Belgium - Anyone have homebirth experience in Belgium?

[Juniperberry]

Hi, I live in Brussels, and as there's no group... I thought I'd ask here..

I'm pretty much decided on a home birth and I know it's really not the norm here as it is in the Netherlands.

But.. there are midwies adn people who choose to birth at home.. do any of you have experience with home birth in Belgium? or do you know someone who did?

I guess I'm looking for anything that can help.. how it works here, how much it costs...



thanks!

[Leisha]

Wow, someone from Belgium! A rare breed on MDC I think

Anyway, I had a hospital birth (c-section even, had no other option), and indeed homebirths are not common here at all. I know three women (two in their forties, kids are teenagers; one that did it a few years ago) that had (some of) their children at home and they are all very positive about it.


But for most people it seems strange not to have a baby in the hospital.
I have to say I loved my hospital experience but i just love hospitals, lol.

Do you have a "kraamzorgcentrum" or something in Brussels? I know the one in Antwerp is called "De Kraamvogel" but I don't know about Bxl... I think that would be the best place to start for info on homebirths!

I think the cost of homebirth is definitely (much) lower than a hospital birth anyway! And don't forget every woman who gives birth, wether at home or in hospital, can ask for up to ten midwife visits after the birth, that are completely covered by the basic health insurance (ziekenfonds).
Anyway i think the costs for check-ups with a midwife are paid back, just like regular doctor's or gynaecologist's appointments.

Aha I googled a bit and found this for Brussels:
http://www.expertisecentrum-vollemaan.be/

Oh, are you Belgian (Flemish? Walloon?) or do you only live there? Cause the website is in flemish...

[Juniperberry]

Hi Leisha! Definitely don't seem many people from Belgium here!

I'm english/american, born in england and I live in Brussels - I moved here when I was 7 with my family (im now 28) and I've kinda just stayed ... this is home for me. I speak fluent french but unfortunately only a tiny bit of flemish (thanks to the wonderful way they teach languages at the international schools here lol..*cough*)

Thanks for the info tho. My DH speaks some flemish so I'll get him to have a look and translate for me

I've not told many people here about my homebirth plans (only decided to go for home birth about 2 weeks ago and Im due in about 2 weeks!) but the pediatrician asked me when I was having the baby 2 days ago and she looked at me like I was insane. So I think I'll be keeping it to myself... it's definitely not something thats common here!

I think maybe it's more common up in Flanders... but from brussels on down it's seen as a bit weird.

Anyway, thanks for replying! glad to hear of other people doing it here.

[rzberrymom]

Hi Juniperberry,

You might want to search for gabry on here (that's her username)--I remember that she's in Antwerp, and she might know more about homebirth in Belgium.

Good luck!

[simonee]

Hi Juniperberry, I'm a native Dutch/Flemish speaker and scanned the site quickly; they say they offer the opportunity for birthing with a midwife at home or in a 'geboortehuis' (birth home); there does't seem to be any concrete info. You may want to call them to find out; by all means PM me if you want any translations (I tend to not stray much from Politics here till the election is over ).


ETA it may be pretty easy to go across the border for the birth, esp if you are US or Canadian the distances are pretty minor...

[*theophane*]

hello there actually is a HBing community in Brussels.
we considered living there a few years ago and i had found midwives, apgroups, mother baby friendly hospitals.etc..
je te conseille d'aller faire un tour sur les tres mainstreams forums Tiboo, magic maman, qui bien que bases en france ont des forums locaux belges
sinon, un moyen d'avoir acces a une super communaute sont les cours d eportage en echarpe de peau a peau. peau-a-peau.org ou be? a googler..
il y a comme en France voisine, une poche de naissance naturelle ds un ocean de naissance technicisee.
ah oui, et tu peux avoir une kine comme support pdt la naissance.
tu trouveras des infos aussi sur naissance.ws le portail de la naissance francophone alternative, certains membres sont en belgique.
il y a notamment des maisons de naissances, des Sages femmes liberales.

je te souhaite bonne chance!

[maschav]

Hi,
There´s this belgian ap-list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-be

Maybe you´ll find some more information there.

Good luck,
Mascha (Netherlands)