A day in the maternity week: what does your maternity carer do?
11-09-2026 — Kraamplein
No fixed day, but a recurring rhythm
Every maternity week is different — it depends on how the birth went, how many hours of care were indicated (see How many hours of maternity care do you get?) and what you and your family need. Still, the same elements come back almost every day. What does a maternity carer actually do? gives the general overview of her tasks; this article shows what that looks like on an ordinary day.
The checks
Every day the maternity carer checks you and the baby:
- For you: temperature, blood loss, and the recovery of any stitches.
- For the baby: temperature, weight, colour (partly with an eye on jaundice) and the umbilical stump.
These checks are also the moment to ask questions — about what's normal and what isn't, and what you should watch out for.
Feeding and care
The maternity carer guides you with feeding — for breastfeeding, for example with latching, feeding position and rhythm; for bottle-feeding, with the practical side of it. She shows you step by step how to care for the baby: changing, bathing, dressing — with the goal that you can do this independently and confidently after the maternity week.
Household support
Besides the care for you and the baby, household support is also part of it: preparing a light meal, changing the bed, and keeping the bathroom and toilet clean. If there's time left over after the care tasks, she'll often also do some vacuuming or a load of laundry. The focus always stays on your recovery and the care for the baby — the household is supporting, not the main task.
Other children at home
If you already have other children, this is taken into account during the intake (see The intake interview) — depending on the number of indicated hours, the maternity carer also takes on part of their care, so you have the space to recover and get used to the new family member.
Preparing for the time after
Toward the end of the maternity week, the maternity carer thinks along with you about a daily rhythm that will work once she no longer comes by — for example around feeding, sleeping and rest. That's also a good moment to ask any last questions before you're on your own.
In short
- Every day: checks on you (temperature, recovery) and the baby (temperature, weight, colour, umbilical stump).
- Guidance with feeding and care, aimed at you being able to do it yourself afterwards.
- Light household support, with the care for you and the baby as priority.
- With multiple children: also attention for them, depending on the indicated hours.
- Toward the end of the week: preparing a daily rhythm for the period after.
Also read What does a maternity carer actually do?
This article is general and informational and may be out of date or incomplete. It is not medical or personal advice; for your situation, what your midwife, GP or maternity care provider says applies. You cannot derive any rights from the content, and Kraamplein accepts no liability for damage arising from its use.
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