You arrange this during your pregnancy

Do you have a job and are having a child? In the Netherlands, you are entitled to different types of leave.

1. For the mother: maternity and delivery leave

You are entitled to at least 16 weeks of leave. Usually this starts 6 weeks before the birth and you have at least 10 weeks of leave after that.

You will be paid 100% of your salary through the UWV

You are entitled to 1 week of leave immediately after the birth. Your employer pays 100% of your salary.

Additional birth leave: you can take 5 additional weeks of leave in the first 6 months after the birth. The law says you get 70% of your salary through the UWV. Many

Both parents are entitled to a total of 26 weeks of parental leave per child. You may take this until the child is 8 years old.

Paid parental leave (9 weeks): if you take these 9 weeks in the first year of your child's life, you will receive benefits. Legally, this is 70% of your salary through the UWV.

Will you get 70% or 100%? 70% is the legal minimum. Many employers supplement this to 100%. Therefore, always check your own collective labour agreement or employment contract.

Unpaid parental leave: The remaining 17 weeks of parental leave are basically unpaid. You can use these hours until your child is 8 years old.

What if you have multiple employers?

Do you have more than 1 employer? Then you are entitled to leave with each employer. It may be that one employer pays 70% and the other employer pays 100%. This depends on the agreements at that company.

You can take the leave all at once, but you can also divide it into days or separate weeks. Consult with your employer at least 2 months in advance.

In the Netherlands you are entitled to maternity care. Someone will come and help you take care of your baby. The maternity nurse will also teach you how to take good care of your baby.

Maternity care is reimbursed from your basic health insurance. You are entitled to a maximum of 49 hours of maternity care, spread over 8 days. Contact a maternity care organisation in time to make an appointment.

You never know exactly when you will give birth. And maybe you will give birth in the hospital. It is useful during your pregnancy to already pack a bag with things you will need during and after the birth. Think of things like: clothes for you and the baby, toiletries, important documents and snacks.

You can take a pregnancy course to get practical information about pregnancy, delivery techniques, breastfeeding and contact with your baby. There are also courses for expectant fathers. You can ask your doctor or midwife for advice on which pregnancy course is right for you.

Please note that basic health insurance usually does not cover maternity courses. Some supplementary insurances do, but with restrictions such as a maximum amount or a small number of courses you can choose from.

Check if your health insurance has enough coverage for when you are pregnant or have to give birth. Sometimes there are additional insurances that give you more benefits. For example, for maternity care or other treatments.

If you are pregnant and about to give birth, you should think carefully about your health insurance in advance. After all, you often cannot change your policy during the year. The basic insurance reimburses many expenses, but not all. Ask your health insurance company how this is regulated.

Can you, and possibly your partner, not take care of your baby every day? For example, because you have to work? Then you can arrange childcare. Some childcare centres have long waiting lists.

Therefore, register as soon as possible if you are pregnant. How much childcare costs varies from childcare centre to childcare centre. Sometimes you can also get a childcare allowance. This can only be arranged after your child is born.