Birth leave and maternity care: how do you combine them as a partner?
11-09-2026 — Kraamplein
What is birth leave?
As a partner in the Netherlands, you're entitled to birth leave: usually one week of fully paid leave, taken immediately around the birth, followed by a period of supplementary birth leave at a percentage of your daily wage (via the UWV, the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency). The exact percentages and terms are set by the government and can change — if in doubt, check the current scheme with the UWV or your employer, and ask your employer whether they top up beyond the statutory minimum.
The order is fixed
The order of the leave is set by law: first the week of birth leave, only after that the supplementary birth leave — the reverse isn't possible. You usually take the week of birth leave within the first weeks after the birth; the supplementary leave can be taken later and spread out, within a certain period after the birth.
How does this relate to maternity care?
The week of birth leave often coincides with (part of) the maternity week — and that's exactly the intention: it gives you the space to be present at the birth, support your partner in her recovery, take part in caring for the baby, and build the first bond. Maternity care and your own presence complement each other, they don't replace one another: the maternity carer guides and supports (see A day in the maternity week), but you're there just as much to learn, help and be present.
Planning flexibly with the supplementary leave
Because the supplementary birth leave can be spread out, you can plan this strategically for the period after the maternity week — for example, one day a week, or a whole week a month, spread over the first few months. This is especially valuable once maternity care has ended and you're facing things together, before the rhythm is fully found.
Discuss it in time with your employer
Ask your employer in good time, preferably already early in the pregnancy, how they handle birth leave: is there a supplementary scheme on top of the statutory minimum, and what agreements apply to planning the supplementary leave? That way you avoid only figuring this out once the birth has already started.
In short
- As a partner, you're entitled to one week of fully paid birth leave, followed by supplementary birth leave at a percentage of your daily wage.
- The order is fixed: first the week of birth leave, then the supplementary leave.
- The week of birth leave often coincides with the maternity week — maternity care and your presence complement each other.
- The supplementary leave can be spread out, handy for the period after the maternity week.
- Discuss the scheme and any top-ups in time with your employer.
Also read A day in the maternity week: what does your maternity carer 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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