My experience having my first baby in The Netherlands

Hello, my name is Blanca I am a Spaniard living in the Netherlands and member of the Expat Guide Team and here I’m going to share with you my experience having my first baby in The Netherlands.

The first thing that I have to say is how supported we felt by our midwife right from the start. The checks and updates were always great and helped us to feel secure and supported. It was important for me that they all spoke English as well, so they were able to explain every detail.

When the due date was coming closer, they gave us the option of visiting the hospital so we could see the room and start preparing ourselves mentally for the day. That was important for me as being new to the city. I was a little bit anxious about potentially getting lost on the way when the day finally arrived.

Having a good birth plan ready and with clear points was also very important. I felt our midwife really listened to me and were super accommodating of my requests such as communicating not only with me but each other in English during the delivery so that I was able to understand what was happening, using the epidural and also allowing my mum to be in the room throughout the whole experience.

Leaving the hospital the next day after having my baby for me was very scary but when we came home, we had the Kraamzorg who was such good help. I have to admit that it was a bit weird the first day but by the end we didn’t want her to leave! Our Kraamzorg lady Bianca was able to answer all our questions and to support us throughout the whole week as first time parents.

The first week at home was quite busy. There were lots of comings and goings for various checks on the baby and the fact that this was a home service was amazing as, too be honest, the last thing I wanted to do was go anywhere with a week-old baby. The people who came to do the checks that week were also those at the Consulatatiebureau, which I found to be a great service, just a place to take your baby and talk about your insecurities and worries. They give such amazing support and help in all the matters.

All in all my experience was a really positive one especially when considering it was my first child, in a foreign country, with a language I didn’t understand and totally different from the system that is my home country. And I hope that this blog is able to put your mind at ease and reassure if you are in the same situation as well as give you some idea of what to expect in the process.