6 Things That SHOCKED Us About Being Pregnant in Germany as Americans! 🇩🇪

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After moving to Germany and living in Germany for nearly 3 years, we are currently in one of the most exciting and challenging phases of being a foreigner in a foreign country...being pregnant in Germany! Today we talk about our experiences and culture shocks with going through the German medical system while being pregnant for the first time 😊
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❤️Aubrey was a Speech-Language Pathologist, Donnie was a graphic designer, but we both had a dream to #travel the world and experience cultures. After three years of being married and dreaming about if something like this great adventure would be possible, we decided to quit the rat race and take on the world. We sold everything we had, quit our jobs, and took off! After 9 months of aimless and nonstop travel, we now get to fulfill our dreams of #LivingAbroad as #expats as we move to #Germany!
00:00 - Intro
2:04 - Thing #1
4:08 - Thing #2
6:03 - Thing #3
8:15 - Thing #4
11:10 - Thing #5
12:53 - Thing #6
15:33 - Bloopers

[@PassportTwo]

Don’t forget! To use our link for Ana Luisa 😊 Bereite Deiner Mutter einen wundervollen Tag und überrasche sie mit neuen Schmuckstücken von Ana Luisa mit dem Buy one, Get One 40% Rabatt! Ein Schmuckstück für sie, eins für Dich :) ✨ shop.analuisa.com/oc-passporttwo

[@Lovuschka]

They really should rename. Nobody will click a link that starts with "anal".

[@Hanmacx]

Nice mustache xD

[@perfekteli5381]

@@Hanmacx These mustaches are called in Germany "Porno Balken". 🤣, sorry. Alles alles Gute für das Baby und natürlich für Dich. Geniese die Schwangerschaft, hab ich auch trotz Schwangerschaftsdiabetes.😄

[@ElkeSiegburg]

You both are such sweet people. And to support your way to be I'll dare to congratulate for having a Baby. Wish all the best and wonderful experiences. As the apple never falls far away from the trunk, your child will be a beautyfull creature🤩

[@nadelison2213]

Interesting to know: By law a midwife in Germany is required to be present while one is giving birth in a hospital. A doctor is not required unless there is an emergency. While a doctor is never allowed to help deliver a baby without a midwife being present.

[@dagmarfrerking2235]

Exactly, birthing is not in and of itself a medical issue, and midwives are trained for any uncomplicated births. It is the midwives' job to determine if something is going wrong and it becomes a medical issue and then get a doctor (such as for C-sections).

[@annnee6818]

@@dagmarfrerking2235 And afterwards it's her job to bully the mother into breastfeeding whether she can/wants to or not and say "I wouldn't vaccinate if I were you"😍😍😍

[@philipphermann9454]

And the german term "Hebamme" is the same for male midwifes. Works a lot better than "midhusband", doesn't it? Oh and yes, there are males in this job.

[@MsAaannaaa]

​@@annnee6818 I'm sorry your experience was so negative. I disagree with the implication of your statement though that this is a general issue with midwives. I'm a nurse and worked with plenty of midwifes in my life and just a fraction of them is like this. They're not all anti vaxxers & plenty of midwives know that breastfeeding is a more complex issue. And you're allowed to choose your midwive/ switch after the birth of your child.

[@melle7362]

@@dagmarfrerking2235 what are you talking about?! I have my third baby (in Germany) and never experienced that a midwife does not "believe" in vaccination. 🙈 And with my firstborn I would have wished for more support during breastfeeding.

[@Greebo80]

German here, father of 3 kids. I would always recommend getting a midwife, especially for the first kid. We found it very reassuring to have her come and check the baby and answer any questions we had. As for baby showers, we didn't do one. We bought most of the baby stuff ourselves and only got small gifts from visitors (clothes, diapers...). Have you settled on a hospital yet? They generally have dates where you can tour the delivery rooms and get some extra information. We ruled out one hospital afterwards.

[@HistoryGameV]

German here, also father of 3.^^ We tried to find a decent midwife, but failed to do so. None of those we tried were in any way empathetic or even competent (sorry, crystals don't fly with us). I'd still encourage everyone to get a decent, non-judgemental midwife that does not push for some BS. Would have helped us with the first child, afterwards we didn't really need one anymore and went without one.

[@adambrody24]

@@HistoryGameV BS?

[@HistoryGameV]

@@adambrody24 In our case homeopathy and crystals...

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

Baby showers should happen after the birth. I had a friend who had everything prepared for the child and then it was stillborn in the last month. They were so devastated that they never even tried to conceive again - but had all the baby stuff. I personally like to meet the new addition to the community and therefore would rather have baby’s showers once they are born - otherwise it feels like a bachelors party. Now when it comes to gifts, then it is up to the parents of the baby to get the basic equipment together and they should not rely on other people to provide for the child’s equipment. There is a lot of second-hand things out there, that is perfectly good for a new born. Everything up and above that is a waste of good money as baby’s will outgrow these things pretty quickly.

[@1vader]

I think part of not asking that much about a baby before the birth is also that many Germans either don't know or don't want to publicize stuff like the gender or name before the birth. Part of that is likely because childbirth being relatively safe is still a relatively recent development. 50 or so years ago, it was still relatively common for infants to die at or shortly after birth. If there is a reasonable chance that might happen, it's better to not get too attached to the child yet. This then probably also became somewhat ingrained into the culture and also explains why it's much more common with older people. And of course, even today, there's a non-zero risk of infant mortality. Germans simply don't like to celebrate stuff before it's actually guaranteed and has happened.

[@Blechfuchs]

Yes, it is considered bad luck in some areas. Also in that direction, similar to decorating the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve and not before: Most parents sure do buy a baby bed and everything beforehand. But it’s also considered bad fortune to set it up and put the sheets on before the baby is born.

[@martinschulz326]

Yes. I am 39. And my mother was pregnant 5 times. But i have only one brother. She had two miscarriages and one stillbirth.

[@enimaroon4631]

I also remember a colleague telling me that they won't tell anybody the planned name because they didn't want to get influenced by comments from people who might not like the name.

[@imelimadame9244]

Yes. I don't think every person I meet needs to now what kind of genitals are growing in my uterus and I do not want to hear that your great uncles ex wives hair dressers name who always smelled like sour milk is the name I think of giving my perfect innocent freshly baked baby!!

[@reginas.3491]

Yes, I think it has a lot to do with challenging luck that you don't congratulate and party before the actual thing happens. And unfortunately you are correct that even today giving birth is not without risk. I had a colleague who had problems with a breech birth and the child was born with an enormous brain damage (which led to an early death some months later) . I can stll remember how we all could not believe that this can still happen. Therefore I'm fine with our German saying: "Feiere die Feste wie sie fallen." (and not before...) 🙋

[@marionitter6179]

Absolutely right. In Germany we usually „gratulieren“, get exited and give presents after the baby‘s birth (as doing it before might „bring Unglück“). But as you said, American traditions are swapping over and more and more young Germans are having baby showers or gender reveal parties 👶🍼💛

[@Warentester]

Congratulations in advance are seen as "tempting fate". You just don't want to take that kind of risk.

