A now even bumpier bump (+ why you should give birth in Germany!)

Here's my even bumpier baby bump :) (Say that 10x fast!)

30. SSW* (looking a bit spacy? + with timer I was looking at the screen + not the lens..oops!
but managed later on; apparently the toe pop was a thing for this round)

(Apparently I've been forgetting to try the sucked in/pushed out versions...It is still possible for me to do both, but in photographing I've apparently forgotten :) Ah well) I've sprinkled the pictures inbetween the advantages of Germany.

end of the 30. SSW with a thank you bouquet from the parents of my class
-- it's as big as I am -- even with baby bump!

And here's why it's amazing being pregnant -- + (why I'm looking forward to) giving birth -- in Germany (I don't know how my American sisters manage/afford it!)

Again with the toe pop..+ the tongue :)

• die Krankenversicherung (Vor- und Nachsorgeuntersuchungen)
• = health insurance -- prenatal and postnatal care is covered + extensive! prenatally I get an appointment with the gynocologist every 4 weeks, and then every 2 weeks starting at the 32. SSW*. I'm not sure what all is included in the postnatal care, but one of those things is "Wochenbett" care. See below.

32. SSW; peaceful contemplations of a ripe wheat field

• der Mutterschutz
• = mother protection -- or rather, 6 weeks before your expected date for giving birth you are legally no longer allowed to work** -- but you still get paid in full -- and then 8 weeks after having given birth as well. If your baby should come earlier or later, you still get the 14 weeks. In fact, if you have a premature birth, give birth to multiples or your child has a disability the 8 weeks are extended to 12 weeks. 
• ((** You are allowed, as a pregnant woman or new mother, to get special permission to continue/resume work during this time, but you are not required to work during this time))

see? 32. SSW!

• das Wochenbett
• = weekly bed; this refers to the 10 days of care guaranteed by health insurance during which a midwife can come to your home + check to make sure your postnatal recovery is going well -- because it makes sense that after having given birth, you rest up a bit! :)

It also happened to be our 8th anniversary! We were going for another type of ABC (this time an anniversary beach crawl)...but circumstances conspired against us. So we kissed in the sun (instead of being blinded) + smiled in the shade!

• die Hebamme
• = midwife; midwives are a big thing in Germany + in fact a midwife is legally required to be at a birth, whereas a doctor only 'may' also be present -- this goes for hospitals as well as birthing centers and other birthing locations

• der Kündigungsschutz
• = protection from being let go; you cannot be fired (I'm sure you could find a way to provoke an exception, but for normal situations...) as soon as you tell your employer that you are pregnant (and have a doctor's note), during Mutterschutz and during Elternzeit
• die Elternzeit
• = parent time; you are legally allowed to take up to 3 years off, during which time you cannot be fired + have a legal right to your old position; this goes for BOTH parents -- you can divide the 36 months between the two of you; the first 12 months you can receive 2/3 of the average of your previous 12 months' net pay
• AND these 3 years count toward your retirement. Wow, Germany!

End of the 32. SSW -- AND the last day of school! (+ looking stylish in crocs :) )
Tears were of course also shed, because I had to say goodbye to the class I've taught for 5 years :'(,
but now on to the next great adventure!

• das Kindergeld
• = child money, or rather, money you get because you have a child (whether biologically born to you or adopted); this is about 200€/month PER child -- until the child is 25 years old!!!

And a BIG thank you to this wonderful man for supporting me through all 5 years of teaching my class!
+ of course, he's also my partner-in-crime for our next adventure ;-)

*Do you remember what this meant? SSW = Schwangerschaftswoche, i.e. pregnancy week