Congratulations! You are pregnant and your baby is going to be born in Cologne. There’s lots of things to be organized – we would recommend you start by looking for a midwife as it can be challenging to find one. It is also a good idea to think early about where you’d like your baby to be born.
In Cologne there are eight maternity clinics, two birthing centers (one also offers home births) and "Beleghebammen" (attending midwives) who can assist you in some clinics (see below). Furthermore some freelance midwives also offer home births.
This article was fact checked by doula Sofia Rischio, who accompanies international families in Cologne during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. She also offers breastfeeding consultations and birth preparation classes in English.
For a general overview of each option, check out our article “How to Choose Where to Give Birth in Germany”. To learn more about attending midwives, read our article on midwife work in Germany.
Here are the options and how to register to give birth for each:
Evangelisches Krankenhaus (Kalk):
Isabell Dobler is an attending midwife at the hospital.
You can register to give birth online or by emailing [email protected].
Every Monday from 10am to 2pm the clinic offers a video consultation in German with the leading midwife. You can register via the above email as well.
Evangelisches Krankenhaus (Weyertal)
They offer a tour through the delivery room on site. Apply for it using this link. Click “Kreißsaalführungen”and choose your favorite date. You only have to register the pregnant person. A second person can accompany them without registration.
If you would like to take a virtual look around the delivery room before the info event, you can see videos of their delivery room on YouTube.
The hospital also offers a midwife consultation. Make an appointment at doctena. You can ask all your questions on Wednesdays between 12.15pm and 5.45pm.
The attending midwife at Holweide is Nadja Zimmer
The Frauenklinik Holweide offers info events once a month. You can find the dates here.
You don’t have to register if you want to give birth here, but it is possible. If you want to do so, make an appointment after pregnancy week 30. Call +49 221-8907-2746 and a midwife will tell you everything about giving birth in this clinic. If you would like to take a virtual look around before your appointment, you can see videos of their delivery room on YouTube
If there are some special topics (diabetes, multiples,..) you should contact the birth planning consultation by calling +49 221 8907-2992
They also have a prenatal consultation if further diagnostics or intervention is needed. Call: +49 221 97760-0.
Heilig Geist-Krankenhaus (Longerich)
Two attending midwives - Marie Schneeganß and Ina Melchior - who speak English, Spanish and French - work here.
This Catholic hospital offers an online info event every first and third Tuesday at 6pm. You can attend it without registration using this link.
It is the only hospital in Cologne that has a delivery room led by midwives and is certified as baby friendly
If you would like to give birth in a delivery room led by a midwife and as little intervention as possible, you have to attend their special info event before. You can find the dates here.
You can also take a virtual tour through the delivery room.
Here you can make an appointment to register for birth. The date should be 4 to 5 weeks before birth.
Severinsklösterchen (Innenstadt)
The online info event takes place every first and third Tuesday of the month. You can see the dates here and have to register for it using this email address: [email protected]
You can make an appointment for your birth registration using doctolib. The appointment should take place between pregnancy week 34 and 36
You can take a virtual tour through the delivery room.
Frauenklinik Porz am Rhein (Porz)
You can make an appointment for your birth registration using doctolib. The appointment should take place between pregnancy week 34 and 36.
If there are special risks, call +49 2203 566 1305
They offer online info evenings. The next dates can be found here and you are able to register online once you have chosen a date.
Universitäts-Frauenklinik (Lindenthal)
The international office of the hospital supports you. You can find information in English and Russian.
The online info event takes place every first and third Tuesday of the month at 7pm. You can attend it using this link.
You can make an appointment to register for birth using the number +49 221 478-85581. Call at pregnancy week 32 to make an appointment for week 36 or later.
St. Elisabeth-Krankenhaus (Lindenthal)
To attend the online info evening choose a date by clicking “Termine” under “Informationsabend”. Then you have to fill in the form. The info evening will start at 8pm.
You can make an appointment for your birth registration using doctolib. The appointment should take place between pregnancy week 35 and 36. Here you can find all documents you will need for the registration under the headline “Geburtsanmeldung”.
Birthing Centers
Geburtshaus Köln in Köln Ehrenfeld
Nine freelance midwives work at the Geburtshaus Köln
There is always individual (1-on-1) support during birth and you get to know your midwife beforehand.
Every year, around 160 babies are born at the birth center and the midwives also accompany 60 home births annually
The center can also be found on Instagram
You can apply for giving birth at the center by filling in the form at the end of the page. They need to know the calculated due date, if you already had a c-section and if you already gave birth before. Then a midwife will contact you and inform you if there are free capacities
Before applying you should attend the info event online or at the center. It takes place on the first (online) and third (at the center) Thursday. You can find the dates and the Zoom-Link here.
17 midwives work at the Lindenthaler Geburtshaus
There is always individual (1-on-1) support during birth
The birth center welcomes families of every religion, cultural or economic background.
You can attend an info event online or at the center. It takes place twice a month on Wednesdays. You can find the dates and the link for the online event here. For the info evening at the center you have to apply by email [email protected] (give your name, birth date and phone number) or by phone: +49 221 33777337
Home births
Hausgeburt in German
Mostly accompanied by a midwife from the Geburtshaus or an independent freelance midwife
Here are a couple of midwives who offer home births in Cologne
You can also check the platforms listed in our midwife search article or google “Hausgeburt Köln”
Depending on where you'd like to give birth, it's important to contact a midwife who fits your plans well as soon as possible to ensure everything goes smoothly.
