NEWS

New year – new team photos!

So that you’re always up to date on who you might meet in our delivery room.
So that you can see that we are ONE TEAM.
So that you can see who might accompany you during labor and be there for you when your baby is born…

We look forward to seeing you!

The lights are lit,
Joy enters every room.
Christmas joy is proclaimed
under every tree of light.
Shine, light, with a bright glow,
everywhere, everywhere, there should be joy.

Sweet things, beautiful gifts,
now go from hand to hand.
Every child should have joy,
every child in every land.
Shine, light, with a bright glow,
everywhere, everywhere, there should be joy.

The lights are lit,
around, every room is bright.
Christmas peace is proclaimed,
spreading out into the world.
Shine, light, with a bright glow,
everywhere, everywhere, there should be peace.

We wish you a wonderful and reflective Christmas season and a happy New Year. Thank you very much for the trustful cooperation!
The midwives from St. Josefs Hospital.

In time for December 24th, our Justine was asked for an interview, which you can read here.

P.S. Justine’s grandmother always enjoys seeing her granddaughter in the newspaper. She also planted the idea in her mind to become a midwife. What a great grandmother!

We have very good and important news for you!

Starting January 1, 2025, we can provide your newborns with the RSV prophylaxis Nirsevimab. The Robert Koch Institute recommends administering the vaccination as soon as possible after birth for all newborns born between October and March. With your consent, the baby will receive the vaccination from our doctors on the maternity ward at St. Anna on the day of discharge. Of course, the vaccination record will also be provided!

Health! Without a stuffy nose, cough-cough, fever, and achoo…

Our first Advent baby was born today, on 1st of December, at 7:44 AM!

The 4-year-old big brother Karl proudly holds his ‘little’ brother Anton in his arms. Anton, at 4200g, is even heavier than Karl was back then.
Karl also picked one of our beautiful knitted Christmas hats for him. Just as no baby is like another, these hats are unique – none is the same as the other.

We wish the family lots of joy as a family of four and wish you all a wonderful, peaceful first Advent!

P.S. We still have lots of Advent and Christmas hats for you (thank you, dear Mrs. Gotzel!) and we look forward to meeting you and your children!

The dates for the 2025 information evenings are set and published!

Feel free to check here for a date that suits you. The pregnancy week is irrelevant; the only thing that matters is when it best fits into your personal schedule during pregnancy. No registration is required, the event is free of charge, and you are welcome to bring a companion.

We’ll meet at 7 p.m. in the old motherhouse of St. Josefs, which you can access either from Allee nach Sanssouci or through the hospital’s inner courtyard.

A midwife and a gynecologist will guide you through the evening, describing our work and range of care, and are happy to answer your questions from A for ‘Anmeldung’ (registration) to Z for ‘Zimmerausstattung’ (room amenities). If the delivery room allows it, we will also visit the birthing rooms.

We look forward to seeing you!

“Breastfeeding-friendly structures. For everyone.” – the motto of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week emphasizes the importance and necessity of a supportive and inclusive environment for expectant and breastfeeding mothers. World Breastfeeding Week takes place every year during the 40th calendar week, this year from September 30 to October 6, 2024. “Our goal is to create a society where every mother, regardless of her background, has access to the resources and support she needs to successfully breastfeed” (Aleyd von Gartzen, spokesperson for National Breastfeeding Promotion).

We midwives at St. Josefs Hospital wholeheartedly support this. Not just once the baby is born (and wants to be breastfed).
During pregnancy, midwifery support can address questions about previous breastfeeding experiences, as well as physical and mental preparation. Realistic expectations for the time after birth are discussed in the childbirth preparation course and are also addressed in our information evening. When you come for your birth registration, feel free to bring your birth plan, where you can outline your wishes for breastfeeding support in the delivery room and postpartum unit.

A solid foundation for breastfeeding is laid through reliable information—both for families and healthcare professionals—and the Golden Hour. Taking time for bonding right after birth, making initial attempts at breastfeeding, and providing support where it’s needed are essential. Babies born smaller than expected for their gestational age or those born 3-4 weeks before their due date require a bit more attention and more frequent feedings. Additionally, gestational diabetes can affect the baby, so early feeding of colostrum is recommended.

Many spend the first days after birth at St. Josefs Hospital in the postpartum ward St. Anna, sometimes in family rooms. This allows for professional support to be available around the clock. Plenty of skin-to-skin contact with the baby is encouraged and helpful for learning how to care for the baby and recognizing its early signs for wanting to breastfeed. Upon request, bonding wraps and nursing pillows can be used.
Of course, there are babies who cannot be (exclusively) breastfed. In these cases, empathetic guidance leads to a breastfeeding-friendly approach to extra feeding and loving feeding methods that work well for the family.

In the postpartum period at home, we are happy to support you through the many challenges of everyday life with your new family member. A significant portion of our work usually focuses on providing excellent breastfeeding support. Thorough examinations of both mother and baby, observing an entire breastfeeding session, and addressing both small and large concerns about the baby’s well-being require attention. Often, simply reassuring the family about what they are doing is enough. Occasionally, some additional support is needed to ensure that breastfeeding goes smoothly.

Until the end of the breastfeeding period, you are entitled to midwifery support for breastfeeding and feeding difficulties. Your (statutory) health insurance covers the costs for your midwife to provide advice on issues like blocked milk ducts or other difficulties, even if your child is already 8 months old—or even two years.
As breastfeeding children grow, their needs change, as do the needs of the parents. Breastfeeding groups led by midwives or lactation consultants offer a safe space for sharing experiences and provide professional support.

In case of medical issues that exceed the “normal range,” your midwife will consult your gynecologist or pediatrician, depending on the situation.

Every family must be aware that the success of breastfeeding is not solely the responsibility of the person who is breastfeeding!
Partners, grandparents, friends (with and without breastfeeding experience, but definitely with opinions on the matter), personal and health circumstances, media in the broadest sense, and breastfeeding-friendly environments… The “bubble” in which the family operates can either create immense pressure or make things significantly easier.

We midwives are aware of our responsibility and stay up-to-date through participation in training, workshops, professional literature, and interdisciplinary exchange.
And do you know which other professions need to be knowledgeable or must stay informed? Gynecologists, pediatricians, (children’s) nurses, anesthesiologists, general practitioners, dentists, dermatologists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, internists, educators in nurseries and kindergartens, trainers, psychotherapists/psychologists, staff at poison control centers… this list is far from complete.

We support you on your individual (breastfeeding) journey!