What you may need to arrange

Okay, we get it — no one looks forward to forms, passwords, and DigiD hassle. But trust us: doing these administrative tasks on time will save you a lot of stress later on (for you and your baby!). You don’t have to do everything in one day, but start early and use the government’s checklist so you don’t forget anything.

What kind of things might you need to arrange?

The list is longer than you might expect. These are the most common things new parents deal with:

• Legal recognition of the child (if you’re not married)
• Parental leave application
• Childcare benefit application
• Registering the birth with the municipality
• Appointing a legal guardian
• Update your rental or healthcare benefit (your household situation is changing)
• Register your baby with your health insurance
• Check embassy or consulate procedures. If one or both parents hold a foreign nationality, there may be additional requirements. Contact your embassy or consulate early in the pregnancy, as procedures for some countries can take a long time.

Please note: not everything listed applies to everyone. What you need to arrange — and when — depends on how you live together, your income, employment situation (freelance or employed), and more.

Fortunately, you don’t need to figure it all out yourself. The Dutch government offers a helpful online tool. By answering a few questions, you’ll get a personalized checklist with what you and your partner need to arrange — and when. Super useful. You can find the (Dutch) checklist here: Checklist Having a Child – Government of the Netherlands.

Important note

These topics technically fall outside the scope of midwifery care. But we still find it important to mention them — because often, no one else will. Unfortunately, we don't have detailed knowledge of all parental rights and obligations, but you’ll find up-to-date information on the following websites:

• www.amsterdam.nl
• www.government.nl
• www.rijksoverheid.nl
• www.geboortebeweging.nl
• www.patientenfederatie.nl

These websites offer clear information on your rights and responsibilities during pregnancy and medical treatments.