Sorry, this entry is only available in Dutch.
Author: Sanne Pronk
Call for participants
In 2019 GGD Amsterdam launched a new study involving 500 families in Amsterdam: AIMS. AIMS stands for ‘Amsterdam Infant Microbiome Study’. The aim of this study is to examine how microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses develop on and within the bodies of young children. The microbiome is the collective name for all these microorganisms. We also aim to study the influence of the microbiome on the onset of diseases of affluence (also known as “Western diseases”) such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and oral health problems.
Discover more with AIMS
Working with Amsterdam families, we want to obtain a clearer picture of the health of Amsterdam children right from the start of their lives. This will enable us to provide them with even better care: Amsterdam’s children of today will be helping its children of tomorrow. Once we have obtained concrete research results, we will publish them for you on this website.
AIMS is a pioneering study
AIMS is the world’s first-ever study to chart microbiome development among such a large group of young children, over a three-year period. We are aiming to get 500 AIMS children and their families involved in this study. The whole family can participate in AIMS. The involvement of various family members will also enable us to study the influence of family members on the development of the youngest child’s microbiome.
Free Prenatal course, maternity gym or workshops
Did you know that free maternity courses and workshops are being offered for everyone living in Amsterdam? This is being organized by Rondom de Geboorte, which is an initiative of Youth Health Care. The courses which are offered are provided for expectant parents and after the birth for new parents.
Some courses or workshops are only offered online at the moment, but others are offered at various locations throughout the city. Attending a course is a great opportunity to get in contact with other expectant parents or to get to know new mums and dads.
This website gives you an overview of the courses offered in Dutch. However, there is also a prenatal course offered in English.
The prenatal course will prepare you during 8 weekly sessions for delivery. This course is free if you have an income from minimum benefit.
Workshops for mum and baby
It’s also possible to attend various workshops for which a registration fee or minimum fee for those who have a “Stadspas” is required. The themes of these workshops vary from soothing a newborn baby to learning how to massage your baby. At the moment these courses are offered only in Dutch.
The workshop “Bonding with your baby” is offered in English and to mums who are still pregnant and who want to learn how to connect with their baby. This workshop is free of charge in Reigersbos.
Vida has a contract with all health insurance companies!
Starting from November it’s always a good moment to check your health insurance and decide if you would like to add care to your health insurance or even would like to change to a different health insurance company.
The premiums are announced again and through different comparison sites you can check which health insurance and company suits you the best in 2022.
We have a contract with all health insurance companies in the Netherlands. All midwife care, home birth and birth at the hospital because of medical reasons are included in the basic health insurance and will be compensated.
Unfortunately Vida is not mentioned on the health insurance search sites, due to a mistake at the insurance companies. Together with other midwife practices in Amsterdam we work on a good quality of birth care and together we form a care group (called Verloskundige Zorggroep Groot Amsterdam). At the moment you can only find us on the comparison sites (insurance search sites) under the name Verloskundige Zorggroep Groot Amsterdam.
In summary, your care at Vida will reimbursed for 100% by all health insurance companies!
Especially when you are early in your pregnancy or trying to get pregnant it is always a good idea to compare the different health insurances and see which one suits the best. On the site of de Consumentenbond and on the site of De verloskundige.nl is mentioned which care is covered and for which part of the care you can take additional insurance. You can check your own contribution for maternity care, prenatal screening, physiotherapy and birth control. There is also a personal contribution when you would like to give birth at the hospital, the so called outpatient delivery. Please check the height of your own contribution.
Birth control for women from 21 years of age is not covered in the basis health insurance. If you have additional insurance you do receive compensation. Please pay attention, it is possible that these costs have to be paid out of your own contribution amount and that you will receive an invoice from your health insurance company. Please contact your health insurance company for more information regarding your own possible contribution and the amount of the possible compensation.
Non medical ultrasounds
At the moment it’s not possible to book an appointment for a non medical ultrasound. If you’re interested in this, we’re happy to refer you to another practice for this.
Covid Vaccine
We are receiving a lot of questions about the corona vaccine, and understandably so. During the pregnancy you not only feel responsible for yourself, but also for your growing baby. This can lead to some people therefore wanting to get vaccinated (so that the baby is also protected against getting covid) and other people to have doubts because they are pregnant (because is there enough known about the effect of the vaccine?).
In this newsletter we would like to share some considerations that may help you to make a choice. For us it is important that you take the time to decide for yourself if you want to get vaccinated or not.
- The KNOV (the organization of midwives) and NVOG (organization of gynaecologists) have formed a statement in which pregnant women are advised to get vaccinated against corona.
