First of all I had a real bag with me not a suitcase and that was a very good decision as there was no space in the room for a suitcase. I’ve borrowed a sport bag from my husband for the occasion 🙂

I actually had two bags with me as I wanted to separate some of the things I took with me: One was filled with the things I wanted with me in the delivery room, the other with the stuff I needed for my 3 nights in the hospital.

First of all I put together a smaller bag with everything I wanted to have with me in the delivery room:

• snacks (I decided on a selection of muesli bars)
• lip balm (as  your lips can get really dry during delivery)
• warm socks (cold feet can apparently prolong the time of the delivery)
• massage oil (your partner is not with you to do nothing, right?! :-D)
• washcloth (so that Moritz can cool my legs from time to time with cold water – something we’ve learned in our prenatal class)
• a spray with thermal water (it’s supposed to get really hot again here in Stuttgart… :-/)

One thing I loved during delivery was my sport bottle. As I was lying the last 30 minutes drinking out of a normal glass was no option so this bottle with the integrated straw was super convenient.

Moreover, I’ve put together a list with tips I got during the prenatal class (breathing techniques for example) that I want to be reminded of  from time to time and things I want the doctors and midwifes to know but which I maybe can’t communicate myself anymore at some point. Moritz had this list ready during delivery.

In my hospital bag itself I’ve put the following:

• 2 breastfeeding nightgowns and 1 pyjama (loose around the waist and with buttons in the front so that I can breastfeed easily)
• 6 breastfeeding tops
• 2 breastfeeding sweaters
• 1 pregnancy trousers for the way home (I assume normal ones won’t fit me anymore)
• 1 breastfeeding dress (one want’s to look nice on the first pictures with the little one, right?! ;-))
• 3 breastfeeding bras
• a big towel (I’ve heard you sometimes just get small ones)
• bathing shoes
• two jumpers for the little one for the way home (two because you never know how big your baby is in the end so I take two sizes with me)
• wash bag with the essentials you need for a few days (tooth brush and paste, hairbrush, shampoo…)
• mobile phone and charger

One word about the huge amount of clothes: I thought I better take some more tops and nightgowns/pyjamas with me as most new moms are sweating a lot at the beginning and thus need to change more often than usually. Better be safe than sorry, right? 🙂

My hospital and I think most hospitals in and around Stuttgart provide the following so you don’t need to take this with you:

• nursing pads
• diapers
• clothes for the baby during your stay
• one-time stretchy underwear that holds the enormous panty liners you will get after you gave birth

An then there are of course some documents you have to take with you:

• Mutterpass (Super important! They will send your partner back home to get it if you haven’t it with you!)
• Insurance card
• ID

If you want to register your baby at the Standesamt directly (some hospitals offer this service in house so make sure to ask for it beforehand!) you need the following documents:

• passports of you and your partner
• birth certificates of you and your partner (must be translated to German)
• marriage certificate or declaration of paternity (must be translated to German)
• maybe registration documents of you and your partner, depending on which residence permit you are

Some more things you want to consider:

• The car seat for the baby should be installed in the car already otherwise you can’t drive home with it.
• Your partner might want to pack his/her own hospital bag as he/she wants to change after delivery as well. And if you get a family room and can stay together for one or more nights, your partner needs a pyjama and a wash bag as well.
• Bring some change so that your partner can buy snacks for you in the hospital.

Happy delivery 🙂

If you have given birth in Stuttgart already and want to share what you took with you in your hospital bag, please do so in the comments! We can all only learn from each other.

For more information about pregnancy in Stuttgart check out the posts I’ve written so far here.

Picture credit title photo: canvas.com

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Pregnant in Stuttgart – Appointments with the gynecologist and the midwife

At the beginning of my pregnancy I’ve had monthly appointments with my gynecologist. This has changed now and I have to see her every fortnight. The routine is still the same: First I have to leave an urine sample and they take my weight, than she will examine me – either with ultrasound or just manual – and then I have to leave a blood sample.

In the meantime I’ve had some special examinations as well: I was tested for pregnancy diabetes (negative, luckily :-)) and I’ve had an examination called “Feindiagnostik” with a specialist because I am over 35 and this qualifies my situation as risk pregnancy.

