Family Midwives.

The family midwife takes care of pregnant women, young families, or single parents, who are in a difficult situation. She will visit you at home and show you how to feed your baby correctly and what needs your baby has. She also informs you of who you can turn to in case you have problems. Family midwives accompany families and children up to the first birthday of the child, in order to ensure a smooth start to your new life.

Their service is available for special circumstances, such as:

•     Teen-pregnancies
•     Excessive family demands
•     Families who live in social isolation
•     Families with low socioeconomic status
•     Families with premature infants
•     Burdens or illnesses
•     Families with addiction problems
•     Families with domestic violence situation
•     Families with a migration background and lack of integration into the health system
•     Chronic diseases in the family
•     Women/partners with mental health problems

Main focuses of the work are:

•     Advice for all circumstances around the birth of a child
•     Promoting the parent-child-relationship
•     Observation of the child's development
•     Advice and guidance regarding age-appropriate nutrition, care, and support
•     Accompaniment to doctors and offices and support for participation in screening and prevention  measures for mother and child
•     Integration of the family in existing group offers
•     Motivation of mother and child in difficult living circumstances through self-help
•     Network and collaboration regarding closure of health care gaps and possible referral to other aids
   

Assumption of Costs

The costs for the work of the midwife during pregnancy and the puerperium are usually covered by your health insurance fund. The enhanced activity of the family midwives is not included in the contract for the supply of midwifery in accordance with §134a SGB V (health insurance funds). Currently, family midwives are financed within the framework of the early assistance from project funds, municipal funds and funds of youth welfare.