Centering Pregnancy

What is Centering Pregnancy?

Centering Pregnancy is a form of pregnancy guidance in which you not only receive individual medical check-ups, but also, together with other pregnant women who are at the same stage of their pregnancy as you, receive a lot of extra information from one regular midwife about what is important during pregnancy, childbirth and also once the baby is born.

Centering Pregnancy has been offered throughout the Netherlands for 30 years and is the best care for you and your baby: you receive 17 hours (!) of free extra care from your midwife. 

You will only see one midwife throughout your pregnancy, which will help you build a good relationship with her. You will also build this relationship with the other pregnant women, and this together will improve the outcome of your pregnancy:

• You are less likely to have a premature birth
• You have less chance of preeclampsia
• You have more confidence in childbirth
• You are less likely to require medical intervention
• You have less stress during pregnancy
• You have a greater chance of successful breastfeeding

All checks planned in advance, leave from employer required

In total there are about ten meetings of two hours, of which 8-9 meetings before the delivery and finally a follow-up check after the last one has been delivered. All dates are known in advance, so you can easily plan the appointments in your agenda. An employer is also obliged to give you time off for this pregnancy care. 

Number of pregnant women

In total, you are with a maximum of 10 pregnant women of the same gestational age. At the start of the check-up, you measure your own blood pressure, the midwife explains how to do this. You will receive your own booklet in which you can keep track of all check-ups and the midwife will also record these in her system. Then you will come to the midwife on your own for the external examination and listening to the baby's heartbeat. If there is anything else the midwife needs to know, you can tell her one-on-one. 

After everyone has had their individual medical check-up, the rest of the time is devoted to an important topic in pregnancy. Each time, a topic is discussed that fits the duration of your pregnancy. Because there is a mix of first pregnancies but also mothers who have given birth before, you can learn from each other and receive much more information than if you only had 20 minutes with the midwife during basic care. For example, extensive attention is paid to thema's such as healthy food, childbirth preparation such as the course of the delivery but also pain relief, childbirth holding and the birth plan, but attention is also paid to dealing with uncertainties and administrative matters surrounding having a baby. Sometimes an additional expert joins in, such as a lactation consultant or maternity nurse, to further explore specific topics.

Partners

Do you recognize this, you would like to go to a pregnancy course with your partner but your partner's enthusiasm is not quite what you had hoped? We completely understand what you mean. Partners often think that a pregnancy course is boring and that you only learn to 'puff' during labor. Good news: if you participate in Centering, you no longer have to go to a pregnancy course and neither does your partner! With Centering you pay extra attention to your own pregnancy but you share it with other pregnant women so that you are not alone, even if you come without a partner. We do have a moment in healthcare where partners are invited, namely when we go through the practical tips for labor (not a puffing course, but practical do's and especially don'ts). 

What makes Centering Pregnancy so valuable?

• More time and depth: Where a regular check-up often takes about 20-30 minutes, with Centering Pregnancy you get much more time to ask questions and share information. In total you receive 17 hours of free extra care.
• Mutual support and recognition: You meet women in the same phase of their pregnancy and can compare experiences, exchange tips and offer each other a listening ear. This often leads to lasting contacts, even after the birth, but of course this is not necessary if you do not want this.
• Performing your own checks: You are closely involved in your own care, for example by measuring your own blood pressure. This gives you more control and insight into your health.
• Scientifically proven: Research from home and abroad shows positive effects on the health of you and your baby. For example, premature births and pregnancy poisoning occur less often and breastfeeding is successful for more women. Participants also indicate that they feel better prepared and supported and have more confidence in their own delivery.
• Better care experience: Because you get to know one midwife intensively, the guidance is better tailored to your wishes and needs. 

Who is it suitable for?

Centering Pregnancy is suitable for everyone, whether you are a talker or prefer to wait and see. It does not matter whether you are shy or not, because everyone finds a new beginning exciting. The nice thing about Centering Pregnancy is that the midwife is the one who asks questions to others, so you do not have to discuss a topic yourself and your safety is always guaranteed: everything that is discussed is confidential and agreements are also made about this. Furthermore, we often see that at the end you have valuable acquaintances / friendships from this form of pregnancy care, which can be nice if this is your first child. If you are pregnant for the first time, you can learn from mothers who are pregnant for the second time (or more often) and if you are sometimes a bit insecure, this can also have a place and you will see that you are not the only one. This creates a bond and ensures confidence in your own pregnancy. 

Practical information for Midwives Lelystad

• Dates and times: The fixed times of the meetings are known in advance. This is not only useful for your own planning, but you also do not have to wait longer in the practice if, for example, the consultation hour runs over.
• Additional guidance if necessary: In case of an emergency or an abnormal check, you will of course receive extra one-on-one checks. This is never done in the presence of other pregnant women.
• Any doubts? It is very normal if you have doubts or find it exciting to participate. You are not alone in this. That is why there is a possibility to participate 3 times and experience what it feels like to receive information together with other pregnant women. 

In short: At Verloskundigen Lelystad we stand 100% behind the best care for you and your baby through Centering Pregnancy. It is a unique opportunity to experience your pregnancy in a warm, informal and educational environment. By sharing knowledge, building a network and actively involving your partner, you will not only experience more confidence in yourself and your own body, but also the best start for you and your future family. 

Register for Centering Pregnancy?

You can indicate during the intake that you would like to participate in Centering Pregnancy. We start at 16 weeks, so even after the intake you still have a few weeks to think about whether you would like to participate. You can always call us or send us a message via email. We hope that you are or will be just as enthusiastic and that we may meet you soon!