[@simone15256]

I am German and I have had three children here, allways with a midwife while giving brith and allway afterwards. It is important, because the midwife cares about the healts both form mother and child. So I would recommand that with every child. Even the Childrens Doctor comes to the Home, we have had him at Home at Christmas Eve! He comes for the U2 (2nd "Untersuchung"). You will get a yellow booklet, where the doctor will document if your chilf ist ok. Germans make a secret to the name of the baby, that is why the do not ask you, the want to be polite.

[@tomsommer8372]

Considering that the 2021 infant mortality rate is more than twice as high in the USA (5.614 deaths per 1,000 live births) than in Germany (2.555 deaths per 1,000 live births), maybe Germany is doing some stuff right with their pre-natal care, midwives, hospital care and all that? Yes, they are.

[@Blechfuchs]

Well, almost looks like all the superstition pays off eventually 😆

[@kennichdendenn]

Ahhhm. You mean 1,000,000, not 1,000, right?

[@kennichdendenn]

But also, according to data on maternal deaths by the WHO and Unicef, in 2017 Germany had 7/100,000 while the us has 19/100,000 births.

[@jessicaely2521]

Meh. You have to remember infant mortality is babies under the age of 1. Once a baby turns 1 they won't be part of infant mortality rate if they die. Not all countries count the same way. Some countries say birth is when infant mortality rates start. Other countries says 21 weeks gestation is start of infant mortality. The Republicans in the US want to make an embryo an infant (an embryo is fertilization until 8 weeks). If Republicans get their way a few cells end up dying it will be part of infant mortality rate. The issue with the US and high infant mortality rate is there are more babies with congenital malformations and no amount of prenatal care, midwife, hospital care, etc will help. According to WHO 3%-4% of births in US has congenital malformations. Other developmed countries are at 0.5%-2%. I had a friend in US where her baby never grew a heart. She ended up aborting the baby which counted towards US infant mortality. She got all the proper prenatal care she needed. She also took all the prenatal pills she needed to also. The US also have other reasons for high infant death rate. The US has more mom's and/or dad's abusing drugs and alcohol which could impair your ability to take care of your child. No amount of prenatal care, hospital care, etc will help with drug and alcohol problems. The mom has to want to get clean in order to get clean. Some people love their drugs more than their child. A mom and dad murdered their 2 month old because he interrupted them getting high. This was counted into infant mortality rate. SIDS and shaken baby syndrome is higher in the US also. Shaken baby syndrome deaths in the US are at 1,000-3,000 per year. Germany is at 100-200 per year. SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) death rate in US is 5.61 where in Germany it's 2.67. Shaken baby syndrome is due to parents not seeking out resources when it's needed. The US does have programs through churches and other non-profit organizations. SIDS can be due to people being to poor to afford proper sleeping arrangements (I admit this) people can get help through nonprofit organizations and churches, but don't ask for help. On the flip side there are babies that had the proper sleeping arrangement and still died for some reason. A KZbin mom 4 month old died from SIDS. The baby didn't have a pillow, no blanket, no stuffed animals, and he had a proper mattress.

[@annnee6818]

@@Blechfuchs Superstition? The system is just more social is all. Single payer "all paid for" vs capitalist private "you may not exceed 10.000 dollars a year" healthcare

[@TheMrKroll]

Mother of 4, from Estonia but living and raising those kids in Germany (I'm married to a German). We had the same Hebamme for all of our kids and although it might have not been necessary after the first kid, we just felt so comfortable with her and she became a family friend. I feel grateful that she followed our journey of growing as parents ❤️ and because one of our last babies (last two are twins) had problems gaining weight, our Hebamme came to weigh her every couple of days and we knew when to step in and supplement her milk accordingly. I know we are extremely lucky to have had such a wonderful Hebamme and I wish for every new mother to have all the help they need - and even more! All the best for you, life's going to be super fun as parents 🥳

[@jennyh4025]

I think it’s nice to have the midwife come and take care that you are recovering well from giving birth as well. To me that would be an important reason to try and get a midwife for every child.

[@TheMrKroll]

@@jennyh4025 yes! My midwife has helped me in many ways, with herbal teas and even yoga exercises 🤭 and although the situation of midwives here in Germany has become quite sad and many have had to give up their calling, it's an unbelievably important job ❤️

[@J0nas.]

I never heard of a baby shower happening in germany, but when people i know got kids the family of them always had gifts (like a baby bed, clothing etc.) ready (over the parents of the new parents) as soon as the parents with the kid come home from the hospital

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

“Mother mouth” oh myyyy 😂 So glad you aren’t having too much trouble with the language! You guys are super cute and I’m so excited for you! 💕

[@wora1111]

Why do Americans/English speakers have to switch to Latin if they want to talk about medicine? Even for simple everyday things like insomnia (Schlaflosigkeit) there seems to be no native word in English. Confuses me every time medicinal terms are used in an English text.

[@2712animefreak]

@@wora1111 There is: sleeplessness, but nobody uses that in a medical context.

[@berndhoffmann7703]

@@wora1111 ist das in dt. nicht dasgleiche: Schlaflosigkeit umgangssprachlich, aber Insomnia im medizinischen Kontext?

[@wora1111]

@@berndhoffmann7703 Ja, ist das gleiche. Ich habe den Begriff sleeplessness in der Praxis aber noch nie gehört (aber lässt sich schön aus den einzelnen Wortbestandteilen 'dekodieren'). Ich wollte mehr darauf hinaus, dass im Deutschen die Fachbegriffe vorzugsweise von den Fachleuten (untereinander) benutzt werden, die "normalen" Menschen benutzen statt dessen eher deutsche (zusammengesetzte) Worte. Im Englischen habe ich mehr das Gefühl, dass viele lateinische Begriffe im normalen Sprachgebrauch sind. Und das gilt nicht nur für Medizin, sondern z.B. auch für Politik: 'Incumbent' für Amtsinhaber, 'electorates' für Wähler usw. Der Nebeneffekt (? oder Absicht? ) davon ist, dass sich die meisten mit den deutschen Begriffen wohler fühlen als mit deren lateinischen Äquivalenten (Oops, ich meinte 'Gegenstücken'). Und sich entsprechend mehr oder weniger mit den entsprechenden Themen beschäftigen, was den Leuten, die mit diesen Begriffen fit sind, oft recht ist. Habe ich beruflich zum Teil auch ausgenutzt, um Leute zu beeindrucken oder ruhig zu stellen (weil sie sich nicht trauten, zu fragen, was ich mit diesen Begriffen meinte).

