Home Birth – What Should You Consider and Which Questions Should You Ask Yourself?

13 min

Congratulations, you are expecting a child! Maybe you have been longing for a pregnancy for a long time and have already immersed yourself in all the topics surrounding the upcoming months during the “waiting period.” But it could also be that you are still quite surprised and need some time to get used to the idea. A few decisions have to be made right at the beginning of pregnancy, even though they concern the end — the birth itself. One of these decisions is about the place where you would like to give birth to your baby.

For many expectant moms, the choice is clear: they want to give birth in a clinic.

Which clinic that will be can be decided calmly over the course of pregnancy. However, some women have the desire to give birth not in a clinic, but in their own four walls. Because in Germany there are relatively few midwives who attend home births, you should start looking for your home birth midwife as soon as you hold that positive pregnancy test in your hand. Depending on the region, this might mean even before your first doctor’s appointment.

Now, you may not be exactly sure what a home birth really means for you and your baby. Let’s shed some light on it.

Start looking early for a midwife who will accompany you during your home birth.

How does a home birth actually work?

In a home birth, a healthy pregnant woman expecting a healthy child is attended by her midwife, whom she already knows from prenatal care. The birth takes place in your home – you don’t have to decide when to leave for the clinic or worry about being sent home again. You stay in close contact with your home birth midwife, and as soon as you need support, she comes to you with everything necessary.

Once she arrives, she will first observe you a bit:

How are you doing during contractions?
Do you need support for the right position or breathing?
Can you relax well between contractions?

After that, she will examine you and your baby. She may ask whether she can check your cervix and the amniotic sac to better assess what stage of labor you are in. She will also listen to your baby’s heartbeat after contractions to ensure that the baby is coping well.

Now it’s time

When you and your midwife expect the baby to be born soon, she will set up all the equipment she might need for the birth. After some time, the moment arrives: your baby is born – calmly, safely, and in familiar surroundings.

In your bathtub,
in your living room,
or in your bedroom.

Wherever you feel most comfortable.

Afterward, your midwife will examine you and your newborn, ensure your baby has breastfed for the first time, document everything, tidy up, and then quietly leave after 2–4 hours until her first postpartum home visit.

Sounds good? It is!

But what if something doesn’t go smoothly during pregnancy, birth, or right afterward?

To ensure both mother and baby are well in the end, there are many safety nets. After first contacting your midwife, you will have an initial meeting. She will ask you many questions about your health and pregnancy so far and explain how she works.

Does she have a colleague who can support during the critical phase of birth?
She will also explain in which cases a home birth cannot be planned from the start.

There is even a criteria list from the health insurance companies to avoid risky situations.

For example:

Expecting twins?
Problems with blood clotting?

In such cases, you are better cared for in a clinic. (You’ll find a link to the “exclusion criteria of statutory health insurance” at the end of the article.)

Prenatal check-ups are important

Sometimes, a situation that rules out a home birth only arises during pregnancy. Your midwife will recognize this during check-ups and advise you on the safest place to give birth. This preparation helps prevent emergencies during labor.

Sometimes, unforeseen complications arise during labor. But your midwife always has techniques and emergency medications with her to act immediately – either to resolve the situation or stabilize it until you can be transferred to a clinic. To avoid emergency transfers, your midwife will continuously monitor you and your baby’s well-being and, at the slightest doubt, discuss with you how to proceed.

Often, the reason to transfer to a clinic isn’t even an emergency, but simply because many first-time mothers imagined contractions differently and, after experiencing a few, decide they’d like stronger pain relief. Changing your mind is perfectly okay – planning a home birth does not bind you to any obligation, neither to yourself nor to your midwife.

Whether home is the ideal place to give birth is a personal decision for each woman and family. The discussions about it can get quite emotional. To assess safety, all births in Germany are recorded statistically, and the data show: healthy women without risks are well cared for by our well-trained home birth midwives.

Tips if you feel home is the perfect place to give birth

1. Finding a midwife

At the latest, once you have your maternity record booklet (Mutterpass), you should contact a home birth midwife. All health-insurance-registered midwives (“Kassenhebammen”) can be found in this list. You may need to broaden your search radius – if there isn’t one in your town, try entering 50 km into the search.

2. Registering with a clinic

Even if you plan a home birth, I recommend registering with the nearest clinic. If a transfer becomes necessary, your data, blood type, and pregnancy stage are already known, saving valuable time.

3. Costs

The costs for the birth, labor support, and first baby check-up are covered directly by health insurance. However, midwives are on call for you day and night for up to 5 weeks. For this “on-call availability,” depending on the region and midwife, a fee between €500 and €1,000 is charged. While that may sound like a lot, remember: your midwife greatly restricts her personal life for you – no nights out, no spontaneous getaways. Some insurers reimburse part of this fee upon request, so it’s worth asking.

