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Additional prize Midwives’ Choice: How companies can win midwives’ hearts
An interview with midwife Kathrin Vorbrink
In 2023, the Additional prize Midwives' Choice was presented for the first time at the Kind + Jugend trade fair in cooperation with Hebammen-testen.de. The premiere was met with great interest and led to a lively exchange between midwives, company representatives and organisers. The midwife's perspective as the No. 1 recommender for pregnancy and babyhood carries weight - and has its own standing: interestingly, the midwife jury honoured different products than the mixed jury of the Innovation Award.
Following the successful premiere, the award will also be given in 2024. What do midwives look for in the assessment? How can companies win the hearts of midwives? Kathrin Vorbrink, a freelance midwife for 39 years and member of the 2023 midwifery jury, provides exclusive insights.
At a glance: This is the Additional prize Midwives' Choice
The award is realised in an exclusive cooperation between the Kind + Jugend trade fair and Hebammen-testen.de. The expert jury of midwives will assess various products on the basis of their quality, product benefits and innovative product features. Up to three products can be honoured.
All products that are registered for the Kind + Jugend Innovation Award and have registered for the Additional prize Midwives' Choice nomination in their application have a chance of winning the new additional award.
Kind + Jugend ventured into new territory last year with the Additional prize Midwives' Choice - there had never been an award presented by midwives in this form before. In your opinion, what is special about a jury of midwives?
As midwives, we have a very special view on products and evaluate them differently than a jury from other fields. We are very close to the families and assess the products according to how valuable we believe they are for family life.
What do you value when it comes to the products? What evaluation criteria do you use?
Here, too, I would like to focus on the everyday lives of families: the products simply have to make sense and be a real enrichment. As midwives, we know what parents with children need in their everyday lives.
Which wow moment do you particularly remember from 2023?
My wow moment was a product, the flexible playpen MoveMi from Naolima, which was also honoured with the Innovation Award in the Kids Furniture category. I think the product idea is great and that many parents could benefit from this idea.
The Additional prize Midwives' Choice is part of the renowned Innovation Award, which Kind + Jugend has been presenting for many years as part of the trade fair. As a midwife, how do you see the topic of innovation?
I believe that there are certain wishes or requirements from parents that can be covered by product innovations. I'm thinking, for example, of the issue of sustainability: many parents feel the need for new and more sustainable solutions. That's where the professionals in product development come in! Some innovations become part of everyday life surprisingly quickly and then you wonder why this product didn't exist before.
Let's look ahead: What are you most looking forward to at Kind + Jugend 2024?
Of course, I would be delighted to be part of the midwife jury again and to be able to get to know great new products together with my colleagues. Apart from that, I like to be surprised by what new products the exhibitors have to offer.
Why would you recommend companies to take part in the awards?
From my point of view, I can speak in favour of the Additional prize Midwives' Choice in particular. I think the award from us midwives is worth so much because we know the needs of families so well. In my opinion, companies should get midwives on board much more often, that would be a real enrichment!
Dear Mrs Vorbrink, thank you very much for the interview.
Further information on the Innovation Award and Midwives' Choice Award can be found here .