I was able to do the diabetes test at my gynecologists. They gave me something to drink which tasted like grape juice and tested how my body deals with the sugar. For the Feindiagnostik examination I had to go to a specialist (my gynecologist pointed out some addresses) where a doctor did a very detailed ultrasound scan. Everything was fine with the baby there as well 🙂

Moreover, we’ve had two prenatal meetings with our midwife. The first meeting was mainly about organizational stuff and paperwork. She explained to us what we can expect from her, what we have to do in order to make everything work out smoothly and then we had to sign contracts. This first meeting was actually quite exhausting as it was filled with so much information. The second meeting was much more relaxed. The midwife asked how I was feeling, gave me tipps for the issues I was dealing with at this point (eg. pain in the hips at night and low blood pressure) and examined me/my belly. And this second meeting was also the last official one before I will be giving birth. What I have to do from now on is call her every month and update her about my situation. However, she offered that we can make one more appointment before the baby arrives where she will have a look at all the baby stuff we’ve bought so far and point out to us if we’ve forgotten something. I think I will go for this option as you can never be to0 well prepared, can you?! 🙂

My personal tipp: When you find out that you’re pregnant, first thing you should do is find a midwife! OK, you can tell your partner first 😉 Midwives are very scarce in Stuttgart and all of Germany actually. That is because of a newish law that burdens midwives with super high costs for insurances… Politics, what can I say… So you really want to look for a midwife as soon as possible – even before the first three months are over! Here is a link to a database where you can enter your postal code and find a list of midwives that work in your district: www.hebammensuche.de It even points out what languages the midwives speak. Of course it will be even tougher to find one who speaks English or your mother tongue. So: BE QUICK!

Pregnant in Stuttgart – Hospitals

We have decided on a hospital by now. As we live close to the city boarders and it would be the same distance driving to a clinic in Stuttgart or to one outside of Stuttgart – and because we know from many friends who already have kids that the clinics in Stuttgart are quite crowded – we’ve decided to look for a clinic outside of Stuttgart.

After having favored Filderklinik for quite some time we have changed our minds and are pretty sure that it will be the medius Klinik in Ostfildern Ruit. Why, you might ask now. I had heard many good things about Filderklinik in the last years so that’s why it used to be my number one favorite. In the last months however I’ve heard more and more about Filderklinik being very crowded these days and stories of friends who had been turned away while the expecting mom was in labor because they were too full. Obviously that can happen everywhere. But as Filderklinik is famous for its anthroposophical approach to child birth, people from all over southern Germany make their way to give birth there. Remember, this is all very individual information I got in personal conversations so I do not want to say Filderklinik is not a good clinic (on the contrary, this proves the fact that so many people want to go there) but it just didn’t feel right for us anymore

Then I talked to a friend who has given birth last year and her story reminded me of our situation. Her favorite clinic used to be Filderklinik as well. But she had also heard a lot about it being very crowded. So just a few weeks before her due date she and her husband decided to have a look at another clinic, just to have an alternative in case Filderklinik will be too full. They went to Ostfildern Ruit – and loved it instantly. So they changed minds and she gave birth there. Afterwards she told me that she was very pleased with everything, the doctors, the midwives, the delivery room, the atmosphere, her room… That sounded very convincing to me so we went there when the clinic had a day of open doors. And what can I say, I loved it instantly, too. The doctors and midwives made a very good impression on me, moreover they follow a very supportive approach to breast feeding which is very important to me and when I entered the delivery room I instantely could imagine having our little one here. It was filled with such a warm, caring atmosphere I can’t describe in words. I was actually quite moved (hormones, I guess ;-)). And one more thing totally sold it to us in the end: One of the midwives has told us that up to this day they never had to turn down an expecting couple. Ever. So we’ve decided Ostfildern Ruit it will be.

Of course there are more clinics you can give birth at in Stuttgart like Olgahospital/Frauenklinik, Robert-Bosch-Krankenhaus, Marienhospital and St.-Anna-Klinik. If you’re interested in a birth that is just supported by midwives and does not take place in a clinic: Geburtshaus Mitte. As we have not really looked into these clinics I can’t say much about them. So if you have given birth in one of these and want to share your experiences, please feel free to use the comment section below this post!

