Hospitals and clinics for giving birth in Munich

I have a 15 month old baby girl who was born at Harlaching hospital. My midwife who was with me during my labour was outstanding (and spoke enough English) but for me, the positive comments kind of stop there. Although it was OK, i expected a nicer room for my stay, one that i didn't have to share (especially as we'd told them we were entitled to a single room). Nicer food, I could be dreaming, but I expect more than a dry piece of rye bread, a piece of "fake" sliced cheese and a limp bit of lettuce after 13 hours in labour. I was left to guess where everything was, or eventually ask where the nappies were so i could clean up my baby. And I had to bring it to their attention that baby was scratching her face to bits before they bought her some mits. Very little help with breastfeeding. Every time i have visited the hospital since (which is undergoing some renovations at the mo) I have been more and more determined to find somewhere else to have my next baby. I found out on Good Friday that number 2 is on the way, so here i am. Does any one have any recommendations or advice to stay away from other hospitals/birthing centres?

Thanks

Niki

Have the baby at home.

Wohlfahrt clinic, Gräfelfing.

SleeplessinMunich - my neighbours would never forgive me. I was a little errr...vocal last time. Also Hubby really doesn't like the idea (he's a worrier, and likes to have medical backup close to hand.)

gideon - Thanks. Care to elaborate though. Why is this place worth your recommendation?

Because it's nice and peaceful out in the suburbs, staff were wonderful, private bed next to the delivery room for the mother (or a father who was too tierd to stay up awake all the way through the birth...), nice single room occupancy was given when requested (and paid for though I didn't find it at all expensive) with a balcony and a view out over the garden and a newspaper delivered inthe morning, and food was good.

Although I'm not 100% sure of the food. Other TT-plods though have been to the clinic for knee operations so they could tell you.

My wife gave birth to both my sons in Klinikum Großhadern. Nice rooms, if possible they give you a single room, even if you're not privately insured. Food is average but the attention you get from the staff is awesome. And as it is a university clinic it's absolutely top medical standard.

I was extremely happy with Dritter Orden. Super staff and service. We had a Familienzimmer (family room), which was brilliant. Papa could be there the whole time too.

As Dritter Orden is quite a popular hospital for giving birth, you have to book in very early. I was lucky to get in and I booked when I was 9 weeks pregnant.

Oh yes, they have birthing tubs too (our daughter was born in one) if you're interested in a water birth.

My gyn said that the pediatric clinic there is also very good. A comforting thought in case of an emergancy.

The only contra was the hospital food. Not really that exciting, but I guess hospital food is hospital food...

If you're not game for a home birth, but like the idea of a less hospital-like/more "homey" atmosphere, I HIGHLY recommend the Geburtshaus München (www.geburtshaus-muenchen.de). Many of their midwives speak English and the birthing rooms are very comfortable. It is also practically next to the birthing clinic at Roten Kreuz hospital (Taxisklinik) should anything go wrong. The only really different thing about birthing there is that you have to go home with the baby within a few hours of giving birth (assuming everything is normal - if not you would go to the hospital, of course!) because they do not have the staff or space to keep you. PM me if you'd like to know more!

I am a little bit bemused by some of the complaints. Maybe its different over here (I gave birth 10 years ago and maybe my memory is a bit hazy) but isn't it the parents responsibility to have nappies and mits and stuff like this? Why should you have to bring it to their attention that she's scratching her face to bits - you are Mummy so you deal witih it no? And when you are about to give birth, you usually have a bag with all of the stuff you will need and take it to hospital - at least that's what I did. I don't understand why you expect the hospital to provide you with nappies and mits!

Another vote for the Wolfart Klinik. The rooms are great and the food is wonderful. However, the Stillberatung was not so good.

Also, I've spent a few nights in the Kinderklinik at Dritter Orden and I can definitely say the food at the Wolfart Klinik is FAR, FAR, FAR better.

I gave birth at Geisenhofer, and they had clothes for the baby, diapers, baby wipes, etc, everything, in the ward.

Geisenhofer had good food then, not sure about now, things can change, and everyone was friendly and helpful.

Wolfart Klinik is great, but they do have a high Cesarean rate, which is not only due to the "wish cesareans" as they call them. The midwifes are very good and supportive (even against the doctor if it's important for you); some speak English, most understand it. You have your own doctor (not whoever happens to be there) and there is always an assistant doctor. The family room was about 540 euro when you are publicly insured, worth every euro. The food is good, but the dinners are served early and the nights are long (we complained so perhaps they've changed it). I got great help breasfeeding, they have all you need for both you and the baby. The small inner garden is wonderful, the hospital is in a very quiet place. You cannot have water birth there though. PM me if you need details.

