What you need to know if you are pregnant and giving birth in the Netherlands
This is what you arrange after the birth
After the birth of your baby in the Netherlands, there are several things you need to arrange. On this page you can read more about them.
Take care of your own health after childbirth
After giving birth, you may have a few checkups with the midwife, gynaecologist or GP. They will check if you are recovering well from childbirth or if you need additional care.
Have you not yet applied for maternity care? Do so as soon as possible after the birth
If you did not arrange for maternity care during your pregnancy, arrange it as soon as possible after the birth. The maternity nurse will support you in the first days at home. In the Netherlands it is customary to check the health and growth of your child up to age 4. This can be done at the GP's office, but most people go to a health clinic.
Doctors and nurses work at a health clinic. Together they assess the health of all children from 0 to 4 years of age. At a health clinic, children also receive the vaccinations of the Dutch National Vaccination Program.
It is also important to make an appointment for follow-up checkups with the midwife. You can ask your GP for information.
This is how care for your child from age 0 to 4 works
You must register your baby with the municipality and acknowledge your child
Within 3 days of birth, you must register your baby with the municipality where your child was born. Your partner may do this. Bring a valid proof of residence with you. You will then receive a birth certificate. This is an important official document. You will need it, for example, to apply for child benefit.
Are you not married or in a registered partnership with your baby's other parent? Then you or your partner must acknowledge the baby at the municipality. You do this at the same time as registering your baby in the municipality. This gives you the same rights and obligations as parents. This is also called parental authority.
You report the birth of your child to the IND
If the child was born after you completed the application form with the IND, you must also report the birth of your child to the IND. You can do this by filling out the M35-J form and sending it to the address on the form.
The M35-J document
This is what you should do if your partner is not in the Netherlands
Are you unable to register your child in the municipality yourself and is your partner not in the Netherlands? Then someone who was present at the birth can do this. For example, your midwife.
If you are married or have a registered partnership, you must bring proof of this with you when you report to the municipality. Your child can then be given the father's last name, even if the father is abroad.
Are you not married or in a registered partnership with your baby's other parent? Then your partner must have a deed of acknowledgment drawn up in Ukraine.
Apply for the benefits to which you are entitled
Are you not married or in a registered partnership with your baby's other parent? Then your partner must have a deed of acknowledgment drawn up in Ukraine. This is a supplement you get if you have one or more children. This is money you get from the government to pay for the cost of raising and caring for your child. Sometimes you have to apply for child benefit yourself from the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). Sometimes you automatically apply for child benefit when you register your child with the municipality.
In some cases, you may then be eligible for the child budget allowance, if you have a low income.
If your child attends childcare, you may sometimes be eligible for childcare subsidies.
Allowances when you have children
Draw up a will
Preparing a will is especially important if, for example, you want to record who will take care of your child if something happens to you and the other parent. You can draw up a will at a notary's office. Het Juridisch Loket can give you more information about this.