- Author: Julia
- Country of origin: Germany
- Age at the time of childbirth: 31 and 33 years old
- Age at the time of publication: 37 years old
- Place of childbirth: Maternity hospital and my home in Berlin, Germany
My name is Julia. I am a psychiatric nurse, a teacher and a mother of two beautiful girls. Having worked in the German healthcare service for several years, revealed the inefficiencies of the system in relation to women’s health in particular. I always said that I would rather give birth in the comfort of my own home than in a hospital. I would like to share my story of the first hospital birth experience and my second birth at home with my supportive family. This is a story of difficult decisions, human emotions, strength, determination and courage which will accompany me to the rest of my life.
My hospital birth experience
When I was 31, I got pregnant with my first baby. I wanted to give birth in my own home. Despite the fact I was a nurse at this time, I did not want to give birth in the hospital. I was afraid to be forced into labor induction or pressured to undergo a caesarean section against my will. Since I had no contraindications to vaginal delivery, I wanted to give birth in the comfort of my own home with my husband. However, after talking to my husband about the home birth idea, I realised that he did not feel comfortable about childbirth without medical care. He was simply scared that something would go wrong while giving birth at home and that we wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time. Honestly, I had never considered how he would feel about home birth before. Therefore, we had to find a solution together that would allow both of us to feel safe on the day of delivery. And that’s when we agreed that our baby would be born in a birth center. In Germany, birth centres are usually placed outside of the hospitals and they are designed to provide a homelike setting for birth. We would still be provided with midwives and health care, but it would be like giving birth in a private home. Sadly, all birth centres in Berlin we reached out to have already been fully booked out. I was really disappointed and sad, because now the only option I had left was the hospital. I researched all maternity hospitals in Berlin. Finally I found the smallest hospital with a maternity ward in Berlin (with only two delivery rooms). We checked it out and we were both satisfied with our choice. My husband felt safe and I felt comfortable enough as well.
My home birth experience
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Meet the Author
Julia Kolbe born in 1986 in Thuringia, Germany. Co-Founder of No Taboo Mom. Married to Robert, mother of Ida (5) and Elsie (3). After working as a psychiatric nurse for couple of years, she began to question healthcare system in Germany. While pregnant and later as a mother of two girls she began to recognize the myriad inadequacies in the health system, especially when it comes to women’s health. As a B.A. graduate, she continued her career as a medical instructor in a nursing school. Her goal is to train the best healthcare professionals with a holistic approach. Today, at No Taboo Mom, she shares her real-life experiences with others and connects with woman around the world.