All guides
Every German process step by step: offices, deadlines, documents and official sources. Baby health topics are at the bottom.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in Germany: First Steps, Check-ups & InsuranceGynaecologist and Mutterpass, finding a Hebamme, check-ups week by week and what your Krankenkasse pays.Birth Options in GermanyHospital, Geburtshaus or home birth — how to choose and register in Germany.Mutterschutz – Maternity ProtectionYour rights at work in pregnancy and while breastfeeding: protection periods, pay, safe working conditions, dismissal protection and the new rules after miscarriage.
Children 0–3 years
Papers, money & Kita
Birth Registration in GermanyRegister your baby at the Standesamt within 1 week. Request 3–5 certified copies.Kindergeld – Child Benefit259€/month per child in 2026. Apply at the Familienkasse soon after birth: back payments only go back 6 months.Elterngeld & Elternzeit – Parental Allowance and Leave65–67% of previous net income, 300–1,800€/month, up to 14 months for couples. Apply within 3 months of birth. Elternzeit: up to 3 years of job-protected leave.Kita – Daycare Application GuideApply as early as possible — even during pregnancy. System varies by city.
Check-ups & vaccinations
Pediatric Care, U-Checks & Vitamin DFind a Kinderarzt before birth. Free U-checks U1 to U7a, newborn screenings, and the daily vitamin D and fluoride tablet.Vaccination Schedule GermanySTIKO schedule 2026 for babies 0–2: RSV protection, 6-in-1, pneumococcal, MenB, rotavirus, MMR and chickenpox.
Support & benefits
Support for Students with ChildrenElterngeld min 300€, Kindergeld 259€ (2026), BAföG child allowance, Studierendenwerk childcare.Support for Single ParentsJugendamt, VAMV, Caritas — free counseling, childcare, Unterhaltsvorschuss.Family Benefits OverviewKindergeld, Elterngeld, Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag — what you can claim in Germany.Your Pension and ChildrenRaising a child adds to your German state pension: up to 3 years of credits per child. They only count once they are recorded, so apply.
International families
Residence Permit for Your ChildNon-EU children get a permit linked to parents. Apply at Ausländerbehörde.Moving to Germany with a Child 0–3 & AnmeldungDocuments, Anmeldung within 2 weeks, tax ID, health insurance, paediatrician and Kita: the priority steps on arrival.German Citizenship for Children Born in GermanyAutomatic at birth if one parent is German, or if one parent has lived legally in Germany for 5+ years with a permanent right of residence (rules since June 2024).
Baby health
Everyday questions about fever, feeding and sleep, based on German health authorities.
Fever, Illness & MedicinesWhen fever is a warning sign, how nest protection works, safe medicines for babies and for breastfeeding mothers.Breastfeeding: First Weeks & Eating WellHow often to feed, sore nipples and engorgement, storing milk, plus what a breastfeeding mother should eat and drink, including iodine.Formula Feeding GuidePre, 1, 2 or HA? How to choose formula, prepare bottles safely and know if your baby is growing well.Starting Solids (Beikost)When to start purées, which meal comes first, how to move to family food and which foods to wait with.Sleep, Crying & SIDS PreventionSafe sleep rules that protect against SIDS, how much crying is normal, how to soothe your baby and what to expect about sleep.