[@berndhoffmann7703]

@@wora1111 sieht man halt wieder die anderen sind celvererererer ;)

[@imelimadame9244]

The thing with all the question asking becomes an issue when people feel entitled to the answers. My sister did not want to know the gender of her children and when a coworker asked her what it's gonna be and she answerd "a baby as far as I know" the coworker was angry with that answer and told her she could have just said if she didn't want to tell her 🤦‍♀️ I can see myself being the most unfriendly pregnant person one day, because I hate getting asked personal questions by people I'm not super close with and I am very content with the idea that not everyone is invested in my life 🤷‍♀️

[@petraw9792]

I got so annoyed, that the first question after the baby came was about the gender, that I always replied "Ein Kind". Really? This is the most important issue to you? Not if the delivery went well? If we are healthy? It's the gender?

[@Habitarse]

That’s my thoughts about this as well. I don’t have kids and don’t bother my friends and colleagues that were/are pregnant with this kind of questions. If they bring it up, ofc I will talk about it. And closer the friendship we talk how does they feel about it. Not all pregnancy is something positive due to multiple traumas or problems in their family lives. I do never take a pregnancy to be something good. It can be good if the parents are happy about it, and I will be happy for them.

[@sorent.7301]

Well, my first question to this is always "Do you know about the gender or do you like a surprise?". But 98% are always saying they know about the gender of course, because otherwise they dont know what to buy.

[@bibiblocksberg7051]

You don't have to be unfriendly when you say what you mean. Just say things in a friendly way, than you're not unfriendly.

[@lukasbosina301]

As for the gifts for a new baby: my experience is that you can get a lot of stuff second hand from friends who recently had a baby. Especially clothes for newborns are only worn a few times before the baby outgrows them so getting them second hand is a great way to save a lot of money. Just remember to give your stuff to others once you are done with your family planning :) Of course people also gift new stuff but that is just the cheery on top.

[@philippthaler5843]

In Germany we have a term accessible to the general population for almost anything in the human body. The latin words are understood aswell but usually only used by doctors or medical proffessionals. But the average Joe usually can't be bothered to use the latin expression, especially because our German terms are pretty descriptive. Germans sometimes do ask about names and gender and such things, but usually only very close friends. Otherwise we just wait for the parents to be to share the information they want to share. Some people don't want to know the gender and others want to see the baby before deciding on a name.

[@LythaWausW]

Medic school would have been a lot easier if Germans would just stick to the Latin, but thankfully on the tests, Latin terms are accepted.

[@Thomas-bs4tv]

I only know it as ' Pinkelparty' . The father invites his friends and provides them with enough alcohol until everyone walks as good as a 'Newborn'

Never heard of a "Pinkelparty", but from the name I guess it's regional to a part that's not "southern Germany" (Nordbaden/Kurpfalz).

[@KilledKenny01]

It’s not superstitious to not ask for name or gender. It’s a private thing which you can decide to share… or not

[@snouty9017]

My mom was an US RN working as a civil servant for the US army in Germany. She worked for almost 20 years on labor&delivery and neonatal wards of the American army hospital. During the same time she had 4 children of her own - 3 of those she delivered in German hospitals, only one she delivered in the American hospital. I guess this says it all.

[@ylva68]

Here in Sweden there are the midwifes who helps out with the delivering of the babies. The name of the cervix is the same in Swedish and German we don't use latin =) Baby showers are common nowadays but not back in the days in Sweden. Sweden and Germany are so much alike in how to do things. The best thing on the grill is a steak or hamburgers, Good luck with the baby! I had my firs baby in the US btw, that was something new on all levels coming from Sweden.

[@PassportTwo]

That’s so interesting! I would expect to hear how similar German culture is to Austria, Switzerland and maybe Denmark, but it surprises me to hear how similar Sweden seems to be! Thanks for sharing 😃

[@jshjnsn1723]

I knew about some similaritys, but this was new for me. Thanks !! 😊

[@Aelsenaer]

Dutchy here: Midwife: Here the midwife is called "verloskundige" and is the first person you see when you are pregnant. They do all medical checkups. Only if they discover a medical problem during the pregnancy will they send you to a gynecologist, but he will still communicate with "midwife" to discuss treatment. Usually the midwife also leads the delivery. (fun fact: you have the choice here to give birth at home or in hospital (normal question during intake with the midwife). Father's Day: Our Father's Day is on June 19th. But I am married to a German. So in a way we have 2 Father's Days. Baby shower: Baby shower before birth isn't considered traditional, but you're seeing it more and more It is traditional to do it after birth. Great time to meet the new family member

[@picobello99]

1 in 3 baby's gets born at home. Pretty weird in other countries. And if you want to give birth in a hospital without medical need it will cost you several hundred euros.

[@lucamarvinfritz1293]

That transition to the advertisement was hella smooth

[@feldmaus]

One more from germany. Father of two girls (one is 6 days old now) Having a midwife has helped us a lot after the first Baby. She told us what we should worry about and whats normal behavior for a Baby. We have one now as well, but we are much less stressed as we were with the first one. I havent seen any "Baby-shower" Party in my life and I have never heard about such a thing before your Video. We got most of the stuff we wanted to have second hand. Mostly with "Ebay-Kleinanzeigen" or at "Babytrödel" mostly located in kindergardens. After the Baby is Born we invite friends and family, but not all togehter (to much stress for mother and Baby). But gifts are optional here. And the Best Thing to put on a grill for me is fish on a wooden plate. We wish all the Best for you and your Baby, hopefully you will get more sleep then I am at the moment. Good luck and ToiToiToi. 👍 Edit: Sorry for my bad english, it hopefully will get better soon.

[@chrisbeckett9748]

Herzlichen Glückwunsch :)

[@sisuguillam5109]

Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Und Dein Englisch ist super!

[@ElkeSiegburg]

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Baby 🍀 und das Englisch ist so wie es für mich sein sollte, sodass auch nicht Muttersprachler es verstehen

[@Emma-cq5wz]

the thing about announcing pregnancy to germans and their reaction is definitely true. they might ask how far along you are, and if you are really close to the due date, they might ask if you know the gender (it is quite common to not know and keep it as a surprise), but asking for the name/if you have chosen a name, isn't really a thing. and earlier in the pregnancy there is definitely a lot of that 'don't jinx it' energy

[@pyramidus]

You are right, It feels uncomfortable and unlucky to congratulate you before the baby is there. So I do it the traditional German way and wish you all the best, too toi toi. Hope all goes well.👍👍👍

[@PumpkinSparks]

