Who’s here for us now?

About ten days after giving birth, most parents feel confident and well-informed enough to care for their baby on their own. Our care — and that of the maternity nurse — is no longer needed at that point.

If everything is going well for you and your baby, we and the maternity nurse will end our care around 8–10 days after birth and will no longer visit you at home. This can feel like an exciting moment — doing it on your own as parents — but usually it’s also a wonderful feeling to continue independently as a family.

Midwife

For the first six weeks after birth, you can always call us with any questions related to your delivery or postpartum recovery.

Your postnatal check-up takes place around six weeks after giving birth. If you’d like to discuss your birth, have any concerns, or simply want to show us your baby, you’re very welcome to come in for a check-up. During this 30-minute appointment, we’ll review the birth and evaluate the care you received. If you’d like, we can check your blood pressure, weight, abdominal muscles (diastasis), and iron levels. If you have any issues with your scar, we’ll also assess how it’s healing. And of course, we love seeing your six-week-old baby! The postnatal check-up usually takes place about six weeks after birth, but it can also be earlier or later. Please call our assistant to schedule an appointment.

General Practitioner (GP)

If you or your baby become ill after the first week, you can contact your GP. Always mention how old your baby is when calling — this information is very important for the doctor to provide the right advice or treatment.

“Would you like help understanding your baby’s signals? Contact Ineke van Straeten for a baby consultation!”

Parent and Child Team (OKT)

The Parent and Child Team (OKT) consultation office takes over general care regarding feeding, weight, and vaccinations for your baby.

They are part of the municipal child health services (JGZ). All children aged 0–4 years are seen there for basic medical care. At regular intervals, you’ll visit the consultation office with your child for check-ups on growth, development (such as crawling and walking), and for advice on (breast)feeding and parenting.

You can always visit earlier if you have questions or concerns. Most consultation offices also have open weighing sessions — you can drop by without an appointment to weigh your baby if you’re unsure about their growth or simply curious about their weight.