hospital I will be going to, depending on which OB I'm referred to. She said they encourage walking around during labor and when it's time to deliver they let you go in any position you want, but your back. It also sounds like her pre natal care was better than the US. Ultrasounds and wearing a fetal monitor for 30 minutes at each appt as well.. Etc.. So I agree with the care being more pro-child etc... I'm just so nervous about the pain! I was reading you have to jump through hoops to get an epidural. I'd love to do a natural birth if I could, but being my first delivery, I can't see myself being able to handle the pain.

Thank you for your input thus far  

Quoting xJazx:" My friend, a fellow military wife, just delivered her daughter in schweinfurt... very likely the same ... [snip!] ... I'd love to do a natural birth if I could, but being my first delivery, I can't see myself being able to handle the pain."

Its really mind over matter. The lady who delivered in the room next to be was screaming in agony but she was just making things worse for herself.

There are 3 points to a contraction. Think of it as a hill.

Point A - When the contraction is at its lowest. You can feel it coming and climbing slowly getting to Point B - The peak. The most intense point but doesn't last long. This is the point when you really have to breath the pain out of your body. As Point B goes down hill, you get to Point C - the contraction coming down and you feeling relief.

You have to focus and figure out what works for you. I labored on my side while my midwife's student rocked my body back and forth. I hummed through my contractions. The vibration and the body rocking really helped me. The worst part was transitioning from 9 to 10. I had the worst pain in my butt with every contraction but that only lasted for 2 minutes before I was ready to push.

I guess I'm more scared of the pain of the head coming out, lol. I'm soooo scared for my vagina.

Would you say the contractions are more painful than the exterior pain of ... Stretching?

Quoting xJazx:" I guess I'm more scared of the pain of the head coming out, lol. I'm soooo scared for my vagina. Would you say the contractions are more painful than the exterior pain of ... Stretching?"

It doesn't hurt. A lot of women who have given birth no medication will tell you that transitioning was the hard part. Giving birth, as long as everything goes smoothly, is much easier. The crowning, I just didn't feel it. My midwife snapped a lot of pictures for me (husband was en route to the hospital). Holy moly, I couldn't believe my vagina was stretched so widely and I didn't even feel any pain down there  

I was a little sore after birth but walking around with no problems about 30 minutes afterwards.

Wow that is interesting. I made the mistake of watching a video or two of the crowning, on YouTube... It scarred me. But that is comforting as that is what I was most concerned of.

I don't know if my husband will be there for the birth, he's in Afghanistan and is not due to come home until a few weeks after the due date.. But there's a small chance of an early return.

Whether he's there or not, I don't know if that's an image I ever want him to see! Lol.

Quoting xJazx:" Wow that is interesting. I made the mistake of watching a video or two of the crowning, on YouTube... ... [snip!] ... a small chance of an early return. Whether he's there or not, I don't know if that's an image I ever want him to see! Lol."

Aw.   My husband missed the birth by a minute. He was in deployment training over in Kaiserslautern so he just couldn't make it to the hospital in time. It only took me an hour or so to give birth lol.

So are you going to be stationed in Schweinfurt? Are you looking forward to going to Germany?

Aw   that's too bad.

We've been in Schweinfurt Germany nearly two years now, actually.. I just came back to the US for a few months to spend time with family during part of the deployment. I'm ready to head back to our apartment and start setting up our little girls room!

I can't wait for my flight on the 29th! It's going to suck though, I have a 71 lb dog, an XL crate and a couple bags all of which I brought over with me, but I was only like 7 weeks pregnant, I'll be 24 when I head back, lol.

Quoting xJazx:" I will be delivering in Germany, and have some questions for any mamas that have done so before! I've ... [snip!] ... pass through the placenta, and I hear they often don't do anything to manage the pain as it is. Any insight is appreciated!"

i know you will be doing it in schweinfurt too, i will be going to leopoldina. i have talked to the doctor and they have more options there than i ever had in the states.
water birth, acupuncture, ropes, balls, epidural, IV meds, massages. everything.
i dont want an epi and will be going all natural again (hopefully) so i am not really worried about it, but thats what the doctor told me and the brochure for the hospital says the same thing.  

Interesting. Yeah I haven't found out if I'm going to St Josef or Leopoldina. I'm pretty sure I know which OB they will assign me to, as I went to one previously for an ultrasound for something else last year. I'm guessing they'll send me to the same one. I forget the Drs name/practice, though. It's right down town, actually across the street from the parking garage they started tearing up last year. Idk if you are familiar. It's right near the best doner place I've been to! Lol

Quoting xJazx:" Interesting. Yeah I haven't found out if I'm going to St Josef or Leopoldina. I'm pretty sure I know ... [snip!] ... garage they started tearing up last year. Idk if you are familiar. It's right near the best doner place I've been to! Lol"

no clue, i am not very familiar with schweinfurt since we live a bit out of the city and go to another city for all our stuff.
i am seeing dr heinrich.
are you part of the "prego in schweinfurt" group on FB?
i am sure there are plenty of people that can help you answer questions since everyone is seeing doctors in schweinfurt and a lot of them delivered there already or are about to. there are 2 more girls due around our time.