This conversation explores the experience of navigating pregnancy as an expat in the Netherlands, focusing on the role of midwives in the Dutch healthcare system. It highlights the differences in midwifery practices compared to other countries, the types of midwives available, and the empowerment of pregnant individuals in making informed decisions about their care.
Episode’s main topics
Navigating Pregnancy as an Expat in the Netherlands (0:00)
The Dutch healthcare system provides maternity care primarily through midwives, offering a unique approach for expecting parents.
Understanding the Role of Midwives (03:34)
In the Netherlands, midwives are the primary caregivers during pregnancy.
There are different types of midwives, including caseload and holistic midwives.
Basic health insurance covers midwifery care within a defined scope.
Types of Midwives and Their Specializations (06:33)
Caseload midwives offer personalized, continuous care but may require additional payment.
First-line midwives handle uncomplicated pregnancies and births.
Second-line midwives work under gynecologists for higher-risk pregnancies.
The referral system between midwives and gynecologists ensures seamless care.
Empowering Pregnant Individuals in Decision-Making (09:25)
Expecting parents are encouraged to make informed choices about their care.
The collaborative approach between care providers fosters confidence in new parents.
Listen, rate, and subscribe to help more expecting expat families find our show!
About the Brabant Birth Buddies
Julianna Feron is an expat birth doula, pregnancy coach, and childbirth educator based in the Netherlands. With over five years of experience, she helps international parents navigate the Dutch maternity system and prepare for a confident, natural birth. Through her classes, pregnancy massages, and online courses, she supports expectant moms in taking charge of their birth experience.
As a mother of two and an expat herself, Julianna understands the challenges of giving birth in a foreign country. She’s passionate about empowering women with knowledge, trust in their bodies, and practical tools for labor.
In her free time, Julianna loves swimming, running, and cycling—or getting lost in her latest hyper-fixation (currently investing and public speaking!). At home, she’s usually chasing her kids around the kitchen island in the middle of an imaginary adventure.
Anna Latham is a registered nurse, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and birth doula from the U.S. With over a decade of experience, she has supported pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum families across the U.S., Vietnam, and the Netherlands. Now based in Heeze, near Eindhoven, Anna foundedEmpowered Birth Services in 2024 to provide evidence-based education and compassionate support to growing families.
She is passionate about birth and empowering people to have positive and confident birth and breastfeeding experiences, helping them enter parenthood with knowledge and trust in their own abilities. As a mother of two, she enjoys biking, crafting, and sharing music with her daughters.
Get in Touch
Expecting Together Pregnancy and Postpartum Meetup You can find us each month at our pregnancy and postpartum meetup where we help you build your community, make friends, and answer all of your pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum questions! More info at pregnantineindhoven.com
Julianna Feron
Website: juliannaferon.com
Schedule a free clarity call: https://www.juliannaferon.com/booking-calendar/meeting-with-julianna
Instagram: @julianna.feron
Anna Latham
Website: empoweredbirthservices.nl
Instagram @empowered.birth.services
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555058594931
Schedule a FREE call to see how I can best support you at https://calendly.com/empoweredbirthservices/30min
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.