What to take care of

A maternity assistant assists us during the delivery and will stay in your house for a few days afterwards to take care of you and your baby. She checks on you and your baby. She will teach you how to take care of your child, help you with feedings and keep the household running in the way you’re used to.

It is important to arrange postnatal care at the beginning of your pregnancy. You can ask your health insurer where to apply.

The acknowledgment of paternity of the child is not the same as obtaining parental responsibility. When you’re not married, you will have to arrange that both parents have parental responsibility. To do this you have to issue a request to the family court. The forms you will need for this you can get when you arrange the recognition of the child. You can also issue a request digitally at Digitaal loket Rechtspraak.
For more information you can visit the website from Rijksoverheid.
Also take a look at the website of the Rijksoverheid for other information about what to take care of during pregnancy.

If you’re pregnant you have the right to pregnancy- and delivery-leave. Together this takes up about 16 weeks. The pregnancy-leave can start 4 to 6 weeks prior to the due date. If you stop 6 weeks before the due date you will have 10 weeks delivery-leave. If you stop 4 weeks before, you will have 12 weeks of delivery-leave.
If you deliver later than your due date this does not reduce the amount of delivery-leave you have. If you deliver before your pregnancy-leave has started, your 16 week period leave will start at that time. Your employer will ask you for a pregnancy-statement. You can get one of those from us.

If you are self-employed, you are also entitled to maternity benefits from the UWV (beside the benefits you might receive from your own disability insurance). You can find more information on the website of the UWV (in Dutch). 

Your employer has to ensure that during your pregnancy you can work in a safe and healthy manner. If necessary, you can negotiate a temporary change of job within the company or different working hours. Sometimes it’s wise to make a preventative appointment with your company doctor.
For more information about pregnancy-leave or about illness during your pregnancy you can visit the website from Rijksoverheid.
Also take a look at the website of the Rijksoverheid for other information about what to take care of during pregnancy.

We advise, especially during a first pregnancy, to take a pregnancy-course. It is good to prepare yourself for what is to come. But also during a second pregnancy it can be nice to spend one evening a week just thinking about your pregnancy. Depending on the kind of course you’re taking (possibly with your partner), you will get information about pregnancy and the delivery. In general, attention is also paid to breathing- and relaxation-techniques.

Most courses start around the 26th week of pregnancy. It is advisable that you sign up at an early time. By visiting ‘usefull links’ you can find the addresses for different pregnancy-courses in your area.

During the delivery and the postnatal stage you need a labor-/postnatal package. Usually, this package is delivered by you insurer. In case your insurer doesn’t cover the package, you can get one at the drugstore, pharmacy or special babycare-stores.

It seems as if it’s still too early to think about daycare, but there’s usually a waiting-list. That’s why it’s important to orientate yourself as to the different possibilities and that you sign up your child in a timely fashion.