Midwifery practice  Astrid Limburg

Are you pregnant or trying to get pregnant? An exciting and special time in your life is about to begin. We work with a small familiar team of five midwives. Thanks to this small-scale setup you will have the chance to get to know all our midwives well before you go into labour. Do you live in the Pijp, Centrum, Oud-Zuid de Rivierenbuurt, Amstelkwartier, Watergraafsmeer, Oostpoort or Amsterdam-Oost? ​Then you are welcome at the Astrid Limburg midwifery practice for:

• Personal care which revolves around your wishes and intuition
• Consultation for those trying to get pregnant
• Ultrasounds at our practice or our ultrasound centre
• Support during pregnancy and childbirth
• Checkup possibilities during evening and weekend
  
• All necessary information at an early stage
• Prenatal testing
• Experienced midwives who will take good care of you 
• Rapid referral to other medical specialists if needed
• External cephalic version
• Various courses
• Collaboration with multiple healthcare disciplines
• Home visits in pregnancy and postnatal
• Follow-up 6 weeks after childbirth
• Contraception advice
• Good cooperation with hospitals in Amsterdam
  

Contact and book

​Would you like to make an appointment or ask questions? Mondays through Friday you can call our assistants at 020 671 06 50.

Monday through Friday 08.45 - 12.30 en 13.30 - 16.15.  

​Emergency: Is there an emergency related to the childbirth or are you worried about your pregnancy, for example blood loss or less feeling of movement of your baby? You can contact our emergency number. Emergency: 020 260 08 80, 24 hours a day

• Emergency and no answer: it may be that the line is in use or that we are dealing with an emergency situation. You can try it again in 5-10 minutes. If you still have no response and you must speak with someone urgently, call our neighbour practice midwifes Nicolaas Witsenkade; 06 547 881 78, and be clear that you're calling for the Astrid Limburg practice.  
  
  

Tailored care for your pregnancy

Pregnancy is a natural process. Often your body knows what is best for you and your baby. That is why, as midwives, we trust the intuition and strengths of future mothers. For a pleasant pregnancy and a calm childbirth, it is important that you can make your own choices and feel supported and at ease. During your pregnancy you will visit your midwife regularly for check-ups to monitor your health and your baby’s: on average 10 to 12 times. The first check-up will occur approximately in the 8th week of pregnancy. During this intake, we will ask you about your health and lifestyle. We will look into your medical history and discuss your care plan which we will individualize to your presonal preference and needs. We will also inform you of the tests to check your baby’s health during your pregnancy that you can take. This first meeting will take about 40 minutes. You will also get the opportunity to have a vitality ultrasound. This is done at the practice or at our ultrasound centre Echopunt at your own expenses.

​The following check-ups will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Your blood pressure will be checked and the growth of your baby monitored by means of external examinations. In addition, we will discuss the necessary topics regarding your current pregnancy term. 

(Un)complicated pregnancy

During "normal" pregnancy, the midwifery practice will be your contact point in terms of care, advice and assistance. Unfortunately, not every pregnancy proceeds without complications. Therefore, when there are medical problems during pregnancy, we will refer directly to the appropriate healthcare providers with whom we have collaborated often. This way you will always receive the proper care needed for you pregnancy/ birth. 

​Do you have an increased risk of complications? Pregnant women with a slight increased risk of complications can also contact us. The intake will take place at our practice and any further care will be planned together with the gynaecologist

Ultrasounds

​In approximately the 10th week of pregnancy, an ultrasound will be performed to establish the due date of your pregnancy with certainty. During your pregnancy, it is possible to do more ultrasounds like gender reveal and a twenty week screening. During the intake, we will give you more information on this. If necessary we will perform more ultrasounds. The ultrasounds are performed at the practice or at our ultrasound centre Echopunt. 

Prenatal screening: what are the options

​Although most children are born healthy, this is unfortunately not a given. Would you like to know more about the health of your baby before the birth? Or do you want to wait and see what happens? For many people, this is a difficult choice to make. At our practice we will inform you of all the possible tests that can be taken during pregnancy. The midwife will explain which screenings are typical, which are only offered when the midwife indicates this for medical reasons to do so, and which are extra that you can get upon request.

Possible tests
​✓ Blood test ✓ NIPT ✓ 13 weeks screening ultrasound ✓ 20 weeks screening ultrasound ✓ Chorionic villus testing, amniocentesis 

Childbirth

Pain during labour

​Would you like to give birth at home? Or would you prefer to be in the hospital (as an outpatient)? Between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, your baby – with the help and support of a midwife – can be born at either place. The midwife will monitor your and your baby’s health as well as your baby’s progress by means of internal and external examinations. If complications should occur during pregnancy (both at home or as an outpatient at the hospital), the care will be handed over to the medical staff at the hospital. They will also supervise the delivery in that case.

Every labour is different and every woman experiences pain differently. We assume that a mother instinctively knows what is best for her and her baby and we tailor our care to match this. Only when you feel safe and at ease, can childbirth run calmly and naturally.

​You will also be able to control your own pain relief if wanted. Together, we will determine what pain relief is best for you. We will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages so that you can make a well-informed choice that suits you, whether that is with or without medication or other aid. If you choose for a medical form of pain relief, your care will be handed over to the medical staff at the hospital. 

Postnatal period (in Dutch: kraamtijd)

​One of our midwives will visit you a few times in the first week after childbirth. During these visits, we will check how you and your baby are doing and we will support you in your newly acquired parenthood. We will also consult with the maternity care (in Dutch: kraamhulp) who will be taking care of you and your baby during the first week. 

​Maternity care will provide care for the first 8 days after the birth when you are at home. The maternity nurse also assists with the delivery, both at home and in the hospital (if you have not become medical before or during birth).

The Astrid Limburg practice works most closely with maternity care agency Mammae mia. If you choose another agency or private maternity care, there are a number of points that must be checked carefully;

• Is the maternity nurse available for the entire period? This is from 3 weeks before to 3 weeks after your due date. If not, or if there is overlap with another client: is a backup arranged? Ask for the contact details of this backup and also pass this information on to your midwife.
  
• Has the maternity nurse arranged a replacement in case she becomes ill or cannot be reached? Ask for the contact details of this backup and pass it on to your midwife.
  
• Can the maternity nurse be with you (day and night) within 60 minutes, both at home or in the hospital? Whether you want to give birth at home or in hospital, assistance from the maternity nurse is (often) necessary. A maternity nurse is obliged to always be able to assist during delivery if asked for by the midwife.
  

We know that the agencies affiliated with the Amsterdam maternity care partnership (KSVA), see the list below, comply with these rules. If you have another agency or private maternity care, it is your responsibility to check these points.

KSVA agencies; ACK/Zorgmaat/de Baker, Babywish, Kraamzorg Blije Nest, Care4U, Coöperatie kraamzorggroep, Het Geboortecollectief, Handle with Care, Joy, De Kleine Amsterdammer, De Kraamspecialist, Kraamvogel/Geboortecentrum/ZiN, Kraamzorg Anne, Kraamzorg Professionals, Mammae Mia, Pro Care.

​Follow-up

​Approximately six weeks after childbirth – at the end of the postnatal period – it is possible to visit the midwifery practice one more time for a follow-up. During this checkup we will discuss the course of your pregnancy, the labour and the postnatal period. The midwife will give you a physical check-up and there is plenty of time to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have. If you have any physical or emotional symptoms, the midwife could refer you to the appropriate healthcare provider if needed.