The first days after giving birth felt like a complete blur. Not only was I exhausted – both physically and mentally – but I was also lost in the excitement of meeting my child for the first time and soaking in all the cuddles with my baby girl. In between learning how to breastfeed, healing my body after 30 hours of labor, and learning to “walk” again after my C-section, I also needed to be attentive to the the hospital staff that came in and out of my hospital room to pass along information about the pile of forms I would soon need to complete.

It was a lot to process right after giving birth and to be honest, I did dozed off a few times here and there as the hospital staff came in to discuss paperwork. Luckily, they were used to this by now and understood how tired we birthing mothers were 🙂

I felt overwhelmed by all the information they shared. From things like application for Child Allowance (das Kindergeld) and birth certificate (die Geburtsurkunde) to post-labor recovery courses (die Rückbildungskurs), I just did not have the energy to take notes while they tried to explain everything in German. I was relieved to find out later that they would provide all of this important paperwork in a nicely packaged Frankfurt-themed box that my family and I can take home with us.

Here is what was included in our post-labor “Frankfurt Welcome Box”:

• Frankfurt Eintracht Onesie: Newborn onesie with the Frankfurt Eintracht team logo!
• Children’s Dental Examination Booklet (das Zahnärztliches Kinderuntersuchungsheft): Similar to the yellow general examination booklet that you receive at the hospital upon leaving (das Kinderuntersuchungsheft), this booklet is useful to bring for children’s dental appointments. It is used to keep track of all dental check-ups.
• Breastfeeding Pamphlet: Information on breastfeeding including tips for creating a positive breastfeeding experience for both mother and child, positions to try, and how fathers can be involved and support the mother during the breastfeeding journey.
• Kindernet Frankfurt Pamphlet: Information on how to enroll your child into Kita using Kindernet (Frankfurt’s Kita platform).
• Baby Carrier Tips: This pamphlet includes tips on how to safely carry your baby in the baby carrier.
• Car Seat Safety Tips: Information on best practices and rules of the road when traveling with children by car and how to properly use car seats.
• Brochure on Raising Healthy Children: This brochure includes tips for parents on how to raise strong and healthy children.
• Brochures Providing Overview of First Year of Child’s Life and First Year as Parents: These two brochures provide an in-depth overview of what one can expect during the first year as a new parent (challenges you might face and tips for overcoming them). Also included is information on some of the major developmental milestones of your child during the first year.
• Booklet on Important Contacts: This small booklet from the state of Hessen, provides a list of important contact information for different organizations and government offices relation to children and families.
• Coupons: Many companies take the opportunity to promote their products here by offering discount coupons.

While every hospital provides different pamphlets and resources in the welcome box and the information can change every year, the content is pretty similar. The boxes follow a general theme of providing information on all things paperwork, coupons, and list of activities for kids and families. While most of the information provided in this box is in German, it is important to try and take the time to read through it and make note of important information/contact numbers.

I did not know then how useful the box would be for us later. Even now as my daughter is nearing two, I often refer to some of the pamphlets to get ideas on activities and resources for families in Frankfurt. Of course, knowing a bit of German helps to read through the content and for the information that might be too complex, I try my best to outline this in English on my blog. When you receive your own box, it is certainly worth reading through the content and bring it home with you. Plus, the box makes for a nice keepsake which I personally use to put other baby-related paperwork!

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