What does a midwife (położna) do in Poland?
In Polish a midwife is a położna. It is a licensed medical profession: every midwife has a professional licence number (PWZ) that you can check in the public register of the Polish Chamber of Nurses and Midwives. Midwives care for women in pregnancy, during birth and after it, and for newborns.
A private midwife usually comes to your home. Typical reasons to book one are:
- postnatal visits: checking how you recover after the birth, the baby's weight, the belly button and jaundice
- breastfeeding help: latch, pain, engorgement, low supply, feeding plan
- newborn care: bathing, nappy changes, carrying, sleep
- preparing for the birth and the first weeks at home
Free NFZ midwife or a private midwife?
If you are insured with the NFZ (Poland's public health insurer), you can choose a POZ midwife (a primary care midwife funded by the NFZ) by signing a deklaracja wyboru (declaration of choice) at a clinic, ideally during pregnancy. After the birth she makes at least 4 free postnatal home visits, called wizyty patronażowe, until the baby is 6 weeks old. Meetings with a POZ midwife during pregnancy are covered by the NFZ too, from the confirmation of pregnancy until the birth.
The NFZ midwife is assigned by the clinic you choose, and English is not guaranteed. A private midwife is paid by you, but you pick the person, the language, the date and the length of the visit. Many families combine both: the free NFZ visits plus a private midwife for breastfeeding or extra support.
| NFZ (POZ) midwife | Private midwife | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free with NFZ insurance | Paid per visit, price on the profile |
| Who you see | A midwife at the clinic you chose | The midwife you choose |
| Language | Usually Polish, English not guaranteed | English if the profile lists it |
| When | At least 4 home visits until week 6 | Any time, as often as you need |
Which part of Warsaw do the midwives cover?
Midwives travel within the radius shown on their profile, usually about 10 km from the place they list. From the centre of Warsaw that covers most districts, for example Śródmieście, Mokotów, Wola, Ochota, Żoliborz, Praga, Ursynów and Bielany. If you live at the edge of the city or outside it, for example in Piaseczno, Pruszków or Marki, check the travel area on the profile or ask when you book.