Having a baby in Germany - page not yet complete!

As someone who moved to Germany in May 2011, and was pregnant after a month I have added this page to share my experience of having a baby in Germany. I hope to both reflect on my own experience and possibly help others who find themselves in the same situation.

First of all you WILL be ok! Personally I found the whole experience from pre natal to post natal a very thorough and excellent one that I could rarely fault.

Things that are good to know:

1. Its important to appreciate that generally the German system is a less touchy feely approach than I had experienced during my first pregnancy in England. However this doesn't mean people don't care but I just found there was less small talk and less explanations of procedures. This was obviously not helped by my poor German. They just tend to get on with things.
2. When your pregnancy is diagnosed you will be given a mutterpass in which all of your stats etc are recorded. You need to carry this with you at all times.
3. Unlike in England where ultrasound is generally only used at the 12 and 20 wk scan in Germany you have a 12wk, 20wk and 30wk scan plus ultrasound is used more regularly at almost every check up.
4. Aswell as increased use of ultrasound compared to England in the later stages of your pregnancy there is also routinely (weekly for me) monitoring of the babies heart beat and any braxton hicks contractions using CTG.