What you need to know first
- Find a Hebamme (midwife) the moment the pregnancy is confirmed — aftercare midwives book out months ahead, and insurance pays for her.
- Public insurance (GKV) covers prenatal care, birth and midwife aftercare; private insurers cover per contract — check yours early.
- Parents get real money: Elterngeld replaces roughly 65% of net income for 12–14 months (basic form), and Kindergeld pays €250+ per child per month.
- Foreign parents' paperwork (birth registration, passports, residence for the baby) runs through the Standesamt and often needs apostilled, translated documents — start collecting them before the birth.
The journey, step by step
- 1
Confirm the pregnancy and book the essentials
Your Frauenarzt/Frauenärztin manages prenatal care with the Mutterpass record book. In parallel, call midwives immediately — the aftercare Hebamme (home visits after birth) is the scarce resource.
- 2
Sort money and leave
Mutterschutz protects employed mothers 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after birth on full pay. Apply for Elterngeld (income-linked parental allowance) and Kindergeld (monthly child benefit) right after the birth — both can be backdated only briefly.
- 3
Choose where to give birth
Hospital (Krankenhaus), midwife-led birth house (Geburtshaus) or home birth — all legitimate options. Register at your chosen hospital around week 30; take a hospital tour where offered.
- 4
Register the birth (Standesamt)
The hospital reports the birth; you complete registration at the Standesamt with passports, marriage certificate (apostilled and translated if foreign), and name declarations. The German birth certificate unlocks everything else.
- 5
Baby's nationality, passport and residence
A child of foreign parents doesn't automatically become German (exceptions apply after 5 years' parental residence). Register the baby with your consulate for its passport, then sort the child's German residence permit if you're non-EU.
Paperwork in German while caring for a newborn?
A relocation specialist or family-focused advisor can run the Standesamt, Elterngeld and consulate paperwork for you — tell us your city and situation.
The official resources
Bookmark these — they cover midwives, money and childcare.
Hebammensuche (GKV)
Official midwife search by postcode
Elterngeld Digital
Apply for parental allowance online
Familienportal
Official family-benefits portal (Kindergeld etc.)
Kita-Navigator
Start the childcare search early — waitlists are long
Some links may be partner links — using them never costs you more and helps keep our guides free.
Frequently asked questions
Is the birth free?
With public insurance, prenatal care, the birth itself and midwife aftercare are covered; you pay small extras (private room, some tests). Private insurance depends on your contract — confirm maternity cover and any waiting periods early.
How much is Elterngeld?
Basic Elterngeld replaces about 65% of your previous net income (min €300, max €1,800 per month) for 12 months — 14 if both parents take at least two. ElterngeldPlus stretches half-rate payments over longer periods for part-time returns.
Will our baby be German?
Only if a parent is German, or — for foreign parents — if one parent has lived legally in Germany 5+ years with permanent residence at the birth. Otherwise the child takes your nationality and needs a residence permit like you.
What documents should we prepare before the birth?
Passports, your marriage certificate with apostille and certified German translation (if married abroad), and birth certificates if the Standesamt asks. Getting apostilles from your home country takes weeks — do it during the pregnancy.
Note: This page is general information, not legal, tax or medical advice. Rules and fees change — confirm your personal situation with a professional before acting.