Giving birth in Germany - checklist of all the bureaucratic tasks from pre-positive test to registering your baby — Life Inspiration File - Life’s experiments distilled into stories, lessons + advice

The ID sign for my first baby, born at Klinikum Harlaching.

If you've lived in Germany for any length of time, you'll know about the bureaucratic maze you must work your way through in order to do anything. Simple mundane tasks can end up involving a mass of paperwork.

So what then about the more complicated things, such as having a baby? Well, this complex task, requiring you to interact with a whole bunch of government bodies and operate within the German healthcare system, leads to a lot of piles of forms!

As an expat who doesn't have a very good grasp of German, this was incredibly daunting. Most daunting of all was that there was no simple checklist of everything I needed to do both before and after baby arrived. It's hard putting all the little pieces of information together and determining when the best time is to do a particular task.

So, here, I've tried to make it easy for the mamas-to-be that find themselves pregnant in Germany. This is aimed at expats, but, even still, if you are a first time native German mother, you may still find this information very useful (it's tricky for everyone, even just for the fact that you've never done it before).

I've been through this process twice before in Germany, so I think I have some level of authority on the matter. Let me take you through step-by-step, all the things you have to do pre- and post-baby. Please come back for future more in-depth articles about having a baby (in Germany, and also just in general). I've got a lot more content coming!

Note: Sign up at the bottom of this post to receive a pdf version of the simple checklist (without all the extra notes) - then you’ll be able to tick each task off as you go!

Pre-pregnancy (ie while you're baby is still only a glint in your eyes) (Optional)

Okay, this may not be possible (perhaps your pregnancy is a surprise!) or it may be too late for this now (you're already pregnant - congratulations!). But, if you can, I would recommend doing this before you get pregnant (I didn't do this, by the way - although I did make sure I was still immune to MMR (luckily I did, because I wasn't!)).

❏ Have an appointment with your Frauenarzt (Gynecologist)

If you can, it’s great great to make sure you’re up-to-date with all your vaccinations before falling pregnant

You can explain that you are trying to conceive and get up-to-date with some things that are good to have sorted out before you are pregnant, for instance:

❑ Get up-to-date with your measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination. Rubella can have some really nasty side-effects for your unborn baby and, because the vaccine is composed of live virus it cannot be administered during pregnancy (the last dose should be administered at least a month prior to falling pregnant).

❑ If you wish, your doctor can also check your immunity to toxoplasma and CMV - both of which can also cause serious problems in your unborn baby. There are no vaccines against these ones, but if you know you're immune then you might not need to be as cautious.

❑ You can have a Pap Smear (if you haven't had one recently).

❑ Buy a pregnancy test

So, you've survived the 2-week wait, your period is a little late and you're normally on time: It's time to check out what's going on!
You can buy these from a number of places: including drogerie Markts (eg DM, Rossmann), or pharmacies, or online (eg Amazon)
I just buy the regular old double line Clear Blue ones, but there are a bunch of somewhat fancier options. I only ever tested after my period was a few days late so got a clear positive in both cases. If you'd prefer to know sooner, some of the more advanced tests can pick up a positive result before you've even missed your period.

Yay! You just got a positive test result: you are pregnant! Congratulations. You have officially advanced to the next round!!

