What to organise?
When you are pregnant you have a lot of things to deal with. You are given a lot of information and need to organise various things.
Here is a list of priorities for you to organise:
Kraamzorg:
It is important that you register with a kraamzorg bureau between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. A kraamverzorgster (maternity carer) is a specially trained carer who will come to your home during the week after the birth and provide care for both you and your baby. She will come to your home for a number of hours per day to check you and your baby and help you and your partner learn how to take care of the baby. You are best to register with the kraamzorg bureau after the dating scan at 11/12 weeks, then you have a definite due date. There are different kraamzorg bureaus to choose from. We work closely with Kraamzorg de Eilanden. They have a special ‘Delft team’ wheich means that we know each other well and have a good working relationship. You are free to choose your own kraamzorg bureau, but make sure you register before 16 weeks. Check with your health insurance company with regard to reimbursement of the costs, this can be different per insurer and policy.
Also check with your health insurance company whether they will provide you with a kraampakket, this is important to have at home in time for the birth, also if you are choosing for a hospital birth.
Acknowledgment of paternity
In the Netherlands, if a man and a woman are married or are in a registered partnership and have a child, the mother’s husband is automatically designated the child’s lawful father, whether or not he is the child’s biological father.
Paternity can be registered at the city hall, in some situations this needs to be done in the pregnancy:
- If you are married and you want the baby to have the mother´s surname
- If you are not married and you want the baby to have the father´s last name
If you are married and you want the baby to have the father´s last name, then you do not need to register paternity.
Folic acid:
Folic acid is a vitamin that plays an important role in the development of the central nervous system of the baby. It can help prevent spina bifida and is therefore recommended by the department of health that all women trying to get pregnant and up to the 10th week of pregnancy take 400-500 microgram per day. Folic acid tablets are available over the counter in drug stores and chemists.
Declaration of pregnancy:
Your employer may require a declaration of pregnancy so that you can organise your maternity leave with them. You will be issued a declaration of pregnancy after your dating scan when we can determine your estimated due date.