4. Bureaucracy

As with clinic births, every child born in Germany must be registered with the registry office (Standesamt). You’ll receive a form from your town and complete it with your midwife, who certifies the birth. This is also where you officially register your baby’s name. Don’t worry if you haven’t decided beforehand – you have one week after the birth.

5. Last preparations

As your due date approaches, you can prepare everything for the birth, the first days, and in case of a clinic transfer:

Bag with important papers: maternity record, insurance card, medical documents, phone + charger
Hospital bag: toiletries, medications, comfortable clothes, towels, baby’s going-home outfit
Birth supplies box: towels, dextrose, snacks & drinks, large underwear, maternity pads, fitted sheet + plastic cover, disposable pads, birthing pool or inflatable tub, baby blanket, hat, muslin cloth, camera

Frequently Asked Questions

Classification of the Current Situation Show Hide

1. What are the current recalls about?
In recent weeks, media outlets have reported on recalls of infant formula products from certain international manufacturers. According to publicly available information, the heat-stable toxin cereulide was associated with a specific issue during the fermentation of a raw material at the supplier level.

2. Is Töpfer affected by these recalls?
No. Our products are not affected. Our supply chains are independent of the publicly mentioned problematic supply chains. Safety and control are our top priorities from the very beginning.

3. Has the safety of Töpfer products been reviewed?
Töpfer products are subject to a multi-stage, strict control and verification process throughout the entire value chain. This process is an integral part of our quality promise and ensures the special Töpfer quality.

In addition, Töpfer is monitored by the competent Bavarian food control authority. Our products and processes are regularly inspected by authorities.

In connection with the current recalls, the responsible Bavarian Authority for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs reviewed our supplier declarations, analytical data, and our testing and release procedures. The requested documentation was accepted.

Based on our comprehensive testing and control systems, Töpfer products are not affected and can be used without restriction.
Cause of the Recalls – Technical Classification Show Hide

1. What exactly is cereulide?
Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin.
Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin. This means: once it has been formed, it cannot be destroyed by normal heating.

2. When does cereulide form?
Cereulide does not automatically form due to the presence of the bacterium itself. It only develops under very specific conditions, especially:

✓ certain temperature ranges
✓ sufficient moisture
✓ suitable nutrient conditions
✓ extended growth time

Typically, this occurs in improperly stored starchy foods or, as discussed in the current case, under specific fermentation conditions of a raw material.

3. Does cereulide form in dry infant formula?
No. Dry infant formula does not provide the conditions required for cereulide formation. The toxin can only develop if it has already been formed previously under moist conditions.

4. Why is cereulide relevant?
In higher amounts, cereulide can cause nausea and vomiting. For this reason, raw materials are strictly controlled before being used in food products.
Production and Independence Show Hide

1. Does Töpfer produce together with other brands?
No. Töpfer manufactures exclusively at its own production facility in the Allgäu region of Germany. We do not share production lines or facilities with other manufacturers. This independence is a central component of our quality strategy.

2.Are there overlaps in the supply chain with affected brands?
No. Our regulatory reviews and supplier audits show no connections to the publicly mentioned problematic supply chains. Each raw material at Töpfer is independently qualified, tested, and approved, regardless of the supply chains used by other manufacturers.

3. Where do Töpfer’s raw materials come from?
Our focus is on organic quality as well as regional and European sourcing. The majority of our raw materials originate from the Allgäu region, from Germany, or from Europe. This proximity ensures quality, transparency, and traceability.

4. Are raw materials from outside the EU used?
Certain raw materials are unfortunately only available in limited quantities worldwide. Even if such raw materials are used occasionally, our strict EU-based quality and control standards apply without exception. Procurement is carried out exclusively through qualified, long-standing, and continuously audited partners within the DACH region.

5. Has Töpfer sourced raw materials from Cabio Biotech?
No. Töpfer has never sourced raw materials from Cabio Biotech for its production.
Quality Assurance Show Hide

1. How does Töpfer ensure the quality of its raw materials?
At Töpfer, quality begins with the raw materials. We work exclusively with long-standing qualified partners based on clearly defined specifications. Each relevant batch is tested before being used.

2. Are microbiological tests conducted?
Yes. Both raw materials and intermediate and finished products are comprehensively tested microbiologically, in our own laboratories and additionally by external accredited institutes.

3. Are chemical and contaminant analyses conducted?
Yes. Our quality control includes comprehensive chemical testing in accordance with legal requirements and internal quality standards.

4. Is there a release procedure before products are placed on the market?
Yes. No product leaves our facility without a complete quality inspection and formal release.

5. Have testing procedures been adjusted to new limit values?
Yes. Our analytical procedures have been aligned with updated scientific evaluation standards. New limit values do not indicate new risks but rather provide additional safety.

6. Have there been any recalls of Töpfer products in recent years?
No. In recent years, there have been no recalls or official quality warnings due to contamination or non-compliant ingredients.