Having a baby in Germany

 Having a baby in Germany is a little different than the US.  IF we have anymore children- I think I will wait until we get home to the USofA.  The quality of care was exactly the same, but it is much more luxurious in Texas.  (you get steak dinner, and to send your baby to the nursery at night, private rooms/ bathroom, etc.)  

About 2 hours after delivery I was transferred from the labor and delivery room to a shared room.  I had requested my own private room (for a fee,) but there were none available.  It was there that I found out Andrew couldn't stay the night with me.  I shed a few tears and repeated "I can do this" over and over.  Luckily, roommate spoke a little English and was very very kind.  She was very patient with me as I kept turning the light on and off and was a huge help in communicating with the night nurses.  It was really hard to communicate with the night nurses.  Thank heavens for translation apps.

 The next morning I got a new roommate and she was not as nice.  Thankfully, a private room came available that afternoon.  

 Here are some pictures of my hospital room the 2nd night.   The thing hanging from the ceiling is a warmer for when diapers are changed.  Zach would scream unless the warmer was on.  He really hated having his diaper changed.  One of our "lost in translation stories" was about wipes.  I had run out of wipes and was trying to ask the nurse for more.  She then proceeded to use receiving blankets to wipe up the mess.  They do use wipes... so I have no idea what she thought I was asking for.  Luckily, another nurse brought me some wipes. 

 There was also a bottle opener in the room.  The Germans love their drinks, especially their beer.  

 The babies are not swaddled, but instead put into sleeping bags.  Most of the ones I saw were pretty ugly.  Speaking of ugly, the babies are also put into these white jumpsuits that rival straight jackets.  I wish I had taken a better picture, but the one below is the best I have.  

 Usually people stay in the hospital for 7 days, but after 3 I was finished.  I couldn't take it anymore. Since this was our third time around having a baby the doctors agreed that we were fine to go home.  

Zach's first home was the Wiesbaden Army Lodge.  How many kids can say their first home was a hotel room?  How many kids actually want to say that?  Yeah.

It was kinda nice having somebody come in and clean our room and change my sheets every day.  That was better service than I got in the hospital.  Maybe I'm onto something...

 We all love our new little guy!