Petition against the new midwife assistance contract by Hebammenkontor Altona via openpetition.de
And here is our comment on the Joko and Klaas midwife segment:
The segment by Joko and Klaas about midwives affects us all because it articulates what has concerned us for years, and even more so since November 1, 2025. When we see this clip of a midwife saying that the delivery room will close on December 31, we know: The time for change is now. Not tomorrow.
However, the segment by Joko and Klaas about midwives also contains a birth scene, and this is precisely the sticking point for many. In this scene, the doctor plays a somewhat larger role, and specific wording is used that conveys the impression that midwives are dependent on doctors.
However, this is not correct: midwives can independently manage physiologically progressing births – without a doctor. Of course, there are situations that do not progress physiologically, in which case we call in doctors. But we only recognize this when such a situation actually arises.
Many unfortunately do not know that midwives are legally authorized to manage physiological births independently. Conversely, a doctor may never manage a birth without a midwife – regardless of whether it is physiological or pathological.
And one more small reminder: Birth does not always have to take place in a supine position. There are many birthing positions that support the natural process. Sometimes the supine position makes sense, but often there are better alternatives.
