Childbirth in the Netherlands. Is that different from childbirth here in the States? Having a baby would be the same anywhere, wouldn't it? Well, actually it isn't. While child birth in the States got more and more medicalized in the twentieth century, birthing in the Netherlands didn't. Look at all those differences Most births are done without pain medication. Not because people over there like to suffer, but because Dutch people truly believe that birth is normal and that pain medication would hamper the flow of an uncomplicated birth. Four out of every ten births happen at home! When you are pregnant, people will ask you where you are going to give birth, and they don't mean which hospital! Actually, insurance won't even pay for a hospital birth if there is no medical reason to be there. Most births are attended by midwives. The c-section rate is much lower than in the States. Insurance will pay for post partum help for the first week after birth. This greatly improves outcomes for both moms and babies. Breech babies are more likely to be born vaginally. Less babies die in the perinatal period. So let's take a more in depth look to what happens when you are pregnant, or deliver in the Netherlands. When you find out or suspect you are pregnant, you make a visit to your family practitioner. He or she will confirm the pregnancy and give you a referral for a midwife. He also will send you to the lab for some bloodwork. You call the midwife to set up your initial appointment, which will happen around 12 weeks. The first visit is spent taking your medical history, answering the questions you have and talking about whether you want a home or a hospital birth. The midwife will screen you for possible complications and refer you to an ob if needed. If you have a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy, you will never see an ob. From then on, you have regular visits with your midwife, starting at every four weeks, to every week when you are close to term. During the whole pregnancy, the midwife will be on the look out for possible risk factors. If there is anything suspicious, she will refer you to an ob, who will decided whether you need to stay under her (more medical) care, or can go back to midwife care. Then the big day arrives, you go into labor! Let's say you birth at home. You will call the midwife and she will come over to check on you. When she thinks you still have a way to go, she will go away again, with instructions when to call her. But when birth is imminent, she will stay. Not only the midwife will be there, but there also will be a nurse/helper. She will come over when the midwife expects the birth to happen within an hour or so. Your bed will be higher than usual, so that it is easier for the midwife to assist you. That is, if you give birth in bed, a birthing stool is a pretty normal option too, most midwives carry one with them. The midwife will attend the birth, taking care of minor medical issues like surturing a tear or episiotomy. She also will monitor your labor and transport you to the hospital if the situation warrants that. Same for after baby has been born. If everything goes alright, the nurse/helper will clean up everything for you and you will be installed in your own bed, clean, and with your wonderful new baby! If you have a hospital birth, you will meet the midwife at the hospital and the scenario is basically the same as at home. You will wear your own clothes, can do your own thing and will not see an ob unless there are complications. If there are complications, your birth will be attended by an ob and a pediatrician when birth is imminent. She will decide whether and which interventions are needed. She will also decide on when pain medication might be beneficial. Still, there are most likely less interventions going to happen than for a similar mom in the States. The end will hopefully be a healthy mom and baby again! If there were no complications, you will be home within 24 hours. The post partum period is very different from here in the States. You will have a few midwife visits during the first week, to check on both mom and baby. The midwife also will administer the PKU test to your baby. Not only that, but you will have somebody in your house to help you! This nurse / mother's helper will keep track of the vital signs of mom and baby and the best part is, she will do your household chores for you!!! She will cook meals, do some cleaning, do the laundry, take care of the other kids and make sure you have the opportunity to rest a lot and enjoy your new baby! I think this post partum help is the best! Not only in a practical sense, but also in a medical sense! Health problems will be picked up sooner than when mom and baby are on their own till the first pediatrician visit at 14 weeks. I hope this has given you a sense of how child birth is handled in the Netherlands. If you have any specific questions, let me know, I will be happy to try to answer them! Page design by mabear | Send email to Karen | Page last updated: Dec 31, 2001 Visit the Plomp Family Home Page | Back to Article Index