Pregnant in Stuttgart- Getting prepared for the big day

I’ve enrolled in some courses in order to be prepared for the big day. You might have read my post about the aqua fit course for expecting moms at Marienhospital already (if not, you can find it here).

Apart from that, I also visit the fitness course for expecting moms at Puls Fitnesstudio at Killesberg. It is run by midwife and trainer Bianca Weigel-Gränzel. If you’re interested in joining you have to be quick to get in as her courses are beloved by expecting moms all over Stuttgart. It is actually quite a strenuous course that really prepares you for the physical work you have to deal with during labor. I really love this course. It even helped me with the pain I had in my back before I started it.

Then we will visit the prenatal class of Bianca Weigel-Gränzel this month. We’ve decided to go for the weekend-partner course instead of the 6 weeks course because we wanted it as short and intense as possible.

Last but not least I will visit the breath workshop offered by Hebammenpraxis Stuttgart this June, too. A friend of mine did such a breath workshop before she gave birth and highly recommended it to me. According to her, that was the one and only course that has really helped her during labor. As I’ve read similar reports of other moms I thought I will give it a go, too. Better be safe than sorry, right?! 🙂

Please note that all these courses will be held in German. I plan to do some research soon on prenatal courses for English-speakers. But if you’re interested in enrolling in one of these courses as well but you don’t speak much German you can contact the trainers and ask if they will translate the instructions for you or if you could bring a German-speaking friend who will support you during the class.

Oh, and one more thing: Even if it seems like ages before you will need it make sure to book your post-natal fitness course as soon as possible as well! I will do my Rückbildungskurs with – you might guess it by now 😉 – Bianca Weigel-Gränzel and when I tried to enroll in my fourth month it was already booked out! Luckily one other expecting mother dropped out and I made it in after all. But I would have never expected that you have to be quick for this course, too. So don’t make the same mistake I did and look for one as soon as possible.

Babymoon

In the seventh month we went on a babymoon to enjoy the calm before the storm 🙂 We wanted to get away a bit to get the feeling of a real vacation but I didn’t want to fly anywhere (I know that flying should be all right while pregnant but I’m suffering from a fear of flying and I just didn’t want to put me and the little one in a stressful situation). We decided to drive to the Netherlands and stay at Scheveningen, a lovely beach town next to Den Haag.

It took us about 8 hours to get there, with several stops where I could stretch my legs. Long distance drives don’t bother me even though I’m pregnant. I don’t have much back pain or such. And to fight the rist of thrombosis I’m wearing granny-style stockings my gynecologist has prescribed to me a few weeks ago.

In Scheveningen we stayed in a lovely small hotel next to the beach named Boulevard Hotel Scheveningen. It offers the most amazing view of the ocean from the breakfast room.

We didn’t do much in our babymoon, we just went on strolls along the beach, visited the one or other beach restaurant, enjoyed the sun and the view of the ocean (it was too cold to go for a swim 🙂 and went sightseeing in Den Haag and the lovely historical town of Delft. In order to do so we only had to catch the tram. It runs from Scheveningen via Den Haag to Delft and back. Very convenient!

Even though we only stayed in Scheveningen for three full days we had the most wonderful, relaxing time. I can’t believe that this was our last vacation of just the two of us. 🙂

If you have any further questions, or if you would like to share your own experiences of being pregnant in Stuttgart, please do so in the comment section. I am also working on an article about all the baby related stuff we’ve bought recently that I can recommend and where to get good deals. So stay tuned for this post in the near future.

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[Non-paid advertisement based on personal experience]

When I arrived this morning at 10 am there was already a long line. I have forgotten that there are quite a few fairs going on at the moment at Messe Stuttgart and Babywelt Stuttgart is one of them.

Babywelt Stuttgart is located in just one hall but man, I was there for nearly four hours and could have stayed much longer. So when you decide to visit Babywelt Stuttgart this weekend, make sure you bring enough time (and energy :-)).

You will find many brands at the fair, from strollers to diaper bins, from massage oil to baby cloths and much much more. And at most of the stands you either get a discount for the products (10 to even 50 percent) and/or a free giveaway.