I hear what you are saying, but you seem to be somewhat off topic. The issue here is not my capability as a first time Mum, but the way in which Harlaching hospital left my to guess where certain things were that i had been told would be provided: clothes, mits, nappies, in fact everything needed by baby until we were to leave the hospital (24 hours in my case so that i could be in control of my responsibility). My hospital bag reflected this, and beyond.

My husband and I both felt after such a wonderful allbeit exhausting experience, a hospital shouldn't be a place we have to suffer the usual German attitudes to customer "service".

Maybe this post is best left to those with labour experiences in Munich?

Hang on a minute - I never said anything about your capabilities as a first time Mum so I have no idea where you got that from! You simply needed to say that you'd been told you would be provided with nappies mits etc. and then I would have understood why you were complaining. But I hear you load and clear - I'll just butt out and leave you and those with labout experiences in Munich to it!

Klinikum Rechts der Isar.

Very good support before, during and after the birth.

All the doctors and most of the midwives spoke English.

They don't have many single rooms, but you will get one if there is one available, regardless of insurance status.

Clothes, nappies, wipes, mits, gauze, etc all provided in the room.

I perfeectly agree with you when you say you had bad experience in Krankenhaus Harlaching.

I had my 2 daughters in Harlaching...believe me...I aould not recommend anyone going there.

Horrible staff...unfriendly and rude sometimes.

Food quality...horrifying.

I wonder how they can afford to keep such staff to work in such in sensitive department...a place where women need utmost attention and sympathy after going through such a strenous and painful experience of giving birth to a child.

Glad to hear of the good experience at Rechts der Isar, Malcolm. When I had my daughter there 12 years ago, it was horrid - and I was privately insured! Since then, a highly-qualified female doc took over and told those callous, paternalistic guys to shape up or leave. According to a newspaper interview with her, half the male docs thereupon promptly left In the interview, she went on to say that she has a good team there now, hence your good report. I sure wish I had been so lucky...

Another vote for Rechts der Isar ... gave birth there last year, planning on doing the same this autumn(!)
Care was first rate, lots of English speakers, loads of help breastfeeding, and with Ruckbildungsgymnastik. The rooms aren`t particularly stylish and the food is nothing special though.
Friends gave birth at Taxistrasse and the rooms are LOVELY but they didn`t rate the care at all ... same with the Gíesenhofer Klinik.
As far as I can see, there are good and bad stories about all the hospitals - best to go on their open nights and see for yourself.

Rects der Isar was great..Most of the doctors and midwives spoke English.

I agree that rooms and food were not so great but the rest of the service was good..

Thanks for all these, giving me a good base to start my quest from.
My midwife has suggested Neu-Perlach hospital (it's very close to us) ... does anybody have any experiences to add for this hospital?

Several moms in our neighborhood went to Neuperlach and said they were very satisfied.

When was this?

The head of the Frauenklinik at Rechts der Isar is a man - Prof. Schneider.

I've got a fried who had a normal pregnancy but an extremely complicated labour. The baby had to stay some days in intensive care. She says the people in Dritter Order did a very good job (doctor, nurses).
Unfortunately, I also met somebody who said the Dritter Order is like a “baby-factory� and that they overlooked the fact that she still had some placenta inside after labour which originated an infection afterwards.

I can only say that the dritte orden was wonderful.

I had my baby last year at Maistrasse and since I was there for quite some time, I think I met every mid-wife and mid-wifery student on staff. Almost without exception they were wonderful. As they have a mid-wifery school there they have more mid-wives than most hospitals, so more attention for you. The pre- and post- natal care was good, and very frirendly. A few complaints: their lacation consultant was on vacation and they didnt have a replacement so really had to beg for breastfeeding help. Had a few power struggle with my doctor but that is a long story. The food is TERRIBLE but there is a really good restaurant across the street that'll sell you food to go - they were my lifeline. I'm privately insured so had a private room; the furnishings were not quite up to date but the room was huge (my husband roomed in with me) and had a private bathroom and a view of the inner courtyard. The place has the feel of a faded grand hotel - quite a unique place to give birth. At Maistrasse the attention you get is often dependant on how busy they are - when my daughter was born there were so many ladies in labor at the same time they didnt have enough delivery rooms for everyone and the doctors and midwives were running back and forth - so you can imagine I didnt have all the attention I wouldve liked...a few weeks later my friend gave birth, it was dead quiet and she had every doctor and midwife to herself...some things you just have no control over. If I do it again, I would consider Maiklinik again. Though a home birth is appealing, if I could just get the PDA... Hope this helps! You can PM me for more info.

