After the maternity week: what happens then?
11-09-2026 — Kraamplein
The maternity carer says goodbye, the youth nurse takes over
At the end of the maternity week, your maternity carer says goodbye — but the care and guidance don't stop there. Child health services, through the child health clinic (consultatiebureau), then take over for your baby's growth and development.
The first home visit
In the second week after the birth, a youth nurse from the child health clinic usually comes to visit you at home. She tells you what child health services can do for you, asks how you're doing, and examines (and sometimes weighs) the baby. This is also a good moment to ask any questions you still had after the maternity week.
The first visit to the child health clinic
Around four weeks old, you go to the child health clinic yourself for the first time. An assistant weighs and measures the baby, after which you have a conversation with the youth doctor, who examines the baby and listens to the heart and lungs.
How often do you go after that?
In the beginning you visit the child health clinic roughly every two to four weeks, later less often. Besides tracking growth and development, your child also receives the vaccinations from the National Immunisation Programme (Rijksvaccinatieprogramma) here, if you're participating.
Turning out heavier than expected at home?
The transition from daily maternity care to no more professional help in the house can take some getting used to. If you're still running into breastfeeding questions, or find it's heavier than expected, you're not on your own: your GP, midwife and the youth nurse from the child health clinic remain points of contact after the maternity week too.
In short
- After the maternity week, child health services via the child health clinic take over.
- Around the second week a youth nurse visits you at home; around the fourth week you go to the child health clinic yourself for the first time.
- After that, visits follow every two to four weeks, later less often, including the vaccinations.
- If it's heavier than expected at home, you can always turn to your GP, midwife or the youth nurse.
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This article is general and informational and may be out of date or incomplete.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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