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1. Checklists for a Positive Birth Experience in the Netherlands

Start with understanding your options and making informed decisions.

Checklist to help you feel confident:

  • Where do you feel safe: Home, birth center, or hospital.

  • Select your birth team: Midwife, doula, maternity nurse, and/or gynecologist.

  • Prepare a birth plan: Write down your preferences for pain relief, interventions, and postpartum care.

  • Learn about Dutch maternity care: Understand the role of midwives and kraamzorg (maternity nurse).

  • Practice relaxation techniques: Breathing exercises, massage, and movement can help ease labor.

  • Know your rights: Informed consent, birth choices, and medical decisions matter.

  • Arrange postpartum support: Plan for rest, recovery, and kraamzorg assistance.

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Birth Plan

A birth plan outlines your preferences for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. It can include decisions on pain relief, medical interventions, and newborn procedures.

Here’s a Birth Plan Checklist to help guide your choices:

  • Where to give birth: Home, birth center, or hospital?

  • Atmosphere: Preferences for lighting, music, and atmosphere.

  • Support Team: Who will be present? AND! What do you expect from them? (Partner, doula, midwife, maternity nurse, family members)

  • Pain Management: include your plan for pain management

  • Medical Interventions: You can include medical interventions separately or just saying that you want to be asked for consent before any intervention

  • Positions for Labor & Birth: Upright positions, side-lying, squatting, water birth.

  • Delivery Preferences: Delayed cord clamping, partner catching baby, immediate skin-to-skin.

  • Newborn Care: Breastfeeding preferences, vitamin K shot, first bath timing.

  • Postpartum Recovery: Perineal care, rest period, placenta preferences (encapsulation, disposal, donation).

  • Emergency Scenarios: Plan for unexpected C-section or NICU stay.

 

 

Common Medical Interventions

A guide to common medical interventions used during labor and delivery.

  • Membrane Sweep: A manual procedure where a midwife or doctor gently separates the amniotic sac from the cervix to encourage labor.

  • Cervical Ripening: Methods such as a balloon catheter or medication to help soften and open the cervix before induction.

  • Induction: Initiating labor using medical techniques such as a membrane sweep or synthetic oxytocin.

  • Episiotomy: A small surgical cut made to enlarge the vaginal opening during birth.

  • Fetal Monitoring: Tracking the baby’s heart rate during labor to assess well-being.

  • Forceps Delivery: Assisted delivery using instruments to guide the baby out.

  • Vacuum Extraction: A suction device used to assist with birth if pushing alone is not effective.

  • Head Electrode (Fetal Scalp Electrode): A small electrode attached to the baby's scalp to monitor the heart rate more accurately when external monitoring is insufficient.

  • Epidural anesthesia: A regional pain relief method that numbs the lower body.

  • C-section recovery: Tips for healing after a cesarean birth, including mobility and scar care.
     

Birth Glossary

Guide for common pregnancy and birth terms in Dutch and English to help expat parents navigate the healthcare system.

English Term / Dutch Term

Midwife / Verloskundige

Gynecologist / Gynaecoloog

Contractions/ Weeën

Epidural / Ruggenprik

Home Birth / Thuisbevalling

Birth Center / Geboortecentrum

Hospital Birth / Ziekenhuisbevalling

Doula / Doula

Maternity Nurse / Kraamverzorgster

Water Birth / Waterbevalling

Skin-to-Skin Contact /Huid-op-huid contact

Placenta / Placenta

Postpartum Period / Kraamtijd

Umbilical Cord / Navelstreng

Golden Hour / Gouden Uur

Pain Relief / Pijnverlichting

Meconium / Meconium

Breech Baby / Stuitligging

VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) / Vaginale Bevalling Na Keizersnede

Knowledge

1. Checklists for a Positive Birth Experience in the Netherlands

Checklist to help you feel confident

Birth Plan

Common Medical Interventions

Birth Glossary

2. Where to Give Birth?

Home Birth

Birth Center

Hospital Birth

3. How to Choose Your Birth Team?

Doula

Midwife

Postpartum Doula

Maternity Nurse (Kraamzorg)

4. How to Prepare?

1.   Birth related questions:

Learn and understand the stages of labor

Learn Pain Relief Options (Natural & Medical)

Golden Hour: Why It’s Important

5.  Birth related questions:

1

1

1

2. Where to Give Birth?

Home Birth

A home birth in the Netherlands is a common and safe option for low-risk pregnancies. Midwives are trained to handle home births and will guide you through the process. Pros:

  • Familiar, comfortable environment.

