MotherChildCenter

• Maximum safety and a sense of closeness for mother and child
• Perinatal focus for optimal neonatal care
• Parent information evening with a tour of the delivery room (also available as online videos)
• Parenting classes – courses for (expectant) parents
• Postpartum Clinic – Follow-up care provided by our midwives in cooperation with the City of Rüsselsheim
• Baby consultant
• Guidance on infant care and assistance with all questions regarding child care
• Outpatient birth
• Misgav Ladach method for cesarean births

Dr. Christiane Wiethoff, Chief Physician at the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at GPR Klinikum, received significant recognition for her outstanding medical expertise. She was named a “Top Physician” by the editorial team of FOCUS-Gesundheit magazine in two disciplines. According to the renowned list of physicians, she ranks among the leading specialists in Germany in both pediatric cardiology and neonatology. 

The popular advice magazine FOCUS-Gesundheit will publish the exclusive 2025 list of doctors on April 29, 2025—for the first time, the recommendation lists will be available on focus-gesundheit.de starting March 11, 2025. This edition lists outstanding specialists across 126 medical fields. 

The GPR Clinic’s Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine offers a wide range of services, including specialized examinations and treatments in the field of pediatric cardiology. Using state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, Dr. Wiethoff’s team ensures comprehensive care for newborns, children, and adolescents with congenital or acquired heart defects. 

The FOCUS list of doctors is considered one of the most prestigious medical referral lists in Germany. It is updated annually and offers patients guidance in selecting highly qualified specialists. 

Parenting Classes - Courses Before and After Birth

Through our Parenting School, we offer (expectant) parents the opportunity to prepare for childbirth and the time afterward through a variety of tailored courses.
By providing information on pregnancy, childbirth, and the early days with your child, as well as through group discussions, we aim to alleviate pre-birth anxieties so that childbirth can be experienced as a special event.
The team at the GPR MUTTERKINDZENTRUM’s Parenting School supports interested individuals from pregnancy through the child’s sixth birthday to help them ease into the role of parent and provide the best possible support for their children.

Overview of our course topics (detailed information can be found in the program booklet).

• Registration for Childbirth
• Parent Information Evening—also available as video presentations, including a free maternity photo session with our Babysmile photographer.
• Counseling by our Baby Guide
• Water aerobics/relaxation for pregnant women
• Baby and Toddler Swimming
• Child First Aid Seminar

Parent Information Evening

To learn more about childbirth options, the Mother-Child Center in Rüsselsheim, or childbirth in general, you can attend our parent information evenings or watch our informational videos, which offer a virtual tour of thedelivery room. 

The Birth of Your Child—A Moving Experience

The birth of a child is a special event for the whole family. With this in mind, we place particular emphasis on individualized, family-oriented care. With our modern delivery suite, we have also created the ideal physical environment for a birth experience in a harmonious atmosphere. Approximately 1,300 children are born at GPR Klinikum each year, making us one of the larger obstetric centers in Germany. While medicine tends to take a backseat during uncomplicated pregnancies and births, we can ensure the greatest possible safety for mother and child in the event of unforeseen complications, as all necessary specialists are always available on-site. As a perinatal center with an attached intensive care unit, we are also able to closely and competently monitor high-risk pregnancies and provide optimal care for premature or sick newborns.

A welcoming environment with a high level of medical safety

The Mother-Child Center in Rüsselsheim consistently implements the concept of a wall-to-wall solution. In fact, only a single wall separates the delivery room from the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, which includes its pediatric intensive care unit. Thanks to these very short distances, maximum safety for mother and child is ensured during and after birth, even in the event of complications. At the Mother-Child Center, there is close collaboration between the maternity ward and the adjacent pediatric clinic. This ensures prompt and optimal care in all situations. With our center-based approach, we meet the requirements for a perinatal center dedicated to providing high-quality neonatal care.

We recommend registering for delivery starting at the 34th week of pregnancy (Phone: 06142 88-1941). Registering early gives you the opportunity to get to know our clinic and allows us to gather all important information at your convenience before labor begins. Registration is available every weekday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We ask that you register by phone in advance.

A Birth in Trust

We aim to provide the expectant mother and her partner with a setting for this momentous occasion, where the birth can be tailored to their individual preferences in a harmonious atmosphere. Once the baby is born, the father is invited to cut the umbilical cord. The mother can hold her baby in her arms immediately and keep the baby with her for as long as she wishes. Often, even while still in the delivery room, the baby begins to seek the mother’s breast. The midwife is happy to assist with the first latch. This initial phase of “getting to know each other” is briefly interrupted only by the newborn examination, including measuring and weighing. If there are any birth injuries, these are treated under local anesthesia.

About two hours after the birth, the mother moves from the delivery room to the maternity ward. Our goal is to support mothers so that they can go home feeling confident and joyful in caring for their newborns and enjoy their new life situation. If she has opted for an outpatient birth, the mother remains in the postpartum area for approximately 3–4 hours after the birth; the baby is examined by pediatricians, and she can go home directly from there.

Shared Experience

The Mother-Child Center follows the concept of “integrative postpartum care.” This means that we support mothers in keeping their child with them around the clock so they can get used to their new family member and learn about their needs. The team of nurses, pediatric nurses, and midwives guides parents in infant care and provides assistance with all questions regarding their child’scare. We want toencourage breastfeeding and support you by helping with the first latch, showing you different breastfeeding positions, and always being there to assist if you encounter any problems.

The birth of a child is an overwhelming experience for most parents. It can bring great joy, but also raise many questions, concerns, or fears. That is why GPR Klinikum created the position of “Babylotse,” which has been held by Ms. Kaja Maiwert-Voß since 2018.

The “Babylotse” program is designed for families navigating pregnancy and childbirth and aims to support them in caring for their child effectively—even in the face of potential daily challenges. The goal is to create thebest possible conditions for the child’s development. At the GPR Clinic, Kaja Maiwert-Voß serves as the Babylotsin, acting as a point of contact for parents from the moment they register through their entire hospital stay. Her role is to advise families and “guide” them into existing early intervention networks. By establishing contact quickly, issues such as unresolved paperwork, uncoordinated postnatal care, the mother’s mental health concerns, or family conflicts can be addressed.

Babylotsinnen are specially trained to recognize the needs of young families and respond to them sensitively. They are well-versed in the region’s “early intervention ecosystem” and can thus guide families to theplaces where they can receive the best advice or support. In doing so, the Babylotsin will already be able to offer some important tips for life with a newborn child. Sometimes, simply talking to an open-minded and patient person is enough to bring clarity to the often quite confusing situation surrounding the birth of a child.

Participation in the Babylotsen program is voluntary and free of charge!