 "I cannot understand why people talk about 'natural' childbirth. It seems like a redundant statement. Childbirth is natural. To have to specify it as such really says something about what we have done to the process. And you just cannot say, 'Go ahead and do it'. Many women do not know how. You really need to be there by her side and help that person to labour and to do it naturally. Midwives give that control back to the woman."
- Shari Conte, Midwife
In Switzerland, we are fortunate to have a high standard of medical care coupled with an outstanding alliance of professional midwives.
Midwives have maintained an important role in the process of birth despite the fact that this process became more technically oriented as women began birthing in hospitals (even in hospitals, however, the midwife continues to play a central role in guiding women through labour and sometimes through the delivery).
Regardless of where a woman gives birth, postnatal home visits by a midwife are a great comfort to and reassurance for the new parents.
As defined by Swiss governmental guidelines, health insurance coverage of postnatal midwifery care amounts to ten days (unless prescribed by a doctor for a longer period of time). The number of days spent in hospital is subtracted from the ten days allotted.
If you plan to give birth in a hospital, it is important to arrange for postnatal care with a self-employed midwife well in advance of your expected "due date". Contact and interview midwives in your area at least three months before baby is due. This offers you the opportunity to find a midwife who best 'suits' you, as well as avoiding the risk of the midwife having no space for new clients.
The selected midwife can then schedule her visits (one-to-two hours per day) for the time after you leave hospital. Those of you choosing a home birth or birthing centre will usually be attended by the same midwife or midwives for labour, birth and postnatal care.
Self-employed midwives by canton
DID A MIDWIFE ATTEND TO YOU AND YOUR BABY AT HOME AFTER BIRTH?
Can you recommend her to other new parents?
Please let us know by contacting us. Only the initials of your name and place of residency will be used after your comments.
SWISS ASSOCIATION OF MIDWIVES
Central Administration
Rosenweg 25C
3000 Bern 23
Tel 031 332 63 40
info@hebamme.ch
www.hebamme.ch
Christine Rieben,
Yvonne Baumgartner
Monday - Thursday:
09:00 - 11:00,
14:00 - 16:00
Friday: 09:00 - 11:00
Regional contacts for the association:
AARGAU
079 344 73 03
EASTERN SWITZERLAND
0900 57 27 57
EMMENTAL, KIESENTAL,
AARETAL, THUN
079 652 69 69
FRIBOURG
0900 900 555
GENEVA
022 320 55 22
022 329 05 55
NEUCHÂTEL-JURA
079 280 48 28
TESSIN
079 602 26 20
VALAIS
079 561 81 50
VAUD
079 477 17 17
ZURICH
079 430 40 66 back to top
SELF-EMPLOYED MIDWIVES and MIDWIFERY PRACTICES
All of the midwives listed below offer postnatal home care. They have been recommended by women who personally used their services.
Listed alphabetically by canton and town.
AARGAU
BREMGARTEN AREA
Cristina Marinello
Tel 079 345 8676
cristinello@gmx.ch
Languages: English, German, basic French and Spanish
Home births, postnatal care
"Being supported by Christina in dealing with my feelings and emotional ups and downs during my second pregnancy, in addition to the fine medical care she gave, was the best preparation for welcoming our son into our family at home."
M. A., Egg
LENZBURG
Sandra Brugger
Tel 061 921 41 89
borboleta@gmx.ch
Languages: English, German, Portuguese, French
Postnatal care, affiliated with Birthing Centre Storchenäscht Lenzburg back to top
BASEL-LAND
Sandra Brugger
Tel 061 921 41 89
borboleta@gmx.ch
Languages: English, German, Portuguese, French
Postnatal homecare in 4148 Pfeffingen
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ZUG
UNTERAEGEREI
Patricia Blöchlinger
Tel. 041 750 49 94
Languages: English, German, French
Postnatal care
"Patricia was my assigned post-natal midwife for my second son Finn, born in July 2000. She took great care of Finn, myself and all the family, helping us through the stressful times of first feedings, and unusual and confusing little habits those tiny people display. She helped us through the language barrier with her English and gave us wonderful advice for holistically taking care of our baby. For those in the Aegeri area, I can highly recommend Patricia".
