Having a baby in a new country is equal parts exciting and daunting, especially when the system works so differently from home. Dutch maternity care is calm, midwife-led and surprisingly generous. Once you understand the shape of it, it is genuinely lovely. Here is what to expect.
Midwife first, hospital only if needed
- For a healthy, low-risk pregnancy, your main carer is a verloskundige (midwife), not a gynaecologist. Register with a midwife practice as soon as you know, they can fill up.
- You only move to a gynaecoloog and hospital if there is a medical reason (a previous C-section, high blood pressure, complications).
- A home birth is completely normal here for low-risk cases, but you can also choose a *poliklinische bevalling* (hospital birth without a medical need). Many midwives speak English.
Kraamzorg: the thing that amazes every Indian family
For roughly 8 to 10 days after the birth, a trained maternity nurse (kraamverzorgende) comes to your home for several hours a day. She checks you and the baby, helps with feeding, teaches you the basics, and even does light cleaning and cooking. It is covered by basic insurance (minus a small hourly co-payment). Book it early, around week 12 to 16.
What it costs
- Pregnancy, birth, the midwife and kraamzorg are covered by your basic health insurance (*basisverzekering*), and maternity care itself does not eat into your *eigen risico*.
- A hospital birth without a medical reason can carry a modest own-cost, worth checking with your insurer.
- Add your baby to your health insurance within four months of birth (it applies back to the birth date). Children are free on basic insurance until they turn 18.
Leave: more than you might expect
| Who | What you get |
|---|---|
| Mother | At least 16 weeks paid (pregnancy + maternity leave), via UWV |
| Partner | 1 week fully paid right after birth (geboorteverlof) |
| Partner (extra) | Up to 5 more weeks in the first 6 months at ~70% (UWV) |
| Each parent | 26 weeks parental leave until the child is 8; first 9 weeks paid ~70% |
Leave weeks and pay percentages are set by national rules and change over time. Confirm the current entitlements with your employer and UWV, and file parental-leave paperwork early.
The paperwork for your newborn
- 1Register the birth at the gemeente within three working days. You get a birth certificate, and the baby is issued a BSN.
- 2Your baby is not automatically Dutch. A child of Indian parents is Indian by descent, so apply for the baby's Indian passport through VFS or the embassy.
- 3Apply to the IND for the baby's residence permit as your family member, so their status matches yours.
- 4Later, if you naturalise, you can look at an OCI card for the child (see our residence & citizenship guide).
The money that follows a baby
- Kinderbijslag: child benefit from the SVB, paid every quarter per child, once your baby is registered.
- Kindgebonden budget: an extra income-tested top-up for lower and middle incomes.
- Kinderopvangtoeslag: a large childcare subsidy when you use registered daycare, which is what makes Dutch daycare affordable (see schools & childcare).
After the first newborn weeks, a free consultatiebureau (child health clinic) takes over routine check-ups, growth tracking and vaccinations. It becomes a familiar, reassuring part of early parenthood here.
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