Childbirth is always an exciting time. Whether it is your first child, or you have given birth before, it remains an exciting event. Because childbirth is a collaboration between mother and child, every birth is different and it is impossible to predict what will happen exactly.
In principle, childbirth is a natural process. We will coach you through this process. It is your choice where to give birth, but sometimes we need to refer you for a hospital birth if we expect medical complications. Read more about giving birth in The Netherlands and where you can give birth. It is also your choice in finding a comfortable birthing position. We know that vertical positions can speed up the baby descending into the birth canal and generally speed up the birthing process. If you have any special requests or questions regarding your delivery, you can always discuss them with us.
Class
It is beneficial to prepare for childbirth by attending a class, knowing what to expect gives confidence in the run-up to the delivery. Women who prepare well for childbirth will also have a more positive experience of the delivery. We hold our own Dutch pregnancy class and this website lists many other classes. Choose something that fits your needs, you can always ask us for advice.
Birth requests/expectations
Around week 35 we will schedule a longer appointment to discuss your requests or expectations for the birth. To help you prepare for this discussion we will e-mail you a format around week 30, which can also be downloaded here. Of course you are welcome to create your own document. Please complete and return to us so that we can read it before your next appointment. The email containing the format will also include a link to our information evening schedule. If you would like to receive this email sooner, please ask our assistant.
All information in one place
You can read everything about the birth in our practice brochure (such as the first stages of labour, essentials items and the process of birth). Under the tab ‘brochures and links’ you can also find a large selection of interesting information about preparation to the birth
