Birth
Your pregnancy is already far advanced and the delivery is approaching. Another exciting moment, where you can finally hold your baby in your arms. On this page, we have gathered a lot of practical information for you so that you can prepare well.
What subject would you like to know more about?
Almost all births take place in the period from three weeks before to two weeks after the due date, so between 37 and 42 weeks. Within this timeframe, you can give birth at home or in the hospital under our guidance.
Too early?
If labor announces itself before 37 weeks, for example with contractions, loss of amniotic fluid, or blood loss, you must always call us immediately.
Good contractions
Giving birth means that your uterus pushes your baby out contraction by contraction by producing contractions. During this process, the cervix opens (dilation) and your baby descends through your birth canal (pushing).
Good contractions are the most important thing here. Although they are often downright painful, we still wish them for you. After all, good contractions ensure:
- Dilation
- Urge to push
- Effective pushing
- Rapid delivery of the placenta
- Little blood loss
So how do you ensure good contractions? Partly you have no control over this, but partly you do. It is important to understand the interplay between the hormones oxytocin and adrenaline.
Oxytocin promotes good contractions and is released during relaxation and loving touch. It is also known as the cuddle hormone. It takes about half an hour for it to really start flowing and is very quickly ‘overruled’ again when adrenaline is produced.
Adrenaline inhibits contractions and can be released very quickly in response to stress and tension. This makes sense, because in a stressful situation, you do not want a vulnerable baby to be born. It takes about half an hour for adrenaline to subside.
For effective contractions, your body needs to produce plenty of oxytocin while keeping adrenaline levels as low as possible. You are the best judge of what helps you achieve this. Who is with you during labour, where you choose to give birth, and the atmosphere around you all play an important role in supporting the production of effective contractions.
That is why we, as midwives, are so enthusiastic about home births. Our experience is that most women relax best in their own environment, where they are ‘in charge’. This ensures good contractions and thus reduces the risk of complications.
Course of childbirth
Labor often begins with some ‘rumbling’, random contractions of your uterus that do not yet have a rhythm and do not become more intense. These Braxton Hicks contractions may also subside again.
This activity of your uterus does not yet cause dilation, but it does ensure that the cervix becomes supple and shortens. In this way, it is ready for the real work that is yet to come.
Visualization of the delivery
Visualization of the delivery
At home or outpatient hospital birth
The Netherlands is the country with the highest percentage of home births in the Western world. It is a great asset that women can choose for themselves themselves where and how they want to give birth. At home or in the hospital, with or without pain management, it is up to you!
On these sites, you can read more about giving birth at home or in a hospital:
Birth preferences
In advance you can think about your wishes for your delivery. You can describe these wishes in a birth plan and talk this over with us. You can download it via the button below. You can mail it to us, so we can already read it before your appointment around 33 weeks.
Pain during childbirth
Most women experience childbirth as a beautiful, but also painful experience. When you feel well supported and know you can handle it, the pain is often manageable. In that case, pain relief without medication is often sufficient. Read more here about labor pain: how to cope with it.
Induction of labor
Suppose you reach 42 full weeks of pregnancy. We call this post-term. Or, there may be a reason to induce labor before that time, for example, because your blood pressure is rising or your baby is clearly moving less. In that case, you can go to the hospital for an induction. You can read more here:
Giving birth in water
During a water birth, your baby is born underwater. This is possible because your baby receives oxygen through the umbilical cord. He/she will only start breathing when lifted above the water. For you as a mother, contractions are often easier to manage in the bath because the warm water and buoyancy have a pain-relieving effect. For the baby, the transition from the womb to the world is more gradual; these babies are often born very calmly.
More information about giving birth in water: