What is the process of giving birth in the Netherlands? While a birth itself is of course a universal event and goes the same way all over the world, there are many differences in how it is approached. The Netherlands are unique in many ways in how birth care is organized. Giving birth in the Netherlands is therefore different from other countries in Europe and the rest of the world.
Midwife in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands you can visit both a midwife and a gynecologist during your pregnancy. If there is an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, the midwife will guide you. If there are complications during pregnancy or childbirth or if more specialist care is required for another reason, you should go to the gynaecologist. In the Netherlands we also make a distinction between university and regional hospitals. In the university hospitals you go for more complicated care compared to a regional hospital.
At midwifery practice Breedstraat we have short lines of communication with all hospitals in the region. We can consult easily by emailing or calling a gynecologist from the Diakonessenhuis.
Home birth or in the hospital
If you are going to give birth and the pregnancy is uncomplicated, you can choose where you want to give birth. You can choose whether you want to give birth at home or in the hospital. This is also unique in the Netherlands compared to other countries. Abroad, it is much less common to give birth at home, and therefore there are more risks involved. In the Netherlands, almost all people live close to a hospital and we have good cooperation agreements, making a delivery in the hospital as safe as at birth home. In fact, giving birth at home is slightly safer than in the hospital because you are less likely to need interventions. Interventions such as pain relief or contraction inducers can cause other complications. This freedom of choice is a great asset!
Vision giving birth in the Netherlands
There is also a real difference of opinion about medicalization and childbirth in the Netherlands compared to other countries. Outside the Netherlands, there is often more medicalization and interventions are taken more easily, even if these are not scientifically substantiated interventions. Pain relief is also being opted more often, where this is a conscious choice here, it is sometimes standard care abroad. Whether this is right or wrong is a personal choice for everyone. That’s why it’s so nice that you can make your own choices in the Netherlands, and we support you in this.
Maternity care
If your delivery in the hospital went well, in most cases you will go home after a few hours. Abroad, you often stay in hospital for several days. The reason why this is not necessary in the Netherlands is maternity care. A maternity nurse comes to your home every day for 8-10 days and helps you with the care of the baby. She checks with both mother and child to make sure everything is going well. In fact, you will have professional care for much longer after childbirth than if you gave birth abroad. Maternity care is a unique concept that everyone is very happy with.
If you would like to register with our birth practice, please use our handy and simple registration form: Register here
