Dear client and partner,
As Amsterdam midwives, we are currently investigating the possibility of setting up a birth center outside the hospital as a solution to the shortage of birth places in Amsterdam and to be able to offer all pregnant women the same facilities during their birth.
Healthy pregnant (low-risk) women have a choice of birthplace and how they want to give birth.. However, in the past years the increasing shortage of (nursing) staff in hospital causes more frequent temporary closing of delivery room. This puts great pressure on that freedom of choice and we are regularly forced to move to hospitals outside Amsterdam. This shortage is not easily solved, partly because the nurses are simply not there and training takes a lot of time.
We think we can offer a very good alternative in the form of an “Amsterdam Birth Center” outside but near the hospital, where every low-risk woman is welcome (who has no medical indication for her delivery), but does not want to give birth at home. In this center you will receive the continuous support of labour you need from your own midwife, who is a specialist in the field of normal childbirth. We offer a variety of facilities in the birthing center to contribute to a positive birth experience, i.e. in every room there will be nitrous oxide (gas & air/laughing gas) as pain relief and furthermore a birthing pool will be available 24/7. The birthing center will also help lower the workload in hospitals so they can focus on women who need extra medical care.
We believe this birthing center can contribute to improve the Dutch midwifery care. However, we need your opinion to find out whether this plan is in line with your wishes and ideas about your birth! We would like to ask 10 minutes of your time to complete the survey below so that we can continue our plans with your input.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Sincerely,
EVAA, Eerstelijns Verloskundigen Amsterdam-Amstelland (Primary midwives Amsterdam Amstelland)