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Having a baby in the Netherlands
2024/10/05 | By ACCESS team with the help of AI | Photo by Markus Spiske
In the Netherlands, the healthcare system offers a comprehensive and personalised approach to childbirth and postnatal care, providing various options catering to the needs of expectant parents. Delivery options include home births, hospital births, and birth centres, each with its unique advantages and support systems. Of course, having a baby ‘far from home’ presents additional challenges, for which the ACCESS Childbirth Preparation Courses are also of value; creating a community of support should not be underestimated, especially for first-time parents far from friends and family.
The terms, consideration and resources below can help new parents understanding limited Dutch to feel more comfortable.
Pregnancy Care
1. Once pregnancy has been confirmed, getting in touch with a midwife (verloskundige) or (gyneacoloog) is your first step. Once in their care, they will keep your GP informed of your progress, noting any additional concerns, if there are any, accordingly.
An overview of what you can expect, during pregnancy care in the Netherlands, can be seen here.
Delivery Options
1. Home Birth (Thuisbevalling)
- Midwife Assistance: Most home births are assisted by a midwife who provides prenatal care and attends the birth.
- Safety Measures: Home births are common and considered safe for low-risk pregnancies. The midwife brings necessary medical supplies and monitors the mother and baby’s health.
- Emergency Plan: In case of complications, a plan for transfer to a hospital is in place.
2. Hospital Birth (Ziekenhuisbevalling)
- Outpatient Birth (Poliklinische Bevalling): If the pregnancy is low-risk, a woman can choose to give birth in a hospital under the care of her midwife, and is often released to go home a few hours following the delivery.
- Medically-indicated Birth: For high-risk pregnancies or if complications arise, the birth is managed by an obstetrician and a hospital team.
- Private Room: Most hospitals offer private rooms for delivery and post-delivery recovery. Whether or not private rooms are covered, will depend on your insurance.
3. Birth Centres (Geboortecentrums)
- Midwife-Led: These centres provide a home-like environment with medical facilities. They are often located close to hospitals.
- Comfort and Support: They offer various facilities such as birthing pools and personalised support.
Pain management: there are many ‘myths’ about pain medication during a birth in the Netherlands. This is a topic which needs to be discussed with your midwife or obstetrician, or which you will learn about during birth preparation courses. Advice from other international parents is: ask questions; seek clarification; be aware that ‘expectations’ between countries, languages, cultures can differ, so the onus is on new parents to ask their questions and ensure understanding is clear.
Post-Delivery Support and Care
1. Maternity Care (Kraamzorg)
- Maternity Nurse (Kraamverzorgster): A maternity nurse visits the home daily for the first week to ten days after birth. She assists with new-born care, supports the mother’s recovery, helps with breastfeeding, and performs light household tasks. In case there are older children, some care is also offered here, to ensure new parents can focus on the new born child.
- Health Checks: The nurse monitors the health of the mother and baby, ensuring that they are recovering well.
2. Midwife Visits (Verloskundige)
- Postnatal Check-ups: The midwife visits the home a few times during the first week after birth to check on the mother’s and baby’s health.
- Consultation: Mothers can contact their midwife for any concerns during the first six weeks after birth.
3. Child Health Clinic (Consultatiebureau)
- Routine Check-ups: After the maternity care period ends, the child health clinic takes over. It monitors the baby’s growth and development, administers vaccinations, and provide parenting support.
- Parental Guidance: It offers advice on feeding, sleeping, and general care.
It is important for non-Dutch parents to keep in mind that growth charts are based on Dutch ‘norms’. So if your child measures small, be sure to get a growth chart from your home countries for monitoring growth closer to your own background.
Additional Support and Resources
1. Breastfeeding Support (borstvoeding)
- Lactation Consultants: Available through midwives, hospitals, or private practices to help with breastfeeding challenges.
- Breastfeeding Groups: Community support groups for breastfeeding mothers.
2. Mental Health Support
- Postpartum Depression: Access to psychologists and counsellors specialising in postpartum mental health.
- Support Groups: Community and online support groups for new parents.
3. Parental Leave
- Maternity Leave: Mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave (zwangerschapsverlof), starting 4-6 weeks before the due date.
- Paternity Leave: Partners can take six weeks of paid leave (geboorteverlof), including one week immediately after the birth and an additional five weeks within the first six months.
There are also several different options for parents in cases which may require additional leave – the key word to google, is verloof, ‘leave’, and most of this information can be found here: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.
4. Parental Classes and Workshops
- Prenatal Classes (zwangerschapscursussen): Courses on childbirth preparation, breastfeeding, and new-born care.
- Postnatal Courses: Classes on baby massage, postpartum fitness, and parenting skills.
Overall, the Dutch healthcare system emphasises a high level of personalised care with a strong focus on home births and community-based support, providing comprehensive care from pregnancy through the early weeks of parenthood.
For more information about Having a baby in the Netherlands click here.
If you wish to visit ACCESS Counselling Service Network (CSN) click here. ACCESS CSN are psychologists, mental health counsellors and social workers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. They offer a diversity of expertise in different areas.
If you wish to visit ACCESS Training Network (ATN) click here. ATN is a diverse group of professionals serving the international community in the Netherlands.
For more information about ACCESS with AI click here.