Help! Here, now and for the future. HELP US SAVE the Maternité Alpine from closure! 2 | MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE | 3 Why does the Maternité Alpine facts. need support? THE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE In recent years 20 to 50% of Costs for emergency transport the pregnant women and accompaniment of the The Maternité Alpine accompanies women wanting to use the services of midwives remain uncovered. MA could not be taken on for and their families from pregnancy to the end of medical reasons. The result: less revenue, but the post-partum and during the breastfeeding nearly constant costs. period. It is the only 24-hour contact Safety and competence Quality that convinces: Longer journeys to the No compensation for point for obstetrical problems within easy reach: 99% positive feedback of home post-partum are not telephone consultations. and emergencies in the short journeys in case of women/families. considered for compensation. Simmental area, the Saanen- emergencies and for every- (Source: Quality Report The annual average of land, and the Pays-d’Enhaut. day questions. Maternité Alpine) 14 000km is twice as long compared to journeys in the centres. Operational results 2017, 2019 and prognosis 2021 Within 3.5 years: Attractive working and Voluntary helpers: training location: Working together against 200 births and 320 women the reduction of basic with new born babies in 7.5 full-time midwife services. a stationary post-partum positions, 1 nurse, period, 1300 prenatal 4 housekeepers, examinations, 2100 post- 1 accountant and partum home visits, 4 midwives in training, 2017: - Fr. 140 000.– 2019: - Fr. 180 000.– 2021: Closure? 400 consultations through internships can also be the obstetrics services. completed. The deficits were balanced by donations. See company report www.maternitealpine.ch 4 | GEBURTshaUS MATERNITÉ ALPINE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE | 5 THE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE Contact point for pregnant women, women giving birth and the childbed. Since the start of operations on 1 January 2017, the Cooperative Maternité Alpine Birth Centre in Zweisimmen has After the closure of the obstetrics department at the been available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. It is hospital of Zweisimmen in April 2015, the population the only 24-hour contact point for emergencies and of the Simmental valley, the Saanenland and of the questions about pregnancy, birth and lactation for Pays-d’Enhaut was very discontented with the gap Heart and soul and passion pay off – the inhabitants of the Simmental region, the Saanen- in basic obstetric care. On 30 July 2015, 49 interested land and the neighbouring Pays-d’Enhaut. Even the parties therefore founded a cooperative. The coop- 99 percent positive feedback tourists can meet the midwives of the Maternité erative now comprises around 320 members (as of Alpine around the clock, a fact that also contributes June 2020). to the attractiveness of the area. When I moved to Saanenland with my family, we expected an addition to the family shortly. The fact that we were able to contact very competent obstetric With the legal form of a cooperative, the idea of self- services around the clock helped us to have a relatively quiet start. As a help, self-administration and -responsibility stands tourism expert I would say that in terms of service and professionalism in the foreground. The cooperative is the financial, Maternité Alpine can easily compare with the usual 5-star hotels in the region. ideational and operational representative of the Flurin Riedi, Managing Director Gstaad Saanenland Tourism Maternité Alpine and works on a non-profit basis. It does not pursue commercial purposes and does not seek to make a profit. I had a great team around me; each midwife was unique and wonderful. I felt very comfortable and above all very safe. I was in the best hands! A big thank-you to you all. We were very satisfied with the our mission. Maternité Alpine. They are wonderful surroundings, thank you for your support, understanding and care, following into the To ensure basic obstetrical care close to the patient’s post-partum home visits. home for the Simmental, the Saanenland and neighbouring regions The maintenance of high quality, midwifery- assisted birth We were very well advised, fantastically looked after and were able to enjoy the almost familiar Constant, close contact and exchange with hospitals, general practitioners, atmosphere. A thousand thanks for all tips, the paediatricians and gynaecologists, as well as with Spitex organisations and mother/ father advisory centres good conversations, the «baby-sitting» service, the great food and care. For us this made all the The training of midwife students difference! The provision of additional services which are not necessary for a birth centre, but are in the interest of the population: telephone consultations, emergency care, etc. I would like to thank all of you for your dedication and all the help available to me