MIDWIFE

I became a midwife to guide and strengthen women in the most challenging and exciting times in their lives: when women become mothers, couples families and a new live begins.

Now, after more than 10 years of experience as a midwife in a number of different working-fields - and after having become a mother myself – I am even more excited about this aim I got when I first started studying midwifery: How women, children, couples, families experience this time in their life effects them much more than just what is describable in “medical terms” and the “craft” midwifes are taught: It is a mirror on how we approach life, how we treat ourselves and others, the respect we have for development and joy in life. So in the last few years I concentrated more and more on caring for women not just in labour, but accompanying the woman and couple from “the plan to the toddler”

I studied midwifery in Lower-Austria, in Mistelbach, from 1995 to 1998. My first placement as a “newly qualified midwife” was a huge challenge at the same time: I went straight to London. Greenwich district hospital just implemented a new project – “Caseload midwifery” and needed more staff to be able to get the project going. So I moved to England and started in a setting, where the basic idea was to provide (NHS funded) continuous care of a small midwifes-team for all women from early pregnancy up to at least 6 weeks postnatal. In Austria Pregnancy- and Postnatal care is mainly delivered by doctors, so my knowledge was rather theoretical when I started. But we were a multi-national midwifes-team and we learnt enormously from each other! It often felt like my “4th year in midwifery-academy” – and seen from now: it certainly was!

Back home in Austria I started working as a staff midwife in Viennas largest private delivery ward, the “Goldenes Kreuz”.
At Goldenes Kreuz I also had the opportunity to start ante-natal-classes and offered to accompany deliveries as a private midwife. I also continued doing postnatal care and breastfeeding counseling. Being in a large private hospital like this one has worked well for me: I got to know the “private sector” in Vienna well, gained a lot of experience and thoroughly enjoyed the multi-national and multi-cultural “customers” of the place.

I never lost contact to the English language that way, and offered private ante-natal classes and “midwifes appointments” in English – my “specialty”

When my husband and I moved to lower Austria, a small village about 40km north-east of Vienna and had 2 little sons, it was clear, that my new living- and family situation will also bring a change in my professional life. When I got the opportunity to rent the “old GP-surgery” in the community-house I eagerly started renovating and adapting my “midwifes practice”. I applied for a contract with the general health insurance to be able to offer “direct billing” to my women.

In my “Praxis” I offer antenatal classes, a baby-party weekly and post natal exercises (run by a physiotherapist), as well as info-appointments with me.

For my English-speaking clients I am always happy to offer appointments – in the surgery or at your home – to answer questions regarding pregnancy, birth, baby etc. or also organize a course (2 women or couples minimum) on request.

It would be a pleasure to “meet you in Niederrußbach” – a trip to the countryside AND your midwife…