Home or hospital delivery?

Your own choice

If the pregnancy is progressing healthily and normally, you can choose where you want to give birth in the Netherlands. You can opt for a birth at home or in hospital.

Research has shown that a home birth is just as safe as one in the hospital. This is because the midwife continuously carries out risk assessments and because she has the same equipment and resources as the ones used in hospital. It is important for you to know to give birth in the place where you think you are most comfortable.

No matter where it will be (at home or in hospital), we will supervise the delivery. We would like to know what you prefer, so that we can take your wishes into account. However, you can always change your mind at the last minute. You will not be the first to only find out during the delivery that you prefer to stay at home, or prefer to go to hospital after all!

In The Netherlands we offer you the unique opportunity of giving birth at home. At home you are in your own trusted environment and you and your partner are largely in control over the course of the delivery. Because you are at home in a familiar environment, you will be better able to relax. This is very important for your delivery to progress well.

Maternity care

The maternity nurse assists us at home during the delivery. After the delivery, she also provides initial care and support. For more information, refer Maternity care.

Handover

If any problems or complications arise during childbirth at home, we will be in touch with the gynecologist. We continuously carry out risk assessments during the delivery, which implies that we often identify problems in time. That allows for enough time to go to the hospital if required. In addition, we are also trained well to intervene ourselves in case of escalation and to provide excellent care.

Information sessions

To prepare well for your delivery, it is recommended to follow a pregnancy course. We also invite you to attend an information session. There are different types of information sessions, including an information session that we organize ourselves regularly. Refer the information session section on this website for more information.

It might be you rather prefer a hospital birth, as you may feel safer in the hospital, or because there may be circumstances at home that lead to a hospital delivery being preferred.

An outpatient clinic (at the hospital) birth always starts at home. During your pregnancy, we will provide you with instructions when to call us. After your call, we will first visit you at home and then we can agree on a good time to go to the hospital. Three hours after childbirth, after having recovered for a while, after having some food and after having a shower, you can go home again.

In case complications or problems arise, we will consult with the doctor or clinical midwife on duty. Gynecologists are not always available at the hospital 24 hours a day. They are on call though, but have to commute from home first.

If your delivery went well, you will go home with your baby as soon as possible. This may be as early as a few hours after your delivery.

Costs

Choosing for having your delivery in the outpatient clinic often incurs additional costs. You can inquire with your health insurance for the exact amount.

Unfortunately, there is no free parking at the hospital either. If you have to stay in the hospital for an extended period, it is possible to buy a parking ticket for 15 euros per week..

Sign up

If you have decided on an outpatient delivery during pregnancy, you must register at the hospital. In our practice we assist outpatient deliveries at the Meander Medical Center (MMC) in Amersfoort. You will receive the registration form during your check-up or you can request it from our assistants.

Maternity care (‘kraamzorg’)

As of May 2014, it is also possible for the maternity nurse to assist us during your delivery in the hospital. After the delivery, the maternity nurse will go home with you and provide care from home.
If there is a reason that your care is handed over to the hospital during your delivery (e.g. due to complications), the maternity nurse will do a handover to a nurse.
For more information, refer Maternity care. Only maternity care agencies that are member of KSV (Kraamzorg Samenwerkingsverband) offer this service.

Handover

If problems or complications arise during the delivery, we will consult with the gynecologist. We continuously perform risk assessments during your delivery, so we identify problems in a timely fashion. The physician assistants or clinical midwife will take over our responsibility for the delivery. Because you are already in the hospital, you no longer have to move.

Information sessions

To prepare for a delivery in the hospital, nurses from the Maternity and Obstetrics department, in collaboration with the Pediatrics department, regularly organize information sessions entitled “Hoe bevalt het?” (in Dutch).

For more information, please visit het Meander Medisch Centrum.

There are other types of information evenings. For more information, refer our Information session section.

Medical indications

If there are medical indications, your delivery will have to be supervised by a gynecologist. A medical indication may already exist before delivery but may also arise during your pregnancy and even delivery. This occurs when the course of the pregnancy and / or delivery deviates from normal.

Deciding together starts with 3 good questions

There are many choices to be made during pregnancy and delivery. Examples include: Giving birth at home or in hospital, what pain relief can I choose? When you go to the midwife or gynecologist, you always have several options from which to choose. Which treatment or which care fits you best depends on a number of things. For example your situation at home and what your preferences are.

It is important to discuss these matters together with your midwife or gynecologist. You can do this by asking 3 good questions:

1. What are my options?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these options?
3. What does that mean in my situation?

These questions challenge your midwife or gynecologist to provide good information and to have an open conversation with you. You can then decide together with him or her which treatment or care is best for you.

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