Welcome4 min read
Welcome to Birth& Mother
Why this site exists: honest, English-language guidance for international families through pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood in Germany.
Emma
July 18, 2026
The Journal
The 
Journal
Sharing knowledge and experiences from the world of birth support.
The Journal
Why the 
Journal?
The Birth & Mother Journal was founded to build community and make pregnancy and birth in Germany more accessible for international families. Working out the German maternity system in a new language and culture can feel overwhelming, and the Journal is here to bridge that gap.
Through shared stories, practical guidance, and honest conversation, this space is for every family finding their way through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood in Germany, so that no one has to do it alone.
Stay connected
Leave your email for regular letters from the Journal, and you will be first to read whatever Emma writes next.
We'll send a confirmation email. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Birth Support6 min read
What Does a DoulaActually Do?
A doula provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support before, during, and after birth. Here is what that really looks like, and why the evidence says it matters.
Emma
July 18, 2026
German Birth Culture5 min read
The Wochenbett:Rediscovering the Lost Art of Postpartum Care
The German tradition of the Wochenbett sets aside the weeks after birth for rest and recovery. Discover what it looks like with your midwife, and how doula care can deepen it with guided rituals, emotional support, and comprehensive nourishment for body and soul.
Emma
July 31, 2026
Far From Home6 min read
Birth Without Your Village:Creating Support When Family Is Far Away
Preparing for birth far from family is one of the hardest parts of expat life. Discover how to build a chosen village of support in Potsdam, and why you don’t have to do this alone.
Emma
August 26, 2026
German Birth Culture6 min read
What Your Hebamme Does (and Doesn’t Do),and Where a Doula Fills the Gap
Midwifery care is one of the best things about giving birth in Germany. What your Hebamme does at every stage, the different kinds you can book, and how doula care works alongside them.
Emma
August 28, 2026
Preparing for Birth7 min read
Choosing Where to Give Birth:Your Birth Setting in Germany
Hospital, birth centre, or home birth? Explore the options available to you in Germany and discover how to choose the setting that feels right for your birth story.
Emma
September 4, 2026
Finding Your Way9 min read
Giving Birth in Germany:What I Did Not Know
My daughter Effie was born in Germany, two years after her sister Ella was born in the UK. What I did not know then about the Mutterpass, finding a midwife, registering at the hospital, and what your Krankenkasse covers. Written for international families, with examples from Potsdam and Berlin.
Emma
September 11, 2026
Preparing for Birth4 min read
Hypnobirthing: What It Did for Me,and What It Did Not
Hypnobirthing was relaxing and exhilarating at the same time, and it connected me to the baby I had not met yet. What practising it was like when I was pregnant with Effie, what it gave me, and what it did not.
Emma
September 18, 2026
Birth Support4 min read
For Birth Partners:How to Be Beside Her, With Purpose
So little of what is written about birth is written for partners. A practical, honest guide to supporting her through labour: what to do with your hands, your voice, and yourself.
Emma
September 25, 2026
Finding Your Way4 min read
The Fourth Trimester in Germany:What Mine Was Like
My first twelve weeks after my daughter Effie was born in Germany: the recovery, the paperwork I could not read, the people who helped, and forty slow days at home.
Emma
October 9, 2026
Coming October 23
Finding Your Way8 min read
The U-Untersuchungen:What Each Well-Baby Check Actually Involves
A walkthrough of every U-Untersuchung from U1 to U9: what the paediatrician is looking for at each visit, what questions to ask, and which vaccinations usually fall around each appointment.
A journal entry on its way · coming October 23
Far From Home9 min read
The First 40 Days:How Women Around the World Care for the New Mother
Almost every culture gives the weeks after birth a name, a length and people to look after the mother. Satogaeri bunben in Japan, gue̍h-lāi in Taiwan, la cuarentena, omugwo, Dutch kraamzorg and the German Wochenbett, and what to take from them when your own women are far away.
Emma
October 26, 2026
Coming November 6
Finding Your Way5 min read
After the BabyComes the Paperwork
A new baby in Germany sets off a wave of forms, and almost all of it is in German. A gentle map of what is coming, the one official place that lays it out in English, and who can actually help you through it.
A journal entry on its way · coming November 6
The care I offer, from pregnancy to the first year, is in Doula Care, and you can write to me any time.