What is a doula?
A doula is an experienced and trained professional, who can help you gathering information about your pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. She provides you and your partner with all the emotional, physical and mental support and assistance through this journey, that you need. The doula offers help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning for during birth but also the postpartum period.
It is an age-old tradition for birthing women to be supported by other women. Since the 1980s, doulas have increasingly been asked to join the care team around a pregnant woman. Not as a replacement for the partner or the midwife/gynecologist, but rather to strengthen collaboration and facilitate optimal communication with the other members of the birth team.
The doula is involved in both home births and hospital births and is usually hired by the (expectant) parents. A doula typically works as an independent care professional. Instead of the usual translation from ancient Greek, where "doula" means "female servant," the more recent interpretation—"she who guides"—provides a powerful description of the ancient concept of the doula.
You are pregnant!
As you prepare for the birth of your baby, you might be wondering where you’d like to give birth: at home or in the hospital. You can do both in the Netherlands! You’ll start exploring courses, basic necessities and postpartum care. And now, you're learning about doulas—a wonderful add-on! On this website, you'll find more information about what a doula is, why you might want to hire one, what they do (and don’t do) and what teh difference is between a doula and a midwife or a maternity nurse. You can specifically search for doulas in your area who offer their services. This way, you can be sure they’ll be there on time for your birth! Almost all doula's speak both Dutch and English. Those doula's who prefer not to offer their services in another language then their native tongue have mentioned this in their English profile.
What does a doula do?
Most doulas offer different service packages. A basic package should usually be composed of:
- Intake session
- 2 face to face prenatal meetings (usually in the comfort of your own home)
- Offering help with writing your birth plan/ birth wishes
- Unlimited email/ whatsapp and phone contact
- Ongoing support during labour to both you (and your eventual partner)
- Postpartum meeting going over the timeline and pictures of your birth
- Een bevalverslag (vaak met foto’s)
A postpartum doula visits you after the birth. She provides additional services beyond traditional maternity nurse care provided by a 'kraamverzorgende', which usually finishes after eight days. A basic package offered by a postpartum doula might include:
- Intake session
- 4 sessions of 4 hours of care over the course of 2 weeks, scheduled at times that work best for you
- Support with (breast)feeding your baby
- Preparing healthy meals for you and/ or your family
- Massage/ rebozo closing ritual
- Processing your birth experience by actively listening to your birth story
Add on or 'doula plus' packages offer discounts on child birth education classes, pregnancy massage, discount on rental or free use of birth TENS or birthpool, mindfulness- or hypnobirth classes, pregnancy yoga....and much more
Many doulas offer additional services beyond their doula work, such as prenatal yoga or hypnobirthing courses. Some doulas not only support you during pregnancy and birth but are also involved in the six-week postpartum period. Each profile lists the specific services offered by each doula, allowing you to search specifically for a doula who suits your needs by selecting whether you want a birth doula or only a postpartum doula. You can also choose an NBvD doula, a member of the professional Doula Association of the Netherlands. If you decide at the last minute that you’d like a doula at your birth, most doulas also offer last-minute packages. It’s never too late to call a doula!
General doula fees
The cost of a doula depends on the doula and the package chosen. For a basic package, prices range from approximately €950,- to €1500,- either with or without 21% VAT. Some health insurance providers cover (part of) the cost of a doula, but for this, the doula must have an AGB code. This code is only available to doulas who are members of the NBvD (Dutch Association for Doulas).
Hiring a doula is an investment in yourself that you truly deserve. Your birth experience is a life event, not only for you but also for your partner! Various studies show that continuous support from a woman with birth experience or training—separate from a midwife or someone from the birthing woman’s network, such as a partner, mother, or sister—during childbirth results in:
- Shorter labours (25%)
- Less caesarean sections (50%)
- Less need for analgesia or anesthesia (60%)
- Less need for induction or contraction enhancing medication (50%)
- Less vacuum extractions or use of forceps
- Better APGAR scores of the newlyborn
- Higher satisfaction rate about the birth experience
- Faster postpartum recovery
Source: 'the doula effect' by dr. Marshall and Phyllis Klaus and John Kennell. More research and data are ti be found at the website of the NBvD, the Dutch association for doula's: www.nbvd.nl
A birth is a life event. Just like getting married or moving, this event has a significant impact on your life. A well-known saying goes: "How a woman gives birth affects the rest of her life." That’s quite something! If you don’t have the financial means, it's often possible to make arrangements with the doula. Additionally, you can ask friends and family to contribute (partially) as a gift towards the cost of doula support!If a doula is unable to attend the birth due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances, she will almost always work with a backup doula. If you wish, you can meet this backup during your pregnancy. Be sure to ask the doula you are interested in about this.
NBvD is the Dutch association for doula's (Nederlandse Beroepsverenging voor Doula's)
The NBvD is a pro active and well informed Doula Association who looks after the interest of the Dutch doula community. Their goal is to anchor the quality of their members both during prenatal, postnatal and birth services .
Every doula who is a member of the NBvD has agreed to adhere to the association's code of conduct, and their actions are in accordance with this code. They are eligible to apply for an AGB code after providing their VOG (certificate of good conduct). With this AGB code, you as her client can claim part of her fees back from your Dutch health insurance. Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you qualify for reimbursement, or ask the doula you're considering about this!
In addition, the NBvD sets requirements regarding education and continued professional development. In the Netherlands, there are four doula training programs accredited by the NBvD, and these provide certified doulas with direct access to NBvD membership.
If a doula has completed her training elsewhere, it is possible to qualify for NBvD membership through an experience-based process. Doulas who are already members are expected to attend annual training sessions and assist with a minimum number of births. This ensures that the knowledge and skills of NBvD doulas remain up to date.
You do not have to be a member of the NBvD to offer doula services in the Netherlands. But you can select 'NBvD doula' in the scroll down menu if you like to know who is affiliated with the NBvD.
More information (in Dutch) about the NBvD, their code of conduct, costs of membership and much more is to be found at: www.nbvd.nl