How many hours of maternity care do you get? The indication protocol in plain language
11-09-2026 — Kraamplein editorial team
No fixed number, but a clear framework
There's no "everyone gets X hours". How much maternity care you get is determined using the Landelijk Indicatieprotocol Kraamzorg (the national indication protocol for maternity care) — a national guideline that maternity carers and midwives use, together with you, to determine what's needed. The law does set a clear range: a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 80 hours, spread over the maternity week (usually 8 to 10 days, starting from the day of birth).
The standard package
For most families the indication comes out at the so-called standard package: around 45 hours for bottle feeding and 49 hours for breastfeeding (breastfeeding requires more guidance, hence the difference). That package is built up from a number of fixed components:
- Care and monitoring of you as a new mother (for example blood loss, stitches, recovery).
- Care and monitoring of the baby (feeding, weight, jaundice, temperature).
- Information and instruction — this is what many people think of first when they think of "what does a maternity carer do", but it's actually just one of the components.
- Household support, so you can rest and recover.
When do you get more or less?
The indication is tailored, so it regularly differs from the standard package:
- More hours makes sense with multiples, a first child, a difficult birth, a caesarean section, medical complications for you or the baby, or if you have little help from your own network.
- Fewer hours can apply if you already have other children, if the birth and recovery go smoothly, or if there's a lot of help from your network.
The final indication is set during the intake interview, usually around week 34 of the pregnancy, and confirmed once the maternity carer visits you after the birth.
There's always a minimum
Even when things are genuinely tight — for example due to a shortage in your region — a minimum package must always be provided: a few hours a day, meant for checking on you and the baby and for explanation and instruction. So that's never "nothing", even if it feels more limited than you'd hoped. Read more in Can't find maternity care? How to improve your chances.
Turning out to be too little at home? Ask for a re-assessment
The indication set in advance isn't fixed for the whole week. If you notice during the maternity week that it's harder than expected — for example because breastfeeding is slow to get going, or your recovery is slower — your maternity carer can request a re-assessment: extra hours, on top of what was agreed initially. Don't wait too long to bring it up; discuss it as soon as you notice it's not enough.
In short
- No fixed number of hours; determined per family using the Landelijk Indicatieprotocol Kraamzorg.
- Legal range: 24 to 80 hours.
- Standard package: around 45 hours (bottle feeding) to 49 hours (breastfeeding).
- More hours with multiples, a first child, complications or little help from your network; fewer with a subsequent child or a smooth recovery.
- Turning out to be too little during the maternity week? Ask your maternity carer for a re-assessment.
Also read What to look out for when choosing maternity care.
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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