In North Germany the post-baby shower is called Kindskieken (literally "looking at the child") Once you get the announcement that Baby and Mom are back home, you come by the house, bring a little something for the newborn (and often if there are older siblings they get a little toy or drawing book or something like that as well), and meet the baby. Traditionally you would come by unannounced. And in more rural and familiar places that still happens. But nowadays it's better etiquette to agree on a day and time beforehand. Kindskieken isn't one big party like a baby shower. But little drop-ins over the span of like a month give or take. And the gifts would usually be something like a cute toy or plushie or outfit. I was only at one baby shower from my american friends. And it was quite the culture shock for me. I do understand the thought process of getting the essentials from your friends (having a baby is EXPENSIVE!). But having a registry for a baby shower? And gifting these expensive "boring" gifts? That felt really unpersonal and graby and yucky to me. We actually talked about the cultural differences during the shower. And came to the conclusion that a baby shower is a pow-wow for the parents. With things like Kindskieken it is a more intimate affair and the gifts are for the child, which I kinda like. I do not know if that is true. But I could imagine that the thought process of not celebrating before the actual event, is the same that results into us not prying into someone elses pregnancy. It is changing, but in Germany it's still quite common for parents not wanting to know the childs gender before the birth. Parents would usually have a male and a female name pre chosen. Traditionally we don't tell others what these chosen names are either. I believe these traditions stem from the same superstition not wanting to jinx anything. So it feels a bit odd to us to ask specifics of an unborn child. Again, that is changing quite a bit. I could imagine though, that we subconciously act by them anyways - they are just ingrained into our cultural heritage.

[@ElkeSiegburg]

Perfectly explained🤩

[@CHarlotte-ro4yi]

Increasingly more people are getting pregnant and entering parenthood in my social bubble (finally getting to that stage of young adulthood, feels weird though :D) and while I am usually super excited for them I feel like asking too many details about the baby can come across as intrusive. I usually carefully assess whether it feels appropriate to ask or not by looking at their reaction to more general questions. I think it has less to do with superstition and more with the differences in personal space and what people consider a private matter in the US vs Germany.

[@msdoedoe7105]

That's what I thought, too

[@ingridreim3205]

Agree. I'm a German mom of 2 and I felt that some people (not friends) asked too private questions or made intrusive comments on my baby bump, age, plans after maternity leave, if pregnancy was planned, ... I didnt even like when they asked about the gender. I was hoping only for a healthy baby since I knew several women with severe pregnancy and birth complications.

[@caseyv9500]

I had a midwife coming to our house with both our children. It's so good to have someone there to ask all the questions. I can't understand the reactions you got: I experienced both pregnancies a lot of excitement among family, friends, colleagues, neighbours.... About the baby shower: it really is weird to celebrate before the baby is born. Usually you buy the important stuff you need in the beginning by yourself (often we also borrow things like babybed, stroller etc. from friends and family). After the baby is born everybody visites to take a look at the baby (more important than presents!) and brings gifts, mostly clothes and toys.

[@simplegermany]

Great video you two! Thanks for the shout-out 😊. Loved the 'mother mouth' story 🤣

[@annabudnik3089]

Congrats on your pregnancy! What an exciting time! I live in northern Germany and had the Same midwife for both my children and wouldnt Want to miss this experience/help during pregancy and the first 12 weeks after birth. During birth a midwife is mandatory and a doctor is not allowed to deliver the baby without one whereas a midwife is allowed to deliver a baby without a doctor. All the best!

[@fabsi276]

We will be parents soon too! As german i can Tell you, i had no clue on so many things related to parenthood in Germany as well. So many things to know, so much paperwork and you are not prepared for this. You have to learn most things as they become relevant. Keep on your great work and all the best for you three!

[@SiqueScarface]

The word Hebamme (Hebe-Amme) literally translates to "holding wet nurse", and that's a very good description of her role in giving birth. And yes, we had a midwife for both of our children. PS: We had no baby shower at all. (Actually, I learned of a baby shower only recently when watching "Breaking Bad".) My guess is that baptizing the child was the traditional way to introduce the baby to the world and the relatives. And I don't have a preferred item to grill. It depends on my mood at the time.

[@peterrabbitn787]

I'm from Northern Germany. In villages if one is pregnant neighbours would normally ask them if they need anything once one is in the third trimester. A lot of people will sell or mostly give their children things and clothes to the expecting parents if they want it. Additionally friends and family would ask them what they want and would usually gift it to them once the baby is born/when they see it. The parents of the expecting couple would give the gift a little earlier as it's often a stroller or a car seat. I gifted a friend a little earlier as we don't see them often (it was 2 weeks before their due date) and it was the first present they received apart from family. Normally the neighbours here would string a line out of your house once the baby is born and put up baby clothes and some sign as decorations and then normally the closest neighbour to you or all, if you are close, would text you (when to come over) and would then bring you gifts and have a first view. My sister actually had a baby shower in advance with a few presents but most thought it was weird as it would be bad luck so it was mostly presents for the couple or postpartum. I especially felt weird as my neighbour lost her son a week before her due date and she felt horrible not knowing what to do with the gifts (she donated them at the end). Another friend of mine had hers early and they spend a long time in the NICU so whem they finally left the hospital all the clothes were too small to fit the baby. So yeah we like to see the outcome.

[@michaelklaus]

This is one of the best in video ads I have seen so far.

[@ClaudiaG.1979]

when it comes to elternzeit, pls keep in your mind you can share it.. both parents can stay at home and take care of the baby.. Also i would suggest to do a "babyvorbereitungskurs" . Ask your local hospital for a "kreißsaalführung" You will learn about the different ways how your baby can be delivered. In my area it was common to put a stork made out of plastic on your roof so everyone would know you are expecting a baby but sadly this tradition slowly died and nowadays i can hardly find any storks on the roof I dont have kids on my own, so i dont know much about it, but my male friend had kind of a babyshower.. He called it " das baby pinkeln lassen" . He invited all of his friends a we had a bbq. Ohh, be prepared for "windeltorten"

[@IbiElchmaus]

Here in the southern black forest W still have a lot of wooden storks at houses when a baby is due... And balloons bound there when it's home...

[@Leenapanther]

In Switzerland until last year fathers only got two days off. Next month we can vote for a Elternzeit. I don't think it will pass.

[@sisuguillam5109]

@@Leenapanther would you tell us what the argument against it is? Why would anyone think that that is a bad idea?

[@cmulliner8985]

Elterngeld und Elternzeit - da warten einige lange Antragsformulare auf euch... Lieber früher als später anfangen und andere junge Eltern um Hilfe fragen, wenn es kompliziert wird! Alles Gute!

[@JosieReintges]

Oder eine Beratung beim Profamilia z.B. oder anderen Profis.

[@sisuguillam5109]

@@JosieReintges sehr gute Idee!

[@TrangleC]

Kudos for the creative ad.

[@steemlenn8797]

"...almost 3 Americans" - I have to admit, I had to laugh real hard at that! Also I finally learned what "Cervix" is. I ran on that word two or three times before but never when I had the time to look it up.

