Preparing for the delivery
Practical matters
As your pregnancy progresses, your body will become increasingly prepared for the delivery. This is great, but don’t forget to make the necessary practical arrangements in good time! Here is an overview of what you should or can arrange for yourself in order to be well prepared for the delivery.
Pregnancy class
We highly recommend a pregnancy class if you are pregnant for the first time. For a subsequent pregnancy an abbreviated version is often enough, just to refresh your memory and make sure you take the time to stop and think about the arrival of the new baby. If you haven’t yet figured out which pregnancy class suits you best, then come and look around our midwifery clinic. There are brochures at both locations describing the various classes you can choose from. We have also listed a number of classes for you on our website.
Acknowledgement
If you are not married or not in a registered partnership, then have your partner acknowledge the unborn baby before you are 24 weeks pregnant. By arranging this in time you prevent any hassle afterwards and your partner can become the legal parent. Acknowledgement can be done at the civil registry of the municipality where you live. As the prospective mother you must be present. If your partner is a woman, she must acknowledge your unborn child at all times, even if you are married or are in a registered partnership.
Birth plan
A birth plan is not mandatory. It is a document for the care providers in which you record what you consider important or would want during the delivery. It can’t hurt to think about this in advance, but do consider that things could go differently than planned when giving birth. It may be that you suddenly want something else, or that the situation requires a different approach. However, it is still a good idea to have a birth plan because we will always stick to it if possible. All midwives at our clinic will be aware of it, and if we are forced to hand over the care to a gynaecologist, we will pass on this birth plan as well. You can download a standard format of such a plan here .
Hospital bag and preparation at home
Whether you wish to deliver at home or in the hospital, it is useful to have an emergency bag packed and ready to go, containing everything you need to take to hospital. It is also important to have everything ready at home from the 37th week onwards, even if you intend to deliver your baby in the hospital. During the birth information evening we will tell you exactly what to put in your hospital bag and have ready at home.
Maternity care
It would be best to arrange maternity care quite early in the pregnancy. The choice is yours and the healthcare insurance will reimburse the costs. We collaborate with various self-employed persons (private maternity care) and with the maternity care agency ACK Zorgmaat. We have compiled a list for you here so that you can choose what suits you best.
Postpartum medical check-ups
We will perform the postpartum medical check-ups if you give birth under our supervision or as an outpatient. If you give birth under the supervision of a gynaecologist because of a medical indication, you can still ask us to do the postpartum medical check-ups. Let us know during your pregnancy or register for these check-ups. Ensure that your gynaecologist knows which midwifery clinic will handle your postpartum medical check-ups. During the maternity period in the first week after the birth, we will come to your house to check up on you and your baby.
Maternity care package
Report the pregnancy to your health insurer. If you are eligible for a maternity package under your insurance policy, it will be sent to you automatically. If this is not covered by your insurance, you can purchase a ready-to-go maternity package at the pharmacy or drugstore or order it online.
Arrange a day nursery now!
If you have only just become pregnant, a day nursery is probably the last thing on your mind, but if you want to use one you will have to arrange this as early as possible in the pregnancy. Our advice would be to take care of this after the term ultrasound. Check out the various day nurseries, ask others about their experiences and once you’ve made a choice register as quickly as possible.