Babywelt Stuttgart: My personal favorite brands and stands

• If you need information about how to apply for Kindergeld in Stuttgart or need any other kind of advice around your pregnancy you can turn to Städtische Beratungsstelle für Schwangerschaftsfragen und -konflikte. They can give you advice in many topics in English – and even in other languages!
• The concept of hiring a doula is not well known in Germany yet so it might be hard to find one in Stuttgart or the area. At Babywelt Stuttgart I met Anne Gruhl, a doula from Korb, who is a member of Doulas in Deutschland. She told me she speaks English and can accompany non-German-speaking couples. So if you’re looking for a doula, you might want to check her or colleagues  from Doulas in Deutschland out!
• Lotties is a producer of baby cloths, diapers and more that works with 100 % organic cotton. I’ve talked to the owner who told me a bit about the history of his company. He actually came up with the idea of creating reusable organic diapers when we was on a trip to Vancouver Island in Canada and saw how huge parts of the rainforest were cut down because the cellular material was needed for the production of throw-away-diapers. So if you’re thinking about giving reusable diapers a go – or if you want to buy some organic baby cloths, you might want to visit this stand. Fun fact: All pregnant women get a baby hat for free! 😀
• Let’s stick with the diaper topic for a little longer: At the stand of Angelcare you get a waste bin for diapers for free when you show them your maternity pass. I am curious to try it out but I am also not sure if I will use it all the time because of the huge amount of plastic bags you need.
• A more environment friendly solution is the diaper bin from Diaper Champ. They also claim to keep the smell inside but their system doesn’t need as much plastic bags as Angelcare does. I didn’t get one at the fair but I am thinking about it.
• One stand really made me smile: Happy City Kids is a producer of play carpets. What makes their product special is that the carpets show different cities, Stuttgart for example! Definitely something I need once the little one is big enough 😀
• Babyone is a huge shop for all stuff kids related (we got our stroller from them recently). At Babywelt Stuttgart they offer 10 percent discount on everything you buy or order at their stand.
• When you already have children you might want to catch up with other parents and organize play dates. At Babywelt Stuttgart I learned about the App Barrio which will be available in English in a few months, too. Here you can get in touch with other parents from your area in an easy and hassle-free way.  Fun fact: When you download the app at their stand you get a cute little stuffed Brezel  for free! 😀
• I met a nice lady from fitdankbaby and talked to her about their fitness classes for pregnant women and new moms. She ensured me that it is no problem to attend their courses even if you don’t speak German. The instructors speak English and are willing to translate everything when you talk to them before the class starts.

Next to the stands you will find the follwoing at Babywelt Stuttgart:

• a lot of experts for various topics like Elterngeld, feeding the baby, sleeping problems and much more
• a competence center for kids safety
• a crash test dummy simulation
• a secluded area where you can change your baby or breast feed in privacy
• a babycare station where you get baby food for free

In conclusion I can say that I really liked Babywelt Stuttgart. I got a lot of useful information, discovered great brands I didn’t know about before and the many free giveaways are fun, too 🙂 I’ll definitely go again next year with the little one.

More information:

Babywelt Stuttgart

Transparency: As I blogger and journalist I got a free press ticket for the fair Babywelt Stuttgart. The content of this post and my opinion about the fair are my own.

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not responsible for the exhibitor’s offers.

Picture credit title photo: © FLEET Events

The post Babywelt Stuttgart – the fair for everything about your little one appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

And the big news is – tatatataaaaaa: Moritz and I are expecting our first baby this summer!

We are VERY excited and can’t wait to meet our little addition to the family 🙂

I’m in the middle of the second trimester now so we still have some more months to go. But as our life gets filled with more and more baby related topics you can expect more pregnancy and family related posts here on Living in Stuttgart in the future.

Are there any other moms-to-be or moms of little ones amongst you? What would you like to read about here on the blog? And what did you experience during your pregnancy in Stuttgart? Was anything different to what you know from your hometown/country of origin?

Let me know what you’re interested in so I can plan my upcoming posts accordingly 🙂

Have a great week and best wishes from me and the bump!

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