[@PassportTwo]

haha, glad you enjoyed that 😅 We actually filmed that part like I normally say, "two Americans..." and then I thought, "oh wait! Let's re-do that! I have an idea!" and thus the "almost 3" was born last minute and thrown in 😅

[@fabianseiler190]

2 American and almost one german 😂

[@Ajianihs]

Cervix/Zervix heißt Hals, wird aber häufig mit Gebärmutterhals (Cervix uteri) gleichgesetzt

[@mel_ooo]

the reason i personally don't ask for the gender or name of an unborn baby is that germans usually don't like to share that information beforehand so even if i asked they'd probably just tell me it's a secret. i've heard several reasons for that, like not wanting to settle on anything yet or not wanting others to give their opinions or maybe even trying to convince them to change the name etc. it's just not really anyone's business until the baby is actually born

[@Soozely666]

yeah maybe that comes from so many germans think to give their senf dazu and love to discuss about things. so better let things in secret until it happens

[@fraeuleinsommer75]

Wohoooo, a new baby! Didn't even realize that you two are pregnant until this video! Congratulations 😍🥰🥳🎉

[@marie9814]

Well, my kids are 13 and 11 so my knowledge about birth and babies is out dated, I guess, but I didn't share your expierences that people seemed kind of hestitant to congratulate you for beeing pregnant. After giving birth sooo many people from my family (people I hardly knew or very distant relatives) sent me presents, mostly clothes and toys for the baby. Also babies grow very fast so do not buy to many small baby clothes. About midwives: a midwife has to be present at every birth, A midwife may induce the birth or assist ALONE, but the doctor is not allowed to do so without a midwive beeing present.

[@swanpride]

As usual, there are regional differences regarding the baby shower, but yeah, usually it happens more after the birth. Within families it might even a case of there not even being a need to invite them, they basically just turn up after the mother is back with the baby from the hospital, and you are bettter be prepared on that weekend. But even without an official party beforehand, it is common to gift future parents something, and it is also common that parents whose children grew out of the baby clothing give the stuff to the next set of future parents they know (which frankly, makes sense, babies grow so fast in the first months, there is really no need to buy everything completely new, or to hold onto the stuff when you will most likely not need it anymore).

[@yomintyfresh]

Something else to look forward to: 600 mg of ibuprofen! At work, we recently had a conversation about childbirth experiences. My co-workers have had children in multiple German states (and one Austrian state) and no one was ever offered a painkiller stronger than 600 mg of ibuprofen. As a child-free woman, other times I have been offered 600 mg of ibuprofen in Germany: When my wisdom teeth were removed (wasn't knocked out, no laughing gas, just had a local anesthetic in my gums and was cleared to walk home afterwards), after gynecological surgery under full anesthesia, when I went to the ER due to pain caused by what turned out to be cysts in my stomach. The only time I've ever been offered a painkiller other than ibuprofen in Germany: When my gallbladder was removed. For that one, the hospital sent me home with exactly three hydrocodone tablets and a prescription for 600 mg of ibuprofen.

[@MrHodoAstartes]

Having worked a hospital, we were regularly handing out opioids and Novalgin was given out like candy and Diclofenac suppositories were a weapon of choice. Actually, we were using Ibuprofen as an antipyretic more often than an analgesic. Then again, this was urology and vascular surgery, so people were actually in serious pain. Like scrape-your-prostate-through-your-penis, cut-both-legs-off, flay-the-skin-off-your-leg pain. In geriatric care you see tons of strong pain meds, too. Many old people are constantly on fentanyl patches, too. That stuff is so strong you mostly get it via skin patches starting at 12.5µg. Not mg, µg.

[@reinhard8053]

@@MrHodoAstartes In Austria even for old people they don't like to use the heavy stuff. My mom (late 80ies) had serious back aches which couldn't be treated well with several softer(?) methods, but they didn't want to give her these patches which she had some years ago. A relative (doctor high up in ranks) had to intervene for her. And the patches helped.

[@Al69BfR]

We call that kind of stache a Pornobalken in German. 😉 In German there are many German medical terms that do not translate well while in English you often use the correct medical or in this case anatomical term. At least in my limited experience with the English language that seems to be the case most of the time. Grill cheese!

[@twinmama42]

The first time ever in a YT video, that I enjoyed an in-video ad. That was perfect. Though I had twins in Germany, I didn't have a midwife and it worked without. We didn't have a baby shower as 23 years ago this was even less a thing as nowadays. We bought everything that was recommended in the last three months of my pregnancy. We got some things gifted and some things lent. And later on, we raided the Kindergarten second-hand sales, which are a really good opportunity to buy high-quality stuff for reasonable prices. Esp. clothes were my favorites as they already have been washed a couple of times and thus contain less detrimental chemicals. Conc. the superstitious thing about not celebrating before the actual date, yes that's a thing. We didn't tell anybody (beyond close family and medical professionals) about my pregnancy until I was in the second trimester and after I almost had a miscarriage. Random question of the week: tomatoes

[@Vampirzaehnchen]

A coworker recently told us he will be a father in a few months. Everyone brought some cake or cookies or other stuff. I have to be honest, I was surprised. I have worked for several companies now and this was the first time, that anyone brought stuff to celebrate someones new baby. Can't say I hated it though. :D

[@Vaiorah]

We had a baby shower the American way before the baby came. It is becoming more and more popular, but it is clearly adopted from the US like, i.e. Halloween. There is also the tradition to make a wish list, either online or at a local store like for other occasions wedding, birthdays etc

[@stephaniea.7527]

you guys NAILED that transition to the ad 😂 so exciting that baby will be here soon, you guys both deserve the Mother’s/Father’s Day celebration in my opinion 😉

[@bergerle]

A lot of young families I know had kids over the last years, but I don't remember any baby showers, neither before nor after the birth. We've got a different tradition though, but I'm not sure if that's a general thing or just happens in my social bubble. We organize a "cooking schedule". Shortly before a child is due, a couple of friends and family will make a schedule for cooking meals for the family. For about 2 weeks they won't need to cook and will just get a nice meal for the whole family brought to them, which is of course also a nice opportunity for people to see the baby for the first time. The people on schedule also make sure there's some variation so you don't just get the same kind of pasta 5 days in a row. It can start right when they come home from hospital or a few days later, depending on the families request.

[@frankamueller801]

Wow, that's a cool idea. I've never heard of this before, but it sounds like a really nice thing.

[@sisuguillam5109]

Oh, that's a brilliant idea!

[@kelseypeterson4754]

Congratulations! I moved to Germany 5 months pregnant and had a lot of catching up to do with getting doctors and mutterpass. Unfortunately since I moved so late in pregnancy I didn't have a midwife. I'm so grateful for my husband having 14 weeks of paternity leave here. I was also worried about not knowing German but I luckily most of my doctors spoke English. Let me know if you have any questions?

[@sisuguillam5109]

Congrats on the baby!

[@teacherella1338]

There is also a Kindertag (actually there are two dates depending on where in Germany you live), it is especially popular in the Eastern states of Germany.

