Pregnant pause

German hospitals have seen a surge in the number of planned births this week after a generous government aid programme for parents of newborns took effect.

The government, worried about a shrinking population, introduced benefits worth up to 25,200 euros (£17,000 ) to encourage working couples to have children. But only babies born from January 1 qualify.

"A lot of women who were scheduled for planned deliveries last month asked to postpone til this week," Klaus Vetter, chief doctor at Vivantes hospital in Berlin's Neukoelln district , told Reuters.

"For some, there's a lot of money at stake and they quite reasonably ask: 'if it won't hurt the baby, why not wait?'," he said on Tuesday after performing a Caesarean section. He advised the mother to have the operation a week ago in her 38th week.

"But she wanted to wait. There was a small risk but everything worked out okay. It was a healthy boy."

German media have been full of tips on how women could hold off giving birth until January 1 -- from avoiding physical and sexual activity to taking magnesium and homeopathic medicines.

But medical experts urged pregnant women against medical intervention to delay births, warning of complications and saying it would have only a minimal impact on the timing.

A parent who takes time off from work to care for a newborn can receive two-thirds of their net monthly salary, up to a maximum of 1,800 euros, for 12 months. If the other parent takes a further two months off, the benefit is extended to 14 months.

Germany has a population of 82 million but low birth rates mean average ages are creeping up and seen as one of the factors hampering the development of Europe's largest economy.

"I was thinking 'hold on, hold on, hold on'," said Julia Gotschlich. Her baby Inka Angelina was born at 1 a.m. on Jan 1.

But Jessica Koch, whose baby Nicolas came on Dec 30. well ahead of schedule, was disappointed she just missed out on the "Elterngeld" (parent money) even though she was relieved her baby was healthy.

"He came five weeks early," Koch told Sat-1 television. She calculated she lost out on 900 euros per month. "I'm sure there will be days I'll think 'Darn, the 900 euros would be handy'."

One Munich woman was due to deliver twins on January 22 but her doctor ordered a Caesarean section on December 29 -- because one of the 41-year-old mother's twin foetuses was having problems.

"It means more than 20,000 euros (lost) to me," Gabriele Meyer told Reuters. The career mother would have got 1,800 euros per month for a child plus 300 euros for the second child.

Her husband Jens Meyer, a manager at BMW, plans to appeal directly to Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen -- citing a medical emergency. He says he has not ruled out a lawsuit.

The government has ruled out making any exceptions and rejected direct appeals for leniency from the Protestant church.