Berlin birth preparation courses in English
How do birth preparation courses in Germany work? Where to find them? When to register? How much does it cost? Find out everything you need to know about childbirth preparation courses in Berlin. Breathe in, breathe out, lets go…
What is the format of a birth preparation course in Berlin & Germany?
Birth preparation courses in Germany are offered in two formats:
- either spread over 7 to 10 weeks at the rate of one evening per week
- or as an “intensive” course for an entire weekend
According to your availability you can choose the format that suits you best.
Birth preparation courses cantake place online, in-person or in hybrid format. Please double-check with your course provider their preferred method. My list below also provides some pointers as to the delivery method.
When should I register for a birth preparation course in Berlin & Germany?
The best time to attend a preparation course in our opinion is the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy. Before and you might forget what you learned there, after that it might be very uncomfortable to sit for long hours if the course is offered in-person. The shortage of pregnancy professionals is also beginning to affect this sector, so it is better to register 2-3 months before the beginning of the course if you want to have the choice of where to take the right birth preparation course for you, i.e. register around the 5th month of pregnancy.
NEED MORE HELP TO BEST ORGANIZE YOUR PREGNANCY?
How much does a birth preparation course cost in Germany?
If the course is given by a midwife (or another medical professional) then the mother’s participation is reimbursed by all health insurances. Partners must pay out of pocket but can be reimbursed by some health insurance (don’t forget to ask for an invoice from the course leader after you’ve paid!). The participation for the partner costs about 100-150€ depending on the providers.
There are birth preparation courses offered by doulas, birth educators etc but they are typically not reimbursed (health insurances only reimburse courses offered by medical professionals) so make sure to ask in advance!
Where can you find birth preparation courses in English in Berlin & in Germany?
Birth preparation courses are usually offered either in midwifery practices, hospitals or birthing centers. Today there are several birth preparation classes available in English in Berlin and other cities in Germany.
Here is a list of the birth preparation courses in Berlin in English I know of:
- Hebammenpraxis Prenzlauer Berg (Prenzlauer Berg, in-person, online or hybrid)
- Hebammenpraxis Bauchraum (Prenzlauer Berg, in-person)
- Hebammenpraxis Mittendrin (Prenzlauer Berg, in-person, online or hybrid)
- Hebammenpraxis Weißensee (Weißensee, in-person only)
- Hebammenpraxis Hebammezeit (Friedrichshain, hybrid)
- Hebammenpraxis Bauchgefühl (Friedrichshain, in-person only)
- Hebammenpraxis Hebammerie (Kreuzberg, hybrid) – also offers a specific course for 2nd or 3rd time parents!
- Elements of Birth (Kreuzberg, in-person or online)
- Magdalena Sternberger (Kreuzberg, in-person only)
- Geburtshaus Schöneberg (Schöneberg, in-person, online or hybrid)
- Hospital DRK Westend (Charlottenburg, in-person only)
- Geburtshaus Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg, in-person only) – also offers a specific course for 2nd or 3rd time parents (register for this directly on midwife.katja(at)web.de)
- Hospital Martin-Luther-Krankenhaus (Grünewald, in-person only- contact Rashmi Sharma: rashmi.hebamme(at)yahoo.com)
- Paulina Sacha (Berlin, online only)
- Keleya (Berlin, online only)
- Juliane Schneider (Neukölln, unclear if online or in-person)
- Hebammenpraxis Spree Hebammen (Neukölln, in-person only)
- Gravidamiga (Stuttgart in-person + online)
Despite all my efforts, if you find that the list is not up-to-date or if you know of other courses, please let me know in a quick email: elodie@babyinberlin.com.
What else can you do to prepare for your birth in Germany?
Giving birth in Germany can be very different from what you’ve heard of or what you’re used to where you come from. That’s why my clients decide to book a Pregnancy Organization Consultation with me so that there are no bad surprises when the time comes. They are able to find out all the important steps and action items that need to be taken care of when planning to give birth in Germany and go into the experience knowing they have organized everything necessary and will not need to scramble for appointments or paperwork at the last minute.
If you wish to benefit from the same experience, book your Pregnancy Organisation Consultation with me today and benefit from my expertise from 7 years as a maternity concierge, assisting over a thousand international families with their parenthood journey in Germany.
About Baby in Berlin
Baby in Berlin is a concierge service for international families in Germany offering assistance with the organization of their pregnancy and the paperwork (Elterngeld, Kindergeld etc) related to baby and birth. If you wish to know how to best organize your pregnancy and birth beyond the birth preparation course, book a Pregnancy Organization Consultation!