[@SimonE-fz5pc]

Regarding the shower. Maybe the father to be looks up "kindpinkeln" and prepares with beer and "Korn" for the guests and aspirin for himself the evening after birth ;-). The mother should be glad she doesn't have to attend and can stay in hospital the first night. She can make the presentation of the new citizen a few days later when she has recovered and get all the presents and blessings. At last that would be the situation in northern Germany.

[@petraw9792]

You don't need to stay in the hospital. I went straight home after giving birth. Your midwive comes more frequently during the first days and helps you get settled.

[@JosieReintges]

Or: Just Bring Out presents and dont expect to even enter the Home of the new patents. Best presents - Bring fresh food ans what ever Patents asks you to Bring. Presentation can be done a Few weeks later to Not Stress the mother nor the Baby. Das Wochenbett ist heilig

[@dieterdietert7232]

The reason why you have special german words for so many things is because german was a scientific language a hundred years ago and we didn't just copied the latin or greek word like CERVIX and instead made up own german science words. You can see taht especially in medicalstuff. ^^

[@PassportTwo]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing 😊

[@dieterdietert7232]

@@PassportTwo Funny to mention that Muttermund is only the word for "uneducated" people or non medical personal because we also have the term ZERVIX :D

[@HALee-]

Some of the words can be really funny, like the word for “nipples”. I can’t imagine being alone with my significant other and keeping a straight face if they compliment (or even mention!) that body part of mine 😁😆🥹😅😂🤣❣️ Btw: congratulations and best wishes for an easy birth!

[@dieterdietert7232]

@@HALee- Brustwarze = breastwart XD

[@HALee-]

@@dieterdietert7232 indeed! Liebchen, du hast die schönsten Brustwarzen!

[@nitka711]

The use of midwifes is pretty common in Germany. Pretty much everyone uses their services, at least for the after birth care. I had one for all three of my births. The second one should have been a home birth but sadly there were medical issues at the last moment. Not every midwife is allowed to do a home birth by the way. Important spoiler: don‘t be surprised if you won‘t see a doctor at the birth of your baby. They only come once or twice to see if everything goes smoothly and then let you be. The midwifes are the ones who are there for the birth and the time before and after. If it takes long, you will probably be all alone for the most part. Your midwife at the hospital might chance during your labor, as they work in shifts and when their shift is over, they‘ll leave. If you want a „personal“ helper in form of a midwife, that’ll stay with you until the end, you‘ll need a „Beleghebamme“. There might not be one available in your area/ at your hospital. Oh, and, as you are US American, you might find this interesting: if you have a boy, he will not get a circumcision. I don‘t know if they even do that here, but if so, then you‘ll have to ask for it. No one will recommend it or even mention it. When your Baby is born, you will have to attend examinations with it. The first one (U1) is performed directly after birth, the second (U2) is roughly when the child is 3 days old. It‘s practical to stay that long at the hospital and let them do it there, so you do not have to drag Baby off to a Doctor again.

[@jentam92]

OMG CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 i haven’t seen any videos lately i wish you the best 🥰

[@furzkram]

You guys produced the first sponsor advertisement that I actually watched and even liked

[@Imzadi76]

You do not have to use a midwife in Germany. But my sister was so happy when she did with her first child. She was very grateful for the after care. She is now pregnant with twins and has already set up another midwife.

[@micha_el_]

Oh man I'm so excited, I wish you all the best! Oh and Donnie, that moustache is absolutely gorgeous 😍

[@mynanaleo]

My father's side of the family is German-Sorbian and that has a great influence on how we do things. We always do it the German traditional way. My mother tried it the American way and had the baby bedroom ready for twins. Losing one and having to put away the bed and second set of clothes was hard on her (She needed somethin to fill that void, that's why my sister is only 10 months younger than me!). When my aunts and sister got pregnant we prepared for the children but we only set up the bed and put the clothes in the wardrobe the day the child is leaving the hospital. Mostly parents in our area prepare for the first weeks of a child, so car seat, diapers and some clothing... things like a stroller, toys and other things will be gifted at a party after the baby's home.

[@fairgreen42]

I remember someone telling me that they got a "Willkommenspaket" with nappies, bottle pacifier etc. for the baby at the German hospital, also there might be something from your city, etc. I guess there will be quite some regional differences and also that your midwife will know more about that.

[@PassportTwo]

If you liked this video, try checking out some of our others: 5 Random Things Germans Do That Just Make Sense! 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6fRpGN9qMesqLM Americans Try Nostalgic German Candy & Snacks For The First Time! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZKsh4mEr5qoZ9k Surprising Differences Between German & American Movie Theaters! 🇩🇪 (First German Kino Experience) - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n33Ll36wf5l1nZo How Germans Don't Fit Into American Stereotypes of "Europeans" 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3fRgGB5ga-siZo Things Germans Do In The Gym, Americans Would NEVER Do! 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHaXo6mDfZyUnqs The Puzzling Reason Why Germans Love Watching Videos About Germany 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5zUqGRrnLl0r5I The Unexpected Benefits of Being An American Who Speaks German 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/imWxemaHpNiWoM0 Why Germans Are So Misunderstood By Americans 🇩🇪 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/boDJqnyfrrybY9E

[@nicolesuljic5746]

I definitely saw my midwife during my second pregnancy a lot. I struggled with backpain and she really helped me with that. They can also help moms at the early stages of pregnancy to deal with sickness and also treat backpain related to the pregnancy. So yeah, I did. After I gave birth she checked on the baby a few times and made sure I was okay but I didn’t need as much advise anymore.

[@christianebehr138]

I hope that you are having a wonderful time being a family livig here.😊❤

[@TheL4r5]

A Babyshower in germany is called (at least where I come from - Thuringia) a "Pinkelparty" and we celebrate it usually after the the baby was born and its a event with family and good friends of the parents of the baby with gifts for the baby and money too and is celebrated like a birthday party with drinks nice food and everything

[@domicspinnwand679]

Yeah, same where I come from (Northrhine-Westfalia), but the Pinkelparty is usually thrown by the father while the mother is still in hospital, so no "meet the baby" in that concept.

[@pandatower]

That’s cool to hear

[@PassportTwo]

Glad you thought so! 😊

[@pfortner9699]

1) Congratulations 2) Hope everything goes well and there will be no complications 3) We Germans are short and honest in our well wishes for the family. We are defently no smaltalkers, even if the topic of conversation is something so nice. 4) As soon we see the baby (only if it is for the first time) we behave like different people for a minute or two. Lot's of ooooohs, how cute and childish sounds to communicate towards the baby. 5) Smoke ribs, grill steak, bake a nice bread and enjoy with compound butter

[@spickinicki3307]

Compound butter is what it's called.