- Pregnancy is not a reason to get vaccinated with priority or earlier than you otherwise would.
- If you normally get an invitation for a flu vaccine, you will also now receive an invitation to get a covid vaccine. You receive this invitation from your primary care doctor to get vaccinated via the GGD.
- We expect that starting in July all adult in the Netherlands will be able to get vaccinated via the GGD.
- Research suggests that pregnant women who are vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna do not have any more side effects from the vaccine than non-pregnant people.
- Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines and it seems these are safe to use.
- Long term effects for the baby have not yet been studied.
- Because the baby develops the most significantly in the 1st trimester (first 12 weeks), it seems logical to not get vaccinated during this period. The KNOV and NVOG do not disapprove of getting vaccinated in the 1st
- Pregnant women in their 3rd trimester (after 28 weeks) have a higher chance of getting severely ill from covid when compared to non-pregnant women (this is based on small research studies done so far: 1,6% versus 0,3%). Women with a higher BMI, a non-western background or an underlying chronic condition such as asthma or diabetes seem to have a higher risk.
We would like to help you with your decision whether to vaccinate or not if you feel you need support with this. We can discuss this during one of your prenatal appointments if you want.
(Nederlands) Ballerine spiraal
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Curfew
Here is some information regarding the evening curfew:
People who need urgent medical care are not required to have a declaration in order to be in the street after 21.00h.
If and when you are stopped you will need to explain why you are in the street between 21:00h and 4:30h.
It might be wise to keep a declaration with you just in case, stating that you are pregnant.
Informal care providers (such as babysitters for the other children) do need to provide a personal declaration.
The declaration can be downloaded here
Corona Update 20-10-2020
Now that the number of Corona cases is increasing again throughout the country, we at Vida Verloskundigen have decided to tighten the measures and want to us this Corona newsletter (#3) to inform you about this. The Vida midwives, sonographers, assistants and nurses try as a team to keep a cool head and a warm heart in our work. The manner in which we would prefer to work is not always possible, but a lot of the ways in which we usually provide care have been able to stay the same which we are happy about. We love our work and try to care for you as well and as adequately as possible in this special period in your lives. We want to thank you again for your commitment, understanding and adherence to the measures, we profit from this as well! You are strong and responsible pregnant women and we are extremely thankful for this! Of course we are trying as a team in our work and in our private lives to look as closely as possible at which measures we can apply to prevent us from getting infected and keep us from infecting you. But please keep in mind that in the coming months it may happen that you see a different midwife than the one that you are familiar with in your team. Since we can also sometimes be sick with a cold we will then need to be tested, and in this time will need to temporarily be replaced with another midwife. Fortunately we at Vida work with a big team and are all aligned in the manner of working and are well suited to continue to care for you this fall and winter.
We continue to be committed to the general guidelines and we ask for you to commit to these as well. We follow the advice of our midwifery professional organization (the KNOV) and the RIVM. We will not shake hands, we stick to the 1,5m distance when possible, we wash our hands and limit the number of people that we see when we can. Of course if we have symptoms we will stay home, also with mild symptoms of a cold.
The check-ups
– The intake appointment and the follow-up check will be done by telephone, please keep an eye on your telephone when you have planned the telephone appointment. You will be called by an anonymous telephone number.
– Partners are only allowed to come with the term ultrasound (around 11 weeks) and the SEO (20 weeks ultrasound). They must also wear a mouth mask and of course not have any complaints (do NOT bring children or extra family members).
– If you or your partner have a cold or flu symptoms, do NOT come to the practice and call the assistant for consultation.
Face masks
We ask that you wear a face mask during your prenatal checkups at the clinic. If we do a home visit an come closer than <1,5m we will also wear a mask (with exception of the delivery). Also for appointments or ultrasounds that are longer than 15 minutes we will wear a mask.
Please note: A mask should be worn over nose and mouth. A disposable mask can be used for a maximum of 3 hours. Put the mask on before you come into the clinic and then disinfect your hands upon entering. Do not touch the mask any more after this point. Cotton masks should be washed every day at 60C. We will clean the rooms as much as possible and try to ventilate between appointments.
We understand that it can sometimes feel disappointing and isolating now that you are pregnant. Maternity leave and the postpartum period look different now that you cannot get big hugs and snuggles from family members. We would like to share with you this nice picture. A baby boy that was just born by Vida two weeks ago. This is the wonderful moment that you are working towards in this time! And with each baby, each new life that is born, there is also new hope and new strength. That is exactly what this time needs.
(Nederlands) Update Coronamaatregelen 15-12-2020
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