Ok now I'm going to talk a little bit about my experience in the German hospital. I've never been in the hospital in America, so I don't know what the differences are, aside from the length of the stay. And, as always, I'll be including some exclusive Sadie pics.
So, a little while after Sadie was born they moved me up to the hospital room where I would be staying. Hunter went with Sadie to do... something... I guess they put clothes on her and stuff. I was pretty upset at first, because I wasn't in a private room, Hunter wasn't with me, and the nurse didn't speak any English. Plus, I had just been through kind of an ordeal. They brought me some food, which was schnitzel with noodles, I kid you not. I don't really like schnitzel, but I took a few bites of it and a few bites of the noodles. Eventually, Hunter came back with Sadie and I felt a little better. We slept for a bit because we had been up all night, then some new nurses came in who did speak English and were a little bit friendlier.
After dinner that night, the nurses announced that Hunter would have to go home. This was pretty upsetting to both of us, because I hadn't realized that he wouldn't be able to stay there with me the whole time. He was upset by it, too, but he stayed strong for me. Since there was another person in my room, the nurses came to get Sadie around midnight, I guess so she wouldn't prevent anyone from sleeping. I was able to sleep also--I was a bit afraid to fall asleep with Sadie there in case anything happened! Hunter came back the next morning pretty much as soon as they would let him in.
The food in the hospital was surprisingly not bad. For breakfast and dinner, there was a buffet. It had bread, sliced meat and cheese, yogurt, spreads, and probably some other things but Hunter brought it to me every time, so I don't know if there were other things I wouldn't have eaten. For lunch, I was given a menu for the week and had to check which thing I would like each day. It was ok, but I liked the breakfast and dinner a lot better. The lunch things were your typical German stuff. There is this one dish that is ubiquitous in Germany. It's basically a chicken or turkey breast with a curry sauce containing like, canned pineapple. It's not terrible, but kind of representative of German cooking: they eat just because they have to and don't put too much effort into making it good.
Sadie was born on Sunday morning and I stayed in the hospital until Wednesday around midday. I know in the US, they would probably have sent me home the next day. Even though I didn't love being in the hospital, especially when Hunter couldn't be with me, I'm glad I had a few days there to recover. I don't think I physically could have walked home the day after Sadie was born. Plus, I had people who could help me take care of her if I needed to (although I kept her with me almost the whole time I was there). I got a few more roommates, but I think they were women who were about to give birth so I actually had the rest of the nights to myself, I guess while these other people were in the delivery room.
Despite being overwhelmed and emotional at first, I would say the hospital experience was not bad. Even the nurses who didn't speak a lot of English were nice, and Hunter or I could usually understand enough German to communicate. Aside from the aversion to painkillers, I would recommend having a baby in Germany, or at least at the hospital I went to.
She's all bundled up.
So, a little while after Sadie was born they moved me up to the hospital room where I would be staying. Hunter went with Sadie to do... something... I guess they put clothes on her and stuff. I was pretty upset at first, because I wasn't in a private room, Hunter wasn't with me, and the nurse didn't speak any English. Plus, I had just been through kind of an ordeal. They brought me some food, which was schnitzel with noodles, I kid you not. I don't really like schnitzel, but I took a few bites of it and a few bites of the noodles. Eventually, Hunter came back with Sadie and I felt a little better. We slept for a bit because we had been up all night, then some new nurses came in who did speak English and were a little bit friendlier.
Sleeping.
Being a little ballerina.
She just naturally settled into this pose.
Sadie was born on Sunday morning and I stayed in the hospital until Wednesday around midday. I know in the US, they would probably have sent me home the next day. Even though I didn't love being in the hospital, especially when Hunter couldn't be with me, I'm glad I had a few days there to recover. I don't think I physically could have walked home the day after Sadie was born. Plus, I had people who could help me take care of her if I needed to (although I kept her with me almost the whole time I was there). I got a few more roommates, but I think they were women who were about to give birth so I actually had the rest of the nights to myself, I guess while these other people were in the delivery room.
Despite being overwhelmed and emotional at first, I would say the hospital experience was not bad. Even the nurses who didn't speak a lot of English were nice, and Hunter or I could usually understand enough German to communicate. Aside from the aversion to painkillers, I would recommend having a baby in Germany, or at least at the hospital I went to.
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