I worked in Hamburg for five years as an independent midwife, supporting births at home, in a birth center and in a maternity hospital. Together with three other midwives we founded the midwifery team “zuhause gebären” through which we took care of over 300 planned births at home. I was particularly dedicated to antenatal care and home births, because I believe that every person giving birth has the right to freely decide where and how they want to give birth to their child, provided that there are no health reasons that require special medical care. Midwifery care continued with home visits during the postnatal period, which are subsidized by the German state (up to 36 visits for each family and for as long as needed!).

I participated in Quality Circles of Midwives in Germany, a body ensuring the quality of services of independent midwives, with regular checks, creating networks of communication, exchange of knowledge and continuous education with fellow midwives, but also with doctors and maternity hospitals. There was constant communication with the public health service of Hamburg and thus the inclusion of home births in the digital registration of birth data for the more immediate issuance of the birth certificate was successfully completed. Through the “Child benefit is easy" all families in Hamburg now have access to this service.

My resources, in addition to my studies and professional experience, are a series of international guidelines, seminars and training courses within the framework of which I work.

I am grateful for the knowledge and experiences I gained in Germany, because it is a country where midwives practice the full spectrum of their profession with great support from the National Health System.