L.M., Oberaegeri back to top
ZURICH (Canton)
ANDELFINGEN
Birthcenter Geburtshaus Weinland
Marie-Josée Meister
Grabenackerstrasse 5
8450 Andelfingen
Tel. 052 317 06 66
info@geburtshausweinland.ch
www.geburtshausweinland.ch
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Homebirths, postnatal care, breastfeeding support
"I came to know Marie-Josée after the birth of my son in 2000 when I found myself with a very painful breast infection. She helped me at home with homeopathy and naturally healing compresses avoiding the use of antibiotics. She also gave emotional support so that I could successfully continue to breastfeed. In 2006, Marie-Josée assisted me in preparing for a home birth. Her unique way of birth preparation included counseling, processing previous traumatic birth experiences, visualization and sacred birth rituals. Thecombination of these empowered me to give birth at home as I had always wished. Her spiritual sensitivity also allowed me to experience the sacred
side of giving birth".
K.F., Henggart
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BÜLACH
Dagmar Dorn
Tel. 01 860 81 03
www.die-hebamme.ch
ddorn@smile.ch
Languages: English, German
Postnatal care
"I want to thank you for all of your useful advice in our previous telephone conversations, Andrea. The most precious and much appreciated tip was to have Dagmar Dorn come to us once Anika and I arrived home from the hospital. She is absolutely lovely and we will miss her visits a lot."
E.S., Glattfelden back to top
HERRLIBERG
Catherine Dold
Tel. 044 915 34 86 or 079 631 38 41
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Postnatal care back to top
MAENNEDORF
Petra Graf Heule
Tel 044 790 1067 or 079 286 4430
graf@hebammenpraxiszuerichsee.ch
www.hebammenpraxiszuerichsee.ch
Languages: English, German, Italian
Prenatal check-ups (affiliated with Lake Zurich Midwifery Practice / Hebammenpraxis am Zürichsee in Horgen), home births, accompanies women birthing at Sanitas Hospital (Kilchberg/ZH), postnatal care, postnatal/perineal gymnastics
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NEERACH
Veronica Vogel
Tel 044 858 0084 or 076 327 0084
vogel.neerach@bluewin.ch
Languages: German, English, French
Pre- and postnatal care, postnatal/perineal gymnastics
"Veronica Vogel is wonderful (thank you so much for being of assistance to us at such an important time!). She is everything and more than I expected and hoped for. She took good care of Chiara and of me as well. She "knows her stuff" and communicates it in such a pleasant manor. I would highly recommend her further".
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RICHTERSWIL
Osariere Röthlisberger
Tel. 044 796 29 49
osaroe@gmx.ch
Postnatal care, water shiatsu, private childbirth preparation for couples and single mums, postnatal/perineal gymnastics
" I can highly recommend Osariere Rötlisberger. She was great,
very much a calming influence and certainly worked with the family
(including Dad) to help settle everyone in to a new way of life."
H.P.D., Richterswil back to top
TANN
Silvie Baumann Froesch
Tel. 055 240 52 35 or 052 246 65 45
Languages: English, German, Italian
Prenatal check-ups, home births, accompanies women birthing at Zürich Oberland Birthing Centre, postnatal care back to top
THALWIL
Friederike Bergfeld
Tel 044 721 2 257 or 078 790 22 57
friederikebergfeld@freesurf.ch
Languages: English, German
Postnatal care, postnatal/perineal gymnastics, breastfeeding support
Claudia Bettenmann
Tel. 044 722 30 45
info@claudiabettenmann.ch
Languages: English, German Italian, basic French
Water shiatsu, baby-swimming, baby massage, postnatal/perineal gymnastics
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USTER
Caroline Steinmann
Pündtstrasse 3
8610 Uster
Tel 044 941 48 14 or 079 566 53 05
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
Prenatal check-ups, home births, postnatal care, postnatal/perineal gymnastics, counselling after traumatic birth experience
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WALD
Midwifery Practice Ruth Riggenbach
Sonnenberg 33
8636 Wald
Tel. 055 246 60 80 or 055 246 66 56
rist@active.ch
Languages: English, German
Prenatal check-ups, home births, postnatal care, breastfeeding support, postnatal/perineal gymnastics
Gisela Burri- Renz
Hömelstrasse8
8636 Wald
Tel 055 246 32 18 or 076 380 32 18
g.burri@bluewin.ch
Languages: German, French, English, Italian
Prenatal check-ups, home births, accompanies women birthing at Zürich Oberland Birthing Centre, postnatal care, postnatal/perineal gymnastics back to top
WINTERTHUR
Midwifery Practice Winterthur and Region
Hebammenpraxis Winterthur und Umgebung
Römerstrasse 231f
8404 Winterthur
Tel. 052 212 66 33
www.hebammen-winterthur.ch
Prenatal check-ups, home births, postnatal care, postnatal check-ups
Participating midwives: Luise Daemen, & Blanca Landheer
Luise Daemen
Tel. 052 316 28 90
daemen@hebammen-winterthur.ch
Languages: English, German, French, Italian
"I felt fully empowered by Luise and the support of my family! She was simply the best choice for me and the delivery of my second (3.9 kg) child at home. I was 39-years old at the time…and had an unforgettably exhilarating experience of birthing."