  • Reduced risk of unnecessary medical interventions.

  • Continuous support from your midwife and/or doula.

Cons:

  • Limited access to medical interventions if needed.

  • Possible transfer to a hospital in case of complications.

Preparation:

  • Have a home birth kit ready, will be sent online when you inform your insurance company

  • Discuss pain management techniques with your midwife or doula.

  • Ensure a clean, warm environment for labor and birth.
     

Birth Center

It’s a great middle ground between home and hospital births. Pros:

  • Midwife-led care with fewer interventions.

  • Private, peaceful birth environment.

  • Access to water birth options.

Cons:

  • May require transfer to a hospital for complications.

  • Not all birth centers are equipped for every situation.
     

Hospital Birth

Hospitals provide the highest level of medical care, making them ideal for high-risk pregnancies. Pros:

  • Immediate access to pain relief (epidural) and medical interventions.

  • Specialists available in case of emergency.

  • Neonatal care if required.

Cons:

  • Higher likelihood of interventions.

  • Less control over the birth environment.

3. How to Choose Your Birth Team?

Doula

A doula provides continuous emotional and physical support throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Unlike medical professionals, doulas focus on comfort, reassurance, and advocacy.

Your doula can help you:

  • Create a birth plan.

  • Manage pain with natural techniques like breathing and massage.

  • Advocate for your preferences during labor.

  • Help you navigate decisions and medical interventions.

  • She is always there for you

Doulas support births in homes, birth centers, and hospitals, enhancing positive birth experiences with lower rates of interventions.
 

Midwife

Midwives provide primary maternity care in the Netherlands for low-risk pregnancies. They:

  • Monitor pregnancy health and fetal development.

  • Assist in natural births at home, birth centers, or hospitals.

  • Refer to medical specialists if necessary.
     

Postpartum Doula

A postpartum doula focuses on post-birth recovery, newborn care, and emotional support. They help with:

  • Whatever is necessary for you to feel good, cared for in your postpartum period

  • Breastfeeding guidance.

  • Sleep support for new parents.

  • Meal preparation and home organization.
     

Maternity Nurse (Kraamzorg)

A kraamzorg provides in-home postpartum care in the Netherlands for the first week after birth, assisting with:

  • Baby care education.

  • Recovery support for the birthing person.

  • Household help to ease the transition.

4. How to Prepare?

Courses

  • Online Childbirth Courses: Flexible, self-paced learning from home.

  • In-Person Classes: Hands-on practice and real-time questions.

  • Group Courses: Shared experiences and peer support.

  • Doula Traject: Personalized one-on-one guidance through pregnancy and birth.
     

Learn and understand the stages of labor

  1. Early & Active Labor: Contractions begin, cervix dilates.

  2. Transition & Pushing: The most intense phase before birth.

  3. Delivery of the Placenta: Final stage of labor.
     

Learn Pain Relief Options (Natural & Medical)

  • Breathing techniques

  • Visualisation

  • Mantras, positive affirmations

  • Moving

  • Water

  • Epidural anesthesia
     

Golden Hour: Why It’s Important

The first hour after birth is crucial for:

  • Bonding and skin-to-skin contact.

  • Regulating baby’s temperature and heart rate.

  • Stimulating breastfeeding.

5.  Birth related questions:

What is VBAC?

A Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) is when a person gives birth vaginally after a previous C-section. It is possible with medical approval and careful monitoring.
 

What is a Breech Baby?

A breech baby is positioned bottom or feet first instead of head-down. Some breech positions can be turned through special techniques.
 

What is Meconium?

Meconium is a baby’s first stool, usually passed after birth. If found in amniotic fluid, it may indicate fetal distress.
 

What is Skin-to-Skin Contact?

This practice involves placing a newborn directly on the birthing parent’s chest after birth, promoting bonding and breastfeeding.
 

What is a Perineum?

The perineum is the area between the vagina and anus that stretches during birth. Support your own perineum or use warm compresses, this can help reduce tearing.

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