Arriving in Germany Pregnant During Lockdown
Germany was still in lockdown for most of my second trimester. Because of that—and the fact that it snowed nearly until May—there wasn’t much opportunity to explore. As a Texas girl, that was my cue to stay indoors as much as possible.
My First OCONUS OB-GYN Appointment
My first prenatal appointment overseas was more like an orientation. At the Army clinic, we were shown a slideshow with resources about delivering a baby abroad and guided through what the prenatal and birth process would look like in Germany. It was actually super helpful!
The staff let us choose our OB-GYN at that initial meeting. I picked the only doctor who allowed spouses to attend ultrasounds in person—most of the others only offered video chat due to COVID-19, and to me, it wouldn’t have been the same. This was a big deal, and I wanted my husband there for it.
German Prenatal Appointments: What to Expect
One thing I did love about being pregnant in Germany? Ultrasounds at nearly every appointment. Back in the U.S., many moms-to-be are lucky to get three total. Here, I had at least seven during my second trimester alone.
The appointment routine was pretty consistent: arrive, wash hands, urine sample, wash hands, ultrasound, more hand washing.
Unfortunately, my OB-GYN experience wasn’t great. My doctor was cold, dismissive, and rushed through every appointment. Most of my appointments with him were five minutes. FIVE MINUTES, including the ultrasound. He barely allowed time for questions and often seemed visibly annoyed when I asked anything. He made me feel like a silly, clueless woman slowing him down. After a while, it was clear he was more focused on volume than patient care—just rushing women through like an OB-GYN assembly line.
The Frustration of Not Knowing the Baby’s Gender
From about 18 to 25 weeks, my OB “tried” to determine the baby’s gender—but never really put in the effort. He would glance at the screen for a minute, say the baby was in the wrong position, and move on. I asked if I could shift positions or if we could try a little longer, but he shut that down quickly.
By week 25, I was determined not to leave without an answer. Thankfully, the orange juice I chugged beforehand did the trick.
“It’s a girl.”
I had dreamed it was a girl while I was still in Fort Leonard Wood, and I had been right all along. We only had a girl name picked out anyway, so it felt meant to be. I was thrilled—but also more certain than ever that I’d be finding a new doctor.
Germany Slowly Reopens
As restrictions began to ease, I was eager to explore—but COVID protocols still made it tough. Many stores required a negative COVID test no more than 48 hours old, which meant getting tested constantly if we wanted to do anything on the weekend. Honestly, it just wasn’t worth the effort.
The good news: restaurants started reopening! Around 17–18 weeks, the worst of my “morning” sickness started to fade. I was still extremely picky with food, but no longer living exclusively on crackers. While most restaurants were takeout only, that was a huge improvement. My husband loved a local Jamaican spot—me, not so much. It gave me the worst heartburn. Thankfully, we had options like German, Italian, Turkish, Korean, and Chinese takeout in our small town, and I was grateful for every one of them.
Switching OB-GYNs Abroad
Eventually, I made the switch to a new OB-GYN near the end of my second trimester. Other military spouses highly recommended him. He was a 30-minute drive from our home, but I didn’t mind. Anything was better than my first doctor.
He was more professional, and while I wouldn’t say I loved him, at least he wasn’t dismissive or rude. He did his job, and that was enough for me.
My pregnancy was still considered healthy overall. No gestational diabetes, no serious complications. However, my new doctor did note that my cervix was measuring a little short, which could put me at risk for early labor.
Taking It Easy (Sort Of)
So I was told to “take it easy”—but what does that even mean? I’m a naturally independent, always-on-the-go kind of person. Plus, we had just moved to Germany, so there were boxes to unpack and rooms to decorate! My husband had done what he could to set up the house, but it still needed a woman’s touch.
Spoiler alert: my husband was not having it. He was on strict wife-watch, making sure I didn’t overdo it. I did what I could here and there, but ultimately, a lot of our home setup had to wait until after the baby arrived.
Wrapping Up the Second Trimester
So, I entered the third trimester mostly with my feet up, resting—and bored out of my mind. But my baby was growing, I was feeling better, and things were finally settling into place.
Want to keep following my pregnancy journey?
Check out the next post: Third Trimester in Germany
Ayla Ellison 