Holistic, individualised care and advice – from pregnancy, and my child. Thank you for everything! through birth and post-partum – at the centre and at home 6 | MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE | 7 The Administration: Hansulrich Gammeter, em. President of the Court, Zweisimmen Anne Speiser, President, family woman, Maria Ader, Dr. med., specialist in paediatrics and Grand Councillor, Zweisimmen adolescent medicine, neonatology, Zweisimmen Martin Hefti, Vice-President, Swiss Federal Martin Rothenbühler, Diploma in Audio and Video Electronics, Schönried em. scientific advisor, Bern Marianne Haueter, who we are. Nadine Kleinebekel, Dr. med. Gynaecology and Midwife MSc, Oberwil in the Simmental Obstetrics, Zweisimmen Alexandra Schläppi, Otto Rychener, em. spatial and town planner, financial manager, family woman, Lenk A colourful team with a broad know-how that Zweisimmen Josefine Stattaus, Peter Dürig, Dr. med., specialist for gynaecology and pursues a common goal: the preservation of the tourism manager, family woman, Gstaad obstetrics, Internist, Frutigen Hans Schär, Grand Councillor, Federal Diploma in Rudolf Minnig, Dr. med., em. Chief physician surgery, Maternité Alpine Birth Centre. Electrical Installation, Managing Director, Schönried Zweisimmen Tabitha Perreten, Ursula Michel, farmer’s wife, landlady, family woman, saleswoman, family woman, Lauenen The cooperative administration manages the coop- board. The use of individual strengths and possibili- Former President of Maternité Alpine, Gstaad erative, represents it externally and is responsible ties of laypeople and professionals is our main aim. Rosmarie Willener, saleswoman, family woman, Zweisimmen for supervising the operation of the Maternité Alpine Technical Advisory Board: Birth Centre. It is supported by the technical advisory Fränzi Kuhnen, family woman, butcher, St. Stephan Status: October 2020 Christa Hefti, family woman, saleswoman, Gstaad Anne Speiser Marianne Haueter Maja Hiltbrunner Nadine Kleinebekel President of Cooperative Birth Centre Co-manager of the Maternité Alpine Co-manager of the Maternité Alpine Specialist medical background service Simmental-Saanenland, Maternité Alpine Marianne Haueter from Oberwil i.S. is a graduate Maja Hiltbrunner, new in Oberwil i.S., is a graduate In 2009 Dr. med. Nadine Kleinebekel came to Switzerland Anne Speiser is a family woman, member of the Grand midwife with a master’s degree in «Science of Mid- midwife with a master’s degree in « Science of after her medical studies in Germany and various stays Council and former mayor of Zweisimmen. She is wifery». She has long practical experience as a midwife Nursing ». In addition to many years of practical activity abroad as a practicing medical specialist for gynaecology committed to health care in the region and has been and was a lecturer at the Bern University of Applied as a midwife, she worked as a midwife expert at the and obstetrics. In 2013 she came to Zweisimmen, where an active and supporting member of the cooperative Sciences in the bachelor’s «Midwife» programme. She University Women’s Hospital in Bern, the Triemlispital she now runs a gynaecological practice. She also works Maternité Alpine since its foundation. In 2018 she took has played a major role in setting up the structure of in Zurich and as the person responsible for training at at the hospitals in Zweisimmen and Thun. She was over the presidency. the Maternité Alpine. the cantonal hospital in Freiburg. important in the development of Maternité Alpine. She provides background service for the Maternité Alpine « I am proud to be belong to such a dedicated team. « It is of great concern to me that women and their « The Maternité Alpine is a unique institution in the if the situation requires support of the midwives. The gratitude of the parents and the good regional families in the Alpine region have access to basic Alpine region. I have changed to this company, because anchoring confirm our then daring step of opening a obstetric care close to their homes. The cooperative a small and highly motivated team is able to take care «The pregnant women and their families need care close to birth centre. We keep going and do our absolute best, self-help model is an important alternative to the of women and their families throughout the time from home, especially as obstetrics often lie at the heart of the so that the next generation will also be able to see the closures of clinical obstetrics departments in hospitals pregnancy to birth and the post-partum period at matter. Obstetrics and gynaecology should be part of the light of life in our region. » in rural areas.» home.» general primary care.» 8 | MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE MATERNITÉ ALPINE BIRTH CENTRE | 9 our aims. The Maternité Alpine Birth Centre fulfils an important task in the health care sector. It is important to main- tain and develop the institution – so that the region can continue to be an attractive place for families. Short term objectives Long-term objectives With the donation target of Fr.