Maternity care in the Netherlands, this is what you can expect.

Maternity care is unique, as only in the Netherlands do we offer this arrangement for new parents. During the postpartum period, a maternity nurse visits the parent(s) at home to teach them everything about caring for the baby. They also help with various household tasks—a gift from heaven, you might say! Want to know how to arrange maternity care and what it costs? You can read all about it here.

What is maternity care?

Did you know that maternity care in the Netherlands is unique? Nowhere else in the world do they offer this option to support new mothers (and fathers) during the postpartum period. During the postpartum period, a maternity nurse will assist the parent(s) and teach them everything about caring for the baby. They will also assist and guide them in giving birth. breastfeeding . The maternity nurse stays with the parent(s) for approximately eight to ten days after the birth (De Verloskundige, n.d.).

What else does a maternity nurse do?

Besides teaching you (and your partner) everything about baby care, a maternity nurse does much more. She monitors the mother's recovery daily and checks that everything is going well with the baby. This includes checking their weight, temperature, drinking enough, and bowel and urinary activity. She also takes care of the basic household chores, such as laundry for you and the baby, changing the sheets, and cleaning the nursery and toilet. If you happen to have other children, she'll take care of them too. This gives everyone peace of mind (De Verloskundige, n.d.).

How do you arrange that?

You're responsible for arranging maternity care yourself. Ideally, do this when you're about three months pregnant. It's important to arrange this before the twentieth week of pregnancy. Check with maternity care providers in your area, so the maternity nurse is always nearby. If you're religious, we understand that you'd prefer to work with a provider that has a wide range of maternity nurses from different backgrounds and faiths. Choose the provider you feel comfortable with; they will come to your home and will be closely involved with your baby and family (Grotenhuis, 2021).

How many hours of maternity care are you entitled to?

Legally, you are entitled to a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 80 hours of maternity care spread over eight to ten days. This depends on the situation. You may receive more hours if the mother is not recovering well, if complications arise, if she experiences difficulty breastfeeding, or if she has given birth to multiples. Mothers without a partner also receive more hours of maternity care (De Verloskundige, n.d.). The total hours may also be reduced. For example, if you and your baby have an extended hospital stay during the postpartum period, such as after a cesarean section. For each additional day you are in the hospital, six hours per day are deducted from the total (Grotenhuis, 2021).

The costs

A large portion of maternity care is covered by the basic health insurance package. However, a personal contribution of €4.60 (in 2021) per hour is required. If you have supplementary insurance, there's a good chance your personal contribution will be reimbursed. Check your policy to be sure (Grotenhuis, 2021).

Sources:

The Midwife. (n.d.). Maternity care . Retrieved on December 10, 2021, from https://deverloskundige.nl/net-bevallen/tekstpagina/55/kraamzorg/

Grotenhuis, LT (2021, June 16). Maternity care: what can you expect? Consumers' Association. Retrieved on December 10, 2021, from https://www.consumentenbond.nl/zwanger/kraamzorg