Maternity clothes cost an odious amount in Germany. You will easily find the expensive boutiques. Here are some better deals:

1. Well Known Stores
• H&M - Hennes & Mauritz (Good for kids' clothes too)


• C&A


• Karstadt




2. Second Hand
• Secondino

  Grindelallee 184
  20144 Hamburg (Univiertel)
  Tel. (040) 471 76 21



3. Organic Clothing
• rundum (beautiful children's clothing too)

  Gertigstr. 57
  22303 Hamburg (Winterhude)
  Tel. (040) 27 87 76 66

Knowledge of the health hazard posed by lead contaminated water does not date far back. Lead pipes were the preferred piping in construction at the turn of the century, so many Altbau buildings still contain it, as well as buildings built on the cheap using salvaged material immediately after WWII. The Hamburg water company, Hamburger Wasserwerk, offers free water testing for pregnant women and women with children under one. Pick up a water testing kit at their office. Bring your Mutterpass and/or Einwohner Anmeldung, else the test kit costs DM 300.

• Hamburger Wasserwerk

  Rathausstr. 12 (beside City Hall)
  Tel. (040) 78 88 25 55

Air carriers will not allow a woman to fly after the 35th week of pregnancy.

Transatlantic airfare for babies 0 to 12 months is 10% of your fare plus full airport tax, no seat. Children 13 months to 12 years fly for 50% of your fare plus full airport tax and have a seat. European flights for 0 to 24 month olds are 10% of your fare plus full airport tax, no seat. After age 25 months the fare is 50%. Air-carriers do try to keep seats toward the front free for persons traveling with small children, so extra early check-in is recommended.

TIP: If the plane is not full, using your European (Römer, MaxiCosi) infant car seat is far more convenient than plane bassinets. The toddler car seat also fits. American brands are more bulky and may not fit on the plane seat. The German Römer Baby Safe car seat also fits in the overhead bin.

Birth Announcements: Film for the camera? Make preparations before the baby arrives, either with a professional printer or if making them yourself: purchase the stationary, address your envelopes, buy the stamps all in advance.

Rule of thumb: buy 20% more than what you think you will need.

Baby Presents: Keep a running list of the baby presents as they arrive - from whom, describe item - because by the time you write your thank-you's this will become a muddle.

Baby Showers are the friendship custom in America but in Germany presents are not given until the child has safely arrived.

Visitors: Do not entertain visitors until the baby is at least seven days old. Your emotional high will mask your physical exhaustion. Having a baby is the most physically demanding event of your life, so do not underestimate this, and the ensuing sleep deprivation will not make things easier. If your parents and in-laws are jumping to come, let your partner escort them in and out - do not prepare for Kaffee & Kuchen.

Horror stories: Yes be amazed by how tactless people can be with horror stories for a pregnant woman. But do screen who you are prepared to listen to and excuse yourself from the rest. My story: before my baby was six months old, I had received twelve birth announcements and four death announcements from the same parents. Life is precious.