Additional measures are being taken throughout the Netherlands to prevent the spread of the Corona virus. In health care, the measures taken are even stricter than those advised to the population. This is to ensure that there is sufficient capacity in the hospitals, but also that the care of staff can be guaranteed at all times. This means that acute care must be guaranteed in any case, which means that regular care will have less priority. Unfortunately, this is no different for birth care. At the moment all hospitals are taking far-reaching measures and we as midwives also work together with each other and with the hospitals. It is very important to limit / slow the spread of the virus as much as possible. We follow the protocol of our professional organization, the KNOV, in the care of pregnant women and in the maternity period. We would like to inform you about the extra measures that we had to take in our practice, in the interest of your and our health.
The following adjustments in our care will take effect immediately and will at least apply until April 11:
Pregnancy check-ups
The new guideline is to maximize the interval between check-ups during pregnancy, keep physical contact as short as possible, and discuss questions and information by phone. If your appointment has to be postponed, we will contact you from practice to reschedule your appointment, adapted to the care you need. Obviously, emergency consultations continue to exist.
We will contact you by phone the day before your appointment to discuss your questions and information. We therefore ask you to prepare your questions. The contact during the check-up appointment itself will only be short and is only intended for external examination and measuring your blood pressure.
When you have a check-up appointment, we ask you to check in advance whether you are feeling the flu/cold, or whether you may have had risk contact with an infected person. If that’s the case, don’t come to the practice! If you have an appointment with us, we request that you contact the assistant by telephone or email. In each situation, we will search for a solution for the care you need.
If you feel well, we ask you to wash your hands before visiting our practice and to come alone to the consultation hour. That means without partner, children or others. Unfortunately, this also applies to your ultrasound appointments. Others, such as your partner or children, can watch via FaceTime if desired. We do not shake hands at the moment.
Ultrasound on request
We are forced to temporarily discontinue our commercial activities, such as the ‘elective ultrasound upon request’ (gender determination, 3D ultrasound). Clients who already have an elective ultrasound appointment will be called personally to find a solution.
Meetings
Our Centering Pregnancy meetings, information evenings and First Aid course are canceled.
Labour and Birth
In collaboration with the regional hospitals, protocols have been developed with precautionary measures for infected persons, who have to or want to give birth in the hospital and their immediate caregivers. We will accurate follow the protocols as well. We request that you follow these instructions upon request to reduce the risk of contamination to other clients/patients, babies and concerned caregivers. Although we try to prevent it as much as possible, it is possible that certain instructions and measures go against the wishes in your birth plan. We will try to think along constructively, but the safety of ourselves and others will always come first.
We advise you to consider a home birth if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy. You can imagine that home birth, for people who are not infected, can be a safer alternative than an outpatient hospital birth. After all, the chance of infection in the hospital is bigger than in your own, non-infected environment. Non-acute care (such as giving birth in hospital without a medical reason) will be given less priority in the hospital in the event of a capacity problem, so, if medically justified, we are happy to provide this care outside the hospitals.
We depend on the measures in each hospital. It is possible that, besides a partner (or another person) is welcome at the delivery. In addition, there is no possible visit to the labour rooms, not even from brothers or sisters.
In case of a home birth, we would like to ask you as well not to allow other family members or friends into the home, apart from your partner or one other person. This applies for the duration of the delivery until our departure.
Maternity
During the maternity period, our postpartum visits are kept to a minimum, we will provide our care by telephone or by FaceTime or Skype as much as possible.
We recommend minimizing your maternity visit and also taking hygiene measures into account. It is advisable to think critically about who you are receiving and whether this could be delayed for some time. The maternity nurse will use the advice and protocols of her maternity care organization.
There is no contraindication for breastfeeding by mothers with a cold, flu or with the coronavirus. The virus has not been detected in breast milk. The baby receives antibodies through breastfeeding, making it more resistant to viruses.
Concerns about your health and the coronavirus
If you have a cold or an increase to 38 degrees Celsius, the general advice is to stay at home, wait and keep away from other people. You don’t have to call the doctor. If your symptoms increase, with a fever above 38 degrees Celsius, with cough or shortness of breath, you should call your GP.
Coronavirus infection has the same course in pregnant women as in women who are not pregnant. As far as is known, there is no increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects due to infection with this virus. The virus is not transferable to your baby in the stomach. Babies can get sick by coming into contact with the virus themselves. Hygiene measures are therefore important.
Do you have any questions about the coronavirus? Visit the RIVM website: https://www.rivm.nl/
We take all measures, at work and in private, that are necessary to provide responsible care. We understand that the extra measures cause inconvenience and that our care is not always the most pleasant care nowadays. We hope for your understanding. We hope to guide you in the safest way during this special period of your life.
