Kathrin from Hebammenkonsum in Interview: Insights into the World of a Midwife and Tips for Better Intimate Hygiene
Bidetlity:
Can you give us an insight into your daily life as a midwife? What challenges do you face as a midwife that you’d like to share?
Kathrin:
My daily routine is mainly guided by the needs of the women I care for, whether during pregnancy or in the postpartum period.
I have days dedicated to postpartum visits, days for practice appointments, and other days that are based on the women’s needs for care. Births, unfortunately, can’t be planned and occasionally disrupt the schedule.
I currently care for 20 women a year during childbirth, in contrast to before, when I accompanied over 100 births a year. My focus has changed over time and is now mainly on care during pregnancy and the postpartum period. I spend a large part of the remaining time looking after our online shop "Hebammenkonsum" and maintaining our Instagram profile . Since most children are born at night and I have spent 28 years as a freelance obstetrician on constant call, it is time to put more focus on myself again.
However, fewer births still mean the same insurance payments for me. Therefore, I’ll likely be moving away from birth assistance in the near future. Despite the secure payment bonuses, the costs are a major challenge for midwives. From a financial perspective, it’s difficult to pay around €13,000 for insurance and only receive approximately €196 gross per birth in return. When, like me, you only assist with 20 births, the math just doesn’t add up. There really needs to be a change from the insurance side or with birth package rates.
Bidetlity:
That sounds like a very demanding daily life, especially with the financial challenges. It’s impressive how you manage everything. How did the idea for Hebammenkonsum come about, and how has the shop evolved since its founding?
Kathrin:
I have been connected to the midwifery profession for 42 years, and during this time, I’ve come across many products. Some of them became very dear to me, and I kept recommending them to the women I cared for. These positive experiences led to the idea of opening a shop with exactly these products. The advantage is that all the products can be ordered in one place, and you don’t have to painstakingly purchase them from different sites. My husband took on the implementation, and the shop has now been around for 12 years. At first, we weren’t immediately noticed, but thanks to our daughter’s decision to become active on Instagram, things have developed very positively, and our shop became more visible. We’re very happy about that today.
Bidetlity:
It’s wonderful to see how personal experiences and passion can lead to a successful project. On your Instagram profile, you cover very specific topics related to birth and the postpartum period. How do you choose the content for your posts?
Kathrin:
The content of my posts is based on what I encounter in my daily life as a midwife. Whether it’s during pregnancy care, postpartum care, or supporting births—topics that seem important to me are the ones I want to share and explain. If I’m also able to take photos, that’s ideal, as it allows me to directly show what certain things look like or explain why specific situations should be taken seriously—or not.
Bidetlity:
Social media plays a huge role nowadays. What role does it play in your work, and how do you use it for education and supporting your followers?
Kathrin:
I think social media plays a significant role, especially in this generation. I definitely notice this in my work—many people rely on what’s written in social media. That’s where I see my role on Instagram: to provide accurate information and highlight important topics, as well as discuss aspects that are relevant during pregnancy and postpartum. Not all women can find a midwife and sometimes have to gather information on their own. That’s why I provide input so that women can benefit from it. And we, as a shop, use social media to get seen and found, especially since younger generations are very active there, and we want to make our products like the Intimdusche more well-known.
Bidetlity:
That’s really important, especially for women who can’t find a midwife. To conclude, we’d love to know: How do you assess the help our Intimdusche provides for the women you care for?
Kathrin:
The Intimdusche is definitely an important must-have for the postpartum period. One of the positive aspects of an Intimdusche like the Bidetlity during the postpartum period is the gentle and effective cleaning of the sensitive intimate area after childbirth. After delivery, the intimate area is often irritated and sensitive, and traditional toilet paper can be uncomfortable or cause pain. An Intimdusche allows for a painless, thorough cleaning and can help prevent infections and promote healing. Additionally, it gives the opportunity to feel clean and comfortable after every trip to the bathroom, which is especially important during the recovery phase after birth.
Bidetlity:
Thank you, Kathrin, for your insights and your time. We’re sure many women will benefit from your experiences and tips.
