Practical

Practical matters

There’re a lot of things that need to be arranged during your pregnancy but also after the delivery. On this page you will find more information and checklists:

  • Practical checklist with things you have to do during your pregnancy.
  • Baby essential list.
  • The father and baby bond.
  • Birth registration.

What to do during your pregnancy?

  • Please contact a midwife in case of a positive pregnancy test. 

  • Sign up for maternity care by ‘Kraamzorg Het Maantje’ by using the registration form on our website.

  • Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects. You can start to use folic acid from the moment you’ve stopped with contraception and continue for the first 10 weeks of your pregnancy. Visit the website of ‘Voedingscentrum’ (the dutch Nutrition Centre) for more information. 

  • When you visit your dentist, inform them about your pregnancy concerning possible problems with your gums.

  • From the moment you’re pregnant you may join the project ‘Mothers for Mothers’. We’d talked about that on the page ‘Pregnant’. Take a look for more information or visit moedervoormoeder.nl/eng/. 

  • Contact your health insurer and check the possible costs, allowances and compensations when you’re pregnant and in need for care like maternity care. Some company’s offer maternity packages (for free). 

  • If you need childcare we advise you to search for it during your pregnancy because of possible waiting lists. The dutch word for ‘Childcare’ is ‘Kinderopvang’. You can use it by Google for exemple. 

  • You can sign up for special courses like lamaze class, birthing class and prenatal yoga.

  • A good moment to start with setting up the nursery and buying baby stuff is around the 20th week of your pregnancy. By buying babywear it’s useful to know that the most full-term babies can wear size 50-55 in the first two months. 

  • Choose and organize birth announcements. 

  • Prepare for a visit by one of our employees for an intake interview around the 7th month of pregnancy. 

  • Around the 8th month it’s wise to set up a bag with things you need in case of an unexpected hospital delivery. 

  • By 37 weeks it’s important to raise your bed to 80 cm. This is not dependent on where you will deliver, it’s also needed when your midwife and maternity care nurse visit you. You can use bed-risers or beer crates under your bed, or by placing an extra mattress on top of your mattress. Protect your mattress with a mattress protector which should be included in your maternity care package. Bed-risers can be rented (for free) at a home medical supply store (in dutch: ‘Thuiszorgwinkel’).

Baby essential list

 

You can find a baby essential list on this page of our website: baby essential list.

The father and baby bound

Pregnancy is a special period for mothers-to-be and fathers-to-be as well. Mothers require more support from their partners during the physical and hormonal changes in their body. Both parents can better prepare for the new changes within the family if they visit the midwife and childbirth courses together. 

Fathers-to-be can support their partner during the delivery, which can intensify the sudden role change into fatherhood when the baby arrives. 

Tips for a closer father and baby bond: 

  • Stay close to your baby in the first hours after the birth. Babies are often very alert in the first moments after the birth and are looking for eye contact. 
  • Learn early how to care for your infant (changing, bathing, feeding etc.). It may seem difficult and unreal at times, but practicing and doing the care will open a beautiful world. 
  • Most babies will enjoy the bath. You can also bathe or shower together with your infant. Usually your baby will relax and fall asleep afterwards. 
  • Body contact is nice for a baby. Skin-to-skin contact strengthens the bond and will help maintain the baby’s temperature. 
  • Sing a song. Babies love to hear your voice.
  • Make eye contact with your infant.
  • Soon after the maternity week, you can go out with your baby for a nice walk for example. 
  • After 6 weeks your baby will have a smile reflex. You can make your baby laugh by making funny faces or sounds.
  • Frequently talk to your baby. Tell him or her what you’re doing so your child will slowly learn your actions. Talking also teaches the language.
 

Birth registration

In 3 working days after the birth you have to register the birth at the registry office in the municipality where the baby is born. This could be another place than the place where you live, for example by a hospital delivery. Sometimes they’re given the opportunity to register the birth in the hospital. Most of time the father will register the birth, but it could be someone else who was present at the delivery. 

 

 

For register the birth it’s important you take the follow document with you:

  • The official names, date of birth and time of birth of the child. (It’s useful to take a birth document from the hospital or midwife with you.)

  • A valid passport or identity card from the one who’s doing the register. 

  • A valid passport or identity card from the mother. 

  • Bring the act of acknowledgement of paternity if the acknowledgement of paternity was done before the delivery.


The birth registration is for free. They can ask for a fee if you want an official copy from the registration.