A.B., Zürich
Bianca Landheer-Dreher
Tel. 052 242 74 84
landheer@hebammen-winterthur.ch
Languages: English, German
"I was so happy to find Blanca Landheer during my fifth month of pregnancy. She provided pre-natal care throughout the rest of my pregnancy. She was my 'personal trainer' in baby care for ten days after the birth of my son. I left hospital eight hours after the birth (ambulant), and she met me at home that evening. She came to the house for the next nine days to assist with childcare, postnatal exercises and breastfeeding help. It was wonderful to have the same caring person support me before and after the birth of my first
child".
K.F., Winterthur. back to top
ZURICH (City)
Cristina Marinello
Tel 079 345 86 76
cristinello@freesurf.ch
Languages: English, German, basic French and Spanish
Home births, postnatal care (ambulant births only)
"Being supported by Christina in dealing with my feelings and emotional ups and downs during my second pregnancy, in addition to the fine medical care she gave, was the best preparation to welcome our son into our family at home."
Milena Adami, Egg back to top
Midwifery Collective Zürich
Hebammen Gemeinschaft Zürich
Lehensteig 7
8037 Zürich
Tel/Fax 044 272 49 00
www.wirhebammen.ch
Prenatal check-ups, home births, postnatal care, counselling after traumatic birth experience
Participating Midwives: Regina Grimm, Margrit Maurer & Alexandra Vetsch
Regina Grimm
Tel 044 491 73 02
r.grimm@wirhebammen.ch
Languages: English, German, French
"Thank you so much for recommending Regina Grimm to me - she is wonderful. We returned from hospital today after a difficult and traumatic delivery…. It´s such a relief to be at home and Regina has made a 100% improvement to our states of minds".
Dr. J.O., Zürich
Margrit Maurer
Tel 044 382 37 29
m.maurer@wirhebammen.ch
Languages: English, German, Italian, (basic) French
"I have total trust in Margrit. Because I feel so supported and comfortable with her I chose to have her assist me again at home for the birth of my second child".
NB, Küsnacht
Alexandra Vetsch
Tel 052 202 6131
a.vetsch@wirhebammen.ch
Languages:
German, Italian, English
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Midwivery Practice Dreieck
Barbara Schwärzler
Tel
044 241 52 66
Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, German
Postnatal homecare, prenatal and postnatal/perineal gymnastics, reflexology, homeopathy
"We were very happy with Barbara Schwärzler ( 'our' midwife), who provided prenatal check ups, entire care after birth for both mother and child (including Guthrie test on child), and advice during lactation period".
C. B. Zürich
"I am very grateful to the person who gave me Barbara's name. I have given birth to 3 children at home with her help. She is a kind and gentle person and still takes the utmost care to keep her standards high. I would
recommend her to anyone who is considering having a home birth."
L. H. Hombrechtikon
Midwivery Practice Züri-Süd
Cristina Marinello
Heinrich Federerstrasse 3
8038 Zürich
Tel 079 345 8676
cristinello@gmx.ch
Languages: English, German, basic French and Spanish
Home births, postnatal care, accompanies women birthing at Sanitas Hospital (Kilchberg/ZH) and Delphys Birthing Centre (Zürich city)
"Being supported by Christina in dealing with my feelings and emotional ups and downs during my second pregnancy, in addition to the fine medical care she gave, was the best preparation for welcoming our son into our family at home." M. A., Egg
Midwifery Practice Zürich
Franziska Summermatter
Winkelriedstrasse 1
8006 Zürich
Tel. 043 488 66 43 or 044 440 28 63 or 079 474 95 59
franziska.summermatter@bluewin.ch
www.hebammenpraxis-zuerich.ch
Languages: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
Midwifery practice, postnatal care
"I arrived in Switzerland five weeks before my due date, so I was a bit stressed(!) Franziska and her partner Annick were very helpful in explaining the bureaucratic details of giving birth here and they really went out of their way to help me get organized. Franziska attended me at home after the birth ( I chose to leave the hospital the day after my son was born) and she was really wonderful."
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