Hey @overthemoon :) welcome! I've added you to the Austria group

Hi all!
I'm living in Vienna and have a 9 month old boy. I stumbled upon this page and decided to check it out. Nice to read things that i can actually relate to.

Haha I know what you mean! Even when I type "____ in Austria" into Google I always get: showing results for "___ in Australia"

Yeah there aren't many of us on here but I'm hoping it'll slowly increase haha I started a group for Austrians. Search Austria in groups and join !

I'm 29w1d currently and living in Graz. Write a comment in the group and we can continue chatting there :)

Oh god! Hey! I'm Austrian! I thought we don't exist on here ? I'm currently 13 weeks 5 days pregnant! I'm salzburgerin! It's nice to see some Austrians on here who don't think 'sorry what Australian? No! Austrian- the country where you also speak German?? Ohhhh yes yes German okay' ? gosh... How are all mommy's doing? ?

I always thought I would wait till the birth to find out because my mom did with all of us, but the reality was very different! Once I was pregnant I couldn't imagine not knowing the whole time. We are having a boy :) We would have been happy either way, but it's cool using a pronoun and only having to decide on one name.

Yeah finding a job is next to impossible without knowing German. Unfortunately they don't have any English masters programs in Graz in my field (did a bachelors in finance and international business), only in technical fields. Learning German was a pain in the butt. Just remember that it takes a long time to learn the basics, so actually speaking will take longer than for people learning English (very easy grammar). I took intensive courses (2.5 hours a day 5 days a week) for 3 semesters and it was very helpful. Try looking for a student who will tutor you for 10€/hour and learn the basics while training more at home with websites like duolingo.com. There are quite a few Facebook groups for tutoring (Nachhilfe) you can post on.

Thank you for all this great information. It will be a good starting point for me.

It is great that you get monthly doc visits here. I think that is so important for monitoring baby's development and making sure everything is going well.

Do you already know the sex of your baby or do you plan to be surprised?

1. We were actually quite lucky and got pregnant the one time we weren't careful enough. I did however take 3 tests to confirm. Unfortunately there is no Walmart or something here so no cheap options. Don't buy your tests from a pharmacy, they're the most expensive. I bought mine from DM (non digital), and then got the one that tells you how far along you are after I tested positive. Another option is Amazon Deutschland. You can find a lot of good deals.

2. I wouldn't stress too much about finding an OBGYN because you can always switch if you don't click. Go on www.docfinder.at because there are tons of reviews you can read on doctors (use chrome and it has an auto translate website function). Some profiles even mention the languages they speak. It should be no problem finding a doctor who speaks English to you.

3. You only have to register if you need to schedule a C section, otherwise it's impossible to say when you'd arrive. Once you're confirmed pregnant you are given a yellow booklet (Mutterkindpass) and your doctor documents everything into it (blood tests done, results, ultrasounds, your weight and blood pressure each time, and your kids measurements etc). This way your doctor at the hospital will have all relevant info on your pregnancy. This is also used for the first year or two of your kids development and vaccinations. It's very handy.

4. In terms of what tests you should get done etc, yes they do. My doc informed me of the optional genetic tests and organ screenings I could take and when I have to do them. He even referred me to a doctor and everything. Also, they tell you when you need to do the glucose test etc. They also perform blood and urine tests almost each month at the office to check your vitamin levels and make sure you don't have any infections that can harm the baby.

5. I do plan on taking birthing classes. The city itself offers free classes, which my friend took and said were great. There are also a lot of other places you can take them and pricing ranges from 80€-120€ per couple (around 9 hours in total). They may offer English ones in Vienna because it's a bigger city than Graz. You can also contact a Hebamme (midwife) who speaks English and get a quote on how much private classes would cost (all offer them).

On a personal note. I met my husband in the US. He was there on a work permit to gain some international experience and to improve his English. We spent 4 years together there then moved to Austria so I could get to know his culture and maybe pick up a foreign language. To be honest it's been harder than I expected. I wasn't able to find a job so I enrolled in an English speaking Master program. It's also taking me longer than expected to learn German. It's my first foreign language so I guess that can be expected. Anyway, I'll just keep at it. I still get the family benefits though since I have the Austrian card.

This is great!

First of all, congratulations on your engagement and your expected bundle!!!

Mein Deutsch ist sehr schlecht. So I have a lot of anxiety about going through this in a foreign country. I don't want to get ahead of myself because I haven't gotten a positive test yet but most of my primary questions are:

1. Did you have to test a lot? If so where did you buy your tests? Online? apotheke? Bipa/DM? I have a few on hand that I brought back from my last visit home in july but don't know how long they will last.

2. How did you pick a OBGYN?

3. I heard you have to register with the hospital as soon as you find out you are pregnant. is that true?

4. Did your OB walk you through all the steps you have to take?

5. Did you or are you planning to take birthing classes? If so, were they in English or Deutsch? Were they covered by insurance?

This is also our first, he's 29 and I'm 27. We got engaged last August and planned to get married in September and start trying next year, but our little guy had other plans haha I'm currently 27 weeks 5 days. I'd be glad to share my experience so far :) to be honest it's been quite nice and love the support they have here for mothers ex./ Mutterschutz (stop working) 8 weeks before my due date, 2 years maternity leave etc. We also get a doc check up every month till 28 weeks then every 2 weeks and I only had to pay 90€ extra to get an ultrasound and photos every time I have an appointment(including 3D photos) ! I'm going to go to the hospital here for their info night in the next couple of weeks, and hope to get a better idea of the whole birthing process here. But from what I've read so far, Austria has a perfect mix of midwife (very natural) and hospital (all medical) style when it comes to pregnancy and birth. Where did you meet your Austrian? How'd you end up here ?

Yes. This will be our first. We kinda got started late. Met when we were 29, got married at 32 and now at 34 we are trying for our first. I'm so excited.

How far along are you and how many kids do you have already?

I have so many questions about having children in Austria. Hoping I can learn from you or we can figure it out together.

Hey! I can't believe there's finally someone living in Austria haha I created a group called Austria if you want to join it. There's literally only me in it so far, but I'm hoping more expats living here download the app and join over time.

Starting this month? Very cool! Good luck with everything :) will it be your first kid?

Hi I'm American living in Austria with my hubby. He's Austrian and we've been living here for 1.5 years near Vienna. We just started TTC this cycle.