Creating a Birth Plan in the Netherlands: Tips for International Parents

Hey mama,

"You can't plan a birth." It is a phrase you will hear often, and it is true—birth is unpredictable. However, you can prepare for it. In the Netherlands, creating a birth plan (or bevalplan) is highly encouraged. For expats, this document is especially crucial as it helps bridge any cultural expectations between you and your Dutch healthcare providers.

As an English-speaking doula based in Haarlem, I help many international parents draft their birth preferences. Here are my top tips for creating a birth plan in the Netherlands.

1. Understand Your Options for Location

In the Netherlands, you have three main choices for where to give birth (if your pregnancy is low-risk):

• At home (thuisbevalling): Highly common and fully supported by midwives.

• Birth centre/Polyclinic (poliklinisch): You give birth in a hospital room, but it is led by your own community midwife, not hospital staff. You usually go home a few hours after birth.

• Medical hospital birth (medisch): Led by an obstetrician or clinical midwife, usually required if there are complications or if you request an epidural.

Your birth plan should state your preferred location, but also your "Plan B" in case a transfer is needed.

2. Be Clear About Pain Relief

The Dutch approach to pain relief is generally conservative. Epidurals are available, but they are not always the default first step, and you must be in a hospital to receive one. If you know you want an epidural, or if you want to try gas and air (Remifentanil) or a TENS machine, state this clearly in your plan. As your doula, I will discuss all these options with you beforehand so you know exactly what to ask for and when.

3. Focus on the Environment and Support

Your birth plan isn't just about medical choices; it is about your environment. Do you want dimmed lights? Do you want to use a birthing pool? Who do you want in the room?

This is where having a doula is incredibly valuable. In your plan, you can state that I will be present to provide continuous support, massage, and guidance. I will help ensure your wishes are communicated to the hospital staff, allowing you and your partner to stay in your "birth bubble."

Need Help Preparing?

Writing a birth plan in a new country doesn't have to be stressful. I offer dedicated birth preparation sessions for expats living within a 60-minute drive of Haarlem (including Amsterdam, Leiden, and Zaandam). Let's sit down together and map out your wishes. Visit www.baarbamama.nl to get in touch!