Birth at home or in hospital
When your pregnancy develops normally and your labour starts, you have an option to deliver at home or in hospital. You are allowed to make that choice right at that moment, but it is advised to think about it well in advance. A good suggestion is to make notes about it in your birth plan. It gives you a good perspective of the benefits of a home or hospital delivery, which can help you choose.
Home birth
A home birth has advantages and disadvantages. Where you feel most comfortable is what matters. As you can see on our timeline, a homebirth is safe from 37 weeks of pregnancy or over.
Advantages of a home birth:
- Relaxing during birth is very important. From experience we can say you tend to feel more relaxed in your own environment.
- Whether you want to lay down, walk or sit: in your own home you feel free to do as you please.
- After birth, you’re in your own home, with all the comfort that you are used to.
- In hospital there is always a chance you or your baby pick up on hospital bacteria or viruses. If there is no medical necessity for you to go to hospital, that is something less to worry about.
- A home birth usually progresses more spontaneous, reducing the chance to a medical intervention such as vacuum delivery or a c-section.
- Many women also feel more in control of the situation at a home birth and generally they look back on the birth positively.
- A home delivery is covered by all basic insurance policies.
An outpatient delivery
You always have the opportunity to deliver your baby in hospital, even without medical necessity. Your own midwife will be present, not a gynaecologist. In most hospitals maternity nurses are also allowed in. An outpatient delivery is much like a home delivery, except that it’s in a room with extra facilities in the hospital. That’s why it is also called a relocated home delivery. You hire the delivery room so to speak; your insurance company will charge you a partial contribution.
Benefits for an outpatient delivery:
- You have already decided in advance that you wish to deliver in hospital. This means that you can get prepared by, for example, packing an emergency bag.
- An outpatient delivery proceeds like a home delivery except that medical assistance is at hand if necessary.
- In case you need a medical intervention such an epidural or hormones to accelerate labour, this can be arranged quickly.
- In case of emergencies there is no need to speed to hospital.
- When everything evolves normally, you are usually allowed to leave the hospital fairly soon after your child is born. If you return at home between 20.00 and 07.00 hrs, we only provide care if your care demand is urgen.
Medical hospital birth
A hospital birth is always for a medical reason. The choice for a hospital birth can be made if your health, or the health of your baby, is less stable. All medical assistance and guidance is available in the hospital if necessary.
Benefits of hospital birth
- In the hospital, you and your baby are continuously monitored by medical specialists such as the gynecologist and obstetrician.
- You may present your birth plan at the hospital.
- If you need medical pain relief, this can be arranged quickly.
Familie Evers
Kraamverzorgende: Jolanda
Jolanda werd onze kant op gestuurd en wat een geweldige kraamverzorgster is zij! Dankzij haar snelle actie rondom de borstvoeding, kolven en bijvoeden hebben wij sinds dag 4 een heel tevreden meisje dat goed kon herstellen van de heftige bevalling. Dankzij Jolanda kon ik de rust die ik zo hard nodig heb echt pakken om mijn lichaam te laten herstellen van de zware bevalling.
En daarnaast was Jolanda nog zoveel meer! Een gezellige klets, hulp in het huishouden, schat voor onze oudste en steun en toeverlaat tijdens de kraamtranen.
Enorm bedankt dat jullie ons zo last minute toch deze geweldige kraamweek hebben kunnen bieden. En wauw, wat fijn dat Jolanda voor jullie werkt en veel gezinnen van haar mogen genieten! Bedankt.
Teun
Kraamverzorgende: Patricia
“Een goed begin is het halve werk” zeggen ze wel eens. Dat is bij kraamzorg natuurlijk extra belangrijk. Hierbij gaat het niet om een klein projectje, maar om het opvoeden van een mensenkind.
Na een zware bevalling hadden wij de behoefte om met z’n drieën rustig bij te komen. Gelukkig kregen wij daarvoor van Patricia alle ruimte. Hierbij was zij niet alleen goede hulp met betrekking tot het opvoeden van een baby, maar was zij een betrokken luisterend oor.
Zonder uitvoerig vooraf te hebben gesproken voelde Patricia haarfijn aan waar onze behoeftes lagen en wat onze visie op opvoeding is. We vonden het erg prettig dat hier weinig woorden voor nodig waren.
Nadat we de deur achter Patricia sloten op de laatste kraamdag misten we haar prettige gezelschap al meteen. We hopen haar in de toekomst nog eens tegen te komen.
Find your Maternity Care
Maternity care in your area
Maternity care Zuid-Gelderland consists of a close-knit team of expert colleagues. Every mother, every family, every baby is unique. Listening to your wishes, empathizing with your situation and responding to your needs. That is our strength. Would you like to register for maternity care with us? Check your zip code here and see if we also provide maternity care in your municipality.