Having a baby in the Netherlands is wonderful, and genuinely unlike the system you grew up with. There is no GP gatekeeper, a midwife runs the whole show, and after the birth a trained nurse turns up at your home for a week. It is one of the best-regarded maternity systems anywhere, once you understand it. Here is the map and the Dutch.
Your first call: the verloskundige
The single biggest difference: maternity care here is midwife-led. As iamexpat explains pregnancy and prenatal care in the Netherlands, your first step when you find out you are pregnant is to contact a verloskundige (community midwife) directly, you do not need a GP referral, and you choose your own practice.
The verloskundige then guides your entire pregnancy: regular check-ups, advice, and echo (ultrasound) scans. As having-a-baby guides describe, you are only referred to a gynaecoloog (gynaecologist) if there is a medical reason. Low-risk births are midwife-handled, often with the famous option of a home birth.
The echo (ultrasounds)
You will hear echo a lot. There are medical scans (a dating scan, the 20-week scan, sometimes a groeiecho (growth scan) or liggingsecho (position scan)), and many parents also book a pretecho, a fun 3D scan to see the baby. Knowing the words helps you follow what each appointment is for.
Kraamzorg: the Dutch superpower
Here is the part expats fall in love with. Kraamzorg is postnatal maternity care that is, as guides to the Dutch maternity system note, essentially unique to the Netherlands: a trained kraamverzorgende (maternity nurse) comes to your home daily for up to about eight days after the birth (around 49 hours in a standard case). She helps with feeding and baby care, monitors your and the baby’s health, and even helps around the house.
It is partly covered by insurance, with a small personal contribution (a few euros per day), which ties straight into your zorgverzekering and its cover. Crucially: arrange it early, by around week 12, because good agencies book up fast.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| verloskundige | (community) midwife |
| echo | ultrasound |
| bevalling | the birth/delivery |
| kraamzorg | postnatal home care |
| kraamverzorgende | maternity nurse |
| zwanger | pregnant |
| uitgerekende datum | due date |
Where it connects
A baby is the start of a long Dutch parenting journey: soon comes the crèche drop-off, the school run, and a very Dutch rite of passage, swimming lessons and the zwemdiploma. And the GP still has a role for non-pregnancy care, so being heard at the huisarts stays useful.
The bottom line
Dutch maternity care is midwife-led and home-centred: your verloskundige is your first call (no referral) and guides the whole pregnancy with echo scans, and after the bevalling the uniquely Dutch kraamzorg sends a maternity nurse to your home for about eight days. Learn verloskundige, echo, kraamzorg, and bevalling, arrange your midwife and kraamzorg early (by about week 12), and one of life’s biggest moments abroad becomes far less daunting.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the maternity-care Dutch you need, verloskundige, echo, kraamzorg, bevalling by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can navigate appointments and care confidently through one of the biggest moments of your life abroad.
Frequently asked questions
How does maternity care work in the Netherlands?
It is midwife-led. When you find out you are pregnant, your first step is to contact a verloskundige (community midwife) directly, no GP referral needed. The midwife guides your whole pregnancy with regular check-ups, ultrasounds and advice, and handles low-risk births (at home or in a birth centre/hospital). You are only referred to a gynaecologist (gynaecoloog) if there is a medical reason.
What is kraamzorg?
Kraamzorg is the uniquely Dutch postnatal maternity care: a trained maternity nurse (kraamverzorgende) comes to your home daily for up to about eight days after the birth, around 49 hours total in a standard case. She helps with baby care and feeding, monitors you and the baby’s health, and assists around the house. It is partly covered by insurance, with a small personal contribution per hour or day.
When should I arrange a midwife and kraamzorg?
As early as possible. Contact a verloskundige (midwife) as soon as you know you are pregnant, you choose your own practice, no referral required. Arrange kraamzorg early too, often by around week 12, because popular agencies book up fast. Registering early secures your preferred midwife and maternity-care provider rather than leaving you scrambling later in the pregnancy.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for pregnancy and having a baby?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the maternity-care Dutch you need, verloskundige, echo, kraamzorg, bevalling, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can navigate appointments and care confidently through one of the biggest moments of your life abroad.
