Bidetlity:
Thank you very much for taking the time to give us an interview, Kathrin. We are very happy to learn more about your everyday life as a midwife and your experiences.

Kathrin:
I'd love to, I'm also happy to share my experiences with you.

Bidetlity:
Can you give us an insight into your everyday life as a midwife? What challenges do you face as a midwife that you would like to share?

Kathrin:
My daily routine is primarily geared towards the needs of the women I care for, whether during pregnancy or the postpartum period.  

I have days when I make postnatal visits, days for practice appointments and other days that depend on how women need care. Unfortunately, births can't be planned and can shake up your schedule from time to time.

I currently care for 20 women a year during childbirth, in contrast to the past when I attended over 100 births a year. My focus has changed over time and is now mainly on pregnancy and postnatal care. A large part of my remaining time is taken up with our online store "Hebammenkonsum" and maintaining our Instagram profile. As most children are born at night and I have spent 28 years as a freelance obstetrician constantly on call, it's time to focus more on myself again.

However, fewer births mean the same payments in insurance premiums for me. That's why I will certainly be saying goodbye to midwifery in the near future. Despite the insurance supplement, the costs are a major challenge for midwives. From a financial point of view, it is difficult to pay around €13,000 for insurance and in return receive just under €196/gross for a birth. If, like me, you only attend 20 births, the calculation simply doesn't add up. Something urgently needs to happen here on the part of the insurance company or with the birth fees.

Bidetlity:
That sounds like a very demanding daily routine, especially with the financial challenges. It's impressive how you manage it all. How did the idea for Hebammenkonsum come about and how has the store developed since it was founded?

Kathrin:
I have been involved in the midwifery profession for 42 years and have come to know many products during this time. Some of them have become very dear to me and I have recommended them to my women again and again. These positive experiences gave rise to the idea of opening a store with exactly these products. The advantage: all products can be ordered together on one platform and don't have to be laboriously purchased on different sites. My husband took over the implementation and the store has now been running for 12 years. At first, we weren't immediately noticed, but thanks to our daughter's decision to become active on Instagram, this has developed very positively and made our store more visible. Today we are very happy about it.

Bidetlity:
It's nice to see how personal experience and passion can lead to a successful project. On your Instagram profile, you cover very specific topics relating to birth and the postpartum period. How do you choose the content for your posts?

Kathrin:
The content of my articles is based on what I encounter in my everyday life as a midwife. Whether it's during antenatal care, postnatal care or birth support - I like to report on and explain topics that seem important to me. If I can also take photos, this is of course ideal to show directly what certain things look like or why certain situations should or should not be taken seriously. 

Bidetlity:
Social media plays a big role these days. What role does it play in your work and how do you use it to educate and support your followers?

Kathrin:
I think that social media plays a big role in the current generation in particular. I definitely notice this in my mentoring - many people rely on what is written on social media. I also see this as my role on Instagram: to provide more information and point out important topics or talk about aspects that are relevant during pregnancy and aftercare. Women can't always find a midwife and sometimes have to find information on their own. This is another reason why I provide input so that women can benefit from it. And we as a store use social media to be seen and found, especially because the younger generation is out and about a lot there and we want to make our products such as the intimate douche better known.

Bidetlity:
This is really important, especially for women who can't find a midwife. Finally, we would like to know: How do you rate the help of our intimate shower for the women you care for?

Kathrin:
The intimate douche is definitely an important must-have for the postnatal period. One positive aspect of an intimate douche such as the Bidetlity in the postpartum period is the gentle and effective cleansing of the sensitive intimate area after childbirth. After childbirth, the intimate area is often irritated and sensitive, and conventional toilet paper can be uncomfortable or cause pain. An intimate douche enables pain-free, thorough cleansing and can help to prevent infections and promote healing. It also gives you the opportunity to feel clean and comfortable after each visit to the toilet, which is particularly important during the postnatal recovery period.

Bidetlity:
Thank you, Kathrin, for your insights and your time. We are sure that many women will benefit from your experience and tips.