[@pfortner9699]

@@spickinicki3307 thank you

[@IbiElchmaus]

I wish you the best for the remaining time of pregnancy. If you have German friends with children, they usually ask you if you need something. We give used baby clothes, some furniture etc to each other, and grandparents also want to give their share, they often pay for a baby bed or something like that. But many people think, you probably already have everything from family or you want new things matching your style, unless you ask. My daughter had a baby shower at her workplace.And lots of things she got at the party after the baptism. About midwives, "Schwangerschaftsgymnastik" with all that breathing exercise and how to hold a baby most people do only with the first child. But having a check up in between the doctor's appointments and especially after giving birth if you're going home early and "Rückbildungsgymnastik" and "stillberatung" is something almost everyone I know takes everytime they have a baby. And I think, unlike with birthdays it's not superstition being more shy about asking. You don't tell you're pregnant before 3 to 6 month ( only husband, perhaps parents and boss), because pregnancy is thought something private. And out of fear that if something happens and you lose the child ( what might happen in the first 3 months), you could not bare the questions and answer you lost... as well as the insensitive question "and, do you want to have it?" And there are a lot of parents who do not want to know the gender upfront or who wait with the selection of a name until they have seen the child and decide which of the names they thought of matches. ...

[@burkhardproksch637]

With the exception of ultrasound examinations, midwives are allowed to carry out the entire range of standard prenatal care in a pregnancy that is free of complications, as is also offered by gynecologists, i.e. from establishing the pregnancy and issuing the maternity passport to examinations with the CTG or the Pinard tube, smears, counseling, etc. In addition, midwives offer pregnant women versatile advice and assistance with pregnancy complaints. These include, for example, back pain, insomnia, coming to terms with traumatic birth experiences, and general fears and anxieties of pregnant women in connection with childbirth. In childbirth preparation courses, midwives provide a wide range of information and carry out practical exercises with the pregnant women on relaxation and breathing techniques that can be helpful during childbirth.

[@AKAHEIZER]

The first seconds of the videos, loved it. ^^

[@t1tan672]

herzlichen Glückwunsch

[@HansMaulwurf67]

I'm from Germany and our friends and family told us, what they would get for the baby and bring it to our house, while the mother was still in hospital and help preparing the house for the baby. And then celebrate with us, when the baby came home.

[@thenovocaine1096]

In some rural areas in RLP the baby shower is called "Bäumchen stellen". Depending on your relationship towards your neighbors, some or all of them will put up a young tree decorated with toys, clothes and other needful things. Most even try their hand in poetry and create a handmade sign to put up, expressing their joy and excitement about the arrival of a new neighbor. The new parents provide drinks and of course show off the baby so that the whole neighborhood can celebrate. Of course the parents decide for themselves if such a thing takes place and set the date. It's a sweet but rather dying tradition :)

[@sophies8919]

The German baby showers after giving birth are often called "Pullerparty" or "Pinkelparty" or "Babypinkeln" so pretty much just something with the Baby and pee😄 it's usually a loose get together and not a huge party with decorations, cakes etc. like the American baby showers. The name is a bit weird but the tradition back in the days named it like that. Every guest should hold the naked baby once and the one getting peed on will have lifelong luck. Nowadays it's more like drinking a lot to celebrate which makes the adults peeing much more 😄

[@michaela114]

Usually the father did this Pinkelparty with his friends direktly after the baby was born and before the mother came home with it from hospital - no question there was a lot of beer and little presents 🤪 Nowadays it is often after mother and baby are back with all of the family and friends - and presents for the baby 🤩 I had a midwife with both of my children and wouldn't have missed her - there were complications after the second birth I wouldn't have thought of 🤷‍♀️

[@tidalwave76]

I‘m not sure if „Pinkelparty“ is more related to Northern Germany. And yes, this happens typically when mother and child are still in the hospital. A friend of mine ended in the hospital after a such party, because he „hurt“ him self while going to bed. (He fell down the stairs, because of too much Fanta-Korn (grain brandy) 😂)

[@MasterHigure]

As I understand it here in Norway, midwifery is a nurse specialisation. Which is to say, midwives are registered nurses that have gone through additional training to work with pregnancies and births. Sounds like it's something like that in Germany too from what you say.

[@grapefruitbierchen2141]

Not quite. It's not an additional qualification of nurses, it is it's own profession in GE.

[@steemlenn8797]

A word to Hebammen: The name comes from "Amme", an old description for a lactating women which later turned into a word for those getting payed to feed other people's babies. And the "Heb" is like "heben" - it's the Amme that lifts the baby at birth. Hebamme is also one of the few generic femininum,s males of the profession are also called Hebamme. And while they are generally educated professionals, there are also those who are of the homeopathy and folk lore side, so speak to the Hebamme before you decide for one just in case.

[@PassportTwo]

Great advice! Thanks for sharing 😊

[@brigittelacour5055]

In France, midwife are called sage-femme (wise women) a name was created for men, but never used in fact, we currently say "un homme sage-femme". It's minimum 5 years studying after baccalauréat, so master degree. You could choose to see a midwife with + training, a midwife + a gynecologist, or only the gynecologist. If a gyneco is available he will be there for the birth, the labor is checked by the midwife. Midwife is in charge of the 10hours both "classes" but they can offer more "classes" on wellness, child care, breast feeding bevor the birth and after the birth, could also be individual. In my town there a place with midwife, psychologist, nurse for child, where women can come to talk with other, find help. They're not only there for the baby, but mostly for the mother, a feel good mother is the first to have a feel good baby. My daughter went to that place and felt well supported. She had a close relationship with her midwife, the same for her 3 baby girls. At my time I only saw them for the birth classes, went for my 4 pregnancies. I needed support, meeting over women.

[@2712animefreak]

In Croatia we had this problem a few years ago. The first man ever finished a midwife course and he couldn't get his diploma for a few months because the university didn't know what to write on it.

[@adambrody24]

Mother of 3, I had a different midwife with all my children, for different reasons. I always found it useful and all children had different aches and pains that we did not know.

[@gemjamjones2656]

As couples are generally having babies later in life/careers and theres more awareness around miscarriages/still borns etc. I definitely feel that whilst there's excitement between friends that there is a baby coming you don't want to build up the hype too much until you know mother and baby are well and safe. Its an intimate time for the parents and I think its nice in Germany that people respect boundries in that way. As for gifts they are mostly seen as additional extras and niceties as many people these days are choosing to have a baby and have set asside money for the child and the german government does help those who need it with buying essentials.

[@scherzkeks7524]

The best food item to grill... well, apart from environmental issues etc i'd say Schwenker, which is the term used in Saarland for a marinated pork neck steak (typically grilled on a special grill also called Schwenker)

[@metalnerd1979]

i can give you another german tradition regarded new born babys. but its a thing the new dad does. its a thing called "kind pissen lassen" (letting the baby pee). i know its a weird name, but its just that the new dad invites some friends, family and co workers (traditionally all male, but nowadays there are more and more women too, like there are men at a baby shower) over on a few drinks, while the mother and child are still in hospital. just a little celebration.