As soon as you get the positive test result

❑ Find a Frauenarzt (Gynecologist) and book your first appointment

The Mutterpass - your pregnancy passport

Here in Germany you can directly book an appointment with a Frauenarzt.
You should be able to get an appointment very easily (just make sure to mention that you're pregnant!)
They will see you as early as 5-6 weeks (which will be about 1-2 weeks after you get you positive pregnancy test result, because pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period).
In the first appointment, they will ask you some basic questions (when was your last period etc) and perhaps (this was my experience) give you a first ultrasound - even though you can't see much (if anything) that early! But, it proves that you have a blossoming pregnancy (I found it really fun and reassuring).
- Note for the uninitiated: it will be an internal ultrasound. And for those that haven't been to a gynecologist in Germany before: they will make you remove your "bottoms" and lie on the table, and they will not provide you with a "modesty sheet". Just so you're warned!
It should be relatively easy to find an English-speaking doctor: if you're in Munich, I recommend. I've gone there for both my pregnancies and I can't speak more highly of them (they take publicly insured patients).
You will receive a Mutterpass:
- This is your first piece of pregnancy documentation.
- This is like your pregnancy passport - you will bring it to every appointment and it will hold all the important information from your doctor and test results from during the pregnancy.
- I normally just carry it around with me everywhere throughout the pregnancy, then, if something goes wrong and I unexpectedly end up at a hospital, all my information is right there.
- From then on you will have an appointment every 2-4 weeks (depending on the stage of pregnancy and your exact situation). In my case it was an appointment every 2 weeks during the first trimester, every 4 weeks during the second, and then back to every 2 weeks during the third (I've never gone past 37 weeks so I don't know what happens after that, but I think they get even more frequent).

From 8 weeks onwards

❑ Investigate childcare

I know, you've barely fully registered you're pregnant, your baby is perhaps not even visible on an ultrasound, and you're not even through the first trimester - but, if you live in a city where childcare is scare (yes, I'm talking about you Munich) and you know you want to return to work at some point after the baby, then it's better to get in earlier rather than later. You can always say no to places later on, but you don't want to end up being in the position where you're in desperate need of childcare and can't get it.

❑ Research

This will largely depend on what you want: somewhere close to home, close to work, German-speaking only, bilingual, small groups, big groups, Montessori-based, cheaper, more expensive...there's a lot to think about (I may write a post on my experiences if there is interest).

❑ Apply

In Munich (actually, it's seemingly available throughout Germany), there's something called KITA-Finder where you can register (yes, you can register before your baby is born) and essentially apply for a bunch of different childcare centres at once. Be careful though, some may require you to also apply directly to them as well (and some aren't on KITA-Finder). Best to use everything in parallel and apply through multiple avenues.
Also see if there might be a childcare centre associated with your (or your partner's) workplace.
You may not hear back from them for a long time - some won't get back to you until all the childcare open days in February each year (for the September intake!). But don't worry, many will also accept children during the KITA year.

At 12 weeks

❑ Announce your pregnancy to your work (probably your direct supervisor)

You may have to do this earlier if you work in a job that is unsafe while being pregnant (yes, this was me - I worked in a biochemistry lab for both my pregnancies, so it was important that they knew earlier and I could avoid the toxic chemicals that I had been routinely using).
They will then be responsible for telling Personalabteilung (HR) and PA will then tell the safety officer, who may arrange for an assessment of you working tasks and environment.
You will probably need to provide them with the details of your expected due date so that they can calculate when your Mutterschutz (maternity protection) period (during which you don't have to work) will begin (6 weeks before your due date - yes, it is a lovely system for pregnant women in Germany!).

From 12 weeks onwards

Some of the many booklets you may receive at the hospital after giving birth in Germany

❑ Decide on a place to give birth

Here again, you have a few options: hospital, birthing centre, or home.
I had both my babies at a hospital (two different ones in Munich: Klinikum Harlaching and Klinikum Schwabing.
I chose these hospitals because they were the closest places to where we lived at each time (and this turned out to be critical since I had two precipitous (rapid) births - more on that in another post!), but other things may be important to you.
I say to do this step now and to decide early because (at least in Munich) some popular birthing places fill up fast, and so you need to register early. If you've chosen one of these places, then you should register now. If not, then you can wait until about week 20.

At around week 20 onwards

❑ Register and book an appointment with your chosen place to give birth

This will most likely only involve a short phone call - you just need to give a few details like your due date, your insurance details and so on, and then they'll book you in for an in-person appointment for the 32-36 week mark (I'm not sure how this works now with the pandemic, but they'll be able to explain everything to you).
I was terrified of this! Mainly speaking on the phone in German, but it was okay in the end!

