Where do you want to give birth?

During your pregnancy, we discuss where you want to give birth. It is important that you choose a place where you and your partner is relaxed: it is recommended you best. If everything runs smoothly, you can choose for your home or in hospital. In both cases you are guided by your midwife.

a home birth should be your bed and you stand bobbins pot in a house. Both can be rented to the return of the Home Care Foundation.

Home:
If your home like a nurse assisting at childbirth. Make sure the following items ready:

• the maternity package;
• a tarp on the mattress, from shoulder to foot (from the maternity package)
• 2 buckets with plastic bags
• coated cloth diapers;
• a po.

Open delivery:
you choose a hospital birth then you ordered the delivery room. You can see that as a relocated home birth. You’ll catch the first contractions at home and if necessary we go to the hospital. Instead of a nurse is a nurse present. If everything goes smoothly you go about two hours after the birth of your baby home.
If you like the open delivery, put a bag ready with the following items:

• clothes for the baby: rompers, pants, sweater, hat, jacket, socks,
• clothes for the mother + care items;
• list of phone numbers;
• camera or camcorder with full batteries
• punch picture of the hospital
• with maxi cosi footmuff or wrap.

When should I call?

Once labor has started you can always call your midwife if you’re worried or have questions.

In the following cases, you can at least call:

• regular contractions every 5 minutes for 1 hour,
• When rupture of membranes, observing the color of the amniotic fluid;
• bright red blood loss.

How does a childbirth go?

In most cases labor starts with contractions. Sometimes it starts with the rupture of the membranes. During labor, the cervix will slowly open. If you’ve never given birth, this could take up to 24 hrs, otherwise up to 12 hrs. When you have contractions, the midwife comes regularly to make sure everything is progressing normally and how the disclosure progresses. Therefor an internal investigation will be done. When you are fully dilated and urge to push, you can start pushing. This takes about an hour at first and if you ever had a baby about half an hour. After the birth your baby will lie on your belly in order to lose no bodyheat. Then we have to wait for the birth of the placenta. Sometimes you’ll need to be stitched. You’ll get a local anesthetic of course. Finally your baby gets weighed and checked.

Tips for fathers

A lot of dads feel like they watch helplessly during labor.
For most women, being present is already of great help.
Besides that there are other ways you can help and support:

• Register the frequency and time of the contractions for the midwife;
• Massage the abdomen, back, buttocks or legs;
• Ask regularly if you can do something for your partner, cold washcloth, drinking, etc.
• Give compliments that she does well.

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