Prenatal and Postnatal Care
You are entitled to certain care both during and after the pregnancy
Prenatal Care
Make an appointment with a midwife as soon as you know you are expecting. Your midwide will inform your GP about the pregnancy. The first appointment entails an initial screening to identify any complications and to discuss topics such as: due date, previous pregnancies, your health, and your personal situation. This is the time that you can also indicate whether you would prefer a home birth, a hospital birth, or a birth centre. Birth centres offer a homelier atmosphere than a hospital, but can only be used if it is not medically necessary to have a hospital birth. After your first appointment, in general, you will meet your midwife or obstetrician every four weeks in the first half of the pregnancy. The weekly appointments will increase as the due date is approaching.
Consult the Royal Dutch Organisation of Midwiwes (KNOV) or ask your GP for a directory of local midwives!
Postnatal Care
In the Netherlands, every woman is entitled to a maternity nurse (Kraamzorg) covered by the basic health insurance. The service includes a medical professional who visits your home every day during the week following the birth. The maternity nurse can answer any questions you have, offer advice, and even assist with general household chores. The Kraamzorg will either be available full-time or for just a few hours a day, depending on your needs.
Read more on iamexpat.nl