❑ Book a postpartum midwife

I never had a postpartum midwife (I tried looking for one too late in both cases). So, my advice is to get in early (especially if you want an English-speaking one). Your health insurance will cover the costs and she will come and check on you and your baby in the days and weeks following the birth. See here for a start.

❑ Book in for childbirth preparation classes

I didn't do this (yes, I just "winged it" - even for my first birth! I did look up some stuff online and read some books, but I didn't do any formal training). Still, most people would say this is a good idea. There are many options available - just do a bit of research and find the best fit for you.

❑ Find a paediatrician for your baby and give them a head's up that you're expecting a new arrival

I recommend looking for one that is in your area. There are quite a few well-baby visits and vaccinations in the first year: so make it easy on yourself and find one that's close by.
I emailed a bunch of them and just went ahead with the one that got back to me the soonest. I told them my due date, and then informed them after the birth (but more on that further on).

From around 30 weeks

❑ Get your doctor to supply you with a signed copy of the "Zeugnis über den mutmaßlichen Tag der Entbindung" (confirmation of your due date)

Wow - I still don’t have a handle on all these long German phrases!
Fill out the rest of your details (bank details etc) on the form and then send this to your health insurance company so that they will know your due date and be able to determine when your Mutterschutz begins, and pay you accordingly.
During Mutterschutz (6 weeks before the birth and 8 weeks after) you actually get paid Mutterschaftsgeld (composed of 13 euros per day from your health insurance and the rest (up to 100% of your salary) by your employer).

❑ Attend appointment at the hospital

You will have booked this over the phone at around 20 weeks.
They will have informed you what you need to bring (but normally just your Mutterpass - which you should be carrying around with you anyway - and your health insurance card).

❑ Start your childbirth preparation classes

The timing of this will depend on the type of class you are doing.

❑ Get your documents translated to German and certified (where applicable)

Some documents will be required when you apply for you child's birth certificate after the birth. Which documents? This depends on your situation:
- If you are both foreigners and not married: you will need your birth certificates translated to German
- If you are both foreigners but are married: you only need your marriage certificate translated.
- But it’s best to check with your local KVR exactly what is required for your situation (this is just what I know from personal experience).

❑ Fill in forms for your Elternzeit (parental leave) with work

They will probably prompt you to do this (you'll likely get a notification from PA).
You basically need to fill out a form telling them how long you plan to take Elternzeit (parental leave), when you're going to return, and in what capacity (full-time, part-time).
This needs to be completed 7 weeks prior to the beginning of your Elternzeit. Note: this is not the same as 7 weeks prior to your due date! Since you are on Mutterschutz until 8 weeks after the birth, your Elternzeit doesn't begin until then. This means that 7 weeks before the beginning of your Elternzeit is actually 1 week after the birth! Confusing? Yep - I thought I was really late handing in this form, and it turns out I couldn't even finalise it till after this birth (when I had the birth date). The best thing to do is to fill it mostly out now, add the birth date after the birth, and send it in to your employer then.

❑ Elterngeld Application

If you've been working before the birth, you'll be eligible to receive 70% of your income (average of what you've earned over the year prior to the birth) as Elterngeld for essentially a year after the birth. Here's some more detailed information in English. Even if you haven't been working, I think you can still claim a small amount of Elterngeld.
It's a great system, so take advantage of it!
You can apply online here (Bavaria), or here (other cities).
You won't be able to submit the application until after the birth (when you can finally include the birthdate and name), but you can start pre-filling most of the details beforehand online. You can also prepare the documents you will need to attach to the application (you will need things like payslips from the previous year, tax documents, identity documents etc.).
You will thank me for encouraging you to do this before the birth, rather than afterwards when you are exhausted and can't think straight!
Note: they will backpay Elterngeld by 3 months. But since you won't start receiving it until at least 8 weeks after the birth, this means that technically the due date for the Elterngeld application is more like 5 months after the birth. But don't leave it this late!!

