The Netherlands has been in a lockdown situation since December 2020.
Fortunately, this situation is changing. All strict measures are slowly coming to an end.
A large group has now been vaccinated. And there is also new advice for pregnant women: to vaccinate.
Pregnant women can be vaccinated with the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. This no longer applies only to women with underlying diseases (such as diabetes, heart and lung diseases BMI> 35) but also to healthy pregnant women. The advantages of vaccination outweigh the possible disadvantages.
More information can be found on the website of the
RIVM.
There will also be new rules in our practice from Monday 31 May.
Below you can read what the care will look like now.
Prenatal check-ups
The intake will take place face-to-face. Except in the case of syptoms matching Covid-19, this will of course be by telephone.
All regular checks after the intake are still offered as before, partners can come along to the checks if desired.
To be able to do this safely and according to the advice of the RIVM, we ask the partners to wait outside to ensure 1,5 m away in the waiting room at all times and not to create unnecessary contact moments between people. Partners always wait outside until the pregnant lady is called for the consultation.
We request that you:
- Wear a mouth mask when entering the practice and while waiting.
- To sit 1,5 m apart from each other in the waiting room. These spots are marked with a heart on the ground. Partners wait outside. There's a maximum of 4 waiting pregnant ladies in the waiting room.
- To disinfect your hands upon entry. The hand alcohol pump is at the coffee table.
- To stay at home with complaints of a cold / sniffling / cough / sneezing / fever / shortness of breath, do NOT come to the midwifery practice, but call off your appointment. Get tested! If you have concerns about these complaints and would like a check-up, please call the midwife on duty for consultation.
- To stay at home if you are in quarantine due to contact with another COVID-19 positive person. Do NOT come to the midwifery practice, but call off your appointment. If a consultation is nevertheless necessary, we will look for a suitable solution and we will take extra protective measures.
- To stay at home if you have taken a COVID test but have not yet received a result.
- Partners also need to stay at home in case of colds / sniffling / coughing / sneezing / fever / shortness of breath.
- Limit your own contacts, follow the advice of the RIVM.
Counseling on prenatal testing (NIPT/SEO) is currently still over the phone.
Ultrasound
All ultrasounds are possible, both the ultrasounds on medical grounds and the fun ultrasounds at your own request.
The partner can accompany you to the ultrasound appointment.
You both wear a mouth mask for the entire consultation. The sonographer will also wear a mouth mask and, in the case of a 20-week screening ultrasound, additional protective equipment such as gloves, jacket and splash goggles / screen. The reason for this is that there is contact for a longer time at less than 1.5m.
We request that the partners come in through our back door and wait outside prior to the ultrasound. This is also indicated on the front door. The pregnant woman takes a seat in the waiting room. House number 15 is visible on the door at the back. On departure, you can both leave the building through the back door.
In principle, the ultrasound will be rescheduled for pregnant women with complaints that are consistent with corona. If you have symptoms, call the midwife in advance for consultation and get tested!
For partners with symptoms of a cold / sniffling / coughing / sneezing / fever / shortness of breath, they are not allowed to come along to the consultations or ultrasound. Video calling is still an option.
Birth
The partner is always welcome at the delivery. Also with corona-related complaints. Protective measures are then taken.
It is IMPORTANT to report corona-related complaints in this situation before the midwife comes to your home.
You have the choice of giving birth at home, in the delivery center or in hospital if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy.
In the hospital, a mouth mask must be worn by everyone upon entry. Mouth masks may be removed as soon as you are in the delivery room. No visitors are allowed after delivery except for the partner.
Maternity care
In principle, we coordinate 2 or 3 home visits with you after childbirth. We keep in close contact with the maternity nurse by telephone. We come more often if necessary.
The advice is to limit maternity visits. The guideline for home visits is: to receive a maximum of 4 people. Each other should be kept 1.5 meters away. Mother and child do not belong to a separate risk group. Follow the advice of the RIVM at that time.
Discuss with your maternity nurse when visitors are welcome.
Heartbeat consultation hour
On June 22 we will open the heart consultation hour again. This consultation hour is a walk-in consultation hour on Tuesdays from 4.30 pm to 5 pm to come and listen to the baby's heartbeat if desired. In the beginning of the pregnancy there are long pauses between the check-ups and you often do not feel the baby move. Then it can be nice to come by once more if you have concerns about whether everything is still going well. From 14 weeks of pregnancy you can then walk in between 4.30 pm - 5 pm on Tuesdays.
Sometimes we have to cancel the consultation due to circumstances, so check our instagram or facebook page. We will put a message on, if it is cancelled.
If you have physical complaints, call the midwife on duty and do not wait for the heart consultation hour.
Always call us on our emergency number 06-52520112 if:
• You are severely nauseous in early pregnancy, you spit out everything and cannot keep anything inside, including liquid food.
• You are more than 20 weeks pregnant and you have complaints that may be related to high blood pressure. These complaints can occur independently of each other; severe nausea, headache, upper abdominal pain, sudden fluid retention, seeing crazy spots and colors, inability to see or pain between your shoulder blades.
• You do not feel or do not feel the baby move well from 26 weeks of pregnancy.
• With vaginal bleeding or vaginal fluid loss.
• With a fever above 38 degrees, measured rectally.
• You are not yet 37 weeks pregnant and you have stomach and / or back pain that comes and goes.
• Stay home with colds / coughs / sniffles and other health problems, do not come to the midwifery practice, but call your appointment and reschedule.
We are and remain available for all care. If you are unsure or just want to discuss something, don't hesitate to contact us!
Thank you for your cooperation!
We will see each other soon again,
Midwives from Mijnvroedvrouw
