I work in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of the Fatebenefratelli hospital in St.Veit/Glan and at the beginning of one of my shifts, the night team informed me that during the night a refugee woman of Asian provenance had given birth with no complications. The woman spoke neither German nor English and verbal communication was therefore practically impossible: no one in the hospital spoke her language. The only tools the midwife in charge of her case could use were empathy and sensitivity.

At some point during the day, an employee of the refugee center where the family was being lodged brought her husband and the couple’s two other children, aged three and five, to visit her in the hospital. The father was overjoyed to see that his wife and his new child were doing well and the older children were very curious about the new arrival.

The woman’s husband spoke English and finally some verbal communication was possible and we were able to clear up some issues, At this point, we set about finding a private space for the family where they could welcome and celebrate the new baby with dignity,

To this end, the staff, i.e., an apprentice midwife, a midwife and a social worker, organized a small party, complete with refreshments, cakes and toys, The family’s happiness and comfort upon being received in this way was palpable: they were delighted to be treated so well and for us it was a pleasure to receive their sincere thanks and to transmit them to the department’s entire staff.