❑ Kindergeld Application

Similarly, you can fill this out before the birth.
Here it's a very straightforward form (they even have an English version!).
Oh, and you get in the vicinity of 219 euros per month!!

❑ Pack your hospital bag

I will prepare a separate post on this!
I will say here, though, that it is worth preparing the documents you will need after the birth when you register your child. You may even take this with you to the hospital, if your hospital has an in-house service for this.

After the birth: in the hospital

My first baby - fresh home from the hospital

Congratulations: your little bundle of joy is now out in the world and safely in your arms.
At the hospital all you really need to do is follow along; you will be guided through:
❑ Various newborn tests: weight, hearing etc.

❑ You will get a check up and instructions on postpartum care

❑ Your baby will have their first two well-baby examinations (Untersuchungen): U1 (directly after the birth) and U2 (3-10 days after the birth - sometimes you have to return to the hospital for this one if you've already been discharged).

After the birth: at home

Okay, so you're all safely home and you're probably sore and tired. Lucky you have this checklist - because there are still a few things that you need to do in the next couple of days and weeks.

❑ Register your baby and get birth certificates

Here's some more detailed information on registering your baby - this needs to be done within one week of childbirth!! You might even be able to do this in the hospital (many hospitals have an in-house service).
My husband always did this, so I don't know too much about the process!
Then you need to order the birth certificates online (you can also order international ones). See here for Munich.

❑ Inform your health insurance company of the birth

How you do this will depend on your health insurance company - for me (TK), it was all done online. They will probably have sent you some information during Mutterschutz, telling you exactly what to do when. Then they can pay you the rest of your Mutterschaftsgeld (if your baby is born early or if you have multiples, then you are eligible for a longer Mutterschutz period, and thus a longer time in which you're paid Mutterschaftsgeld).

❑ Apply for your baby to go on your health insurance

They're eligible to be family insured (Familienversicherung).
This generally just involves a simple form with some basic details.
You can continue to use your card for the baby until they send you a separate one for them.

❑ Tell your employer

You now have one week to fill in that birthdate and submit your Elternzeit form to your employer.

❑ Tell your doctor (Frauenarzt) and book your six week postpartum appointment

❑ Finalise the Elterngeld application and submit

Fill in that birthdate and name, gather the documents (that you’ve already organised, of course!) and submit.

❑ Finalise the Kindergeld application and submit

❑ Inform your insurance company (for Hauptversicherung) if you have this type of insurance

In my case (Allianz), this just involved a simple email to my insurance representative.

❑ Inform your paediatrician of the birth and make the U3 appointment (appointment will be for 4-5 weeks of age)

❑ Apply for other citizenships and passports

Because neither my husband and I are German citizens, our sons didn't acquire German Citizenship even though they were both born here.
They both acquired Italian citizenship from birth (from my husband) and Australian citizenship by descent (from both of us).
Your situation will be different, so you will need to determine the steps here.

❑ Finally, SLEEP! (whenever you can). Rest up, heal, and enjoy your new bundle of joy!

I hope this checklist has taken a weight off your mind so that you have more time to relax. Congratulations: you have managed to bring your baby into this world and pass through the German bureaucratic maze!

Stay tuned for more on pregnancy and parenting in general, as well as the intricacies of doing it as an expat in Germany!

Articles in the works include:
- Giving birth in Germany: the hospital experience
- How I found a childcare place in Munich - yes, it can be done!
- My experience with precipitous births
- Why you shouldn’t rush postpartum healing, even if you had an “easy” birth

Tell me - was this helpful for you? (and did I leave anything out?). Have you experienced pregnancy and childbirth in Germany? Are you currently pregnant in Germany? Tell me about your experience of the bureaucratic side in the comments below!

And remember to sign up to my email list (see below) to receive a pdf version of the having a baby in Germany checklist!

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Having a baby in Germany: the bureaucratic experience - checklist of all the things to do from pre-positive test to registering your new baby (let's try to simplify this!)