I also gave birth at the Maiklinik last May. They were terribly busy that day (happened to be Mother's Day), so my husband and I were left alone for quite some time in the delivery room. The midwife student told me that I could go ahead and start pushing, even though there was no "real midwife or doctor there to catch the baby. When the head started to come out, my husband suggested to the mid-wife that if she wanted to attend to the birth, it would be a good idea to come now, since the head was already popping out. Due to all the hurry, they forgot to put an IV in, and mid-push, the doctor made me stop to insert an IV - not ideal timing, if you ask me. Anyway, my daughter was born and everything was fine, at the end of the day. Timing is everything, as the other poster said. With that said, the hospital did not feel like a hospital, which I quite liked (not white and sterile like many "modern" hospitals). And since it is a university hospital, the equipment and staff are top notch. The food was not that great, but my husband brought me food to eat, so I didn't mind too much. Given all this, I would still give birth there again and would recommend it. (PS They also offered free accupuncture as part of a study. It's supposed to reduce the time you're in labor. Not sure if it worked, but my daughter was born 2 1/2 hours after my water broke!)

Hi all

My frauenartz has beleg beds in Parcelusklinik, and he hasn't mentioned it yet but may suggest I give birth there. Any experiences of this klinik? Can I opt to go where I want or do I have to stay with the one my frauenartz has the beleg bett?

cheers

Hi all

Well I'm moving forward slowly, now it looks like Neuperlach is the favourite (it's also the closest to our house) for the big day. Can someone tell me if they think it's worth going to the open evenings (with limited German knowledge) and otherwise how to register for the birth and when I should do this. Would like to see options for room types (single, family etc)

cheers for any info.

If you want to see room options etc then you must go to the infoabend.

thanks UJ, so what point in my pregnancy should I go to these evenings?
I could of course ask my doctor, but I'm not seeing him for 2 weeks.

cheers

You can go whenever you want, but it's probably best to go sooner rather than later. You don't want to be in the final stages of your pregnancy and then find that all the sessions are booked out.

My understanding is that there are certain clinics which absolutely require you to book a space and they book up pretty quickly so you may be too late for these. There are some where you can book throughout the year and what this means is going to the clinic and letting them know that you have decided to deliver there and they will take all your details etc. so that when you finally arrive there is no need for such paperwork (hopefully ). They will check your Mutterpass and basically know that you are to come within a certain period of time ... booking does not mean booking for a specific date or dates. Sometimes, if your doctor services a particular clinic they will readily take his/her patients so maybe a call to the doc?

But to be sure, you need to get this done asap even if it is not a clinic that gets full quickly eg. Klinikum Schwabing.

I heard Geisenhofer is great as long as everything goes well but they are weak from a medical point of view if there is a crisis situation. Then you are apparently better at Rechts der Isar where they have all the necessary emergency facilities immediately to hand but then again the rooms (mostly shared) and food are not up to much. You cannot have it all ways and will only know afterwards if all went swimmingly or not, unfortunately.

I also heard very bad comments about Harlaching, especially re help with breast feeding. Seems the place NOT to go.

I had a Caesarian by Dr. Georg Kleiber (practice in Kirchenstraße, Gröbenzell - recommend him whole-heartedly) at Klinik Dr. Krüsman in Pasing. He can do them in the middle of the night with his eyes shut (!). I experienced no pain at all afterwards. A very caring chap with a real vocation.

Very thankful to be in such a place at such a time. Nice room, decent food, although postnatal nursing care varied according to who was on duty (some brilliant, some absolutely not) and I suspect that would be the case anywhere you go.

Has anyone had personal experience, or known friends, that have given birth in a hospital down south (anywhere near Sauerlach/Taufkirchen/Holzkirchen)? Feedback? Recommendations?

Thanks!

I'll second Seattle2's request. I live in Arget, just outside Sauerlach, haven't starting looking at this yet, although nearing end of first trimester. My Frauenarzt told me to go to the Harlaching Klinik if anything bad happened at the weekends, and so I thought that must be the closest for me (although his office is in Ottobrunn so maybe there is a closer one). From reading here, I'm not so keen on Harlaching now!

I feel I need to update on my original post, and retract some of my comments. I have since had a week long stay at Harlaching after a small complication in the beginning of this pregnancy. I have to say, the food was pretty nice. Although, i will be taking something with me on labour day to avoid another "bread & cheese" incident after hours in labour.
I know it was a different ward, but all of the staff, except the Sister, were really lovely. And i only had the "care" of the Sister once in that week.

My Husband, has our insurance, and Harlaching's policies a bit better figured out - so I will be getting my single room this time (if available). I suggest an appt with Prof Grab and have what you are entitled to written in your notes in advance of the big day.
This time, I will be asking where everything is before the nurse leaves my room. Other pluses of Harlaching are if you are in another hospital and your baby has a problem - you will (as i understand it) be separated, and your baby sent to Harlaching. It is the closest hospital for those of us in the Sauerlach/Taufkirchen/Unterhaching/South areas.

And I emphasise that the nurse with me during labour really was fantastic.

I did find out about other hospitals within a reasonable distance, and I have come back to my original decision, that Harlaching, although not the Ritz, and has a few areas to polish up on - really isn't a bad choice of hospital.
Please PM me if you'd like