[@2712animefreak]

In Croatia the closest thing to a "baby shower" is a small party thrown after the baby gets baptized. Best grilled food: chestnuts.

[@nette4307]

Goodness: you're having a baby! I must have missed a lot of videos because the baby is news to me. Congratulations! Baby-puss is so lucky to have you as parents - you will do great!

[@xwormwood]

You make great commercials! :D

[@raviloi6893]

A widespread tradition in Germany is the babypinkeln . male friends and relatives usually meet here shortly after the birth to celebrate the birth of the baby. it is celebrated differently depending on the region . often the party starts at the time when the mother is in hospital after the birth and before she and the baby comes home .

[@pascalmerschaudio]

I´m from Belgium, not so far from you. Love your positivity so i decide to subscribe

[@gesat.7]

I'm also German and I didn't have am midwife for and after the birth of my first child but it wasn't because I didn't want one, but in my area weren't enough midwifes at that time. Also we didn't have a party because it was during the first Lockdown in 2020. Now I'm pregnant with my 2. child and I'm very happy to have a midwife this time. In my experience most friends and family members were excited to hear the news. And I was very happy to hear you're pregnant. I wish you all the best!

[@IR4TE]

As a Thuringian it's my obligation to say that of course the classic Thüringer Bratwurst is the best thing to put on a grill.

[@sisuguillam5109]

Sooooooo lecker!

[@DTee-wo7fn]

I am mother of three children. The midwives were always better than the doctors, more experience, more serenity, more care, the doctors were in the background in case there was anything to operate on. Congratulations to you, all the best.

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

If your healthcare differs between companies it makes a change very difficult or in times impossible in the US - but healthcare is not a perk, but should be understood as a universal human right.

[@jamb4411]

In my region we have "Weggen wegbringen". It is a thing here in the south-west of lower saxony. You bring a huge bread and drink beer as well. You surely can search for more information.

[@Senser666]

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Nachwuchs. Hoffentlich habt ihr euch schon um nen KITA Platz beworben. Meine Schwester hat sich darum gekümmert, als sie im fünften Monat schwanger war und hat bis zum Schluss gezittert, ob sie den Platz bekommt, wenn der Kurze ein Jahr alt ist. Hat zum Glück geklappt und jetzt wird er schon 3 Jahre alt

[@smrblythe9898]

I usually try not to ask to many questions even though I‘m happy and excited, simply because I‘ve often heard from people, that it gets a little exhausting to hear the same questions asked over and over again - especially when some of the infos aren‘t quite clear, or not supposed to be shared yet. And that some questions (like for the calculated birth date) can also increase mental pressure, especially on the mothers to be. So I first wait how open the parents talk about everything and then show more investment once I‘m sure it‘s okay :)

[@kevkewins7530]

Funny thing happened... As I was watching your video together with friends in NRW Area, one of the kids pointed at Donnie and screamed LUIGI! He is my friend 🙂

[@arnodobler1096]

Expectant mothers have superpowers!

[@ingridreim3205]

Congratulations! I'm a German mom of 2 and was very glad to have a midwife coming to my home after each baby. You can ask her so many little questions you dont want to ask a doctor. My widwife was also a very positive and sweet person reassuring me a lot in my new situation and role as a mother.

[@khh643]

Im from Iceland and the midwife plays a big part here, you meet her monthly (or less) and she checks the heartbeat, asks about my mental and fisical health and more. I only meet with doctors in the ultrasound (12 weeks and 20 weeks pregnant) and also in the birth but midwife is also there to help me through it all. The parental leave here is 12 months over all on 80% pay. I get 4 months, the father 4 months and we get 4 months to share however fits the best. I wanted to be with my kids the first year so I used the shared months and was able to split the payment onto 12 months, not 8, so obviously I got less salary than 80% pay but it’s an option for those who want to be with their baby longer. Everything was free: The meetings with the midwife, the ultrasounds, physiotherapist, the birth, the after care (midwife came to my house everyday for a week), the check up at the hospital and they provided me with free psychologist because I suffered with depression after the birth and so on. I’m very greatful for the help I got and the great midwife who helped me the whole time.

[@lizben3463]

Hey :) I'm actually the daughter of a midwife. I only had a midwife come to our house for the first of our two kids, with our second we were actually planning on having the same midwife but our daughter was two weeks early and our midwife was on holiday 😅 so my mom basically took over and helped us cope. Also my MIL is a retired pediatric nurse and had four kids of her own, so she helped us out a lot, too. We did not have a baby shower but received a lot of gifts before the birth. I've never heard of doing a baby shower after birth 😳 I'd want that time to spend with my new baby, not throw parties or go to large gatherings 😅

[@babelwabel170]

We never had a Baby shower. But many people came to our place to meet the Baby and bring gifts. An the best thing for BBq is oxen ribs and Käsekrainer

[@ninchiru9225]

I only got a midwife after giving birth because I ripped a bit during birthing, and therefore needed stitching, and the stitches had to be examined daily to make sure no infection would start. Also, I did not have a baby shower. Since I have 2 older sisters, one with 3 and the other with 7 kids, they just asked me if I needed some clothes which they still had laying around from when their kids were younger. So, I got the clothes of all colors and sizes and just bought some furniture for the baby that it would need, like a bed and such. Then all was good to go. I gave birth just one day after due date, rested for an hour after being stitched back together, and then went home with my daughter through a blizzard, because why the heck not.

[@britti6736]

I live in Berlin and here babyshowers are quiet normal. And of course they are celebrated before birth. :)

[@johnnysge1314]

In Germany on Father's Day you usually don't get presents, you just take your friends to the park and drink the whole day.

[@spickinicki3307]

Tatsächlich weiß ich nie, wie ich werdenden Eltern gratulieren soll, weil manchmal eine (gespielt) entsetzte Reaktion kommt, dass ich auf eine Unglück bringende Art gratuliert hätte. Ich kann mir aber nie merken, ob man "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" nicht sagen darf oder "Alles Gute" oder was. Finde ich total blöd, denn warum sollte man davon ausgehen, dass etwas schief geht (die Statistik zeigt ja auch, dass es allermeistens gut geht)?! Darum: Herzlichen Glückwunsch euch beiden und Alles Gute! :D Und ein großartiges Video mal wieder. Ich hatte sehr viel Spaß mit eurem Werbespot, das war direkt eine schauspielerische Leistung! ^^ Und es ist schön, Aubrey wieder mehr zu sehen. Donnies Videos waren auch super, aber zu zweit finde ich euch einfach noch mal doppelt so liebenswert.

[@BaconIover69]

We have two children and we a midwife in both pregnancys. The first one was... bad. Then we moved and in the city where we live now the is a Geburtshaus 100 m from the hospital. So you go there for the checkups and the birth takes place in the hospital. It's very nice and luxurious, the is a bathtub, lots of space and even beds for the wife and the husband. It was great there, very nice doctors and nurses and midwives.