Having a baby is an exciting, but daunting challenge at the best of times and doing so in a foreign country can make it even more stressful.

Appropriately entitled Babies and Toddlers, this extremely well organised book gives a concise, but thorough overview of the Dutch maternal healthcare system.

This newly revisied edition includes all the new, relevant information around childbirth in Holland added, along with updated contact information.

The new edition is divided into ten chapters (previously 7), and starts with pregnancy and childbirth at home or in hospital, and moves through to after the birth and child health and safety. Subsequent chapters introduce childcare services and other support groups.

The book ends with a guide to the relevant Dutch-English Vocabulary and recommended further reading and websites. There is also an index and personal directory.
 
Written in clear English by native-speakers, the book also introduces Dutch terminology frequently and continues to use it, familiarising readers with terms that they will be confronted with throughout the nine-month pregnancy and beyond.

Now 120 pages long, plus the index, the book is easy reading. But it is also a good source of reference for a host of queries about the Dutch maternal healthcare system and offers comprehensive contact details of important organisations.

Chapter by chapter

Chapter one runs through pregnancy tests, choosing a healthcare practitioner, prenatal care and home or Dutch hospital births. It also gives an outline of IVF technology for infertile couples, adoption basics, foetal abnormality tests and pre and post-natal classes.

The opening chapter also deals with pregnancy leave and Dutch labour laws and pain relief during labour — a source of some concern for expatriate women told that pain relief is not customary practice in the Netherlands.

Child health and safety is the focus of chapter four, which covers such things as breast feeding, bottle feeding and baby foods, what to do in an emergency, baby and child health clinics, immunisations, dental care and child safety car seats.

The next six chapters deal with childcare services (chapter 5) — giving a good outline of the Dutch and expatriate network system — activities and outings (chapter 6) and  support groups (chapter seven)and personal directory (chapter 8),  Dutch-English vocabulary (chapter 9) and recommended reading and websites (chapter 10). Contact details of many organisations are provided throughout the book.

Pros and cons

First and foremost, the book Babies and Toddlers is most certainly a valuable resource. Undeniably so.

Though concise, it is specific and touches upon almost every element of pregnancy and childbirth in the Netherlands. For new comers or long-term expats, it is a valuable guide of what to expect.

But it must not be used a substitute for a detailed book on pregnancy in general.

It does not, for example, explain each phase of the pregnancy and the development of the foetus or give a detailed account of mother or child health. It does not intend to do so though and should be read as an introduction and guide to other resources.

The text is clean and not one typo was seen. It is well laid out with clear headlines and well-divided sections. The book has a spiral spine, making it easy to read and as a small-sized paperback, it is light to carry and fits into any bag with ease.

But some cons can be found in the information itself. Reprinted in January 2004, the book cites research indicating that the Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of perinatal mortality rates in Europe and globally. But is this strictly true?

The Netherlands has a modern and generally well-equipped healthcare system, but research published in November 2003 indicated that the nation has the highest baby mortality rate in the EU.

The Dutch government rejected the research, claiming that different definitions of stillborn were being applied across the continent, therefore accounting for the relatively high Dutch baby mortality rate.

The revised (2007) edition says that statistics show that home birth is safe in the Netherlands.

Another anomaly is the list of immunisations. While almost 100 percent accurate, it does not mention that the Dutch government only recently started giving a vaccination against the meningococcal C bacteria.

Furthermore, the book advises readers where to find more information about immunisation, but spells the website address wrong. The correct address is www.entadministraties.nl. A quick check of other website listings did not turn up many other problems.

The revised (2007) edition states correctly that there is a list of currently recommended childhood vaccines in the Netherlands and the schedule for the general childhood vaccination programme (2006). For further vaccine and vaccination schedule information it is recommended to ask the huisarts or consultatiebureau nurse. The only website address given is www.onlineconsultatiebureau.nl.

Another little complaint would be the book's frequent reference to British or US expats and its comparisons to their home country's systems. It also frequently gives contact details for US and British expat organisations.

Admittedly, there is a large British and US expat contingent in the Netherlands, but there are vast numbers from other nations as well. These too, deserve attention.

Personal experience

As with any guidebook, don't treat it as a Bible. While some of its statements will in the majority of cases prove to be true, the experiences of both myself and my partner have at times proved the opposite.

The ACCESS book says that if a woman requires an emergency Caesarean outside of normal hospital hours, she will most likely not receive an epidural (spinal block) because this sort of pain relief must be requested by appointment.

But this was not the case when my son was born in the middle of the night some 18 months ago. The epidural was immediately offered after a decision was made for a Caesarean section.

The length of stay in hospital and thus its affect on the amount of post-natal homecare a woman is eligible to receive can also differ slightly to what the book says.

Other elements such as getting a free birth notice in the newspaper after registering the birth at the local council cannot be universally applied across the country. The same with advice on having to personally assemble home birth equipment.

These are trivial complaints when weighed against the general strength of the book.

If you are planning a baby in the Netherlands or are already pregnant, obtaining the ACCESS book is one of the first things you should do. Use it as a stepping stone to a safe and joyous birth — whether you give birth at home or in hospital.

Plus, check out our article Childbirth in Holland which gives details of birth preparation classes across the Netherlands as well as other useful and up-to-date information on giving birth in the Netherlands.

2 November 2007 

Babies and Toddlers costs EUR 16.50. It can be purchased online, by telephone or mail order. Contact ACCESS for more information. You can also purchase the book at either of the ACCESS offices in Amsterdam and The Hague.

Click here for information on Childbirth and Baby courses run by ACCESS.

ACCESS is a non-profit, volunteer foundation set up to assist English speakers relocating to the Netherlands and to ease their adjustment throughout their stay. ACCESS can be contacted on 070 346 2525 or 020 421 8445. Its website address is www.access-nl.org. Email: info@access-nl.org.

By Aaron Gray-Block 

Updated 2007 on publication of the revised edtiion of  'Babies and Toddlers'. 

[Copyright 2004 -2008]